Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever

Those words, from Hebrews 13:8, are seen on the exterior of the former chapel of Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus.

I pray that Christ's Church will always preach and teach the truth about Jesus found in the pages of Scripture.

"Moving Past Sinful Failure"

That's the title of today's piece at Our Daily Bread.

Before reading it, be sure to first read the powerful passage of Scripture on which today's installment of 'Our Daily Bread' is based, 1 Samuel 11:27-12:23.  It's one of the most powerful, poignant, and instructive passages in all the Bible. It underscores that God is both gracious and just: God forgives the sin of the repentant; but sin can still have consequences for the forgiven. 

When we genuinely pray for forgiveness of sin, we place ourselves under the authority of God, what some rightly call the sovereignty of God. Any time we repent for sin, we also implicitly place our lives in the hands of God. 

David accepted God's forgiveness...and God's sovereignty. 

God teach me to do no less. 

God Delays for Our Benefit

"If God delays the punishment of sinners, waiting for them to repent, it is not because his character has changed, so that now he loves sin. Rather he is giving them time to repent." (Cyril of Alexandria, 375-444)*

This quote is included in a wonderful book that I'm using both for my devotions and my weekly sermon prep.



*"The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)