Some think the Bible is a harsh message of judgment and condemnation. It is not. The Bible speaks a truth that already exists. It’s like a weather forecast. If satellite radar shows a hurricane in the Gulf, we don’t blame the weatherman. We thank him for the warning and prepare. The Bible does not CAUSE theContinue reading “THE BIBLE DOES NOT CAUSE CONDEMNATION, BUT REVEALS IT. John 3:17-18.”
Category Archives: GRACE
A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR. Luke 4:24.
Jesus was mocked and even hated in Nazareth. They said, “Is this not the carpenter’s son? We know Him and all His brothers and sisters. Where did He get this wisdom and these miracles?” They scorned Him. And He confronted them: “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in hisContinue reading “A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR. Luke 4:24.”
Your Good Deeds are Not Good Enough. Isaiah 64:6.
My grandfather lived in the woods of East Louisiana. There was no cathedral and no church. But the priest would ride up on his horse every third Sunday and hold mass in the school house. I used to share that story with Catholics so I could talk to them about faith. I would say, “Well,Continue reading “Your Good Deeds are Not Good Enough. Isaiah 64:6.”
THERE IS NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT GOD’S LAW. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.
The Harry Potter stories are the latest in a long line of fictional tales in which the power of a magic spell is determined by the speaker’s ability to say the right words in the right order—and even with the right accent. If you say the words incorrectly, either nothing happens, or something completely differentContinue reading “THERE IS NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT GOD’S LAW. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.”
Speak Grace.
God saw everything. Then He sent a prophet to condemn Mr. Sinner. Consequences followed: Mr. Sinner’s child became ill and died. Then a son of Mr. Sinner raped his half-sister who was the daughter of Mr. Sinner. Then another son killed the rapist brother. Mr. Sinner banished the avenging son. Later, Banished Son attacked Mr.Continue reading “Speak Grace.”
Talk About Being Scalped!
Have you ever had a bad haircut? One so bad, you wanted to wear a hat? In first grade, everyone laughed when someone got a haircut. It could be the tiniest, most imperceptible trim, but the class would point and laugh, chanting in their sing-song way: “Brian got a hair-cut! Brian got a hair-cut!” ThatContinue reading “Talk About Being Scalped!”
Samson!
When I was a little boy I had a book about Samson. It had great pictures and told the stories—he captured 300 foxes, tied their tails together in pairs with a torch between them, and set them loose to burn the Philistines’ grain. He killed a thousand men with a donkey’s jawbone, and more. IContinue reading “Samson!”
Dirt Farmers and Horse Thieves: Dregs. Genesis 38.
My dad used to joke, “My ancestors were all dirt farmers and horse thieves.” Actually, his farmer-ancestors were hard-working, honest, kind, and willing to reserve judgment until they had heard all the facts. Yet my grandfather’s nine siblings were not untouched by scandal and rumor. Every family tree has rotten limbs—it’s a mathematical certainty. ForContinue reading “Dirt Farmers and Horse Thieves: Dregs. Genesis 38.”
Do You Know What Grace Is?
Could you explain grace, or is it just a churchy, religious word for something like forgiveness? Grace is related to forgiveness, but it is different. God forgives His children and wipes the slate clean. But grace is how God puts value in your life after sin has destroyed it. If you broke a crystal pitcher,Continue reading “Do You Know What Grace Is?”
Household Words: 