Christian Life

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 1

To Embrace All of Christ, Steer Clear of Quashing Him and Cherry-Picking His Teachings

To Embrace All of Christ, Steer Clear of Quashing Him and Cherry-Picking His Teachings

During young adulthood, Mark, who was uninterested in Christ, worked as a laborer painting houses. He often worked alongside another young man, who was a strong believer in Christ.

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 2

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 2

In part 1, we discussed the first of two erroneous ideas many Christ-followers have: I must pay for certain sins in spite of what the Bible says to the contrary. In part 2, we will look at the opposite side of the spectrum, where many do not fully understand the full weightiness of their sins, and in return make an equally dangerous mistake.

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 1

Is God Judging Us or Disciplining Us? - Part 1

Do you remember the old village stocks? They were wooden structures positioned in the village square. Many had a hole through which the head was placed, and two holes for the left and right hands. Some had holes for the feet.

Does Your Self-Image Match God’s Image of You?

Does Your Self-Image Match God’s Image of You?

For those who follow Christ, believing in “God’s image” of us means we stand on this truth: God sees us as those He loves, accepts, and values. In fact, this is why He sent Christ to die for us—to demonstrate His unconditional love, to enable absolute acceptance forever, and to reveal thereby our intrinsic worth to Him.

Embracing Optimistic Realism: Finding Middle Ground Between Naive Optimism and Cynical Pessimism

Embracing Optimistic Realism: Finding Middle Ground Between Naive Optimism and Cynical Pessimism

Have you ever met someone so optimistic that you considered them more naive than realistic? Because they believe everything to be hunky dory, they blind themselves to the red flags leading to bad decisions and painful consequences.

Does Your Self-Image Match God’s Image of You?

Embracing Optimistic Realism: Finding Middle Ground Between Naive Optimism and Cynical Pessimism

Is Lying, Cheating, And Stealing For Self-Serving Reasons Ever Worth It In The End? [Video]

Is Lying, Cheating, And Stealing For Self-Serving Reasons Ever Worth It In The End? [Video]

Sarah and I recently traveled to Paris to see our daughter, where we stayed in an Airbnb rental about an hour away from the city. At one point during our stay, our daughter, Joy, asked the rental owners about the possibility of swapping homes with them for a weekend at some point.

According to Jesus He Lived a Sinless Life

According to Jesus He Lived a Sinless Life

Despite indisputable, clear-as-day confirmations from multiple New Testament writers—including Peter, one of Jesus’ best friends—that Jesus lived a sinless life, research from the Barna Group reveals that 43 percent of the current Western population believe that Jesus Christ sinned while on earth.

Seeing Past Regrets in a New Light

Seeing Past Regrets in a New Light

Does a follower of Christ have legitimate, biblical reasons to have regrets in life? I encourage you to pause before you answer that. Focus on the word “regrets.” Yes, like all of us, you have made a few decisions in life you later wished you had not.

A Forgiving Spirit Safeguards Our Well-Being and Influences Others

A Forgiving Spirit Safeguards Our Well-Being and Influences Others

Rarely do we consider forgiveness much of an issue in our life until something happens that leaves us feeling wronged and offended. It is in these times when we discover something about ourselves and our default reactions. We feel hurt, angry, and resentful. We feel the other does not deserve forgiveness.