I became a Christian about the same time I became a Boy Scout, and I made the assumption that God grades like the Boy Scouts do: on a merit system. Good scouts move up. Good people go to heaven.

So, I resolved to amass of multitude of spiritual badges. I worked toward the day when God, amid falling confetti and dancing cherubim, would drape my badge-laden sash across my chest and welcome me into his eternal kingdom, where I would humbly display my badges for eternity.

But some thorny questions surfaced. How many badges does he require? How good is good?  And then I was corrected. Ephesians 2:8 (NASB) says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Unearned. A gift. Our merits merit nothing. So let grace happen, for Heaven’s sake.

Read more Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine

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No amount of effort will take you an inch in heaven's direction. Jesus told Nicodemus, a religious leader, that you must be "born again" to see the kingdom of God. In this message from John 3, Pastor Lutzer helps us understand the new birth and regeneration. What does it truly mean?  

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Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. 

Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. 

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Does the person closest to you fuel your worship or drain your devotion? Malachi 2 reveals how broken horizontal relationships expose a dying vertical faith. In this message, Pastor Philip Miller explains how our relationships either accelerate or derail our sanctification. Discover how marrying a foreign idolator triggered a spiritual disaster.

This is part one of the sermon, "Abandoning Covenants."

This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://livinghopeoffer.net or call us at 1-800-215-5001. 

Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Living Hope" and "Moody Church Hour," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. 

Dr. Philip Miller is the 17th Senior Pastor of The Moody Church. He is the featured speaker on "Living Hope" and "Moody Church Hour," with programs broadcasting on 700 outlets in the U.S. He and his wife Krista live in Chicago with their four children. Pastor Philip is passionate about proclaiming God's Word, cultivating healthy ministry, and investing in future leaders. 

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What’s the difference between a dead branch and a fruitful one?  Connection.  Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe shares how pruning seasons are indeed painful … but they’re preparation, and God produces growth and transformation through them.  Hear the final challenge on staying connected to the vine ... listen to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe.

Bold Steps Gift: The Unsaved Christian

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How can we know we're right with God? A 16th-century German monk, Martin Luther wrestled with how we can become righteous before God. In this message from 2 Corinthians 5, Pastor Lutzer explores five characteristics of the righteousness of God. What if the only way to receive God's righteousness was by faith?

This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. 

Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. 

Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. 

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Tax Deductible Support: https://www.moodymedia.org/donate/

The post “What part of me goes to heaven?” appeared first on Key Life.

Culture is getting ideas of singleness and marriage exactly backwards.

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