423 results for tag: blog
What’s In an Anniversary? – by Ed Dunn
Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground. And when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two – Louis de Bernieres
…a three-fold cord is not easily broken – Ecclesiastes 4:12, KJV
Marriage is not just spiritual communion - it is also remembering to take out the trash – Dr. Joyce Brothers
I had the joyous opportunity last summer to join in with my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and their significant others, to celebrate two landmark events: my mother’s 80th birthday and my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary. The two events, ...
The Ministry of Death OR the Ministry of Life – by Greg Albrecht
He looked at me and said, "It happened while I was in church. It was the end of the service, everyone was standing, and so was I. I was doing the same religious thing that everybody else was doing, the same religious thing I had done for over 25 years. My family was there. My mother was there. It was the same place we always went. We did the things they told us we should. The sermons usually either scolded us or berated us.
"That week the sermon had been another 'you're not good enough' sermon. After the sermon, during the final prayer, the thought hit me, 'You know. This is ludicrous. I am never going to be good enough. I've been trying to do all ...
Did Jesus’ Crucifixion Satisfy God’s Wrath – by Greg Albrecht
An idyllic, beautiful setting surrounds a rambling country estate in rural England. It’s 1935, and this pastoral setting provides the backdrop for the initial scene that plays out in Atonement. During the brief respite between the first and second World Wars, Cecilia Tallis, a rich young lady in her early twenties whose family owns the estate discovers she loves, and is loved by Robbie, a young man whose mother is the housekeeper at the Tallis home.
As the love story begins, we are also introduced to Briony, Cecilia’s younger sister. Briony is an aspiring writer who is, in her coming of age 13-year-old way, envious of the courtship enjoyed ...
What About 3 Days and 3 Nights? by Greg Albrecht
Question: What is your view on Jesus' statement that he would be in the grave three days and three nights? I believe Jesus. I do not believe that it was parts of days and nights like some say.
Response: I believe Jesus as well. If you examine the gospels, you will find one verse that mentions "three days and three nights" (Matthew 12:40 ) and another 20 verses that speak of his resurrection as being on "the third day" or "in three days." Since we both believe Jesus, should we seek to better understand one verse in the light of 20, or 20 verses in the light of one?
Today, the day I am writing this, is Friday. Three days from now will be ...
If You Had Only Known What Would Bring You Peace – by Greg Albrecht
After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.'"
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They replied, "The Lord needs it."
They brought it to Jesus, threw their ...
It’s Good to Be Alive – by Greg Albrecht
It's one of two times in the year when brick-and-mortar churches have their highest attendance. It's without a doubt the most meaningful time of the year for Christians, but Easter lilies, bunny rabbits, Easter hams, painted and chocolate eggs can take our attention away from the vital life-giving significance of this spiritual victory we celebrate every spring.
Easter signals new life springing from what is seemingly dead and lifeless. Gray gives way to green. Ice melts and snow is replaced by the promise of buds and sprouts. Light overcomes darkness. The light and life that comes bursting from an empty tomb triumphs over death on the cross, a ...
The Exclamation Point of God’s Love – Albrecht and Jersak
Greg Albrecht and Brad JersakGreg Albrecht: Hello everyone, this is Greg Albrecht. We’re going to remember and discuss our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice for us and reflect on his life, death, burial and of course the significance and meaning of his resurrection. Helping us with his insights and observations is Brad Jersak. Brad is Senior Editor of our magazines and a Christ-centered professor, speaker and author from Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Brad, in one sense it seems to me that these two events, the crucifixion and the resurrection, are the crowning jewels in God’s demonstration and revelation of his love for us. When I think of the ...
The Suffering Judge – by Greg Albrecht
… If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.—Romans 8:31-34
You probably have heard of honor killings. An "honor killing" is the term used to describe a practice in which one or more males murders a female relative who, according to their perspec...
Love – No Fear – by Greg Albrecht
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. —1 Corinthians 13:4-8
1 Corinthians 13 is a chapter many have come to know as the "love chapter" of the Bible. 1 Cor. 13 is arranged in three separate sections, two of which we will briefly examine:
The first section, in verses 1-3, is about love as being indispensable. If you've ...
Lighten Up — Trust Him — Be Free! by Greg Albrecht
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will ...
Under Authority – a book by Kimalee Finelli – Follow Up
Follow Up Post to the Original Post on January 17, 2024:
During my years of attending a legalistic church in New England, I began to realize something was lacking from nearly every harsh sermon I managed to sit through. I left church most Sunday mornings with feelings of guilt for which I had no explanation. Had I sinned in some way? Was God displeased with me? Why couldn’t I measure up to expectations of obedience or submit to authority?
Decades passed before I learned what was missing in my life. The answer was grace. One little word – could it really be that simple?
Excerpt from chapter 27 of Under Authority, by ...
It’s Either Old or New – by Greg Albrecht
By way of introduction to It’s Either Old or New—It Can’t Be Both! I would like to introduce two special guests.
Before going any further, I should explain that our special guests will appear as caricatures—in the form of a communication that they might have had with each other—so that there is, as far as I know, no actual resemblance to anything they’ve ever said to each other, if indeed they ever had a one-on-one conversation. I hope that clears me—that’s my disclaimer.
Our first guest is Martha Stewart.
Martha Stewart has come, over the past few decades, to symbolize the paragon of a dutiful, ...
Grace and Truth Come Through Jesus Christ – by Greg Albrecht
Here's a news flash! Religion is confrontational and hostile to anyone that dares to differ with it. Religion is, at best, irrelevant to our relationship with God. Christ-less religion actually leads people away from God!
Grace-less religion advances its agenda, which is all about the relationship it offers (or inflicts upon) its followers. The relationship religion offers usually includes a relationship with a building, with real estate, with icons, with treasures (real or imagined) and with rituals and performances and traditions which are themselves reputed to be of heavenly value. In many cases religion promises spiritual rewards based on ...
Under Authority – a book by Kimalee Finelli
Based on a true story, Under Authority is Kate Elliot’s unusual account of what took place at Cross Independent Baptist Church in New England during her childhood and teen years. The pastor, Rhuttland Abbott—or the Reverend as people referred to him—believed he had been placed behind the pulpit directly by God. To question him was to question God, resulting in swift church discipline. Those unwilling to comply with his self-imposed rules and regulations would face severe, cruel, and unreasonable penalties.
Kate finally escapes this vindictive environment and builds a new life in a new city. But after twenty years of running, ...
How God Chooses His Team – by Greg Albrecht
Remember those times when you gathered with a group of your friends and schoolmates to participate in a game that involved two teams? My memories are of two captains who were popularly chosen, or who, by virtue of their size, age and ability (or all three) appointed themselves.
Then the captains started choosing people for their teams. They always chose those who they felt would help them win—that's logical. Games are all about winning. So when sides were chosen the fastest, strongest, most popular and most athletic were chosen first.
As each person was chosen they walked over and stood next to their captain, until finally there was one last ...
A New Beginning – By Ed Dunn
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness - Lamentations 3:22-33, ESV
I always approach the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve with the same set of mixed emotions: On the one hand, the Christmas season is nearly over, and I actually enjoy taking the colorful decorations off the tree, hauling the “now nearly brown” pine tree out to the curb, and tucking the “Christmas Day Decorations” boxes neatly back into storage for the next year. On the other hand, Christmas Day for another season has come and gone, and it always seems to pass me ...
Overcoming the Overwhelming: Rest in Jesus – by Greg Albrecht
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.(Matthew 11:28 – NIV).
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.(Matthew 11:28 – The Message Bible).
The invitation to rest in Jesus is a call to accept our limitations and cast ourselves at the feet of our Savior who is without limitations and with whom nothing is impossible.
When we accept the invitation to rest in Jesus, God’s grace mercifully relieves us of the impossible expectations that would require us to fix and solve all ...
Great Exchanges – by Greg Albrecht
Your first thought at this time of the year might be those frenzied crowds in shopping malls and department stores on the days immediately following Christmas. People exchanging and returning gifts they received that were the wrong size, wrong color—or just plain wrong!
But there's another exchange we need to keep in mind. This great exchange is the reality of the cross of Christ. Jesus Christ took our sin and died for it, paying the debt that we could not pay. In exchange, God, because of his grace, gives us eternal life. Our sin for eternal life! The great spiritual exchange.
Great exchanges characterize the month of December for Christians ...
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