The names “Sodom and Gomorrah” transcend the location and story in Genesis, becoming symbolic of evil sensuality. And many of us have heard about an evangelist preaching “fire and brimstone” — a phrase originating from the Lord’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the Book of Genesis, what has fascinated me since first reading this […]
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It was for freedom that Christ set us free (Galatians 5:1, NASB1995). Jesus came to set us free — yet we all struggle with disobedience and, too often, an inability to deal effectively with sin. The Bible doesn’t promise instantaneous release from all our inadequacies, bad attitudes, and lusts. It does promise to give us
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Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4, NASB1995). At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught what has become known as The Beatitudes. In the second beatitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn.” The word “mourn” was a word in the first century used to describe actions
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There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12, NLT). We can understand all the world’s problems and the solution in just two words . . . Sin and Jesus! The Bible teaches that man and woman were given authority over
For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us (Isaiah 59:12, NLT). One of the underlying tenets of the Bible is good vs. evil. God vs. Satan. When evil seemingly wins, the Bible teaches that a standard has already been raised as a testimony of our ultimate victory. That standard: Jesus on
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I ask myself too often, “Why did I do that?” I also add variations to the theme with, “Why did I say that?” and “Why am I thinking this?” The Apostle Paul asked the same questions about himself. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do
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God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins (Romans 8:3, NLT). We need a plan to get healthier, lose weight, and increase fitness. As we develop our plan for wellness and exercise, we come across what experts call the three “Somatotypes.” “Soma” is the Greek
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For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, ESV). The Bible teaches personal sin. The Greek word for sin means “missing the mark,” and placed in a scriptural context, “sin” is missing God’s holiness. We find the Bible’s description of holiness listed as the fruit of the Spirit in
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This could be the worst way to start a Monday. I had a health review recently and a financial review. But a sin review? We should start the week with something positive. Even the Apostle Paul didn’t pass the sin review; he summarized his test with the following comment: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves
God made us alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 4:13-14 ESV Ignoring sin doesn’t make it go away. Canceling sin doesn’t necessarily set people free, overcome our guilt, and bring self-acceptance