My Thoughts and Reflections

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." James 5:16a (NASB) As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that we need to confess our sins to God, which provides us with assurance of forgiveness since he has promised us that would do that (1 John 1:9). When I confess my sins to God, it often seems like it is too easy for me since I know that God already knows my offenses and he has promised to forgive me when I confess to him.  Confessing to God may seem easy, but it is taking confession to a whole new level when I involve a fellow brother or sister in Christ into the mix.  James encourages us to confess our sins to each other and to pray for each other so that we can be healed. When I confess my sins to my chosen brother in Christ, it makes the sin in my life that much more real. I am forced to share the burdens of my sin with someone else and allow someone else to see the dark parts of my life. When I confess ...

"It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." Romans 4:13 (NIV1984) I know I am not alone in having times throughout my life when my faith in Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of his word has wavered. In those times of doubting and struggling to maintain my faith, I would ask myself questions like, "Am I really doing all that I can to be saved?" and "How can I really be sure that my faith in Jesus Christ alone is enough?" During those times, it's scriptures like today's passage (Rom. 4:6-13) that encourage me and bring my flickering flame of faith back to a roaring fire! One of Paul's favorite examples of faith and righteousness, that he uses multiple times in his letters, is Abraham. He tells us that God counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith in him, not because of anything that he accomplished on his ...

‎"Trust in the LORD forever, for in the LORD GOD you have an everlasting rock." —Isaiah 26:4 (NRSV) What have you put your trust in recently? Have you placed your trust in your job? Your home? Your money? Your family? Your friends? Your things? What one of these things provides the assurance, the blessing, and the peace of mind that trusting in God does? Isaiah tells us where we need to place our trust; in the LORD GOD who is an everlasting rock! Earlier in Israel's history, Samuel placed a stone in a field following a military victory in order to remind Israel that it was the LORD who helped us to this very point! That stone was named "Ebenezer," the "stone of help." Later, Jesus refers to himself as the rejected stone that became the cornerstone. "As God's household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20, CEB).  How good it is to know t...