Do we have to forgive others in order for God to forgive us? In the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15), we see a forgiveness from God that is conditional and based upon forgiving other people first. But when we read the passage in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, we discover that Jesus is wanting His Jewish audience to imagine receiving only the same type and degree of forgiveness that they’ve ...
Read MoreHow can you love God more? We’ve all heard we need to love God more and prove our love for Him. Some of us have even heard that we are to love God more than our own families!
Read MoreWhat is the gift of prophecy? The gift of prophecy is one of the most misunderstood topics in Christianity. Many believe prophecy is future-telling or speaking secret truths of God. However, Scripture defines the gift of prophecy as God equipping someone to share the truths of the Gospel for the purpose of “edification, exhortation, and consolation” (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Read MoreHow many of your sins were in the future when Christ died? All of them, right? This highlights God’s perspective as He looked down the timeline of our sins and took them all away at once.
Read MoreHow can you love God more? We’ve all heard we need to love God more and prove our love for Him. Some of us have even heard that we are to love God more than our own families! But this concept is actually absent from the New Testament.
Read MoreHow can you forgive someone who hurt you deeply? Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. To forgive someone is to release the offending person of any relational debt they might owe you. This happens as you assess the damage (how they made you feel), cancel the debt against them (releasing them from anything they “owe” you, even if they do it again), and then, going forward, counting on the choice ...
Read MoreWhat does New Testament grace giving look like? Are we to give a set percentage of our income, like a tithe, or is it something different? New Testament grace giving is founded upon our freedom in Christ.
Read MoreMany teach the importance of a second blessing from God or the need for a special anointing. However, this is inconsistent with the Gospel. When we believe in Jesus, we are given everything we need for life and godliness including the fullness of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:3-4; Ephesians 1:3, 13-14).
Read MoreRighteousness, in a Biblical context, is to be right with God at the core of your being. It means that on a scale of 1-10, you’re an 11! No human is righteous through their own efforts (Romans 3:19-20).
Read MoreSome teach that a believer has a wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9). However, this is not Scriptural. A Christian has a new, righteous and obedient heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrews 8:10; Romans 6:17). Jeremiah 17:9 describes an unbeliever before the born-again experience. In contrast, every believer has a new heart, a new spirit, and God’s Spirit.
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