"Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!" (Romans 6:1b-2a, KJV)So we memorized the Scripture as children. It begs the question of overcoming. Romans 7 will deal with the battle we face with sin, while Romans 8 gives the ultimate answer: the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free. Beyond doubt, E. M. Bounds is correct in his assessment of this journey to Spirit-life and Sp...  Read More

How powerful the imagery of Romans 6! Freed from the power of sin's slavery, we have been buried with Christ in baptism (dying to sin) and raised to a new life, slaves of grace. The irony of this slavery is the pure freedom it offers. We are free from judgment, free from guilt, free from shame. We are free to live our best lives. We have this hope: eternal life. For the just desert of sin is etern...  Read More

"Yet I am always with you;you hold my right hand." (Psalm 73:23, CSB)What great consolation there is in the image of a child taking a walk holding onto Father God's hand. God, holding my right hand...that is favor and security from the One in Whom I am totally and ultimately secure. Just this thought brought someone to tears this week with whom I was speaking. In their present journey they are fac...  Read More

Could you imagine a religion that depended on our good works alone? Actually, I am quite certain you can. These have made their presence know in our world, and not in ways that are convincing concerning the common good of humanity. You can also picture those who have made Christianity a religion of good works. These 'works' proponents are often the most insufferable people. They have a code they l...  Read More

"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins." (Romans 3:23-25, ESV)Anyone who has been in church for any le...  Read More

Praise from God seems a foreign concept (Romans 2:29, CSB). We spend our lives as His children praising Him. In fact, I have enjoyed the praise that the Psalmist directs at God in our reading today (Psalms 65-67). But, what about God's praise for us? It is certainly not worship...but you knew that full well. However, our God and Father does love when His children are 'all in' in their relationship...  Read More