Mercy withholds what we deserve, and grace gives us what we don’t deserve. Grace and mercy reveal the fullness of God’s love. In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul pens one of the great practical living chapters in the Bible. This chapter has three sections. The first starts with mercy when Paul says, “By the mercies […]
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I memorized Romans 12 (NASB) in 1974, and the chapter became a mainstay in my life. Let’s read it today. (Go ahead, I’ll wait.) The chapter has three sections. The first begins with the word “mercy.” The second “grace,” and the third “love.” A scholar said. . . When considering Romans 12, remember that mercy
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But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18a, ESV). The Bible teaches general grace for everyone, and we must grow in this grace. The Bible also explains that grace gets personal — that each of us has a grace/gift combination unique to us. The word for grace is
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It doesn’t matter what others think of you, and it also doesn’t matter what you think of yourself. What matters is what God thinks of you. . . How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! (Psalm 139:17-18a, NLT) We
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I’ve wondered about the Apostle Paul’s emotional state when he wrote, “Jesus came to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15b, ESV). Most people experiencing discouragement spiral downward in doubt and despair through the years, getting increasingly worse. And Paul expresses this negative spiraling in his writings. In the early years
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Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil (Proverbs 3:7, NASB). The word “apologetic” is often used to describe a defense of God and the Bible. I believe the existence of evil doesn’t disprove the Gospel but supports the Bible and undergirds our need for grace. Why? Light means
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Let’s use this acronym to remember the definition of Grace: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense or. . . GRACE! Have you ever been casually and comfortably walking the narrow path of God’s will when encountering a mudslide whooshing down the hill? You must stop doing good work because of the obstacle, or even worse, you’re
Confession: I’ve approached the cliff of burnout many times. A pastor today juggles many things, from family to emergencies to meetings to disgruntled congregants, all while maintaining a productive devotional life and writing sermons. That’s me. What’s on your list? Is there a way to avoid burnout? Let me share three passages where I’ve found
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Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29, NASB1995). Rotten Tomatoes is a website that rates movies. It’s nice to know if a movie is worth watching before investing money or time.
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[Note: Vacation, free tickets to a Cincy Red’s game, a new car, or the coming 1000th Interruption – which is more desirable?] I do not fish. I do not hunt or play golf. I’m not your typical American male — I’m more spiritual! HHHHMMMHHM! In John 21, having been told by Jesus to go to Galilee,