And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise." Luke 23:43 Why is it that when certain people who have been miraculously rescued from a life full of sin come to Christ, our first instinct is to doubt them? We may often question their sincerity. We may doubt that God...
Continue ReadingInstead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 I must confess that in our study of forgiveness this week, I realized that there is someone who I have not forgiven, even though I have not seen that person in years...
Continue ReadingThose who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 1 John 3:9 Yesterday we talked about the fact that because of Jesus' death and resurrection, He offers forgiveness. As we...
Continue ReadingBut if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 I often have a difficult time apologizing. It is certainly humbling because apologizing requires that we admit that we were wrong to another person. It requires...
Continue ReadingLet all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalm 103:2-3 If you have ever been trapped in a dark place, you know that it can be terrifying! When I was a kid, my parents took me to the Carlsbad Caverns...
Continue ReadingJesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." And the soldiers gambled for His clothes by throwing dice. Luke 23:34 Forgiveness can be very difficult to offer the moment someone has offended you, can't it? I often have to process the situation for at least a small...
Continue ReadingFor the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 I went to Target the other day searching for a waffle maker. I found a recipe for healthy waffles I wanted to try out. When I was looking, I searched for the cheapest one I could...
Continue ReadingYou love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 I will let you in on a secret: I can sprint easily if I know that...
Continue ReadingI look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! Psalm 121:1-2 Let me tell you a story of God's faithfulness today. Several months ago, someone made a really bad door ding in my car. Last month, I took my car to the shop to...
Continue ReadingAll these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. Hebrews 11:39-40 Grapes prefer rocky soil, Beth Moore writes in her book...
Continue Reading