Don’t look now, but if you asked Jesus to save you, the Holy Spirit of God is living inside of you. Wonder of wonders, salvation comes with two huge gifts: the forgiveness of our sins through what Jesus did for us, and a whole new way of life through what the Holy Spirit can now do inside of us. Just as Jesus became our death (at the cross), so the Holy Spirit becomes our new life (when we die to…
In full display before a watching world, Jesus suffered as no human being has ever suffered or will ever suffer again. Yet, no one looking on could see it. The scoffers certainly couldn’t see that it was their Messiah who was being crucified right before their eyes. However, even those who believed in Jesus couldn’t see the true extent of their Messiah’s suffering: Physical death …
Have you ever felt like the plug got pulled on your life in Christ? Like you’re cut off and drifting away, or worse, have taken a big hit and now are in free fall. Doesn’t feel very good does it? The peace of Christ becomes a faded memory, a host of weaknesses sap your strength and temptations you thought you’d finished with are back pounding on your spiritual door. Disconnected! It’s one of the easiest things to happen to a…
I learn so much by working with Christian men struggling to get free of addictions. They experience in a titanic conflict what we all experience to a lesser degree. This gives clarity to many issues in the Christian life. Here’s one: Most of the men are so glad that Jesus is helping them gain freedom from the addiction that they simply camp out in what I call the “Neutral Zone.” This never works! Some former addicts heroically fight off all…