THE GRACE OF GOD

When I listened to Billy Joel's "State of Mind New York" song a few weeks ago while reviewing my online news, I accidentally came across the following article. It states that the state of New York recently passed a law prohibiting pet tattooing and piercing. It amused me to learn that a law like this is necessary. Apparently, this practice is becoming a trend. I doubt that…

Have you ever lost an important file on your computer? While this can be unsettling, most people who are familiar with computers can successfully restore the seemingly lost file. It's really good to know that all is not lost when trying to find information that has been accidentally deleted. However, it is far from comforting when you try to do things ...

Billy Graham has often used a phrase to encourage people to accept the salvation we have in Jesus: He said, "Just come as you are!" It is a reminder that God sees everything: our best and worst and he still loves us. The call "just to come as you are" is a reflection of the words of the apostle Paul: "For Christ was dead to us wicked even at the time when we were still weak. Now…

Have you ever wondered how Jesus could say that his yoke was gentle and his burden light, considering what he endured as the incarnate Son of God during his earthly existence? Born as a prophesied Messiah, King Herod sought after him when he was a baby. He ordered all male children in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger to be killed. As a youth, Jesus was like any other adolescent ...

It sounds too good to be true so begins a familiar saying and you know it's unlikely. But when it comes to God's grace, it is true. Nevertheless, some people insist that grace can not be like that and resort to the law to avoid what they see as a license to sin. Their sincere but misguided efforts are a form of legalism that gives people the transforming power of grace ...

Time and again “Paul argues in Romans that we owe it to Christ that God regards us as justified. Although we sin sometimes, those sins are counted against the old self who was crucified with Christ; our sins do not count against what we are in Christ. We have a duty to fight sin - not to be saved, but because we are already children of God. In the last part of Chapter 8 ...

When we understand that we live, weave and are in Christ (Acts 17,28), in the One who created all things and redeemed all things and who loves us unconditionally, we can put all fear and worry about where we stand with God and begin to truly be in the certainty of his love and directing power in to rest our lives. The gospel is good news. Indeed, it is not just for a few people, but for all ...

Sometimes, concerns come to my ears, we would put the grace too much in the foreground. As a recommended corrective we then argue that we could, as a counterweight to the doctrine of grace, take account of those of obedience, justice, and other duties mentioned in Scripture, and especially in the New Testament. Anyone who worries about "too much granted grace" has legitimate concerns. ...

During the Spring Festival we especially remember the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This holiday encourages us to reflect on our Savior and the salvation He achieved for us. Sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings failed to reconcile us to God. But the sacrifice of Jesus Christ brought about complete reconciliation once and for all. Jesus carried everyone's sins to the cross, even if many...

A psychologist named Lawrence Kolberg developed a detailed test to measure maturity in the field of moral reasoning. He came to the conclusion that good behavior to avoid punishment is the lowest form of motivation to do what is right. Are we just changing our behavior to avoid punishment? Does Christian remorse look like this? Is Christianity just one of many ways to pursue moral development? Many Christians ...

Real grace shocked, is scandalous. Grace does not excuse sin, but she accepts the sinner. It is part of the nature of grace that we do not deserve it. The grace of God changes our lives and is what makes the Christian faith. Many people who come into contact with the grace of God are afraid of being out of the law. They think that would make them more sinful. Paul became with this view ...

Do you want to be a person who has faith? Would you like a belief that can move mountains? Would you like to partake of a faith that can bring the dead back to life, a faith like David who could kill a giant? There may be many giants in your life that you want to destroy. This is the case with most Christians, including me. Do you want to become a giant of faith? You can do it, but you can do it ...

Most Christians do not believe the gospel - they think that salvation can only be achieved if one earns it by faith and morally impeccable life. "You do not get anything in life." "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is not true either." These well-known facts of life are inundated by each and every one of us through personal experiences. But the Christian message is against it. The…

Nobody touched me for five years. No one. Not a soul. Not my wife. not my child not my friends Nobody touched me. you saw me They spoke to me, I felt love in their voice. I saw concern in her eyes, but I didn't feel her touch. I asked for what is commonplace for you guys, a handshake, a warm hug, a pat on the shoulder to get my attention or a kiss on...

It is actually pure grace that you are saved. There is nothing you can do for yourself except to trust what God gives you. You did not deserve it by doing anything; for God does not want anyone to be able to refer to his own achievements before him (Ephesians 2,8–9GN). How wonderful when we Christians come to understand grace! This understanding takes away the pressure and stress we often put on ourselves. It makes us...

Do all paths lead to God? Some believe that all religions are a variation of the same theme - doing this or that and going to heaven. At first glance, it seems to be so. Hinduism promises the believer unity with an impersonal God. Getting into nirvana requires good works during many rebirths. Buddhism, which also promises nirvana, calls for the four noble truths and the eightfold path through ...

In the story of Les Miserables (The Wretched), Jean Valjean is invited to a bishop's residence after his release from prison, is given a meal and a room for the night. During the night Valjean steals some of the silverware and runs away, but is caught by the gendarmes, who bring him back to the bishop with the stolen items. Instead of accusing Jean, the bishop gives him two silver candlesticks and wakes the ...

Have you ever watched a potter at work or even taken a pottery class? The prophet Jeremiah visited a pottery workshop. Not out of curiosity or because he was looking for a new hobby, but because God commanded him to do so: «Open up and go down to the potter's house; there I will let you hear my words" (Jer 18,2). Long before Jeremiah was born, God was already at work in his life as a potter, this work leads…

Many people often gathered in the temple to hear Jesus proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God. Even the Pharisees, the leaders of the temple, attended these meetings. When Jesus was teaching, they brought to him a woman who had been caught in adultery and placed her in the middle. They demanded that Jesus deal with this situation, which forced him to pause his teaching. According to Jewish law, the punishment for...

What treasures or valuables do you own that are worth keeping safe? Her grandparents' jewelry? Or the latest smartphone with all the trimmings? Whatever it is, these things can easily become our idols and distract us from what is important. The Bible teaches us that we should never fear losing the true treasure, Jesus Christ. The intimate relationship with Jesus surpasses all...

Living in grace means rejecting, not tolerating, or accepting sin. God is against sin - he hates it. He refused to leave us in our sinful state and sent his Son to redeem us from her and her effects. When Jesus spoke to a woman who committed adultery, he said to her: "I do not judge you either," Jesus replied. You can go, but don't sin anymore! " (Joh 8,11 HFA). Jesus' statement ...

Two well-known old gospel songs say: “An uninhabited apartment is waiting for me” and “My property is just behind the mountain”. These lyrics are based on the words of Jesus: «In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, would I have said to you, 'I go to prepare the place for you?' (John 14,2). These verses are often quoted at funerals because they promise that Jesus will prepare for God's people...

What could give us more comfort than experiencing God's infinite love? The good news is: You can experience God’s love in all its fullness! Despite all your wrongdoings, regardless of your past, regardless of what you've done or who you once were. The infinity of his affection is reflected in the words of the Apostle Paul: "But God demonstrates his love for us in that Christ died for us...

Do you know that most people who believe in God have a hard time believing that God loves them? People find it easy to envision God as Creator and Judge, but terribly difficult to envision God as the One who loves them and cares deeply for them. But the truth is that our infinitely loving, creative and perfect God creates nothing that is contrary to himself, that is in opposition to himself. All that God...

While Tammy and I were waiting in the lobby of an airport to make our home flight shortly, I noticed a young man sitting two seats down and looking repeatedly at me. After a few minutes, he asked me, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Joseph Tkach?" He was glad to talk to me, and he told me that he had recently been expelled from a Sabbath community. In our conversation, it was ...

The word “grace” has a high value in Christian circles. That's why it's important to think about their true meaning. Understanding grace is a great challenge, not because it is unclear or difficult to grasp, but because of its immense scope. The word “grace” is derived from the Greek word “charis” and in the Christian understanding describes the undeserved favor or benevolence that God gives to people...

Everyone has an idea of ​​right and wrong, and everyone has already done something wrong - even his own idea. "To err is human," says a well-known proverb. Everyone has once disappointed a friend, broken a promise, hurt someone else's feelings. Everyone knows guilt. Therefore people do not want to have anything to do with God. They do not want a day of judgment, because they know that they are not pure ...