1800 results for tag: Greg Albrecht

Reflections Along the Jesus Way

October 22, 2023 - Quote for the Day: “Quid pro quo means ‘something for something – something received or given in return for something else.’ We humans learn quickly that we must work for what we get in our world. We earn wages for services we render. Quid pro quo. We earn approval and acceptance by deeds we perform. Quid pro quo. People like and love us if we help them, serve them, and make them feel or look good. Quid pro quo. Grace is the opposite of quid pro quo. God is grace.  He gives and loves, without guarantee or prior evidence of any return on his investment.  Not only does God not reward us for what we deserve, ...

Reflections Along the Jesus Way

October 19, 2023 - Quote for the Day: “During a discussion with a new acquaintance in which I challenged some of her views, it became obvious to me that she considered the fact that I am an old white male as de facto proof that I am a hateful and bigoted racist. When I pointed out that her judgment of me was itself racist (I’m white), sexist (I’m male) and based on age discrimination (65 is fading fast in my rear-view mirror), she was not amused… I did not bother to tell her I am one of those hateful, bigoted racists who believe in the absolute historical proof of the Holocaust and that I support the right of the nation of ...

God is Good!

God is good — always was and always will be. God is good, and he chooses to be so. That’s part of his nature which works for our benefit. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0059.mp3

From Here to Eternity

God is eternal — what does that mean? And more importantly, what does it mean for you and me? https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0058.mp3

Reflections Along the Jesus Way

October 17, 2023 - Quote for the Day: “Today millions continue to be enslaved by ‘just-around-the-corner’ interpretations of the book of Revelation.  Some live in fear within cultic groups where apocalyptic anxieties allow leaders to combine irresponsible prophecy teaching with authoritarian control, while others experience the rigors of prophetic addiction (prophetic teaching that turns into a religious addiction) within churches that generally teach sound doctrine but corrupt and cheapen the gospel with irresponsible speculation.  In either case Revelation is used as a club to control and intimidate.”  Originally ...

God Is Love

Our human experience with love may well get in our way with a relationship with the great God, who is love. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0057.mp3

Honey, We Shrunk God!

Today most in our western world have marginalized or trivialized God. Yet he is the great all-powerful Creator. Does that make any sense at all? Just how “real” is it to shrink God? https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0056.mp3

Scandalous Grace – Part 2 – by Greg Albrecht

Genesis 27:1-45 - Jacob deceives Isaac for his blessing   The story of Jacob's deception centers on God promising a reversal. God essentially told Rebekah, Jacob and Esau's mother, that Jacob would receive the blessing the older brother, Esau, should have had.   Amazingly, the life of Jacob after he had deceived both his father and his brother was an ongoing saga of deceit and conflict. When Esau realized that he had been duped and deceived, Jacob had to run for his life to escape Esau's anger.   The story of Esau and Jacob is an illustration of God's scandalous grace, a grace that reaches into the murky ...

Our Comings and Goings Amidst Vulnerability and Danger by Greg Albrecht

I lift my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.  – Psalm 121:1-8 Psalm 121 speaks to us of the inner peace God gives us in the midst ...

Reflections Along the Jesus Way

October 15, 2023 - Quote for the Day: “The world that God loves is a gift from our gracious God.  The world, seen and unseen, animal, vegetable and mineral, testifies to the entire world’s absolute dependence on God. The world-at-large demonstrates our inter-relationship with all creatures, our environment and our fellow human beings.”   Originally published in: Wonders of His Love ------------------------------------- Help Us Help Others - Give Now

Wins and Losses Don’t Matter – by Greg Albrecht

Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. – Matthew 10:39 The purpose of a Christ-centered life is not to gratify or satisfy the self, but to lose ourselves in the cause of something bigger and more important. When we lose ourselves in the service of Jesus, we find life – he gives us his life, and he lives his life in us now and forever. The primary purpose of life that motivates Christ-followers is far beyond merely consuming, acquiring and possessing. The purpose of life for those who walk with Jesus is to lose ourselves in the service of those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, ...

Struggle Between Faith and Feelings

Does God get mad at us when we become frustrated with him in difficult times? One of the most perplexing questions people have about God is “Where is God when it hurts?” Or, put another way, “How can God, who is good, let bad stuff happen?” https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0061.mp3

Reflections Along the Jesus Way

October 12, 2023 - Quote for the Day: "Eternal conscious torment in hell is an unbiblical, fabricated teaching of Christ-less religion designed to keep its followers in line.  ‘Believers’ in such teaching perceive hell as having positive results because 1) the fear of being consigned to the fiery coals of hell keeps the followers of Christ-less religion in tow, as they ‘toe-the-line,’ and 2) it gives those who are religiously devout ‘hope’ that God will see to it that those who do not faithfully ‘toe-the-line’ as they do will get what they deserve."   Originally published in: Letters to My Friends...

Finding a Hiding Place

What pressures and stresses would you like to hide from? What problem is tempting you to play hide and seek with the world? https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0060.mp3

Forgiveness — A New Beginning

In WWII both Corrie ten Boom's father and sister died in concentration camps.  Just two years after the war one of the most cruel guards from the Ravensbruck concentration camp asked Corrie for forgiveness.  She forgave him.  Could you?  Greg talks about the healing power of forgiveness. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0053.mp3

Scandalous Grace – by Greg Albrecht

Keynote Passage: This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, ...

Reflections Along the Jesus Way

October 10, 2023 - Quote for the Day: “Who goes to hell (or heaven), what the criteria is, how many people are or will be in hell and heaven, etc. – all of these are religious devices.  Some churches basically teach, while many others carefully but strongly suggest, that heaven will be essentially confined to their little congregation or denomination, and that other riff-raff will be assigned a less favorable eternal destination.”  Originally published in: Between Religious Rocks and Life’s Hard Places ------------------------------------- Help Us Help Others - Give Now

Five Kinds of Prayer

How many ways are there to talk with God? For Christians, prayer is a vital link with God. Knowing a bit more about prayer can help enhance your relationship with God. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0048.mp3

Learning to Pray

How much do you know about prayer? Prayer is something that most Americans say they do, yet many do not fully understand what prayer is all about. In this two part series Greg offers seven guidelines to help you in your prayer life. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0047.mp3

Reforming Grace – by Greg Albrecht

For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."—Isaiah 57:15 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.—Matthew 23:12   Over 490 years ago, on the day now known as Halloween—October 31, 1517—a young Roman Catholic priest named Martin Luther posted 95 theses, or statements, on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. These 95 issues were a summary of what this ...