Repairing the “unrepairable”–Part 2 of 2 – Jon & Nicole’s Story
Men and women from every walk of life can fall prey to the destructive lure of pornography. And without the Lord’s help, this addiction has the power to rip marriages…
Topic > Christian Beliefs > Salvation > Forgiveness >
How does a follower of Jesus distinguish himself?
You don’t have to believe in God in order to be a good person. So how does a follower of Jesus distinguish himself or herself from everyone else who’s trying…
Discover the two probing questions Jesus asked of those looking for mercy
Jesus wants to shower you with His mercy. But first, He has some questions for you to answer. The two probing questions that Jesus asked of those looking for mercy…
Why pleading for mercy should be the cry of every Christian
When we hear about the appalling evils at work in the world today, we may be tempted to pray, “Lord, bring your justice.” But what would happen if instead we…
The Mystery of Believing
Through the miracle of redemption, Saul of Tarsus was instantly changed from a strong-willed and forceful Pharisee into a humble and devoted bondservant of the Lord Jesus.
There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain.
Beyond Labels
A church in my city has a unique welcome card that captures the love and grace of God for everyone. It says, “If You Are A . . . saint, sinner, loser, winner”—followed by many other terms used to describe struggling people—“alcoholic, hypocrite, cheater, fearful, misfit . . . . You are welcome here.” One of the pastors told me, “We read the card aloud together in our worship services every Sunday.”
How often we accept labels and allow them to define who we are. And how easily we assign them to others. But God’s grace defies labels because it is…
No Judgment
Like many people with a guilt-inclined personality, accepting that the gospel is good news for me hasn’t come easy. Having grown up in the church, I knew the story, but could always think of why I might be exempt from sharing the joy of the gospel. I would worry about Jesus’ future separation between true and false believers (Matthew 25:31-46), troubled by the thought that even people who profess faith can be lost. I was haunted by the passage about the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:30-32), wondering if perhaps I could push God too far away to return to Him. Christ…
The Day I Forgave My Abusive Father
I used to hate my father. In my eyes, he was a compulsive gambler, a hypocrite and someone not worthy of being a father.
Time to Flourish
Last spring I decided to cut down the rose bush by our back door. In the three years we’d lived in our home, it hadn’t produced many flowers, and its ugly, fruitless branches were now creeping in all directions.
But life got busy, and my gardening plan got delayed. It was just as well—only a few weeks later that rose bush burst into bloom like I’d never seen before. Hundreds of big white flowers, rich in perfume, hung over the back door, flowed into our yard, and showered the ground with beautiful petals.
My rose bush’s revival reminded me of Jesus’s parable…
Mercy, hope, and a future through Jesus
Many of us would admit we still struggle with regret and shame that come from our past mistakes, even when we’ve been forgiven. Sometimes, it’s just hard to let it go— especially if they deeply hurt you and the ones you love. Discover how both Marsha and Tony found freedom in the forgiveness of God right […]
Who do you think you are?
“Who do you think you are?” That’s a question the people ask Jesus in Mark chapter 2. And today on Discover the Word, the team continues their series titled, “Why, Jesus?” Join them at the table as they uncover who Jesus revealed Himself to be while challenging our ideas in the process. Listen today to Discover […]
Rings and Grace
When I look at my hands, I am reminded that I lost my wedding and engagement rings. I was multitasking as I packed for a trip, and I still have no idea where they ended up.
I dreaded telling my husband about my careless mistake—worried how the news would affect him. But he responded with more compassion and care for me than concern over the rings. However, there are times when I still want to do something to earn his grace! He, on the contrary, doesn’t hold this episode against me.
So many times we remember our sins and feel we must…
The Beauty of Brokenness
Kintsugi is a centuries old Japanese art of mending broken pottery. Gold dust mixed with resin is used to reattach broken pieces or fill in cracks, resulting in a striking bond. Instead of trying to hide the repair, the art makes something beautiful out of brokenness.
The Bible tells us that God also values our brokenness, when we are genuinely sorry for a sin we have committed. After David engaged in adultery with Bathsheba and plotted the death of her husband, the prophet Nathan confronted him, and he repented. David’s prayer afterwards gives us insight into what God desires when we…
Forgiven Debt
John Oliver, the host of HBO’s popular TV show Last Week Tonight, made the news when he forgave fifteen million dollars in debt. He did this to show the unsavory nature of buying debt and collecting on it. He purchased the massive debt at the price of just $.004 for every dollar. Because he owned the debt, Oliver had the legal right to collect it. Instead, he generously abolished it.
Bring your mistakes to Jesus
Mistakes happen. And most often mistakes have consequences. But as we’ll see today on Discover the Word, mistakes don’t have to define us. It’s a part of the discussion of the series titled, “Bring It to Jesus.” You’re invited to receive the amazing restoration that Jesus provides when you bring it to Jesus, today, on […]
Vicarious Intercession
Beware of thinking that intercession means bringing our own personal sympathies and concerns into the presence of God, and then demanding that He do whatever we ask. Our ability to approach God is due entirely to the vicarious, or substitutionary, identification of our Lord with sin. We have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
Spiritual stubbornness is the most effective hindrance to intercession, because it is based on a sympathetic “understanding” of things we see in ourselves and others that we think needs no atonement.
In Hiding?
My parents didn’t have much money, so when Dad gave me a small pocketknife, I treasured it. The gift came with one caveat though. Because I was only eight years old, I couldn’t use it—I could only carry it in my pocket!
Myth No More
We were sure that we, and our civilization, had grown out of the nursery myths of God, angels, and heaven.” Peter Hitchens said those words in describing his younger years when he and his brother Christopher Hitchens, who would become an outspoken atheist, were moving from nominal faith to atheism. Peter ceremonially burned a Bible at age fifteen to declare his disbelief in God.
Bring your desperation to Jesus
Have you ever been so panicked that you felt like you couldn’t breathe? Today on Discover the Word, the team picks back up on the series titled, “Bring It to Jesus.” The discussion is on how we can bring everything to Jesus, especially our desperation. Listen today to Discover the Word!
