It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace. There is an intimate connection between God and His people. We live in a world where people isolate themselves to their own little zone. We live in a world that is consumed with selfishness and self-fulfillment that works against the idea that we are a fellowship. It has become manifested in the church by the attitude that the service has become a spectator event where people do things that you like. The church is there to entertain, rather than giving you the opportunity of expressing the core of the spiritual life that you share together. Church is more than a Sunday ritual that takes away our guilt for the week, church provides fellowship, because “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Jesus did not save us as believers, just so that we can go to heaven, He saved us so that we can become a part of a fellowship (local & universal) that is manifested in a local fellowship of believers who gather together to provide hope, encouragement, and support as we face the circumstances of life. Don’t forsake the assembling … READ MORE

Many people feel stuck in their past even when they respond properly, because they still struggle with a couple of questions. I explored the first yesterday, let me attempt to tackle the second today:2) How should I respond when I keep remembering my failures?We must remember that what occurs in my mind is a choice of our will. one of the reasons we become stuck in our past is that we replay our sin over and over in our minds. This often comes from:a) a lack of genuine repentance – I am sorry I got caught, but not sorry that I did the act.b) The fear of man – What will people think about me if they learn what I have done?c) an unwillingness to forsake our sin – We are enjoy the sinful behavior so much, that we continue the behavior even when we struggle with the guilt.d) We lose our awe of God’s forgiving grace – Forgiveness is never earned, and should be forever appreciated.As I evaluate these things, I need to do three things to overcome and allow my failure to lead to success in my life.a) Recognize that everyone has sin in their past – Romans … READ MORE

Many people feel stuck in their past even when they respond properly because they still struggle with the memory of their failure. Let me take a moment to encourage you.1. What should I do if I don’t feel forgiven?We must remember that our emotions are only reliable to the degree that they reflect biblical truth. After we have confessed our sin to God and to the appropriate people, we need to focus on what God’s Word has instructed us to believe about our status before Him, and what our Lord has done to make that status possible. We do that by remembering three things:1) God is a forgiving God – Ps 103:122) Jesus focused on forgiveness even while dying on the cross – Luke 23:34; 23:433) God promises to forgive His children as soon as we come in repentance and faith – 1 John 1:9One of the purposes of the Lord’s table, is to remind us as believers that our sins are forgiven because of 4-fold work of Christ in His Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, and at Pentecost. We need to choose to live in the promises of God’s forgiveness whether our emotions accept that reality or not. Guilt is a … READ MORE