The Real Reason We're Doing What We're Doing
Instead, it will be a judgment to determine our rewards based on how well we have followed Christ. On that day, Jesus will examine and reveal our motives and the quality of our service.
Instead, it will be a judgment to determine our rewards based on how well we have followed Christ. On that day, Jesus will examine and reveal our motives and the quality of our service.
Here is a great story of reconciliation. It beautifully illustrates how broken relationships can be restored by building bridges to one another…instead of fencing each other off.
Over the years, though, I've come to realize it's important to be honest with our children when they ask those hard questions that don't have straightforward answers.
As believers, many of us understand intellectually what it means to be forgiven. We know that Christ’s death atones for our sins. By placing our faith in Him, we are saved into an eternal relationship with our Lord that never changes.
Perhaps the waters of guilt have washed over you, and you feel like you are sinking in sorrow and regret. What could be preventing you from moving beyond your past and feeling forgiven?
Walking closely with the Lord means we must come to terms with forgiving others. Yes, must. We can’t avoid or deny the fact that relationships often bring hurt and the need to forgive.
Horizontal grace is our giving to God and to others. We don’t do it to reciprocate but simply because where there is grace there must be giving.
True giving means giving to God with no expectation of return. It’s a mark of real faith, because though we are giving to a visible person or organization, we are doing it in a way that signals our mind and heart is surrendered to an invisible God.
Unless we view Bethlehem from the perspective of the cross, most of what we sing and celebrate at Christmas amounts to glorying in the cradle, not the cross.
Horizontal grace is our giving to God and to others. We don’t do it to reciprocate but simply because where there is grace there must be giving.