"What then is the way to holiness? It is a narrow way and leads through a strait gate, but we cannot with justice complain that it is difficult either to trace or to follow. Many other and harder ways have been tried. On the banks of the Ganges or on the pilgrim route to Mecca … Continue reading Quote of Note #168: Holiness, Grace, and Following Jesus
Tag: grace
Pastor Note #126: A Good Friday Devotional
Introduction:At the very core of his being, our God is a relational God. Every fiber of God’s nature is biased toward relationship. We see that in the mystery of the Trinity—one God in three Persons, woven in a profound interrelationship of love, one with the other. We also see this relational nature of our God … Continue reading Pastor Note #126: A Good Friday Devotional
Prayer Note #63: Only in Jesus
photo by GAC So much of the time, Lord, I am utterly absurd and ridiculous in my own eyes. I don’t see myself as other people see me. I see what is unseen by others. I see what goes on in my mind. I see what I do when no one else is watching. I … Continue reading Prayer Note #63: Only in Jesus
Quote of Note #138: Hope and Help in Christ
photo by GAC "In [Christ] the enslaved find redemption, the guilty pardon, the unholy renovation; in him are everlasting strength for the weak, unsearchable riches for the needy, treasures of wisdom and knowledge for the ignorant, fullness for the empty." Arthur Bennett, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Carlisle, PA: … Continue reading Quote of Note #138: Hope and Help in Christ
Quote of Note #135: The Redemptive Impulse of Jesus
Teasel against a Gray Sky; photo by GAC "And if the actions of Jesus are reflective of who he most deeply is, we cannot avoid the conclusion that it is the very fallenness which he came to undo that is most irresistibly attractive to him. "This is deeper than saying Jesus is loving or merciful … Continue reading Quote of Note #135: The Redemptive Impulse of Jesus
Bible Note #50: James 2:1 and “Us vs. Them” Thinking
There is no question that our Christian faith can become corrupted. And, of course, one of the ways that our faith can become corrupted is when we adopt bad or wrong doctrines. That’s why it’s important for us to learn our theology carefully and well. The base of an abandoned steel-making blast furnace; photo by … Continue reading Bible Note #50: James 2:1 and “Us vs. Them” Thinking
Pastor Note #120: James 1:27 & the Essence of the Christian Life
[Note: The text below is the script for a video/audio teaching I posted to my Facebook page and my YouTube channel. If you’d like to see the video version, follow the instructions in the material below.] How can human beings live flourishing and authentic lives in this complicated and troubled world? That’s the question that … Continue reading Pastor Note #120: James 1:27 & the Essence of the Christian Life
Quote of Note #124: Mercy and Grace for Us
Stained glass from North Presbyterian Church, Elmira, NY; photo by GAC "[Christ] does not get flustered and frustrated when we come to him for fresh forgiveness, for renewed pardon, with distress and need and emptiness. That's the whole point. It's what he came to heal. He went down into the horror of death and plunged … Continue reading Quote of Note #124: Mercy and Grace for Us
Bible Note #48: Justice for the Weak–Ezekiel 34:11-22
Here God proclaims his love. God proclaims the bias of his heart. God proclaims the direction of movement of his heart. photo by GAC Above all, he is for the weak. Above all, he is for the vulnerable, the wounded, the broken, the lost. (Does this sound familiar? “For the Son of Man came to … Continue reading Bible Note #48: Justice for the Weak–Ezekiel 34:11-22
Quote of Note #119: The Grace and Hope of Prayer
photo by GAC "Our hope depends not on the right technique or the proper phrase or gesture, which borders on magic, but on the promise of God to look with favor on those who throw themselves on his mercy and who acknowledge the efficacy of the atoning sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ, for their … Continue reading Quote of Note #119: The Grace and Hope of Prayer
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 