We are incarcerated by our past.  We have been found guilty!  Our executioner’s footsteps echo against stone walls.  We sit on the floor of the dusty cell, awaiting our final moment.  We don’t look up as he opens the door.  We know what he’s going to say. “Time to pay for your sins.”  But we hear something else! “You’re free to go. They took Jesus instead of you!” The door swings open, the guard barks, “Get out.” And we find ourselves shackles gone, crimes pardoned, wondering what just happened?  Grace just happened!  Christ took away your sins. Romans 3:24 says, “God in his gracious … Listen Now

Not all guilt is bad.  God uses appropriate doses of guilt to awaken us to sin!  God’s guilt brings enough regret to change us!  Satan’s guilt on the other hand, brings enough regret to enslave us. Don’t let Satan lock his shackles on you. Colossians 3:3 reminds us, “your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  When God looks at you, he sees Jesus first.  In the Chinese language the word for “righteousness” is a combination of two characters, the figure of a lamb and a person.  The lamb is on top, covering the person.  Whenever God looks down on you, … Listen Now

Satan’s condemnation brings no repentance or resolve…just regret!  Satan has come to steal, kill, and destroy.  To steal your peace, to kill your dreams, to destroy your future.  Satan has deputized people to peddle his poison.  Friends dredge up your past.  Preachers proclaim all guilt and no grace.  And parents, “Why can’t you grow up?” they say.  “When are you going to make me proud?” they say.  But your accusers will not have the last word. Jesus has acted on your behalf.  Jesus has risen to your defense.  Hebrews 10:22 says, “…let us come near to God with a sincere … Listen Now

Voices in our head whisper, “You aren’t good enough!” “You’ll never improve.” “You failed—again!”  Voices in our world.  Voices in our head. Who is this morality patrolman who issues a citation at every stumble?  Does he ever shut up? No. Because Satan never shuts up!  Revelation 12:9-10 says, “For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth, the one who accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and night.”  Satan is relentless, tireless.  The Accuser makes a career out of accusing.  But he will not have the last word. Jesus has acted on our behalf.  He stooped.  Low enough to be spat … Listen Now

She was only five years old when you took the photo.  Cheeks freckled by the summer sun, hair in pigtails.  That was twenty years ago.  Three marriages ago.  A million flight miles and e-mails ago. Today she walks down the aisle on the arm of another father. You left your family bobbing in the wake of your high-speed career.  And now that you have what you wanted, you don’t want it at all. Oh, to have a second chance.  Did you know God will give you one?  1 John 4:15 says, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God, God … Listen Now

When grace happens, Christ enters.  Christ in you, the hope of glory!  For many years, I missed this truth.  I believed all the other prepositions: Christ for me, Christ with me, Christ ahead of me. But I never imagined that Christ was in me.  I can’t blame my deficiency on Scripture.  Paul refers to the indwelling of Christ 216 times.  John mentions his presence 26. No other religion or philosophy makes such a claim.  No other movement implies the living presence of its founder in his followers.  Muhammad does not indwell Muslims. Buddha does not inhabit Buddhists.  Influence?  Instruct?  Yes.  But occupy?  No. The mystery of Christianity … Listen Now

Grace is God as heart surgeon!  Grace is God cracking open your chest, removing your heart, poisoned as it is with pride and pain, and replacing it with his own.  God’s dream isn’t just to get you into heaven, but to get heaven into you. Grace lives because Jesus does, works because he works, and matters because he matters.  To be saved by grace is to be saved by Jesus—not by an idea, doctrine, creed, or church membership, but by Jesus himself, who will sweep into heaven anyone who so much as gives him the nod. Grace won’t be stage-managed.  I … Listen Now

Your dad makes you come to church, but he can’t make you listen.  At least that’s what you’ve always muttered to yourself.  But this morning you listen because the preacher speaks of a God who loves prodigals, and you feel like the worst sort of one.  You can’t keep the pregnancy a secret much longer.  Soon your parents will know.  The preacher will know.  And the preacher says God already knows.  You wonder what God thinks. Could you use some grace?  You know, grace is God’s best idea.  Rather than tell us to change, he creates the change.  Do we … Listen Now

Grace!  The bank gives us a grace period.  The seedy politician falls from grace.  Musicians speak of a grace note.  We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings and pre-meal prayers.  We talk as though we know what grace means. You turn the page of your Bible and look at the words.  You might as well be gazing at a cemetery…lifeless, stony…nothing moves you.  But you don’t dare close the book, no sirree.  You dare not miss a deed for fear that God will erase your name. If that’s your feeling, grace can speak to you.  God’s grace has a … Listen Now

You stare into the darkness.  The ceiling fan whirls above you.  Your husband slumbers next to you.  In minutes the alarm will sound, and the demands of the day will shoot you like a clown out of a cannon into a three-ring circus of meetings, bosses, and baseball practices. For the millionth time you’ll make breakfast, schedules, and payroll. . .but for the life of you, you can’t make sense of this thing called life.  Life with its beginnings and endings.  Cradles and cancers and cemeteries and questions.  The meaning of life…the poor choices of life! God answers the mess … Listen Now