John Woodward
Reckoning On Our Union With Christ
I once threw away a personal check made out to me for the sum of $10,000. However, I knew immediately that this “check” was not credible … nor creditable. A few weeks after it arrived in the mail, the sender wrote, confessing this impulsive gesture. But I kept the check for a while as a…
Read MoreImmanuel: God With Us (Part 2)
We continue to consider the profound significance of Jesus Christ’s title, Immanuel. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). As we ponder the miracle of Christ’s birth, we behold His divine nature and human nature coming…
Read MoreImmanuel: God With Us (Part 1)
Immanuel is a profoundly significant title of Jesus Christ. The prediction of Immanuel “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This prophecy was given through the prophet about seven centuries before its fulfillment in Bethlehem. The…
Read MoreForgive and Forget
I appreciate Jerry Dunn’s book, God is for the Alcoholic. This text gives helpful insights about the danger of drunkenness and principles to help the alcoholic spiritually and practically. Dunn asserts that the family of the one struggling with addiction need to forgive him and extend fellowship and support. “The first place the alcoholic should…
Read MoreSomeone is Praying for You
One of the special benefits my wife and I have received over the years is the prayer support of many church and ministry friends. When you go through tough times, it’s such a consolation to know someone is praying for you. Someone alongside you We need to have fellowship that is real enough to share…
Read MoreThe Light of the World
A young boy practiced his lines for the Sunday school program, but when the time came for the performance in front of the congregation, he drew a blank. Moments passed as he tried to remember his part. His mother was perched on the front row and tried gesturing to him to prod his memory. She…
Read MoreHow to Positively Influence Your Spouse
An insurance salesman said to his customer: “You’ve filled in this application all right except for one thing, Mr. Perkins — where it asks the relationship of Mrs. Perkins to yourself, you should have put down ‘wife’, not ‘strained’”. The expectations and responsibilities of married life can certainly cause a strain at times! That’s why…
Read MoreHow to Find Fulfillment When Married (Part 2)
Now let us turn our attention to three biblical principles that point the way to fulfillment. 1. Realize that it is impossible for any person or human relationship to bring total fulfillment. God alone can fill that “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart. The first two of the Ten Commandments rule out any alternate “god” and…
Read MoreHow to Find Fulfillment When Married (Part 1)
As a pastoral counselor, I have noticed that not all married couples are fulfilled. “Really”? You reply. I guess that’s kind of obvious considering the divorce rate, and percentage of husbands and wives your are having a tough time persevering. Someone wryly observed, “Marriage is kind of like a fly bumping against a window pane.…
Read MoreA Response to “What Mark?
A Response to What Mark? .. I appreciated the author’s description of God’s grace in redemption and the believer’s blessing of acceptance through being in Christ. A more complete answer to the title question would recognize that by definition “sin” (GK hamartano) means “to miss the mark.” Since the English word is used over 100…
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