CWR Blog
Christianity Without The Religion BLOG hosted by Brad Jersak.
Greg Albrecht
Jesus Is Looking For You
Consider the lengths to which Jesus goes as he looks for each and every one of us. Give glory to God who brings Light into the dark places of our lives.
Tender Mercies: “Isadore’s Secret” – by Ruth A. Tucker
Bless the Lord who crowns you with tender mercies (Psalm 103, NKJV).
When we contemplate love and care and tender mercies bestowed upon another, we usually imagine the person to be alive. But throughout history—particularly among Christians—there has been special care accorded the dead. Jesus' body was perfumed with spices and laid to rest in a tomb set aside for burial. Generations later Christians stayed behind in Alexandria during a pandemic to nurse the sick and bury the dead. Pagans, fearing for their own ...
John’s Delectable Double Meanings – Brad Jersak
The Gospel of John is an amazing showcase of double entendres. A few of my favourites are:
John 1:4-5
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (NIV)
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (NKJV)
John 1:9
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (NIV)
“That was the true Light ...
Reflections Along the Jesus Way
June 19, 2025 - Quote for the Day:
“Some say that they are mad at God because, in spite of everything they have done for him (!?), he hasn’t given them what they feel they deserve. Is that what we want – really? Do we want God to give us what we deserve?”
Originally published in:
Christianity Without the Religion magazine, August 2021
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CWR Video – Reading the Old Testament with Jesus as Our Rabbi
In this CWR Video, Brad discusses a Jesus-centered approach to reading the Old Testament.
https://vimeo.com/1018411077
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“But Even If He Does Not…”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego -- it’s a revered story we all know — but what is the real moral of this story we read in the book of Daniel?
The Enemy of Faith
Jesus does not promise to keep us from the storms of life, but he will endure them with us and never forsake us. We have an enemy during the storms of our lives that can be conquered through Jesus.
The Real Love Story – by Greg Albrecht
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.—John 3:16-17
It's been said that love is the most powerful force in the universe because it alone can conquer the human heart. But God's love does not coerce. God's love works in our lives by our consent.
Many people suffer with a ...
Q&R with Greg Albrecht – “Is Being Born Again the Same as the New Creation?”
Question: I'm trying to get a clear understanding on what the new creation in Christ means - specifically in Gal 6:15.
Can you recommend any good books/articles that could help me?
Hope you can help!
Warm regards,
A Pastor in California
Response:
My initial response is that all of the New Testament metaphors for new creation, salvation, conversion, transformation, being one in Christ, new men and women in Christ, putting “on” Christ, born again, being children of God, being heirs of his kingdom, being resurrected in Christ from ...
Reflections Along the Jesus Way
June 17, 2025 - Quote for the Day:
“You and I need a big God. A really, really big God – not a small god who religion attempts to shrink down so we can relate to him. We need a God who can encompass this whole planet – for that matter, this entire universe. We need a God whose relentless love is big enough for all of us – for everyone who has ever lived or ever will live. We need a God for all people, all languages, all cultures, all colors and all religions.”
Originally published in:
Spiritual Soup for the ...
He Can’t Stop Loving You!
Days before his own brutal death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus stood before a tomb and demanded that death release Lazarus. Lazarus came forth -- just as we all can -- because of the limitless love of God.
The Tragedy of Denial
Peter learned the lesson we all do -- sin will take us farther than we want to go and cost us more than we want to pay. But the good news is that Jesus does not hold the fact that we have denied him against us. The cross of Christ, and his resurrection, is good news!
Robert Frost’s “The Oven Bird” – by Stuart Segall
There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but ...
What’s a Father’s Love Worth? – Alex McFarland
What Brian Wilson told Alex McFarland:
Alex McFarland was a friend of the famed song writer Brian Wilson, the creative force behind the Beach Boys, who passed this week.
Despite the amazing melodies and harmonies Brian Wilson penned, despite being considered by many to be “the American Mozart,” he was missing something very deep.
And yet, just at a moment of recognition for career achievement, Brian Wilson looked at Alex McFarland and said, “I’d give everything I’ve ever done to know that my dad loved me.”
The published piece below by Alex ...
Bargaining with God – by Greg Albrecht
The chief object of education is not to learn things; nay, the chief object of education is to unlearn things. – G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
The first serious conversation most of us ever have with God is when we realize we are in a world of hurt. Our back is against the wall – we have painted ourselves into a corner and we desire to have a heart-to-heart talk with God so he will get us out of the mess we’re in. Typically, the first time we wanted God to really listen to us was also when we offered him a bargain.
Do you remember? Perhaps the first serious ...
Two Types of Fathers – by Ed Dunn
One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters – George Herbert
Fathers, do not frustrate your children with no-win scenarios. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master – Ephesians 6:4, (The Message)
Every father should remember that one day his children will follow his example, not his advice – Charles Kettering
Fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man – Frank Pittman
There are so many joys to fatherhood. And, as I am learning now married for a second time, to step-fatherhood, as well. ...
Reflections Along the Jesus Way
June 14, 2025 - Quote for the Day:
“I believe that physical death is not the end of God’s pursuit of us, and I base that belief primarily on the full and complete (as I understand it) revelation of God within the pages of the Bible… My hopeful perspective of God’s pursuit of all of us – and I do mean ALL – is that he will do whatever it takes to win us. However, I also think he allows us to make choices and respects our choices – many biblical passages speak to this, perhaps none better than the Prodigal Son, when the father ‘lets’ the son ...
My Father and Your Father
As we celebrate Father's Day we celebrate earthly fathers and we worship our heavenly Father, giving thanks that 1) we have a heavenly Father who is God and 2) a God we know as Father.
He Wants You: Dead and Alive – by Greg Albrecht
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
For we know that our old ...
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