Legalism is best disguised when it takes up residence in our consciences. From there it can taunt us, urging us to do better and try harder in our feeble fallen existence. Such guilt-riddled consciences long to be soothed. Invariably, false religion... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
Do you ever feel like your standing with God fluctuates on a daily basis? Could God be growing weary of your continual struggles with sin? Has the relationship grown sour? Such doubts plague the conscience of many true believers. What lies at the... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
Legalism is harder to avoid than you might think. Don’t assume you’re not a legalist just because you’re not trying to work your way into heaven. It’s not that simple. As we saw last time, the Pharisees believed they could... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
Have you ever been called a legalist? Or perhaps you’ve slapped that label on someone else? It’s a word that gets tossed around with alarming frequency in religious circles—always as a pejorative. But how well do we really... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
Loyalty matters. The military shows no mercy to traitors and defectors—those who have violated the trust of brothers-in-arms. On a more personal level, few things can match the devastation caused by a husband or wife abandoning his or her... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
It’s been just over a week since the 2017 Shepherds’ Conference ended. The theme of this year’s conference was simply “We Preach Christ,” and each of the speakers took turns exalting and extolling the Person and work of... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
What does it mean for twenty-first century believers to be salt and light in the world? Is it a call to promote social justice—to stand up for the oppressed and the outcast? Or is it a mandate for activism and lobbying—to reshape society... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
From certain perspectives, you could say the world is constantly improving. Science and technology have helped all but eradicate many diseases that once plagued the world. Information has never been more accessible, and keeping in touch with other... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
Patience doesn’t come naturally to the carnal mind. But even the mind renewed by the Spirit of God can find patience to be an elusive virtue—especially in the face of trials. It’s why Peter had to remind his readers that suffering... [ ... ][ abbreviated | read original blog ]
