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Today over at 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting, I am sharing thoughts about Judgment House.  Many disagree with me on this topic, but I think it important to think critically about what it teaches people about who God is.  Checkmy thoughts out here

We, as a pastoral staff, are reading through Jesus Outside the Lines by Scott Sauls.   I have appreciated greatly its perspective. I am only halfway through but it might be a book that churches should go through together to help them learn to lovingly disagree with one another.  In his chapter on judgment and accountability, Sauls had some great thoughts: We run from criticism, even constructive criticism, because we know that a single word of criticism possesses more emotional power over us than a thousand praises. We know that we are not perfect. But there's something in all of us that still wants, even needs, to feel and be seen as perfect. For those who believe in Jesus, the Cross moves their Judgment Day from the future to the past. the compassionate Jesus speaks sharply and loudly about judgment so we will "flee from the wrath to come" as we flee into his merciful arms. The good news is that anyone who fears God will never have any reason to be afraid...

A few weeks ago, I finished Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges.  I loved most of the book.  I disagreed with Bridges view on suffering and adversity.  However, I would recommend the book to people because of his great explanation of grace through all of life. I have posted previously on the book so I have picked several quotes from the second half of the book. We are responsible to clothe ourselves with Christlike character, but we are dependent on God's Spirit to produce with us His "fruit." We cannot make one inch of progress in sanctification apart from the powerful working of the Spirit in us. Instead, we have developed another brand of legalism, a brand that is concerned, not with salvation, but with how we live the Christian life. I call this "evangelical legalism." They (fences) begin as a sincere effort to deal with real sin issues. But very often we begin to focus on the fence we've built instead of the sin it was designed to guard ag...

Below is a portion of prayer for November 2nd from Everyday Prayers by Scotty Smith. My self-righteousness usually shows up not in trying to merit more of your love but in withholding your love from others. The dark irony is that the sins that offend me most in others are the very sins most pronounced in my own life—a lack of mercy, unbelief, a critical spirit . . . I wish those were the only ones.  Lord Jesus, as cardiologist and ophthalmologist, bring your grace and truth to bear in my heart and my eyes. I want to love as you love and see as you see. I do not want people to feel pressure to change who they are around me, nor do I want them to feel my indifference and disengagement. Teach me and lead me in the third way—the way of the gospel.

How would answer that question? Preston Sprinkle answers that question in his book, Charis .  I have only read Chapter 1 and I can't wait to read more.  There are many books about grace and the gospel popping up all around. However, I have not come across one yet that focuses on the Old Testament. This quote hooked me to want to read more: "The Old Testament is all about grace. You can't understand grace apart from the Old Testament, and you can't understand the Old Testament without understanding grace. . .If you see only wrath and judgment, then you've missed the best part, the main plot, the primary message. .Grace is the spine that holds the whole thing together. . .Every character, every event, every single page from the Old Testament bleeds grace. . .The reason we typically miss it is because we've been trained to read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, morally." Are you ready for more?  I know I am.  I want to understand grace in a...

You are making it really hard not to believe. Incarnational Evangelism Incarnation, Reputation, Conversation, Confrontation, Transformation Incarnation-you dive deep into humanity Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it. We think being godly means to separate from the world. We take the Good News and make it bad news. Jesus was the most righteous person ever and He was a friend of sinners. We, as Christians, should be the least judgmental movement in the world.