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06/08/2012Can Deliberate Sin Negate Your Conversion Experience?
Every Christian hits rough spots at times where a particular sin just seems to get the upper hand for awhile. It might be a grudge....or impure thoughts....or jealousy....or whatever. By God's grace, believers somehow manage to bounce back and get beyond these spiritual setbacks. It's so much better to be living "in the zone" of God's abundant love, power, and boundaries.
118 comments - 06/03/2012
Evangelicals and Catholics Together Getting Born Again
It has been nearly 20 years since leading Evangelical and Roman Catholic scholars in the United States signed an ecumenical document to deliver a common witness to the modern world. While everyone understands that there are still theological differences, "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" was an amazing effort in 1994 to reach out to one another in Christian love. One affirmation in that document stated: "All who accept Christ as Lord and Savior are brothers and sisters in Christ." This is most certainly true.
318 comments - 06/01/2012
Do I View Others as Bigger Sinners?
One huge indicator of spiritual health and maturity is when a Christian views his sin as being at least as great, if not greater, than the sins of others. The apostle Paul described his own attitude this way: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst." (1 Timothy 1:15) Paul ministered to people out of that deep sense of being a bigger sinner than anyone he was trying to reach with the Gospel.
29 comments - 05/28/2012
Hypnosis and Yoga Open Hidden Spiritual Doors
Hypnosis and yoga are a couple of mystical practices which have basically gone mainstream in America today. Just because a spiritual practice goes mainstream, however, doesn't mean that it is safe and beneficial. Many spiritual teachings and practices are dangerous to the soul. This calls for daily discernment and constant vigilance on the part of every Christian.
112 comments - 05/24/2012
When Man Takes God and Sin Seriously
A well-known television host did a story recently about a judge who is attempting to reduce the 10 Commandments down to 6 Commandments. Without going into all the details, I found the host's comments to be very insightful. He wondered what Moses would think about such a travesty.
180 comments - 05/21/2012
Gay Marriage and Martin Luther King's Dream
When President Obama spoke at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication last year, he urged the nation to continue to press for the goals and hopes of the "black preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams" and helped make the nation "more perfect." By announcing his support for same-sex marriage last week, President Obama is sincerely convinced that now he is helping to make the nation even more perfect.
- 05/18/2012
Why Every Christian Is a Disciple
There is plenty of talk these days about which term or terms to use when defining those who belong to Christ. I know it can be tempting to want to define "disciple" differently than you define "Christian." I was actually toying with that idea myself a number of years ago. But as Scripture details what it means to be in relationship with God through faith in Christ, I don't believe it is wise or beneficial to make this distinction and end up with two different categories of believers.
22 comments - 05/16/2012
Helping Someone Escape Sin Is Not Judgmental
Do you ever get the feeling these days that if you tried to help someone you love escape from sin, you might be accused of judging that person? You are not alone if you feel this way.
72 comments - 05/14/2012
Should Anyone Planning to Sin Be Baptized?
Each one of us is a sinner. There is no getting around it. So what is the difference between a sinner who has been saved by God's grace, and a sinner who is still lost in his sins?
71 comments - 05/06/2012
Relinquishing Grace or Truth Actually Sacrifices Both
When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in a garden which had boundaries. They were told to respect those boundaries and obey the truth. They chose to cross God's boundary line. The rest is history.
60 comments - 05/04/2012
Five Myths About Living Together Before Marriage
So you think there are advantages to living together rather than getting married. Before you close your mind any tighter on the issue, check out these five myths:
90 comments - 05/02/2012
Andy Stanley Didn't Leave Any Wiggle Room
Anyone who has been richly blessed over the years by the preaching of Dr. Charles Stanley, as I have been, knows that he has a real gift to proclaim the Word of God with clarity and purpose in the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, Dr. Stanley doesn't leave much wiggle room for his hearers. I really like that when I am listening to a message from God's Word. It reminds me that God has placed plenty of stakes in the ground regarding the truth, sin, and grace.
46 comments - 04/30/2012
Am I God's Servant or His Advisor?
Charles Spurgeon expressed it well for anyone who is waiting upon God to do something. "My situation is urgent," writes Spurgeon, "and I cannot see how I will ever be delivered. Yet this is not my concern, for He who made the promise will find a way to keep it. My part is simply to obey His commands, not to direct His ways. I am His servant, not His advisor. I call upon Him and He will deliver me."
18 comments - 04/27/2012
Subjecting Local Congregations to Off-Site Control
In the New Testament, no one ever served as a spiritual leader for a congregation that he wasn't also feeding. God's Word prescribes no leading where there is no feeding. Every "elder" in the New Testament was required to faithfully teach the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:24), and to serve alongside the believers in that particular congregation. The word "elder" in the New Testament is interchanged with the words "overseer," "pastor," and "bishop."
19 comments - 04/23/2012
Don't Attempt Relationships or Marriage Without Jesus
Relationships can get very messy. Perhaps you already have firsthand experience in that area. The only Person I know who has the ability to clean up the mess is Jesus Christ. In fact, He also has the power to help a man and woman stay out of a bunch of stuff that will only bring heartache into their home.
109 comments
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