Search Results for prayer

Does Sin Hinder our Prayers?

November 18, 2021 // 87 Comments

Ever heard this one: “God is holy. If you have unconfessed sin in your life, he will not hear your prayers.” It’s. Not. True. If sin made God deaf, no sinner could be saved. They would pray the sinner’s prayer, but God wouldn’t hear them. Pray all you like, but I’m not listening. Lalalala. I’ve got [...]

What is the Prayer of Faith?

July 13, 2017 // 253 Comments

 Much of what passes for prayer is wishful thinking. “Oh Lord, please heal Mary.” I’m sure you can, Lord. I just don’t know if you will. “I beg you to heal Tom.” But if you do, no one will be more surprised than me. You can pretty much guarantee these sorts of prayers won’t change anything [...]

The Lord’s Prayer

August 20, 2015 // 48 Comments

There’s a myth that we who preach grace dismiss everything Jesus said before the cross. According to the myth, we disregard the red letters of the Bible as law for to those under law. Nothing could be further from the truth! What sort of followers of Christ would we be if we ignored what Jesus said? Take the [...]

Husbands’ Hindered Prayers (1 Peter 3:7)

January 7, 2015 // 77 Comments

Loveless marriage
A man recently asked me about a troubling verse. “My wife says my prayers are hindered because I don’t respect her enough.” He was referring to this verse: Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the [...]

Dealing with unanswered prayer

March 13, 2011 // 49 Comments

“I have been asking God to heal me for years. I don’t understand why He hasn’t me. I guess it’s not God’s will for me to be healed.” If you’ve been following this short series on prayer, I’m hoping you can spot at least two things wrong with these statements. First, it is always God’s will to [...]

Why Do I Still Sin If I Am Saved?

February 8, 2024 // 16 Comments

Saint, you don’t have a sinful nature. The old sinner you used to be has been crucified with Christ. One with the Lord you have his heart, his desires, his spiritual DNA, his mind, and his holy nature. “So why do I still sin?” This is a great question. So are these: “If I’m 100% holy in Christ, how come [...]

King Herod and the Christmas Giveaway

December 14, 2023 // 2 Comments

Update: This Giveaway has ended. Subscribe to E2R to be notified of future giveaways. Looking for something fun and Biblical and Christmassy to do with your friends and family? As a special treat for E2R readers, I’m giving away free copies of my script “Herod and the Gift.” What is it? “Herod and the [...]

What is the Whole Counsel of God?

November 2, 2023 // 23 Comments

Tell people the good news of God’s unconditional love, and I can guarantee that some will chide you for not preaching the whole counsel of God. Tell people about the goodness of God, and some concerned person will say: “You’ve got to preach the whole counsel of God, brother.” What they mean is, “You [...]

What does it Mean to Abide in the Vine?

July 6, 2023 // 14 Comments

Abiding in the vine is the antidote to independence, and the remedy to barrenness. Every believer knows these words of Jesus. “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4). But what did he mean and how do we do it? Jesus gives us this word-picture: I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in [...]

Special Fathers’ Day Giveaway

June 15, 2023 // 2 Comments

Update: This giveaway has ended. Don’t miss out on future freebies. Sign up today and be the first to know. Hi friends, This Sunday is Fathers’ Day in many countries. If you are looking for something special to do with your family why not try a table reading of my script “The Good Father”? What? [...]

“You Shall Surely Die”

April 26, 2023 // 45 Comments

Once upon a time you were spiritually dead. Then you met Jesus and now you are spiritually alive. Or so the story goes. Like many religious phrases the idea that we were spiritually dead makes sense until you start asking questions like “what is spiritual death?” and “why isn’t spiritual death mentioned [...]

What Does it Mean to be Spiritual?

March 16, 2023 // 10 Comments

What comes to mind when you think of the word spiritual? In scripture, we are exhorted to desire spiritual gifts, sing spiritual songs, and pray spiritual prayers. We are to walk in the spirit and live a spiritual life. Sounds good. But what does it mean? Here’s what spiritual does NOT mean: Spiritual does not [...]

Duck Church

March 9, 2023 // 4 Comments

Kirkegaard_Duck_Church
Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish existentialist, used to tell a story about Duck Church. It goes something like this: Once upon a time there was a town of ducks. On Sunday morning all the ducks came waddling out of their houses and waddling into church where they squatted in their pews. After they sang their duck [...]

Can you Trust ChatGPT to Teach You about Grace?

January 27, 2023 // 20 Comments

ChatGPT, an A.I.-based chatbot that was released in November 2022, may be the biggest technological breakthrough to affect the church since the invention of the printing press. What does it do? It answers questions and writes essays. It also writes sermons, lessons, prayers, lyrics, dissertations, movie scenes, [...]

What is the Sin Leading to Death?

May 12, 2022 // 16 Comments

There are different types of sin, and some more serious than others. Apparently we should pray for those who do the lighter sins, but not waste time praying for those who do the bad ones. Ever heard that? It comes from this verse: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and [...]

Are Women Weaker Vessels?

March 9, 2022 // 11 Comments

Running through the tapestry of human history is a sexist thread that says women are weaker and inferior to men. They are second-born and second-best. This is what the philosophers and rabbis taught, as did the Church Fathers and theologians. John Chrysostom said the women in the Bible were occasionally [...]

What is a Biblical Definition of Faith?

February 24, 2022 // 36 Comments

A son holding his father's hand
What is faith? We talk about faith all the time, but what is it? Do you know what faith is? Of course you do, right? Are you sure? Maybe a better question to ask is, “Do I have a Biblical definition of faith?” Contrary to what you may have heard, faith is not wishful thinking or some sort of spiritual [...]

What Does 1 Peter 3:7 Mean?

January 16, 2022 // 8 Comments

Loveless marriage
A man recently asked me about a troubling verse. “My wife says my prayers are hindered because I don’t respect her enough.” He was referring to this verse: Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the [...]

A Christmas Message from Paul

December 22, 2021 // 30 Comments

A year ago I asked a question. “Lord, I’ve been writing E2R for years. What’s next?” It’s not that I was tired of telling people about grace; far from it. It’s just that blogging wasn’t as challenging as it used to be. I wanted to try something new. The Lord answered my prayer with three new [...]

What are Works of Faith?

August 18, 2021 // 41 Comments

What is the relationship between faith and works? And are we saved by faith or faith plus works? Many people are confused about these things, and it’s not hard to see why: Paul: “We are justified by faith apart from works” (Gal. 2:16, Eph. 2:8-9)James: “We are justified by works and not faith alone” [...]

He Who Sows Sparingly

May 20, 2021 // 15 Comments

The church does a lot of things well, but one area where we sometimes drop the ball is money. I have seen rich leaders use threats to extort money from poor people. I’ve encountered churches that publicly name and shame non-tithers. And I know struggling families that borrow from loan sharks to pay their tithes [...]

The Three Nights of Christmas

December 18, 2020 // 27 Comments

Pohutukawa by Tepora Watene It’s that time of the year where we gather with friends and family to celebrate Christmas and to tie a bow on the year that was. 2020 has been an interesting year, as the Chinese would say, and few will be sad to see it end. But even though this was a challenging year, 2020 was not [...]

What Makes a Great Christian Movie?

May 27, 2020 // 79 Comments

I recently turned 50, and to mark the occasion I ranked my all time top 50 movies. Every guy has a list of his favorite five or ten movies. I wanted to go all the way to 50 baby! It turned out to be a worthy challenge because there are so many great movies. In the end, I listed 100 movies (my top 50 + 50 [...]

How D. L. Moody endured his most frightening crisis

April 8, 2020 // 11 Comments

The world is in lockdown, which makes it a great time to read. We may not have jobs, movies, sport, and takeout food, but we still have books. Thank you, Jesus. I’ve been reading a biography on D.L. Moody, the great American evangelist. I have no doubt that the present crisis would not have troubled him [...]

How the Church can shine during COVID-19

March 25, 2020 // 27 Comments

Last Sunday in New Zealand, we set a record for the lowest church attendance in living memory. Next Sunday will smash that record because we have just begun a four week lockdown. No one is going anywhere. In an attempt to curtail the spread of COVID-19, many governments are banning public gatherings. Churches, [...]

Who Will Jesus Spit Out?

March 5, 2020 // 17 Comments

“I will spit you out of my mouth.” So said Jesus to the Laodiceans (Rev. 3:16), but apparently he was talking to you. This spitting out passage, is sometimes used to terrorize the bride of Christ. “Fail to perform and the Lord will reject you. If you’re not on fire, you’ll be in the fire!” Such an [...]

Jesus said what?!

January 22, 2020 // 0 Comments

The words of Jesus bring life to those who receive them, but they can also be confusing. “What did Jesus mean when he said…?” Become like a little child? Chop off your hand?! Was Jesus serious? Do everything Jesus said? Does Jesus want you to sell your stuff? Five ways Jesus revealed grace How [...]

The Accepting Church

August 1, 2019 // 25 Comments

Freedom is found in knowing that God loves and accepts you. When you know beyond all doubt that you are your Daddy’s delight, you will be free from the need to please others. The pressure to perform will lift and the unholy expectations of men will seem ridiculous. My Father is pleased with me. I don’t have [...]

Paul vs the Communists

June 13, 2019 // 18 Comments

Do you remember what you were doing in 1989? Not to brag or anything, but I was smuggling Bibles into Communist China. I don’t know if anyone still smuggles Bibles, but 30 years ago it was just about the most exciting thing a young Christian could do. I smuggled hundreds of Bibles and Christian books across the [...]

Is God the Author of Evil?

July 6, 2018 // 98 Comments

Whenever I tell people that God-is-all-the-time-good, I am invariably rebuked by those who say he isn’t. And they’ve got the scriptures to prove it. Job 1:21 says God robbed Job 1 Samuel 2:6-7 says God makes people poor and kills them Exodus 4:11 says God gives people disabilities Isaiah 45:7 says God is the [...]

What Does it Mean to be One with the Lord?

January 4, 2018 // 51 Comments

Many Christians don’t know how good they’ve got it. In our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. (Ephesians 1:3, GNB) One with the Lord, you are blessed indeed. In fact, 100 percent of your blessings come as the result of being in union with [...]

Jesus is Your Tithe

September 7, 2017 // 107 Comments

Jesus poked the hornets’ nest when he said, “Watch out for those law-lovers who strut about in long robes, pray long prayers, and take the best seats at banquets.” It was a provocative statement because Jesus was standing in the temple courts when he said it. He was surrounded by long-robed men. “These [...]

The Day and the Hour

August 10, 2017 // 24 Comments

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36) The disciples thought that the temple would come down when Jesus returned at the end of the age. To them, these events were connected. But history shows they are not. The temple has come down, [...]

New Grace Books

December 28, 2016 // 0 Comments

Books are listed in order of publication (newest first). Authors/publishers, want to see your book listed on this page? Submit your details here. Praying the Word of Grace, by Jonah Priour (Dec 2022) This book is filled to overflowing with the riches of God’s grace found in the pages of Scripture. For years, I [...]

An apology to the people of New Zealand

November 18, 2016 // 46 Comments

As a New Zealander, I was deeply saddened to hear about the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit north Canterbury in the early hours of Monday morning. As a Cantabrian, I groaned with the thought of “Not again.” In times of disaster it is natural to ask why. Why do bad things keep happening? And why Canterbury? [...]

How Do I Know I’m Saved?

October 13, 2016 // 113 Comments

“Are you saved? Are you sure?” These questions are sometimes used to scare people into signing up for works-based insurance. They also trigger salvation-anxiety. Yet the questions are legitimate. In scripture we are exhorted to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). This does [...]

Does James 5:15 preach conditional forgiveness?

September 2, 2016 // 52 Comments

Those who put price tags on grace sometimes point to this verse: The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:15) “See – you have to confess and pray to be forgiven,” they say. “If you don’t do these [...]

Did Jesus put price tags on forgiveness? (Matthew 6:14-15)

August 6, 2015 // 70 Comments

The gospel that Jesus revealed declares that God loves you like a father, he holds nothing against you, and he longs for his sons and daughters to come home. It’s the good news an orphaned world desperately needs to hear. So why did Jesus say this: For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your [...]

The Kingdom of Heaven is a Party

May 1, 2015 // 21 Comments

One of the best parties I have ever been to was a surprise party. It was a hot, humid night in Hong Kong and Camilla and I were running late. We were supposed to be at church for our weekly prayer meeting, but one of us was taking her sweet time getting ready. No need to mention names. When we finally arrived at [...]

What Makes the New Covenant New?

April 29, 2015 // 67 Comments

There’s a classic scene in The Simpsons where 8-year-old Lisa is offered a large check. Monty Burns has made a $120 million from an idea that Lisa gave him, and he wants to thank her by giving her a ten percent cut. Since the money represents ill-gotten gains from harvesting the sea, Lisa says no. Lisa [...]

Labor to Enter his Rest

December 18, 2014 // 65 Comments

The other day a strange man approached a young girl and offered her candy if she would get in his car. Thankfully, the girl knew all about stranger danger and quickly walked to a shop where she was safe. I know you’ve heard this sort of story before but this was different for us because it happened on our [...]

What About Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?

July 29, 2014 // 88 Comments

Everybody responds to God’s love and grace, one way or another. But what about those who die before they get a chance to respond? To pick an extreme example, what about those Palestinian children who perished last week and who presumably never heard the gospel, never heard that God loves them, and never heard [...]

What Happens to Babies Who Die?

July 24, 2014 // 154 Comments

What do you say to the parents of a deceased baby? What would you say to the families of the 80 children who died on flight MH17 last week? I’m not sure what you should say but I know what you shouldn’t say. Don’t ever tell them their children are in hell. “Paul, I would never say such an awful thing.” [...]

What is the Greater Condemnation? (Matthew 23:14)

June 12, 2014 // 38 Comments

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matt. 23:14, NKJV) What is the “greater condemnation” Jesus spoke of? It must be something because it’s mentioned in three gospels – this [...]

What is Hyper-Grace?

April 10, 2014 // 46 Comments

To Hyper-Grace and Beyond
Here’s something you may not know about grace: Jesus never defined it. As far as we know, the Lord of grace who came from the throne of grace full of his Father’s grace, and from whom we have received grace upon grace, never uttered the word grace. But he sure showed it. Actions speak louder than words. Jesus [...]

How Should We Read the Words of Jesus?

November 19, 2013 // 47 Comments

Jesus is the greatest preacher of all time. He told stories and preached sermons the whole world needs to hear. The genius of Jesus is that he often preached one message with two punchlines: If you were confident of your own righteousness, you got law, but if you were not, you got grace. Consider Jesus’ story [...]

Alternatives to Hell

July 15, 2013 // 95 Comments

You may have been raised with a picture of judgment that says sinners go to hell where they are tormented for eternity. Unless you say the magic words of a formulaic prayer, you will burn forever along with all the babies and children who never got a chance to put their faith in Jesus. Unsurprisingly, this [...]

Eternal Security Scriptures

February 11, 2013 // 45 Comments

Below is a list of every scripture guaranteeing the eternal security of the believer. This list is a work-in-progress. Feel free to submit scriptures we’ve missed. – Old Testament (n = 9) – New Testament (n = 132) Don’t forget to check out the “what about” [...]

Where was God in the Connecticut School Shooting?

December 18, 2012 // 33 Comments

Yet another school shooting has resulted in the loss of innocent lives in America and now questions are being asked: Where was God? Why didn’t God stop this? Why didn’t God protect the lives of those 20 children? For a grieving parent, these are normal questions. When you have suffered the greatest loss any [...]

What is the Whole Gospel?

December 6, 2012 // 51 Comments

Heaven forbid that we preach half a gospel, but what is the whole gospel? Your answer to that question says a lot about your understanding of grace. For instance, whenever I proclaim the good news of God’s unconditional love, I can just about guarantee that someone will chide me for not preaching the whole [...]

Top 12 quotes on grace

November 12, 2012 // 32 Comments

What is the one thing that separates Christianity from every other religion in the world? It is grace – that divine and undeserved favor of God that elevates the lowly and loves the unlovely. Grace is the good news that a sick and dying world needs to hear. Grace is what God’s love looks like from our side. [...]

6 examples of confession in the Bible

November 4, 2012 // 21 Comments

Confession has become a touchy subject in the grace community. Judging by some of the comments I have received in the past week, there are some folks who think we must never confess sins, that to do so is to slap Jesus in the face and run back into works-based religiosity. It’s true that confession has been [...]

Is Confession Good for You?

October 25, 2012 // 38 Comments

Nothing winds me up faster than telling people they must do things like confess to be forgiven. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, confessing your sins does not compel God to forgive you. God does not forgive us on account of our confession but in accordance with the riches of his grace (Eph 1:7). [...]

The Way

May 4, 2012 // 13 Comments

Lord, may this stone, a symbol of my efforts on the pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the cross of the Saviour, one day weigh the balance in favor of my good deeds when the deeds of my life are judged. Let it be so. Last night Camilla and I finally got to see the Martin Sheen movie, The Way. I had been wanting [...]

“The Misunderstood God” by Darin Hufford

April 26, 2012 // 22 Comments

If you have ever looked at a couple of hormonal teenagers and thought to yourself, “Those kids don’t know the first thing about love,” then you may have a fair idea of how God thinks about some of us: We hardly know the first thing about love. You only have to listen to the way we talk to know that this is [...]

Revelation to Transformation, by Paul White

April 15, 2012 // 10 Comments

One of the perks of writing a blog is that people send me free books. This one was sent to me by Daniel Craciun from Canada. Apparently, Daniel thought I needed to read this book. I’m glad he did! Revelation to Transformation: How Seeing Jesus Will Change Your Life is about Christ and His cross. In this book [...]

“Sit, Walk, Stand” by Watchman Nee

September 14, 2011 // 22 Comments

(Note: I wrote the following review 6 months ago but never got around to publishing it. Lately several people have asked me if I’ve read Sit, Walk, Stand – it seems this book is enjoying a renaissance among grace folk.) A few weeks ago I posted some thoughts on Watchman Nee’s book The Normal [...]

12 Biblical Examples of Walking in the Spirit

August 29, 2011 // 14 Comments

The Bible describes two kinds of life and two ways to live. You are either in the flesh or in the spirit (Rom 8:9) AND you can walk according to the flesh or according to the spirit (Gal 5:25). The sinner lives in the flesh and walks according to the flesh. The Christian is in the spirit and ideally walks after [...]

Romans 7: The flesh test

August 18, 2011 // 36 Comments

Have you seen the pearl of wisdom hidden in Romans 7? Many miss it because they view the chapter as “not written for me” or as a mere prelude to chapter 8. This is a shame because if you can grasp what Paul says in Romans 7, it will save you a world of hurt. “Just remind me, what’s Romans 7 about?” I [...]

How to Walk After the Flesh in 20 Easy Lessons

August 11, 2011 // 68 Comments

If you’ve ever taken children to the zoo, you will know that the big animals tend to be more popular than the small ones. Elephants, rhinos, and tigers get more attention than otters, turtles, and geckos. And so it is with works of the flesh. Ask any churchgoer to list the works of the flesh and they will [...]

Grace Gallery

June 27, 2011 // 15 Comments

Hi folks, this gallery hasn’t been updated in years. Looking for the new stuff? It’s on Instagram. Still here? Click on any image to see a larger version or to be taken to the original post. (Looking for E2R logos?) Teaching aids seen on E2R…   Shareable soundbites       . Classic [...]

I believe, help my unbelief

June 16, 2011 // 89 Comments

faith_or_doubt
Imagine you had a successful ministry that saw you healing the sick and casting out demons everywhere you went. Then one day a father brings his son to you, the boy has a seizure right in front of you, and you can’t heal him. How would you react? Would you; (a) conclude that it’s not God’s will to heal all [...]

“You’ve Already Got It” by Andrew Wommack

June 14, 2011 // 22 Comments

Imagine you were the devil in the Garden of Eden trying to tempt Adam and Eve. How would you do it? This is a question that Andrew Wommack asks in his book, You’ve Already Got It. Adam and Eve were flawless and lived in paradise with all of their needs abundantly supplied. So how would you tempt them? You [...]

How Well Did I Understand Grace Before I Understood Grace?

May 27, 2011 // 89 Comments

Have you ever seen those Magic Eye 3D pictures that look random but then reveal a hidden picture? Maybe there’s a group of you looking and someone says, “Wow – look at that! It’s a ship!” Then another person sees it and now they’re both describing the picture to you. But try as you might you just [...]

“What’s So Amazing About Grace?” by Philip Yancey

May 24, 2011 // 11 Comments

I only just got around to reading Philip Yancey’s 1997, award winning book, What’s So Amazing About Grace? When a friend gave me this book several years ago I mistook it for another book I thought I had already read it. But a few weeks ago I picked it up, got whacked in the guts by the story at the start of [...]

Before and After

April 16, 2011 // 4 Comments

Before he was saved, Paul was a Pharisee (Php 3:5), and like any Pharisee he would’ve prayed the prayer seen on the left (source: Encyclopedia Talmudit, Vol.4, Jerusalem 1956, p.371). Religious pride feeds itself by drawing lines between us and them. It says, “Thank you God that I am not like other [...]

Good News!

March 17, 2011 // 92 Comments

The gospel is good news, but what is the news and what makes it good? Much of what is sold as “the gospel” is an inferior substitute for the real thing. Don’t be fooled by cheap knock-offs! There is an easy way to distinguish the authentic from the counterfeit. The true gospel is 100% good news. There’s [...]

Not by sight

March 16, 2011 // 46 Comments

Ever since James wrote that “faith without works is dead,” Christians have been busying themselves with all sorts of busy-ness to prove that they really, positively do have faith. But much of what passes for Christian works could be done by anyone, with or without faith. Let’s not kid ourselves. If what [...]

Speak to your mountain

March 10, 2011 // 63 Comments

I spent much of my life praying in vain for the sick. Only a few of those I prayed for ever got healed. But in the last couple of years I have begun to discover why my prayers were so powerless. I now realize that what I thought was faith was nothing more than wishful thinking. In short, I have learned that there [...]

A Better Way to Pray

March 6, 2011 // 47 Comments

When Camilla and I started leading a church in 1999, we didn’t have a clue. We loved God with all our hearts and prayed with faith, but our prayers seldom moved mountains. There was this one time when there was a lot of sickness going around so we organized a healing meeting. We laid hands on the sick, prayed [...]

Book Reviews

February 15, 2011 // 107 Comments

Below are some outstanding books reviewed here on E2R. Clicking on a cover will take you to the relevant post…     Recommendations I am often asked to recommend books to those who are new to the gospel of grace. I recommend all of the books above, but if you’re in a hurry, check out this list of [...]

“Bodily Healing and the Atonement” by TJ McCrossan

January 20, 2011 // 34 Comments

Healing
I’ve just finished reading Bodily Healing and the Atonement by TJ McCrossan. This 80 year old classic (since reprinted) is a welcome antidote to any uncertainty you may have regarding God’s will for healing. The main takeaway of this book is that “Christ bore our sicknesses in the very same way that He bore [...]

Does God Kill Babies?

November 29, 2010 // 51 Comments

thinking-baby
“And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill… Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died.” (2 Sam 12:15,18) Now there’s a troubling verse! Does God really kill babies? Some would say “Yes,” because God is on the throne and nothing [...]

What is the Key to James?

October 13, 2010 // 14 Comments

Jesus is the key
The Epistle of James may be the most misunderstood book in the New Testament. In this short series we have looked at some of the “troublesome” verses in James. Where others have found law and condemnation, we have found grace and freedom! In case you missed it, here’s a summary of what we’ve covered so [...]

James – Preacher of Grace

October 2, 2010 // 28 Comments

James_preacher_of_grace
It seems everyone has an opinion about James and how his letter fits (or doesn’t fit) into the New Testament. I thought I had heard everything, but this week, one of my readers sent me Scofield’s take on the book of James: “..his epistle shows no trace of the larger revelations of the church and the [...]

James 2:24

September 20, 2010 // 32 Comments

which is it?
In this study on James chapter 2, we have been comparing works done under law with works done under grace. Understanding this distinction is essential if we are to reconcile Paul, the preacher of grace, with James, who said this… You see then that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (Jas [...]

Does God Give Bad Gifts?

July 26, 2010 // 27 Comments

use-your-brain
Does God give us sickness, poverty, and recessions? Should earthquakes, tsunamis and acts of terrorism be interpreted as his divine judgment on a sinful world? Does God kill babies? Are these dumb questions? You might think so except that many sincere Christians believe all these terrible things are from God. In [...]

Two Religions: Works vs Blood

July 5, 2010 // 55 Comments

Travel around the world and you would be forgiven for thinking there are thousands of religions and belief-systems. In reality there are only two: religion based on works of men religion based on the blood of Jesus People waste years studying different religions trying to figure out which one is best. But strip [...]

Subject Index

June 23, 2010 // 0 Comments

Click on a link below to be taken to a list of posts about that category. Numbers in brackets are the number of relevant posts. You can also search for posts in the main archive or scripture index. Subject index People index acceptance (6) AD70 (30) anger of God, see wrath announcements (48) art (1) ascension [...]

Mixing Grace with Works: It’s Not About the Widow

June 10, 2010 // 12 Comments

Most Christians know it’s a bad idea to mix grace with works because of what Paul said to the Galatians: Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Gal. 3:3) You probably know that we cannot finish that which was begun by the Spirit. Yet many [...]

U2 Frontman Speaks Out: Top 20 Bono Quotes

May 10, 2010 // 1 Comment

Today, the 10th of May, is Bono’s birthday. Everyone has heard of Bono the rock star or Bono the political agitator. Everyone has some idea of what Bono does. But what’s particularly interesting is why Bono does it. A few years ago I read a book called Bono on Bono and it provided a rare glimpse into the [...]

Bible Questions

April 30, 2010 // 72 Comments

Got a question about God, the Bible, or life in general? Find answers here: SearchSearch Got a question? Ask us in the comments [...]

Psalm 51 – The Badness of David versus the Goodness of God

March 23, 2010 // 15 Comments

Christians sometimes battle with guilt and condemnation even though God declares them “not guilty” and Christ has given us the gift of “no condemnation” (Rms 8:1). Some think that the way to shake off these bad feelings is to confess their sins. This is a little bit like saying “I feel condemnation [...]

“A Matter of Life and Death” by Wayne Duncan

March 17, 2010 // 3 Comments

Today is the official release date of Wayne Duncan’s book A Matter of Life and Death: How to Read the Bible through New Covenant Lenses. Wayne Duncan is a South African pastor who desires to see “the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.” The title of [...]

Building Ramps for the Mentally Ill

February 27, 2010 // 17 Comments

About 10 years ago I heard an Australian pastor say that mental illness was a big need in his city. I was young and strong back then so the picture that came into my mind was that he lived in a town of crazy people. Now I know better. Mental illness is one of the giants of our day. I’ve heard it said that one [...]

Why do Churches Have Mood Music?

February 16, 2010 // 5 Comments

It’s the end of the service and the preacher is coming to the punch line. Quietly the keyboardist goes on stage, selects “warm pads” or “strings” and begins to play in the background. As the preacher makes his challenge, the sound of synthesized seraphim singing begins to wash over the audience. Hand [...]

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