Sin: Discontinued
Sin is outdated, unloving, and irrelevant. Sin is what puritanical preachers use to control their lemming congregations. We no longer “sin” because there are no moral absolutes. We have preferences and need to be tolerant of each other’s choices. But here’s the challenge—For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). If we need God’s help and rescue from impossible situations, we must face our chief problem—sin. Sin is anything against God’s commands. Isn’t it interesting that God’s
Holy Week – Day 4: Aged to Perfection
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! -2 Corinthians 5:17 What is one of the main themes that keeps recurring in the faiths and literature of the world? What is that longing in the human heart that never goes away regardless of the time or place? It’s the desire that the old, the worn out, and the temporary pass away and the new, the fresh, and the lasting appear! This is what
Finding Jesus: Can We Recognize Real Christianity?
It’s true, there’s as much counterfeit Christianity in the world as anything else—fake money, fake love, fake promises, fake smiles, or whatever else you could name. So how can we tell when we’re dealing with the real thing? Even though it’s not possible to know for sure in every case (we aren’t the final judges of such things), nevertheless there are some telltale signs that usually make things clear if you get close enough. A little careful inspection can make all
Just the Right Time
By Mike Page Have you had several things come together simultaneously so that without one, the other couldn't have happened or couldn't have been as successful? Science is good at this. Take a look at how Watson and Crick arrived at the final structure of DNA. In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick published an article entitled "Molecular Structure of DNA." It was the very first time the classic double helix structure of DNA had been published. But you don't come up with
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 29 – Freedom
by TJ Bates The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. -Luke 4:18-19 I was brought up in a church that stressed all the sinful things we shouldn't do. In fact, during my high school years when someone would suggest doing something,
The Pursuit: Exploring Your Life in Christ – March Sermon Series
The Pursuit: Exploring Your Life in Christ A disciple is more than an educated believer; a disciple wants to become like Christ. When we talk about what it means to be a disciple of Christ, we need to have a working New Testament definition of what Jesus had in mind (and put into practice) when he called, equipped, and commissioned his disciples. If you were to condense the New Testament teachings regarding discipleship, you could summarize it as follows: Disciples are made
Feelings of Inadequacy
What do you believe about your self worth? Do you sometimes feel you have nothing to contribute? The only way to combat this false thinking is with the truth: We are designed by a brilliant creator God, who put us here by strong purpose for a strong purpose. When we finally leave the earth, whether early or late, we do so by divine appointment. There’s more. We are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27), that is, we bear the
Resurrection: The Key to Understanding Life
Imagine the disciples witnessing Jesus’ trial—his brutal beating and excruciating death, and finally, his burial in a sealed tomb. After all the jubilation and endless miracles, silence. Painful silence. It was the sudden end of all their hopes and dreams. The Messiah and their whole future was dead, buried, and gone. By the evening of Good Friday, that glorious promise and hope had become just one more illusion and disappointment, another mirage in the desert. But the astonishing, extreme event of
The Church of Irresistible Influence – Part 2
By Philipp Meinecke Jesus used many compelling and vivid metaphors to describe the Church and its intended influence and function in the world: A city set on a hill. Visible event to the untrained eye. A lamp bringing light even into the darkest of rooms. A beautiful bride made ready for her husband. A house, in which those far and near find a home. Salt to season and preserve. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the early Church presented such a
