We profess that all our sins are forgiven if we truly repent and place our trust in Jesus. So then why does Jesus exhort us to ask our Father in heaven to “forgive us our debts”?
I've been thinking about waiting. The waiting you do when your hopes and dreams have been deferred—again. The waiting you do when you're offered the opportunity you longed for but have to turn it down—again. The waiting you do when the future is uncertain and your plans can only be tentative and provisional—again.
If you have any interest in reading, you’ve probably read at least one of the many excellent articles on how to read more. Then you become deflated, overwhelmed and drift back into being a half-engaged reader.
What happens when I’m not sure I’ve read the Bible correctly? What happens when the person next to me is sure that I haven’t read it correctly? How can I know I’m right?
I’m sure you’ve been told before that, as a Christian, you are to ‘be salt and light’ to the world. Because you’re aware of Jesus’ sermon given on the mount, you understand that this means to love your neighbour, forgive your brother from your heart, avoid sin, and love God.
Tony Payne's introduction to what the Vine Journal is all about.
You’ve reached the end of a fantastic study. The group has been engaged, asking good questions; you feel like you’re seeing a group of people keen to apply the word of God to their lives. You reach the application questions. And nothing. No one comes up with anything.
“So... how did you find the passage? Any initial thoughts?” An eerie silence follows, accompanied by the awkward shifting of people in their chairs, as it becomes apparent that no-one has prepared. It will be a dry old night of trying to wring out some answers from people whose sudden pangs of guilt have distracted them from the possibility of thinking up a response by reading the passage right now.
Insert into your sermon a short (4-6 minutes) explanation of the main truths about who Jesus is and what he has done, along with an exhortation to repent and believe.
Vine Journal features longer articles and essays that convey the best of cross-centred theological thinking, applied to real-world evangelical ministry.