Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
I didn’t begin to understand the gospel until the summer before my twenty-first birthday. Although I had attended church from time to time in my childhood, I’ll admit that it never really transformed me in any significant way. I was
Continue readingFanny Crosby, the blind hymn writer, left a gift to the church through her more than 9,000 hymns. One of the common themes in her poetry is the tender love of the Savior—experienced when a sinner turns to Him for
Continue readingIn yesterday’s post, we considered two unhelpful ways we may respond/react to God’s faith-training program, i.e. His custom-designed plan to discipline His children into faithful and obedient disciples of Christ who resemble our Savior. Those two counter-productive responses were: Growing
Continue readingLast night’s sizeable snowfall brings back memories of growing up in Wisconsin. As a boy, my brothers, neighborhood friends, and I literally spent hours a day outside having snowball fights, playing ‘King of the Hill,’ and building snow forts with
Continue readingSince self-centered pride is the heart-problem behind an unforgiving spirit, the remedy is humility and others-focused love. We need to humble ourselves before those whom we have wronged as well as those who have wronged us. We must clothe ourselves
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Here’s another recommended Resource List as you minister grace and truth. There are many more list links in the right-hand margin of this homepage. Bad Memories: Getting Past your Past (Robert Jones) Bitterness: The Root that Pollutes (Lou Priolo) Bitterness:
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There is hardly a more sober—if not downright frightening—warning to any professing Christian than that found near the end of Jesus’ teaching on prayer. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if
Continue readingOur society is lawsuit-happy. A woman sues a fast-food chain because the coffee is too hot. An injured man sues a mountain resort because he breaks his leg while downhill skiing. An employee sues his employer because 20 years of
Continue readingLight-bulb moments occur frequently while I am preaching. A fresh understanding, or application, of Scripture jumps off the page as the Holy Spirit illuminates, connects dots, and snaps mental puzzle pieces together to help me see a clearer, more beautiful
Continue readingFear is a crippling form of unbelief that usually leads to many other sins, one of which is the unforgiving spirit that leads to resentment and deep-seated bitterness. How does sinful fear hinder the experience of true forgiveness? Answering this
Continue readingSpend some brief moments this weekend meditating on the love of God made gloriously visible in the gift of His Son. Forgiveness for Moms who Fail – “In my twenty-five years of pastoral ministry, I don’t think I have met
Continue readingBe counseled today by words from an old gospel song. What great encouragement comes to the Christian’s heart by meditating on such simple, yet glorious truths! My sins have been buried, buried deep down in the sea; my heart’s therefore
Continue readingThe following email recently arrived in my Inbox. The woman who wrote it has encouraged me to share it. I know someone whose husband is “passive aggressive,” and it is hurting the whole family. He is a Christian and well-respected
Continue readingIrreversible decisions are the hardest to live with. You know you’ve done wrong, but it is too late to undo it. Now you must live with the consequences, whatever they may be. But how? Do you beat yourself up forever?
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[This letter comes from a female reader of this blog who wishes to remain anonymous.] Hello Paul, Your audio sermon “Bitter Root, Rotten Fruit” struck a chord with me tonight. I’ve been earnestly praying to deal with my bitter root
Continue readingMy nephew sent me a text informing me that this week Sermon Audio featured a recent sermon of mine as their “Staff Pick.” This is probably the most transparent sermon I’ve ever preached, which includes lessons I’ve learned/am learning about
Continue readingHere at the blog we have been thinking much the past week about forgiveness and the root of bitterness that grows in its absence. Today, let’s think about what may be the two most important New Testament passages concerning horizontal
Continue readingAccording to Hebrews 12:15, bitterness is a “root attitude” of the heart that grows where there is a shortage of grace. Roots grow downward, going deeper and getting more deeply embedded. The root of bitterness also causes other sins to
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By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
