Forgiveness is a central theme of the Bible. It's often easier to accept that we have been forgiven than it is for us to extend forgiveness to others who have hurt or offended us. So, understanding true forgivness and the why behind it is crutial. Over the next two blog posts, we're going to look at what forgiveness really is. But before we can look at that, we need to l...

Why is it so hard to offer forgiveness to someone who has not asked for it? How do you forgive someone who doesn't even deserve your forgiveness? There are a lot of misconceptions about what forgiveness is and what it isn't. For us to truly be able to forgive someone who has intentionally hurt us, we must understand what real forgiveness is. If you missed my last blog abo...

One of the universal questions of life is: What happens after I die? What's on the other side, in eternity? A lot of us don't like to talk or think about death. For many, it's kind of sad and uncomfortable to talk about. But, there's something about thinking about death that sharpens our understanding of life. Jesus Christ of all people is imminently qualified to talk to...

In part one of this blog, we learned the truth about what happens after we die. So, what decides that? What decisions can you make today that will impact where and how you will spend your eternity? If you missed part one, CLICK HERE to read before moving on! Either we suffer separation or we enjoy celebration. What will we do in Heaven? Heaven is a place of real signifi...

Life is not fair. Tragedies happen that are out of our control. You will experience problems, difficulties, and hurts. So, how should you respond when you're dealt a hand you didn't deserve? Here are 3 ways: 1. I ACCEPT that life is unfair. We just need to accept it; it is a fact of life. Every time we turn on the TV to see another mass shooting or unspeakable tragedy ...

How should you respond when life is unfair? It's ultimately your choice. In part one of this blog, we learned that we must first accept that life is unfair. Jesus teven told us that life would be unfair. Once we accept this, we must then choose to do the right thing anyway. READ PART ONE HERE IF YOU MISSED IT! 3. Wait for God's REWARD. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our present...

Where is God when bad things happen? Why does he allow evil on this Earth? In a world of free choices, God's will is rarely done! In heaven, God's will is done perfectly. That's why there is no sorrow, pain or evil there. But this is earth, a fallen, imperfect place. We must choose to do God's will every day. It isn't automatic. That is why Jesus told us to pray, "Thy will...

We can find the words grace and mercy used all throughout scripture. Do they mean the same thing? And if not, what is the difference? Mercy is getting a little less punishment or retribution than what you deserve. You were caught by that cop going 30 miles an hour over the limit. Justice says you've got to pay your $300, but the judge is in a good mood that day and he s...

In Jesus' most famous sermon, the sermon on the mount, he gives us 8 ways to make your life bless-able by God. Jesus says God blesses those who are gentle; the whole earth will belong to them. Matt 5:5 (NIV) "Blessed are the meek (gentle), for they will inherit the earth." In our hard driving, ego driven, market driven culture you don't hear a whole lot about gentleness...

Scripture says, "God blesses those who are pure in heart." So what does it meant to be pure in heart? That's not a term that we use in today's language. We don't talk about, "she's got a pure heart." The word for "pure in heart" today is the word "integrity." Matthew 5:8 "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." What does it mean to have integrity...