Sin

King David knew that he had sinned against the Lord, but he hadn’t completely dealt with the ramifications of broken lives that surrounded his choice. One aspect of repentance is …

Matthew4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13 S-1735 SLIDE # Read Luke 4:1-13 from The Message. OK. There was this overweight man who was so serious about his new diet that he even changed …

ASK ROGER AND FRIENDS How Should I Respond to a Transgender Person? Dear Roger, I have met several individuals that identify as “transgender.” I am appalled at the thought that …

If you are in Christ, God will not allow you to enter his reign with a kingdom-grasping pride. You will be stripped of every haughty look, every personal empire, in …

1 Corinthians 6 – Skip Heitzig Calvary Church is dedicated to doctrine, and we want you to experience the life change that comes from knowing God’s word and applying it …

Dear Reader,  I receive many emails asking questions about how to live a victorious Christian life. While many experiences, choices, and actions come together for our maturity, others can be …

The Darkness of a Broken Family – 1 Samuel 24 – Skip Heitzig Good morning. How are you today? This just makes me miss film photography every time I see …

Psalm 120: 6-7 “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.”   “I’m coming …

The Beauty of Being Forgiven… I wonder what it was like for the woman caught in the very act of sin in John 8:1-12. The overwhelming emotions she must have …

  We are involved in a spiritual war with the Evil one. We need all the advice we can get. SLIDE #: “When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is …

It always saddens me to watch church leaders bring reproach on the church of Jesus Christ. What’s perhaps most shocking to me is how frequently Christian leaders sin grossly, then …

What was Jesus’ personality like? If our culture were to create Jesus’ personae, it might look like Mr. Rogers’s personality:[i] gentle, unassuming, two-dimensionally meek and mild. In short, a sweet …

2 Kings 23:1 “King Josiah sent word and they brought to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2 The king went up to the house of the Lord, and with …

Dear Roger, I’m very concerned about what I just read in Joshua chapter seven. A man named Achan knowingly disobeyed God. Then, God stoned him and his family to death …

What happens when we try to plan our own repentance? God reveals his heart in Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son.

Sexual Freedom = Happiness? Gen Z (also known as iGen), are currently between the ages of 6 and 24 years old. These youth have been influenced by society to view …

Every Christian loves the story of Christmas. We love to hear about the angels and the shepherds. We love the think about noble Joseph and humble Mary. We love the …

“It’s too late to apologize,” Timbaland sang to his girlfriend who he couldn’t trust any longer. The 2007 song struck a chord. How many of us have people in our …

“All Scripture is . . . profitable for . . . reproof” (2 Tim. 3:16). People who aren’t interested in holy living will avoid being exposed to sound doctrine. Paul instructed …

The Book of Judges closely parallels the times we live in today. We can learn much about our culture from studying this Bible book! Scholar Abraham Kuruvilla introduces us to …

Dear Roger, A friend and I were debating about Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Was he a “righteous” man? It seems like he followed God sometimes and also made some …

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12 (KJV) Most Christians set out in their new life …

Believe your big risks will be rewarded. Believe what you ask for is possible. If you’re ready to see a spark in your life, pray boldly. Pray daringly. Pray with …

THE TRAITS OF A SPIRITUAL CHILD Read: I John 2:12-14 Their sins have been forgiven and they are just coming to know God (I John 2:12-13) The word “know” in …

  Dear Roger,   I was digging into the book of Hosea, and I don’t understand. Why would God tell him to marry a prostitute? God had called him to …

Dear Roger, It’s approaching Father’s Day. Why are there so many bad dads mentioned in the Bible? What do you think are some of the most important things about being …

Pastors Greg Lavine and John Beeson teach a series on “40-Day-Prayer Challenge.” This week’s teaching is on “lead us not into temptation.” Sermon begins at 21 minutes on the video. …

Perhaps my favorite nursery rhyme is Humpty Dumpty. Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t …

Your sins don’t define you, and shame has no power over you. Learn about how your identity is found in Jesus’ sacrifice, not in your failures. Main Scripture: Psalms 34:1-10, …

Many were alarmed and dispirited by footage of raucous cheering in the New York State Senate chamber. The “Happy Days Are Here Again” sort of celebration wasn’t for a bill to …

Our world is talking theology. They probably aren’t aware of it, but theological conversations permeate the air. One such conversation that has persisted over the past several years has been …

Dear Roger,I see sin and immorality flooding our culture. We’re also facing tragedy after tragedy, from the pandemic to record inflation to war. Is America experiencing the wrath of God? …

Dead air is a period of silence in radio or television in which the broadcast signal is interrupted and there’s no transmission. Throughout history, God has broadcast His truth to …

“Returning to God” 1 Samuel 7:3-4 Introduction From Aaron and the golden calf to Paul and the altar to an unknown God, idolatry is discussed and illustrated as the governing sin …

Be Angry vs Sin not “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26). The “Be angry” part of this verse is easy …

“He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”  Psalm 23:3 NKJV A friend organized a Christmas cookie swap for our church office staff. The plan was …

How many of us have any idea the depths of God’s forgiveness? In June of 1983, a young woman named Karla Faye Tucker savagely murdered a couple as they slept.  …

The second section of James takes a closer look at temptation and will hammer out some vital Biblical principles which will help us face the reality of evil in our …

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin …

In my troubles I pled with God to help me and he did! Deliver me, O Lord, from liars. O lying tongue, what shall be your fate? You shall be pierced with sharp …

Introduction Some people have a compulsion to hoard things like collectibles, sentimental items or even garbage. When someone accumulates garbage, that waste attracts insects and rodents, making a bad situation …

One of the reasons we minimize being on the wrong path is we say to ourselves, “It won’t happen to me.” We think, I’m in control. I know better. I’m not …

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2). True confession involves a proper understanding of sin. King David was a man after God’s own …

Because sin grows best when it’s left unaddressed. And when we’ll address it, we won’t be lethargic. We will be hungry. We won’t be lenient. We will be disciplined. When …

Proverbs 16 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (v. 18). Put another way, be humble or you’ll stumble. Pride is the oldest sin in …

Pride is the essence of sin, and steals God’s glory. How do we conquer it and humble ourselves? www.debwaterbury.com.

  Dear Roger,  What is the “Book of Life” and how do I know if I’m in it?  Sincerely, Paul   Dear Paul,   The Bible teaches that the Book …

The Bronze Serpent was a picture of the sin that Jesus would become for us. Without executing this spiritual exchange, we could never become the righteousness of God (Romans 3:23).

The person on this planet most suited to deceit is you. The person on this planet more capable of harming yourself is you. You and I are, in fact, able …

Dear Roger, I’m beginning to get scared. Pandemic surges. Earthquakes, fires, wars abound. I’m worried about my family. Especially right now, I want my prayers to be answered. But is …

Are you old enough to remember retrieving the newspaper in the morning? My dad would crack the front door every morning, stroll out to the driveway, grab The Arizona Daily …

Some Christians believe that depression is a sin. As someone who has experienced bipolar depression I have my own perspective on the issue. To be up front, never in my …

Dear Roger, I can’t imagine anyone choosing to be in hell. I’d rather think of hell as where God banishes people he chooses to punish. But, is it true that …

In this study we will see how the prophet Jeremiah, in his writings, demonstrated that the person who sins does not know God, and that truly knowing God is dependent …

  Dear Roger,   I hear so many people these days saying, “Christians are the problem,” or “Christians are unloving and judgmental.” Why is having a moral compass and a …

Am I sinning if I’m not happy as a Christian?” In answering this question, I’m assuming two things of readers: You are familiar with what I’ve written about how happiness and …

The widely stated notion “all sin is alike to God” is not grounded in Scripture. Yes, all sin is bad, separates us from God, and is deserving of God’s wrath. …

https://youtu.be/Q5-cs1wLTL8

  “Conscience is what makes a boy tell his mother before his sister does.” ― Evan Esar   “It is neither right nor safe to go against my conscience.” ― Martin Luther …

Forgiving others is hard, but forgiving yourself can be even more difficult. When guilt and regret fill your past, believing in your future seems impossible. But God wants you to …

Dear Roger, Could you please share with us some of the consequences of hidden sin? We came across the story of Achan in Joshua 7:1-25 in our group Bible study last night …

Recently I received a thoughtful question from a reader asking if homosexuality is a “worse” sin than others in God’s view. Here’s my answer. The point isn’t that homosexual sin …

Have you ever made a decision you knew deep down wasn’t right, but it seemed completely justifiable in your situation? Maybe you’ve been lonely in your marriage for a really long time, …

Dear Roger,   I’m reading through Solomon’s book of Ecclesiastes and two thoughts grab my attention.    First, it’s so depressing. Solomon says that everything is “vanity” or “worthless emptiness.”   …

“I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians …

Walking In Darkness   “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do …

Egypt suffered horribly when God sent the plague of the frogs. Frogs were everywhere, but Pharaoh waited to call for Moses. In the same way, we tolerate sin in our …

Dear Roger, My pastor told me that I never have to sin again. How can that be true? Sincerely, Katie Dear Katie, The problem is a misunderstanding of what really …

God wants you to know which one is more important, the traditions of men, or the truth of God. And it’s about time for some of us to decide, are …

Dear Roger, You preached a powerful sermon at our church on the importance of the blood of Christ. I never forgot it. I especially liked how you explained that it …

  Dear Roger, So much of the world has been focused on what happens in the Middle East–especially in Iraq. Does the Bible have anything to say about Iraq? Sincerely, …

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Leman’s podcast on www.birthorderguy.com:   Blaming others has been around since time began. Let’s go back to Adam and Eve. Adam said in …

“…on the day when according to my gospel God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 2:16) “He has fixed a day in which He will judge …

Paul teaches in Galatians 5:24 through 6:10 that true spirituality is manifested in a loving concern for others. The crucified life is a life of love and self-sacrifice. Help those …

Here’s a challenging question: Why do you want your church to grow? Your motivation for wanting your church to grow is pivotal for a number of significant reasons. First, if you’re …

Dear Roger, Does God lead us into temptation? When I failed in it, really? Just trying to tell me I am weak;… break me. How do follow Him again when …

Why Did the Children of Israel Wander Away from God? They had unrepentant hearts…. Moses sent twelve spies to Canaan to bring back a report of the land. When they …

A lot can happen in a year. In Genesis 18, God visits Abraham. While sitting at the entrance of his tent, Abraham notices three men standing before him by the …

Desire is a very powerful force in our lives, and I am convinced it’s the root of why it’s so difficult for us to live intentionally. The reason we get …

Dear Roger,   I was at the soccer field, sitting next to one of my Bible group friends, when my 10-year-old made a goal. I said to my friend, “I’m …

Dear Roger, A man in our small group mentioned the seven deadly sins. I’ve heard about them but I’m wondering just which sins they are. Why are they more deadly …

Dear Roger,   My brother-in-law, recently posted this query to me via e-mail: Question from reading John 12:39-41 – my commentary says, people in Jesus’ time would not believe despite …

It was a Red Letter Day. Bloody, beaten, and nailed to a cross, a dying Jesus looked at those around Him and spoke His final words as a man. What …

Dear Roger, I decided to read through the Bible from beginning to end. I just came to Psalm 22 and was struck by how closely this Psalm paralleled Jesus’ experience on the cross. Could …

As Americans, we live in a sanitized and antiseptic culture. Everything is clean, orderly, and has its place. Even our suffering. Most Americans don’t experience extreme brutality like Jesus experienced for …

I’d like to list a few ways the biblical idea of repentance can indeed be “hijacked” or stolen. Unhitch Method One way to hijack something would be to unhitch the …

Why do we call people without Christ “lost?” Dr. John MacArthur teaches us why the cross is foolishness to the unbeliever: “Unregenerate sinners are completely lost. Unaided and unilluminated, in his …

How your teenager will respond has everything to do with respect-your kid’s respect for you, and your respect for your kid. Respect begins from the earliest of stages and builds …

Dear Roger,   We live in an age of Blamers. Won’t anybody stand up and admit they are guilty without making excuses! We were discussing this in my small group …

Dear Roger,   Jesus said in John 10:10 that Satan has come to “kill, steal, and destroy.” I take that to mean that under certain conditions, empowered by Satan, or …

The Ark of Noah is at the very heart of the flood story. Therefore, it is the Ark that becomes God’s prophetic message to future humanity. At times people have …

Repentance is no more a meritorious work than its counterpart, faith. Repentance is an inward response. Genuine repentance pleads with the Lord to forgive and deliver from the burden of …

Dear the many who’ve asked me to address the issue of civil disobedience,   Once upon a time I walked the picket line holding a poster of a bloody, “fetus” …

For a long time, I was bothered by the fact that God didn’t allow Moses into the Promised Land. I sympathized with Moses in his one moment of weakness, and …

Dear Roger, I’ve celebrated Christmas more than 70 times in my lifetime. Tell me something I probably haven’t heard about the Christmas story, something I can apply to my life.  …

It’s rather shocking to examine the history of Jesus’ family tree- a lineage of prostitutes, scandal, adultery, murder, and idolatry– but all to prove that it doesn’t matter who you …

Roger, During my freshman year of college I was raped. I have had this fear inside of me that it’s going to happen again. Each day I feel scared and …

John the Apostle gives us a glimpse of God’s Throne Room in Heaven and the throng around the throne. Who are the beasts and the elders? What can we learn …

Why didn’t God send Jesus to the earth to die right after Adam and Eve sinned? Why did God wait all that time between Adam and Eve and the cross? …

Dear Roger, Is drinking alcohol a sin? Sincerely, B Dear B I want to give you two perspectives. I want to spend a significant amount of time on scriptural insights …

If you grew up in a conservative evangelical church like I did, it is possible there is a story from the Bible that was repeatedly used to teach you about …

Have you ever forgiven someone but had bad feelings about them at the same time? Jesus Christ is our model for forgiveness. It’s hard to image Jesus forgiving someone but …

I ran over my son last year. I still can’t believe it. Rhett, my baby boy, escaped massive injuries and only suffered a broken hand, a bruise or two and …

While abused children and victims of spousal battering have been the topics of widespread study, elder abuse has been relatively hidden until recently. The typical victim of elder abuse is …

Dear Roger, Christians said that if you believe Jesus died for your sins, is the son of God and if you believe in him, your sins are forgiven. However, Jesus …

We often trade what we’ve decided and what we know is most important for a bowl of stew. What’s true of Esau is true of you. You have no idea …

The death of Hugh Hefner, the Playboy founder, saw multiple posts on social media remarking about the eternal destiny of the man, that Hefner, having never repented of his sin, …

Face it, there are just some things that we don’t like to do.  We all have those irritating things that incessantly demand our attention.  Every one of us has a …

Dear Roger,   Our Bible study group was studying the Song of Solomon and came across Song of Solomon 2:15: “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin …

Secrets. We all have them, don’t we? Tucking my son in at bedtime has become quite the confessional. It all started when he remembered taking a pen a year earlier …

Hell is not a fad. It is not an optional theological premise. It is a spiritual reality. There are plenty of people today who don’t believe in the Bible’s teaching …

Janeen has an infectious smile. It shines on the soccer field or when she plays piano. But when this 12-year-old honor roll student’s grades began to slide, her mom began …

Dear Roger, I need to know why I can’t seem to sense God is with me. Have I been rejected for some reason? Romans 8:35-39 states several things that cannot …

I believe that abortion is the most important social issue of our day. There are few issues that tell us more about our society. Abortion is important because allowing the …

A young mother whose son was killed in a fire started by outdoor Christmas lights expressed her fear of the upcoming first Christmas following his death. She did not have …

End-times Christians will be lovers of themselves, greedy, boastful, proud, abusive and disobedient to parents. We can stand out from the crowd by failing to conform to the decadence of …

Dear Roger, I was wondering about the things that really matter in life. I’d like to do all that I can to please Jesus. I know that you must have …

When is the last time you preached or heard a message on grieving or lamenting that was not at a funeral? When is the last time your church sang a …

Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is.—John Maxwell Learn from your successes. Do we learn more from studying failures or successes? Obviously, we learn from both, but often …

When Jesus was crucified, the curtain in the temple dividing the Holy of Holies from everything else, was ripped from top to bottom. God said, “That which divided us is …

  Is it possible to have a thriving relationship with God even in the middle of a culture gone crazy? Absolutely! And my confidence is bolstered by the testimony of an …

How do you beat porn addiction? For the man or woman who has been fighting this battle for the long time, often its seems like there’s no hope in sight. …

An episode of ABC’s Modern Family captures the split in American opinions about porn. Claire Dunphy finds a dirty picture on one of their computers and assumes it was her …

Pregnancy used to be an event of universal joy and approval: the excitement and promise of new life, the beauty of a woman in her finest moment, the sweetness and …

This blog was originally titled “How to Provoke Your Children” on gty.org. Have you experienced the paralysis of finding a good book on Christian parenting? Visiting your local Christian bookstore …

Christians have made the gospel about so many things … things other than Christ. Jesus Christ is the gravitational pull that brings everything together and gives them significance, reality, and …

“Living together before marriage is one of America’s most significant and unexpected family trends.  By simple definition, living together-or unmarried cohabitation–is the status of couples who are sexual partners, not …

Do you ever get tired of the spin? Do you ever feel like everywhere you go and everywhere you look somebody is trying to sell you something? They are trying …

No one wants their garbage revealed. You have this picture of this big God. Jesus said to the church at Sardis, “Recognize who I am, and that you are dead …

HOW TO BE GOOD AND ANGRY “We are flawed people in relationships with flawed people, living in a fallen world, but with a faithful God. Christ in us will empower …

The clock was ticking, demanding her urgent attention, and yet she sat still.  Martha breathed deeply and tried to close out the clamor of her to-do list.  Rest.  She wanted …

God is serious about our commitment to Him. Our prayers must be carefully crafted and come from an obedient heart and an expectant faith. Chan summarizes examples from Scripture where …

Many of you have heard the tale of the mouse who rode the elephant across a bridge.  After getting to the other side, the mouse said, “We really shook that …

Four great discoveries are revealed in Romans 6. We have evil natures and have committed sins against a Holy God. While we desire to do well, we always struggle with …

We don’t want the changed life, we want the exchanged life. For this God has given us His Holy Spirit. The Christian life becomes practical through the life and ministry …

Have you ever experienced betrayal? Well the first time it happened to me I was 17. We lived in Columbia, South Carolina, and I was very involved in basketball. I …

Before I launch into this blog, I want to remind you that a difference between a man and a woman is not a value judgement; it does not expose weakness …

We’ve got to be willing to be salmon swimming upstream. What do salmon do? They get bloodied and beat up on the rocks in order to give birth and produce …

Dear Roger, I am a pastor and just found out that our worship pastor is committing adultery. I have heard through the grapevine that you’ve dealt with this issue on …

Jesus once told a parable about a king who decides to settle his accounts with his debtors. His bookkeeper surfaces a fellow who owes not thousands or hundreds of thousands …

As pastors and church leaders, we often encounter difficult questions from people who are suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually. How would you answer these questions posed to me early in …

We often deal with our sins by libertinism, rationalism, and justification of secret sins. Instead, we must surrender to the Holy Spirit’s work.

Christians must view non-believers through the lens of fallenness and aloneness. We must meet aloneness needs and reach out to those who don’t know Christ.

Dear Roger, My kids are growing up to be teenagers. The way I have been disciplining them does not seem to work. They tell me I treat them like babies …

Dear Roger, A friend asked me a question I could not answer as I have never seen the play called “Jesus Christ Superstar.” How does it relate to the Bible? …

A satanic foothold is established in our minds when we embrace deception, bitterness, rebellion, pride and habitual sin. Generational sin and involvement in occult practices can also cause strongholds in …

“The Temptations” lesson includes a discussion of sin and human nature, the temptation of Adam and Eve and the temptation of Christ. Satanic temptations include doubt, vulnerable times of fatigue …