God’s justice is a pathway to His mercy

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image… They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did […]
Why people flocked to John

Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were flocking to [John], and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. (Matthew 3:5-6) Why did people flock to John? Some came out of curiosity, to be sure, perhaps even many or most of them. Yet, even […]
Jesus is your faithful forgiver

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) If you betray someone you love, you will discover that a barrier begins to grow between you. There may be no retribution on their part, but the closeness of the […]
God’s promises are on their way

The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) Sometimes it can seem as if our prayers go unanswered. Sometimes it can seem as if God has forgotten us, or gotten distracted […]
True Salvation (Luke 8:4-15)

The Parable of the Sower and the Soils As a large crowd was gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, [Jesus] said in a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky […]
What kind of person…really? (Luke 6:45)

A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. (Luke 6:45) “I know he’s done some terrible things, but he’s really just misunderstood.” “Yeah, he cusses and yells and lies sometimes, but he’s really […]
Jesus wants to free you from regret

God’s Hope for Your Heart from 2 Corinthians 7 JESUS WANTS TO FREE YOU FROM REGRET As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to […]
God’s discipline is for your deliverance

God’s Hope for Your Heart from 1 Corinthians 5 GOD’S DISCIPLINE IS FOR YOUR DELIVERANCE You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:5) It sounds so harsh. It sounds so unloving. “What about grace?” some […]
God builds brokenness into praise

God’s Hope for Your Heart from Psalm 51 GOD BUILDS BROKENNESS INTO PRAISE For You will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; You will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Do good to Zion in Your […]
God’s grace removes your burden

God’s Hope for Your Heart from Acts 15 GOD’S GRACE REMOVES YOUR BURDEN “…And [God] made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that […]