Here are 5 Key Connections from recent Christian articles around the web, including the difference between legalism and discipline, how God’s grace leads us into worship, and more.
Here’s why you believe, if you are a Christian: God set His love on you. God’s Holy Spirit awakened you. God drew you to Himself. He redeemed you. He gave you new life from above, and you did nothing to deserve it! Neither did I. That’s grace.
You have to understand there is a universe of difference between discipline and legalism. Legalism says, “I will do this thing in order to gain merit before God.” Discipline says, “I love God, I love the Lord Jesus Christ and I will discipline myself to please them.”
My kids and yours are aiming high, trying hard, and taking big risks. We want to assure them and comfort them with all kinds of “probablys,” and “don’t worrys,” and “of course you wills!”
But, the truth is, these parental phrases fall short. Our kids need a better hope than their own abilities. A better hope than probably. A better hope than comparison to their peers. A better hope than “you’ve got this.” Even a better hope than “I believe in you!”
I’ve also discovered that suffering and sadness do not negate the power of gratitude. Even when you are lamenting disappointments of life—the glass is half-empty stuff—gratitude still works. Often, in my experience, it overcomes negative emotions, or at least staves them off a bit. I don’t know how to explain that—a psychologist maybe could. I just know it works.
Genesis 12:1 shows us what happens when God speaks to a man. Before God speaks, deadness and darkness; after God speaks, life abundant. Abram’s redemption—like every believer’s—began with God speaking. No one comes to saving faith apart from God’s effective call.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. 2 Peter 1:3 NIV If God has provided everything we need for a godly life, why is it that some Christians never seem to grow? They never seem to have much joy or make any progress. Peter...
He Is Slow to Start The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;he will seek at harvest and have nothing. – Proverbs 20:4 This proverb draws attention to the long-term effects of putting off the things we need to do now. There is a season for plowing, there is a...
I’ve been a member of the same church for 17 years, and in that time, God has given me the privilege of serving him in many volunteer settings – from the worship team on a platform to the puppet show on a Sunday School classroom floor, to ladies’ LIFE groups...
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