Posts with the tag “sin”

When you’re in that place where the more you try the messier it gets and you need God now, stop lamenting, and look! He’s working behind the scenes for the greater good, and ready to step in. When you’re overwhelmed by circumstances or overtaken by sin God is not distant. Whatever your lament, look for Him. Jesus is at work and ready to step in when...  Read More

Have you ever met someone who claimed to follow Jesus but seemed to live like a GrINO? They mentioned grace a lot but misrepresented what it was and manifested so little of it. Maybe they met you with expectations, exhortations, and laws but very little love or acceptance. For others it’s the variety found in Jude 3-4 instead of the Rom. 1:5, 5:20-6:2. Grace isn’t vain. It is life-giving because it deals with sin: self-righteousness and license. We make it visible and accessible to others by committing to never being a GrINO (Grace In Name Only)! Jesus tells a story to affirm the rightness of forsaking all to build God’s kingdom not our own. Where many find principles of equity, equality, and one’s rights the story reveals a principle that is not so obvious about living in God’s economy: Amazing grace (From Matt. 20:1-16).   Read More

In our Wed. night dinner and bible study at church we’re talking about encounters Jesus has with individuals. (Btw you’re welcome to join us, we’re going to have a really good time together). Recently, how Jesus met a very broken woman at a well and didn’t deal with her sin issue, He met her in her quests for fulfillment and the emptiness they produced. That was her issue. Maybe that’s you. Everywhere you’re striving for meaning, for purpose, for significance, for fulfillment never quenches the thirst. Frustrating right? Jesus meets you there to talk. Maybe you’ve been asked in a moment of heated discussion, What’s your issue? Maybe you’ve asked it yourself! The issue that plagues you might not be obvious. Friend, what’s troubling you? What is causing that inner turmoil and relentless pursuit for fulfillment, for wholeness, that no matter what you attempt, what you achieve, what you gain or lose just makes the issue worse? Well, you’re not alone. Jesus meets a woman in a crowd and deals with the issue that plagues her. He’ll do the same for you when you believe He (God) is the solution (From Mark 5:24-34):   Read More

Having been pastor for quite a while I’ve seen lots of people come and go. They run to Jesus during some crisis or emotional time only to walk away when God deals with some sin or issue in their life. People like you and me can be like that. Friend, I’m glad you came today… But I’m concerned about how you’ll leave. Before you can take hold of life as God intended, you’ll have to let go of some things: The one thing.   Read More

How does the local church remain on mission and handle the messes of ministry that direct engagement, discipleship, and discipline involve? A church on mission is a church in tension. We can desire it so clean we see none come to Christ or we can prefer it so permissive it becomes puffed up. We can do better as Bible-believers. (From 1 Cor. 5:6-10)  Read More