Forgiveness may be one of the most misused, misapplied and misunderstood words in our culture. How well do you understand it? Take a short quiz by answering true or false to the following statements: •   A person should not be forgiven until they ask for it •   Forgiving minimizes the offense and the pain it caused •   Forgiveness includes restoring trust and resuming the relationship •   You haven’t really forgiven until you’ve forgotten •   When you see somebody hurt, it’s your duty to forgive the offender If…

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One of the first passages of scripture that I committed to memory as a new Christian was Proverbs 3:5-6, which says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” It’s an encouraging promise, but what does it mean to “trust in the Lord with all your heart?” The best single word answer that I’ve heard to that question is the word ‘surrender.’ We…

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Most of us at one time or other have heard the Lord’s prayer. Many of us have even committed it to memory. The prayer seems simple enough, but simple things can sometimes be very deep. When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He gave them a model prayer. The problem is that it seems like Jesus included something in the prayer that doesn’t belong there. If the fifth petition in the prayer simply read “Forgive us our debts,” and…

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Most of our prayers are way too safe. Bless this food. Help me do well on this test. Please let there be a parking spot. But what if we prayed more boldly —even dangerously— for God to use us in new and exciting ways? This may take us out of our comfort zones, but it could also bring us exactly where God wants us to be. This weekend as we begin a new teaching series called “Dangerous Prayers” we’ll start by looking... Read More