No temptation (or test) has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted (or tested) beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted (or tested), the Lord will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Christians Experience Hardships The Greek …
Forgiven and Forgiving (Part 2)
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us….Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Matthew 6:12; Col 3:13) A Famous Photo Many of you have seen the 1972 photo of Kim Phuc Phan Thi (“the Napalm girl”) in South Vietnam. …
Forgiven and Forgiving (Part 1)
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us….Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! (Matthew 6:12; Psalm 32:1 NLT) Our Forgiving Lord How beautiful is it that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the forgiving God! He calls Himself the LORD, the compassionate and gracious …
Things to Pray For (Part 2)
Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray….The Lord has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord accepts my prayer. (Psalm 5:2, 6:9) Shallow Prayers? Fran Tarkenton is a former NFL quarterback who led his team to three Super Bowls. He wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal lambasting himself and other …
Things to Pray For (Part 1)
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15) Need Help in Praying? Ross McCall of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) loves to help people pray. …
Magnify Christ
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has shown concern for His humble servant. (Luke 1:46-48) Metrical Psalms A metrical Psalter is a kind of Bible translation or paraphrase from the Bible’s Book of Psalms. It translates a Psalm into poetry, often for singing as hymns in a church. James 5:13 asks, …
Christ’s Friendship Toward Us
A “Yes” Face Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was our third president in the USA. One time, he and a group of companions were traveling on horseback and came to a flooded river which had washed away the bridge. Each rider forded the river on horseback, fighting against deadly currents. Another traveler, not part of the group, walked up to the President …
The Miracle of Christian Conversion
We were therefore buried with Jesus through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:4) Eden Chen Was Converted Eden Chen was a teenage shoplifter and competitive gamer. When God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) brought him to faith …
How Should We Think of Christ?
Come near to God and He will come near to you. (James 4:8) Help From Richard Sibbes Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) was an English pastor who loved to encourage Jesus’ people with reminders of God’s love and grace. In his book, The Bruised Reed, he wrote “We have this for a foundation truth, that there is more mercy in Christ than …
Haughty or Humble?
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Corinthians 4:7 NIV) The Corinthian Problem In this part of 1 Corinthians, Jesus reminds us that He sends us out to others and we are His servants, …