Posts by jjohnson
Dealing with Anger – A 3-Part Solution
Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair”. Anger will come at times in your life, so what does God’s Word have to say about handling anger properly? First, Scripture tells us to (1) “be angry, and sin not: …
Read MoreWhat Does it Mean to “Grow in Grace”?
The standard definition of grace in evangelical Christianity is usually summed up with these two words: “unmerited favor”. This is a really good definition, but I think it needs to be fleshed out a bit further. More specifically, grace is God asking us to be with Him, helping us grow in our walk with him.…
Read MoreHow Sin Develops
James 1:15: “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James lays out how sin develops in a person’s life: lust (sinful desire) is conceived in the heart, it gives birth to sin (it manifests itself in sinful behavior), it causes damage in their life…
Read MoreAre Christ’s Afflictions Lacking?
Are Christ’s Afflictions Lacking? Colossians 1:24: ” Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” In a previous post, I explained that God grants us suffering, thereby blessing us greatly.…
Read MoreProtected: Limited Atonement
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Read MoreProtected: The True Israel of God
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Read MoreBearing your Cross: A Four-Part Pattern
The cross is ever before the believer, beckoning the us to share in the sufferings of Christ. At times, life will feature unfairness, personality differences, differences of opinion and situational miscalculation. You, the believer, will be on the receiving end and wonder why you deserve such treatment. In this moment, the cross of Christ is…
Read MoreYour Will Requires God’s Power
Thesis 14 of Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation (1518) states, “Free will, after the fall, has power to do good only in a passive capacity, but it can always do evil in an active capacity.” You don’t need God’s power to do evil. But in order to do good, you need God’s power to overcome sin and…
Read MoreHope in Depression
According to the WHO, 300 million people worldwide are affected by depression. Depression comes at different levels and forms, and can come from physical illness, abuse, moving, death of a loved one and a variety of other reasons. Psalms 42 reflects the struggles of depression. In 42:5, the Psalmist as this question: “Why are you cast…
Read MoreCodependency – Help for the Heart
Codependency is a state in which when one person enables another person’s destructive behavior. The person with destructive behavior relies excessively on their enabler for emotional or psychological support. Proverbs 24:24 warns those who enable sin: Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations Hopefortheheart.org…
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