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"For many, it is difficult to accept that the past has passed."

A thought by Craig Groeschel, from his book, The Christian Atheist: When You Believe in God But Live as if He Doesn’t Exist (p. 54). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) We are now in the January, the first month of a new year but many people are still living last year or even farther back years.   They had done something in their past and the shame of it is still being lived and it is affecting them in this new year. Maybe that is you or maybe someone you know. Craig earlier says, “Shame usually follows a pattern— a cycle of self-recrimination and lies that claims life after life. First, we experience an intensely painful event. Second, we believe the lie that our pain and failure is who we are— not just something we’ve done, or had done to us— and we experience shame. And finally, our feelings of shame trap us into thinking that we can never recover— that, in fact, we don’t even deserve to.” As Craig says, “For m...

"Getting to know God is not difficult, and it isn't about a bunch of rules."

A thought by Craig Groeschel, from his book, The Christian Atheist: When You Believe in God But Live as if He Doesn’t Exist (p. 43). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know, I know, this rules thing is for many the reason why they don’t want to know God.   Was that true or is that true of you? Craig says, “If you don’t know him, you can. If you used to be close, you can be close again. Getting to know God is not difficult, and it isn’t about a bunch of rules. Yes, God wants your obedience, but he wants your heart even more.” Craig goes on, “He (God) says over and over again that if you seek him, you will find him (Deut. 4: 29; Jer. 29: 13; Matt. 7: 7 – 8; Acts 17: 27). You can find him by reading your Bible; he’s been there all along. And when you begin to seek him, you’ll find that he’s already running toward you, his beloved child. Get to know him and allow his presence to impact every area of your life, ever...

"What do you call God?"

A thought by Craig Groeschel, from his book, The Christian Atheist: When You Believe in God But Live as if He Doesn’t Exist (p. 42). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know, I know this is not technically a thought, it is a question.   But it is a very good question. And the answer to it tells a lot about who God is to us personally.   Craig asks, “What do you call God? The Big Guy in the Sky? The Man Upstairs? Dear eight-pound, six-ounce Baby Jesus?” He then continues, “Then you don’t know him. Those titles may be clever or funny, but they certainly aren’t intimate. “If you know God, you are likely to be far more specific with him, and the words you use will reflect your accurate understanding of him. Maybe God graciously forgave you for two decades of sins and you gratefully call him ‘Savior.’ Perhaps when you pray, you call God ‘Healer’ because he’s healed your broken heart. Maybe you call him ...