Forgiveness
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What Are You Willing to Pay to Avoid Saying “Yes” to God?
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. – Jonah 1:3 There’s a lesson in Jonah’s first step away from the will… Continue reading
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A Love So Deep That It Shook Him
The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” – Acts 16:29-30 Isn’t it incredible how showing compassion to someone can completely change their life? Take this Philippian jailer. Now we… Continue reading
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Struggle Doesn’t Equal Failure
There’s a real tension in the Christian life that’s clearly illustrated with two passages of Scripture. The first is in Romans 7, where Paul speaks honestly about the war going on inside him: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”… Continue reading
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The Echo of a King’s Failure: Thoughts on 2 Samuel 11-18
I’ve been revisiting 2 Samuel this week (namely chapters 11-18). And man… talk about how one terrible decision can lead to so much heartache and destruction! Two passages of Scripture stand out to me. The first is at the very end of chapter 11 (v.27). After David commits adultery with Bathsheba, she becomes pregnant, and… Continue reading
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The Most Dangerous Judgments We Make
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”– Luke 7:39 Luke places this moment inside an ordinary dinner and exposes something that’s anything but ordinary. Jesus… Continue reading
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There’s No App for Righteousness
No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.– C.S. Lewis Recently my auto insurance company sent me an email with the subject title, “Want to save up to 30% on your auto insurance premium? Look inside.” I figured it was probably a gimmick, perhaps something about referring… Continue reading
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Does God View All Sin the Same?
It’s a question that a new Christian might ask, perhaps out of confusion, or maybe even fear: Does God really see all sin the same? We sense the weight of the question because we know, instinctively, that not every wrong feels equal. Yet Scripture leads us to a deeper, more careful answer – one that invites… Continue reading
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Jesus Accomplished What David Couldn’t
Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king. – 2 Samuel 14:23-24 I find the story of David and… Continue reading
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Encouragement For the Weary, Clumsy Traveler
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. – Psalm 37:23-24 These verses remind me of that night in the Upper Room when Jesus prayed what we call “The High Priestly Prayer.” Hours before… Continue reading
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What If Jesus Hadn’t Come Yet?
Have you ever thought about what the world might look like if Jesus had yet to come? It’s kind of hard to wrap your head around, but it’s worth thinking about. Because honestly, it would be a completely different world! Darker, colder, and a whole lot more hopeless… If Jesus hadn’t come, we’d still be… Continue reading
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Mercy and Justice: Was Shimei’s Death Justified?
“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But… Continue reading
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No More Guilt and Shame
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1 If anyone knew what it felt like to live with regret, it was the Apostle Paul. He did everything in his power to destroy the early church. Imagine the memories that must have haunted him – the faces of… Continue reading
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Grace Reverses Our Stories
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 9:19b-20 “Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.” It would be easy for us to read that and think nothing of it. But those few words say… Continue reading
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God Doesn’t Offer a Half-Hearted Salvation
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:6 What point would there be if scientists found a cure for cancer, in which the cancer itself was removed, but the symptoms of the cancer were not… Continue reading
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The Old Man Had to Go
Many years ago before giving my life to Christ, I went fishing with an old army buddy. It was a Saturday (I think) and as we sat on his boat on the lake, the conversation turned to his plans for the next day. He mentioned going to church with his wife, then invited me to… Continue reading
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A Heart Broken by Sin
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Psalm 51:3 A life surrendered fully to God is one that faces sin head-on, not with excuses but with a heart broken by its offense against a holy and righteous God. Here in Psalm 51, we see King David, a man after God’s… Continue reading
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Living in The Shadow of Regret
Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. – Psalm 86:4-5 Here’s an honest confession: Sometimes I have the unfortunate tendency to respond without taking a moment to think things… Continue reading
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Giant Slaying 101: Clinging to the Cross
“David defeated Goliath, but lost to Bathsheba. Our real giants are the sinful desires that we have yet to kill.” – Anonymous The life of David stands as a sobering testament to the dual realities of divine enablement and human frailty. By God’s power, David struck down Goliath, a nine-foot Philistine, with nothing more than… Continue reading
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Love… Endures a Lot
Love is patient and kind… – 1 Corinthians 13:4a Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:4 cut through the haze of emotions we often associate with love. He isn’t describing how love feels… he’s showing us how it acts. True love is not a fleeting sentiment, but rather a deliberate choice, always revealed through action. It’s… Continue reading
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A Beautiful Thing
“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” – Matthew 26: 10-11 Mary’s act of pouring expensive perfume on Jesus was a demonstration of pure devotion. She wasn’t calculating its worth or considering what… Continue reading
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For What Shall it Profit a Man?
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” – Matt. 19:21 A lot has happened in my faith journey since accepting Jesus in my heart. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people and I’m… Continue reading
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Leaving the Old Self Behind
“If you are renewed by grace, and were to meet your old self, I am sure you would be very anxious to get out of his company.” – Charles H. Spurgeon Spurgeon’s words remind us just how much God’s grace transforms our lives. If we were to meet our old selves – the person we… Continue reading
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“But God.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” – Acts 9:15-16 God’s plan for Saul (later Paul) was nothing short of extraordinary.… Continue reading
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Are You In or Out?
The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is… Continue reading
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A Complaint about Complainers
Have you ever noticed how complainers have a way of finding each other, like pigeons flocking to a park bench covered in breadcrumbs? One minute you’re stuck in line behind someone griping about the weather, and before you know it, someone else chimes in with, “Oh, you think that’s bad? Let me tell you about… Continue reading
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The Strength to Let it Go
A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.– Proverbs 19:11 When we’re hurt or offended, our natural response is to often lash out or stew in bitterness. But Proverbs 19:11 reminds us that patience, rooted in wisdom, leads us to something greater: the ability to let go. Overlooking an… Continue reading
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An Awesome, Humbling Business, Indeed…
I can hide my heart, and my past, and my future plans, from those around me, but I cannot hide anything from God. I can talk in a way that deceives my fellow creatures as to what I really am, but nothing I say or do can deceive God. He sees through all my reserve… Continue reading
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Only One Came Back
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” – Luke 17:17-19 (NLT) It’s really easy for me to spot an ungrateful attitude. My problem… Continue reading
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Sin Is Never Casual
Imagine you have a friend who was struggling with an unhealthy habit, and after many months of hard work – maybe even years – they were able to break free from it. But one day, they toyed with the idea of going back just once because they thought they had the strength to walk away… Continue reading
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The Parable of Two Politicians
In Luke 18:9-17, Jesus tells a story about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee, confident in his righteousness, compared himself to the tax collector and began to thank God that he wasn’t like him or other sinners. But Jesus says it was the tax collector, humble… Continue reading
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Wrestling With The Truth
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the… Continue reading
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A Promising Future Awaits!
For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. – 2 Peter 1:11 (NASB) Have you ever thought about the kind of welcome you’ll receive when you enter heaven? Sometimes we might wonder if we’ll just barely make it in, as… Continue reading
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I’m Sorry, But Not Really…
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. – 2 Corinthians 7:10 Sometimes we feel sorry for our mistakes, but there’s a big difference between the kind of sorrow that leads us closer to God and the kind that pulls us away. In his second letter… Continue reading
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Do We See What He Sees?
“By judging others, we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer This evening as I was reading Luke’s account of Jesus’ anointing by the sinful woman (Luke 7), God’s Word began to really challenge me to think about how… Continue reading
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The Dirt Didn’t Matter.
“So [Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” John 13:4 Years ago we had a cleaning lady come over to our house for… Continue reading
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A Warning About Drifting Away
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they… Continue reading
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When The Evidence is Undeniable
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep… Continue reading
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The Boundless Reach of God’s Grace
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love… Continue reading
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Love Without Reservation
When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood… Continue reading
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Compared to Who?
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. – Gal. 6:3-5 (ESV) Few things hinder relationships… Continue reading
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Ain’t You Tired?
If you’re looking for an easy and enlightening read this summer, I highly recommend Brant Hansen’s book Unoffendable. Today’s devotional is an excerpt from one of the stories in his book, (p.59-60). Brant writes: “[God] wants to know us, and he wants us to know Him. He wants us to want Him. Not ideas or… Continue reading
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Just Say Yes
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” – John 4:10 There were a lot of reasons why I justified my alcoholism. Anxiety, depression, fear, failure, loneliness, insecurity, unworthiness… alcohol just seemed to be… Continue reading
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Why Do You Call Me Good?
“I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16 (NIV) Do you consider yourself to be a good driver? Of course you do. Everyone does. In fact, the… Continue reading
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Outward Signs of Inward Faith
“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with… Continue reading
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More Than Roadside Assistance
Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. – John 14:13 (CEV) Perhaps you’re one of the 61 million card-carrying members of the largest automobile club in America – AAA. Or maybe your automobile insurance company has the exclusive policy perk of being there… Continue reading
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Keeping the Cross on Our Minds
“For he gave himself for us, that he might set us free from all our evil ways, and make for himself a people of his own, clean and pure, with our hearts set upon living a life that is good.” – Titus 2:14 (J.B. Phillips NT Bible) Satan is a master deceiver. When he tempts… Continue reading
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Don’t Take God’s Grace For Granted
So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the… Continue reading
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Wounded Trees and Forgiveness
“Forgiveness is a beautiful word, until you have something to forgive.” – C.S. Lewis Shortly after the Civil War, General Robert E. Lee ran into a woman in Virginia who complained to him that Yankee artillery had severely damaged a beautiful tree that was in her yard. She was so livid about it that she… Continue reading
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With Truth and With Love
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Prov. 15:1 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, the teachers of the law appeared and brought a woman before him. “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery,” they said to him. “In the Law, Moses commanded… Continue reading
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Removing Our Sandals
“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31 When Moses saw the flames coming from the burning bush but noticed that it wasn’t being consumed by the fire, he went over to investigate. Suddenly God’s voice called from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am,” Moses replied.… Continue reading
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Becoming Hard to Hate
“When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.” Proverbs 16:7 Isn’t life so much more enjoyable when we’re at peace with God? We’re not in such a hurry. We don’t have nearly as much stress. We ignore the little things that normally bother us. We’re much more patient with… Continue reading
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The Joy of Being Pursued
When I first met my wife, I knew right away that the search was over. The only problem was that she didn’t know it at the time. And so it would take several months of diligent planning to somehow win her love. Our situation was quite delicate. We were both in the army – she… Continue reading
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From Ordinary to Invaluable
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now… Continue reading
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A Thirst Forever Quenched
“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” – John 4:28-29 Something remarkable happens when Jesus enters a person’s heart and they become filled with the Holy Spirit. Their attitudes… Continue reading
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Letting Go of Things That are Hard to Let Go Of
Every kid I grew up with in the 70’s had two things that he valued more than anything else: an old basketball, and a hoop nailed to a nearby telephone pole. Basketball truly was a religion in Kentucky. Years later, Gene Hackman would play the head coach of a high school team in Indiana, the… Continue reading
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Do You Have Friends Like These?
When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on… Continue reading
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His Victory is Our Victory, Too.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were… Continue reading
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A New Relationship
“The whole spirit of Old Testament religion was determined by the thought of God’s holiness. The constant emphasis was that human beings, because of their weakness as creatures and their defilement as sinful creatures, must learn to humble themselves and be reverent before God. Religion was “the fear of the Lord” – a matter of… Continue reading
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First Came the Law, Then Came the Love
“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, “This son… Continue reading
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Redemption and Forgiveness
In his book, “Winning the War in Your Mind,” bestselling Christian author Craig Groeschel says, “A lie believed as truth will affect your life as if it were true.” Few people would live out this profound truth more personally in the Old Testament than Jacob. For over two decades, Jacob had believed the lie that… Continue reading
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Once Takers, We Became Givers
“Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” ~ Alcoholics Anonymous, Step Nine In the grip of our addictions, our sole focus was satisfying our cravings, blinding us to the needs of others. We earned a reputation as “takers,” willing to lie, cheat, and even… Continue reading
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A Hard Day for a King
Being a strong leader requires God’s wisdom, courage, and the willingness to take necessary action. But what happens when the necessary action that is required puts someone you love in the crosshairs? This morning’s Scripture reading is from 2nd Samuel 19: 1-8. Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom.… Continue reading
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The Pharisee Who Prayed to Himself
Jesus said: Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people – cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice… Continue reading
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Don’t Get Stuck in Your Suffering
As [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was blind?” – John 9:1-2 One of the most difficult questions that a Christian faces when they’re talking to an unbeliever about Jesus is the question why. “Why do bad… Continue reading
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Body and Soul
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of the summer.” – Psalm 32:3-4 Those who work in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and social services are often confronted with… Continue reading
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The Treasure of Truth
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” – Matthew 13:44 His neighbors are peering through their windows. “What on earth? There’s a swarm of people coming in… Continue reading
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When I start thinking I’m a good person…
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39 “Just because I’ve done some bad things doesn’t mean I’m a bad person. It just means I’m… Continue reading
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Jesus Never Canceled Anybody
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:1-2 One of the hardest things for any of us is to experience genuine empathy for someone; to put… Continue reading
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Standing Out? Or Blending In?
Jesus said, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:35 (NIV) There are a few people in my life whose attitudes make it really challenging for me to love them. They all have the same things in common: they’re always playing the victim; everything bad… Continue reading
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Something Worth Remembering: God Created You
“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” – Isaiah 44:21-22 (NIV) I read a recent… Continue reading
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Why Forgiveness Isn’t Optional
“The moment I start hating a man, I become his slave. He even controls my thoughts. I can’t escape his tyrannical grasp on my mind. When the waiter serves me steak, it might as well be stale bread and water. The man I hate will not permit me to enjoy it.” – S.I. McMillen, None… Continue reading
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The Hardest Open-Book Test
2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (ESV) The church in Corinth was giving Paul some serious headaches. One report after another, he would… Continue reading
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When We Don’t Like What God Wants Us To Do
“But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord…” Jonah 1:3 If you were God and were searching for a potential candidate to become one of your prophets, you would probably have a list of good qualities that you would require for the position. You’d want someone who… Continue reading
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Naughty? Or Nice?
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31 For many years I somehow had this idea that God was against me. Perhaps it had a lot to do with my misunderstanding as a small child, sitting in a pew at church one Sunday morning and listening to our pastor preach… Continue reading
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A Spirit Renewed
Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you.” Something ain’t right. I feel off. I have no spiritual energy and I’m just going through the motions. The people around me can sense that something’s awry. “You don’t seem like yourself. Everything okay? What’s going on?” I… Continue reading
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The Problem with Anger
“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” – Ephesians 4:26 (NLT) There once was a little boy who had a very bad temper. His father decided to hand him a bag of nails and said to the… Continue reading
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Good Friday: It is Finished
“Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished.”… Continue reading
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Winning with Grace
“How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.” – 2 Samuel 1:23 Imagine giving the eulogy of someone who on numerous occasions in the past tried to have you killed. This is essentially what David did in 2 Samuel… Continue reading
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Raised in Glory
“So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there… Continue reading
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Sometimes You Gotta Hug the Cactus
“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” – 1 Corinthians 13:7 Alcohol brought me peace and freedom early on. But near the end I found myself thinking not of joy on a daily basis, but of death. A life that had once promised me more than I… Continue reading
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We Will Not Regret the Past
Promise: a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or a particular thing will happen. There are 12 Steps in Alcoholics Anonymous. One who wants to get and stay sober in AA isn’t under any obligation whatsoever to work the AA program. There are no requirements, there are no musts in AA.… Continue reading
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Better Than I Deserve
“How blessed is the man who made the Lord his trust.” ~ Psalm 40:4 One fall afternoon I was parked on the shoulder of a rural highway about 50 miles southwest of Ashland, Kentucky. As I sat there completely hopeless and numb, I considered what few options remained. Roughly 9 hours earlier I had been… Continue reading
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Do I Truly Hate My Sin?
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ~ Romans 12:9 There are few things more frustrating to me than watching a highly competitive sporting event between two teams that ultimately ends in a tie. Perhaps this is why I’ve found it impossible to develop more than a mere casual… Continue reading
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Clean Hands Won’t Help an Unclean Tongue.
“Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” ~ Matthew 15:10-11 The Pharisees confronted Jesus one afternoon to complain about his disciples. v2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the… Continue reading
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What’s In It For Me?
“Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” ~ Matthew 19:27 Earlier this week while reading my morning devotionals, I came across the parable of the Vineyard Workers in Matthew, chapter 20. Of course, there’s a reason why Jesus tells this story, a vital reason. But… Continue reading
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What Does God See?
“God sees us as we are, loves us as we are, and accepts us as we are. But by His grace, He doesn’t leave us as we are.” ~ Tim Keller I had suspected something was going on for a while. I kept trying to convince myself that maybe I was just imagining things; that… Continue reading
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Love Doesn’t Keep Score
“I, yes I alone, will blot our your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.“ ~ Isaiah 43:25 NLT I reached for my wallet to pay for dinner. “Put that away,” he said. “You paid the last time. Today it’s on me.” For many, paying for someone’s dinner may seem… Continue reading
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Don’t Click Send
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 I was upset. A friend I’d known for many years said something incredibly hurtful. Immediately we became involved in a heated discussion and the both of us began making a… Continue reading
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A Limitless Attitude
“Then Daniel (Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Daniel answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your adversaries!” ~ Daniel 4:19 As I read this passage in the book of Daniel, I… Continue reading
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Gracefully Unforgettable
“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” ~ Isaiah 43:25 I was at a recovery meeting years ago, and the guest speaker that evening wasn’t aware that he only had 30 minutes to narrate his personal story of recovery from alcoholism. I… Continue reading
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I Was There.
“Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him (Jesus) over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him… Continue reading
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I Can’t See Straight Sometimes
The guy standing at the busy intersection, holding a sign that reads: “Homeless and Need Help.” The aggressive driver behind me tailgating. The grouchy lady working the counter at the coffee shop. The neighbor across the street who seldom waves back at me. He had to see me waving at him! The truck driver who… Continue reading
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Don’t Take it Personally!
“Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you – for you know in your heart that many times you have cursed others.” ~ Ecclesiastes, 7:21-22 By now, most have either seen the video on social media or read about it in the news. Back on Sunday… Continue reading
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Dealing with the Past
“If you are bringing your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother or sister has anything against you, go first and be reconciled to him or her, and then come back and present your gift.” ~ Matthew 5:23-24 Repairing broken relationships can be incredibly challenging sometimes. Very few know this better than… Continue reading
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Inescapable Love
“No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:39 I had done something bad. Consumed with guilt, It stayed on my mind for several… Continue reading
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Learning to Love the Unlovable
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” ~ 1 Peter 4:8 I have a few people in life who can be incredibly difficult to be around sometimes. Their attitudes make it challenging to want to spend any time with them, and invariably I find myself going out of my… Continue reading
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Hate is the Enemy
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” ~ Matthew 5: 43-44 The world can often be a cruel and bitter place. It has always been this way, but in the past we didn’t have… Continue reading
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Don’t Squander Your Mulligan!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.” ~ James 1:17 It’s been quite a while (for me at least) since I had my last drink, and I’ve been required to deal with a lot of life challenges during this time. Since my last drink…… Continue reading
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Not Paroled, but Pardoned!
“Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” ~ John 8:11 She had been caught in the act. The Pharisees apprehended her and brought her before Jesus, exclaiming, “Teacher, we caught her red-handed! This woman is guilty of adultery! The Law says that she is to be stoned… Continue reading
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The Cure for Sore Toes is Forgiveness
“Do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to… Continue reading
About Me
Welcome! I’m Scott (aka Former Blackout Artist), and I’m so happy you decided to drop in! I hope you find the content here spiritually enlightening and uplifting. Most of all, I hope that my love of Christ is revealed through my writing and that it encourages you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!
Former Blackout Artist 