"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 (NKJV)I was thinking about Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, particularly Jean Valjean, who was essentially imprisoned for stealing bread to feed his family. After he was released, he tried to find an honest way to get food and shelter. Everyone turned him away. Eventually, he found his...

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)Picture a church where everyone is uniquely gifted by God for different purposes. Someone is gifted to work with homeless people and thinks everyone should work with homeless people. Meanwhile, others are uniquely gifted to teach children in Sunday...

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" - Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)In Acts 9, we see Saul, a fierce persecutor of Christians, dramatically encountering Jesus on the Damascus road. After being struck down by a bright light, he heard Jesus' voice asking, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul's immediate response w...

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)There's a story about a man who imagined himself approaching the gates of heaven. As he came to the entrance, Peter was there and asked him, "Why should you be allowed into heaven?" The man confidently replied, "Because I read my Bible...

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)There's a powerful story about a poor little girl carrying a pitcher of milk home to her family. While walking, the pitcher slipped from her hands and shattered on the ground, milk spilling everywhere. She sobbed uncontrollably, knowing her mother w...