If You’re Secretly Afraid You Might Go to Hell…

Last week, I wrote an op-ed for Fox News Opinion called, “How to Know the Moment When You Really Got Saved.”  I have never written something that provoked so many comments, personal emails, or Facebook messages.  Fortunately, most of the responses were filled with awe at how completely God saved us through the blood of His Son, Jesus.  And one of those messages, in particular, touched me.

The Reason to Forgive that Annoying Person

I know I’m supposed to like the whole Bible – especially anything Jesus said.  But there are a few parts that get under my skin.  One in particular is this passage from Luke 17:3-4: “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Taking a Pass on New Year’s Guilt

If you’re anything like me, just the thought of a new year’s resolution provokes a sense of dreaded guilt – the feeling that you’re only doing it because you’ve already failed in the previous year, and you’re going to end up failing in the next one anyway. I’m thinking this is not one of those things Jesus was talking about when he was talking about coming to give us abundant lives (John 10:10).

God is so Much Nicer than Santa

Let’s play a game. I’ll describe someone, and you tell me who I’m talking about. 1. He’s an old man with a long, white beard. 2. He sees everything you do. 3. He keeps a list of your deeds, good and bad. 4. He lives in a far-off, magical kingdom you couldn’t find if you tried. 5. He never allows himself to be seen; and 6. All the movies about him are fairly lame.

Three Things to Remember Next Time You Fall Into Sin

I’ve had close friendships with countless Christians in my lifetime, and if there’s one thing we’ve all got in common, it’s that we’ve all got some bad habit, some addictive sin, some hangup that we just can’t seem to overcome. People struggle with all kinds of things — rage, overeating, jealousy, passive-aggressive behavior, and porn addiction, to name a few.

The Holy Spirit Never “Convicts” Christians

I’ve spent three years of my legal career as a criminal prosecutor, a job that usually has one goal when it comes to wrongdoers: conviction.  Once the defendant has pleaded guilty or has been found guilty by a jury, it’s all over.  He has been convicted, and the only thing left to do is sentence him.