If you claim to have no enemies, I suggest you take a closer look. Of course, every Christian faces an enemy in Satan. The apostle Peter warns us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
Many Christians are lovers of Jesus, yet they sin against the light they have been given. They’ve heard thousands of righteous sermons, read the Bible daily for years, and spent countless hours in prayer. Yet they’ve allowed a besetting sin to remain in their life and cut off their communication with Jesus. When the Holy Spirit convicts of a sin that has never been dealt with, it comes with a warning: “This sin must go! I won’t wink at the way you’ve been indulging it.”
Thus says the Lord of hosts, render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another.
“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).
David was a man who knew how to repent. He constantly searched his heart before God and was quick to cry, “I’ve sinned, Lord. I stand in need of prayer.”
One of the most devastating enemies of our faith is the matter of offense. At some point, you will be offended by someone and you will offend someone, not wanting to. Two responses are required: When you are offended, will you have the faith and obedience to say, “I forgive you of this”? And when you offend another, will you have the humility to say, “Please forgive me”?
Mutsuhiro Watanabe was better known to the captives of Japan’s most infamous concentration camps as “the Bird” so that they could warn one another when he was coming without him knowing.
Paul and Barnabas were part of the first missionary team ever to go out. These two men experienced powerful, fruitful ministry together until a sharp disagreement occurred that would shape both of them going forward.
Exploring the life and ministry of Barnabas, Pastor Tim Dilena shows us how a good, godly person can end their race poorly. That unforgiveness and anger slowly lead us in an unhealthy direction and away from God's desired best for our lives. But there is hope—there are four steps we can take today to course-correct and finish well.
Hurt from others, particularly those we care about, can have devastating effects in our life. Sometimes we hold on to the bitterness and unforgiveness to our own demise. However, God calls each of us to forgive. In this powerful sermon, Claude Houde reminds us that we are never more like God than when we forgive others in faith.