living under grace

“Lifetime Guarantee” by Bill Gillham

July 24, 2011 // 24 Comments

Lifetime Guarantee is a book full of stories about ordinary life, like making eggs for breakfast, mowing the lawn, and sitting in your car outside the post office watching a pretty girl walk past. There’s also a riveting story about closing a closet door. That might sound dull if you’re Indiana Jones, but [...]

John 15:6 – Abiding in the Vine

June 8, 2011 // 98 Comments

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. (Jn 15:6) What does it mean to abide in the vine? You need to have a good answer to that question because Jesus warned that there are consequences for not abiding in [...]

John 14:15 – The commands of Jesus

June 3, 2011 // 38 Comments

If God loves us unconditionally, how do we account for those scriptures that link his love with our obedience: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15) A legalist reads this backwards: “You will keep my commandments if you love me.” In other words, we prove our love for God by doing what he [...]

How Well Did I Understand Grace Before I Understood Grace?

May 27, 2011 // 88 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 [...]

The flesh vs the spirit – two good books

May 7, 2011 // 10 Comments

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these things are opposed one to the other, that ye should not do those things which ye desire. ~ Galatians 5:17 (Darby) Paul describes the Christian life as a tug of war between the flesh and the spirit. The flesh is that part of us [...]

Beware the Dogs of Law

November 18, 2010 // 34 Comments

Have you ever noticed how Paul often warned Christians about the dangers of the law and those who preach it? In just about every letter there’s a warning: Watch out for those who put obstacles in your way contrary to what you have been taught (Rom 16:17). See that no one takes you captive through philosophy [...]

Seven More Signs that you Might be Living Under Law

November 10, 2010 // 20 Comments

C.S. Lewis said that the safest road to hell is the one without signposts. You might say the same thing about the road that leads back to the law. It’s gradual and unmarked. Can you imagine the Galatians saying, “let’s set aside grace and re-instate circumcision” or “let’s stop trusting Jesus and try [...]

Completely Forgiven? When Confession is Bad for You

February 18, 2010 // 30 Comments

Jesus died to set men free. Galatians 5:13 tells us that we have a holy calling to be free – to live free, walk free, stay free. One way that we can lose our freedom is to burden ourselves with ungodly demands and expectations. This can happen when we take scripture out of context. It can also happen when we [...]

Gifts + Message + Mission: Lessons from 2 Timothy

February 3, 2010 // 2 Comments

Near the end of his life Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy. It is full of practical wisdom for every Christian. In the first two chapters we find three timely challenges for the church: (1) Fan the gift of God into flame (1:6) Like many, Timothy battled timidity and fear. He needed lots of [...]