John Woodward
The Christ-Centered Life (Part 2 of 2)
1. Be ontologically Christ-centered. The Spirit of Christ can be in you (John 1:12; Col. 1:27) – part 1 Now consider another dimension of being “Christ-centered.” 2. Be experientially Christ-centered. The Spirit of Christ can be expressed in and through you. Being Christ-centered in experience goes beyond one’s state of being regenerated and justified (Rom. 5:1;…
Read MoreThe Christ-Centered Life (Part 1)
What would you say is the center of your life? How do you define your ultimate meaning and purpose? Some might confess: “For me, to live is … money,…or pleasure, …learning,…or family, …or food, …or sex, …or sports, … or success.” There is only one source of life that will bring fulfillment in time and…
Read MoreMountain Moving Faith
On October 25 2009 a huge rock slide closed all four lanes of an expressway that links eastern Tennessee with western North Carolina. Our family has used this road many times, noticing the jagged rock cliffs on the northern side of the highway. In December, friends visiting Asheville, N.C. from Alaska were hindered from traveling…
Read MoreWere You There?
One of the hymns that depicts Christ’s passion and resurrection is the traditional song, Were You There? The hymn’s author is unknown, but the words are based on the New Testament narratives of Matthew 27:31-56; 28;1-15 and parallels. The first stanza asks: “Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they…
Read MoreThe Signs of Christ’s Birth
Years ago Linda and I befriended a young man whose company makes olive wood Christmas ornaments. Fadi is a Palestinian Orthodox Christian who is from Bethlehem. His display at our local theme park is identified with this sign; Il Bambino: Made in Bethlehem – Israel. One of these ornaments was given to us with his…
Read MoreThe Gift of a New Heart
I’m thankful that my family tree doesn’t have a history of heart disease. I was reminded of this recently when I found myself in the Emergency Room of our local hospital, hooked up to an EKG machine. It all started with a slight pain in my left chest and arm that became more noticeable in…
Read MoreHappiness is the LORD
In our clinical discipleship ministry at Grace Fellowship International we usually have counselees read Handbook to Happiness. This book (by my mentor and colleague, Dr. Charles Solomon) presents a unique Christ-centered process of appropriating one’s identification with Christ. While many devotional writers have expounded upon the wonders of being “in Christ,” this message is especially…
Read MoreThe Great Restoration Project
One of the unusual perks of living in a tourist town is a special event known as “Shades of the Past.” If you like old, restored cars you’d love this. Each September hundreds of antique and classic car owners gather in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for several days of this car show. Some buy, sell, or…
Read MoreBypassing the Detour of Legalism (Part 3)
C. Legalism is also a problem for Christians. Man-made rules, apart from divine relationship, turn God’s values upside down! “The story was told some years ago of a pastor who found the roads blocked one Sunday morning and was forced to skate on the river to get to church, which he did. When he arrived,…
Read MoreBypassing the Detour of Legalism (Part 2)
B. Legalism is a problem for the unsaved. One of the distinctives of biblical faith is that salvation is not based on man’s attempts to reach God (religion), but on God’s provision to reach man (redemption). Legalism is a roadblock to the unsaved when they try to earn God’s salvation by works of merit, no…
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