Laurence J. Peter and I are close friends. No, actually, we’ve never met, but we’ve visited together numerous times. We’ve never even shaken hands, but we’ve been in agreement ever since we crossed paths. Although I’ve never laid eyes on him, I’ve smiled at his comments and nodded at his conclusions . . . amazed […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Failure
How Does the Death of Jesus Save Me?
Question: I’ve been told that Jesus died for my sins. What does that mean exactly? How could the death of Jesus help me get to heaven? What does the death of Christ save me from? Answer: One way to understand the meaning of the death of Jesus is to imagine a courtroom scene in which […]
Read MoreHope Beyond Failure
Rarely will one of God’s heroes show up in the Scriptures having lived a life free of failure. Take Peter, for example. As soon as you read the name, you remember his story. Peter experienced the extreme highs and lows of life—from days spent in blessed fellowship with Christ . . . to the heart-wrenching […]
Read MoreGetting Past Guilt: Overcoming Barriers to Feeling Forgiven
Puritan minister Richard Baxter warned about the emotional toll of carrying unnecessary guilt: “That sorrow, even for sin, may be overmuch. That overmuch sorrow swalloweth one up.”1 In his wonderful old English, Reverend Baxter captured the feelings of people who have not experienced forgiveness. Grief over past sins plunges them into a depth of sorrow. […]
Read MoreHow Can I Manage My Anger?
Question: I’ve been struggling with anger lately. I feel like a smoldering volcano ready to explode at any moment. When I erupt, I say the cruelest things, and then I feel so guilty afterward. I don’t know what’s causing me to be so grouchy, but this seething anger is hurting the people I care about. […]
Read MoreBattle of the Will
What battles are you fighting today? I’m not referring to those we read or hear about in the news. I mean the wars that rage inside you—which ones are you fighting today? Here are some of mine: holding on to resentment, allowing frustration to overwhelm me, wishing for something easier, wondering why trials continue, and […]
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