Category: Bible

The forgiveness of our sins

December 14, 2025

All of us sin. This is a sad reality of living in this fallen world. We do or say things we do not want to do. We also do not do the things we know are right and helpful to others and ourselves. How then, does God deal with our sins?

The book “To be a Christian” has some great thoughts on page 52…

  1. What are sins?
    Sins are intentions, acts, or failures to act that arise out of my corrupted human nature and fall short of conformity to God’s revealed will. (Psalm 53; Isaiah 59:1–15; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; James 4:17; 1 John 3:4–10)
  2. How does God respond to human sin?
    All sin is opposed to the righteousness of God and is therefore subject to God’s holy condemnation; yet God in his mercy offers me forgiveness and salvation from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ, the only Savior. (Psalm 130; Isaiah 1:2–4; Micah 7:18–19; John 3:17–21; Romans 1:18–2:4; 3:24–26; 5:6–10)
  3. How does God forgive your sins?
    By virtue of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, in which I put my trust, God sets aside my sins, accepts me, and adopts me as his child and heir in Jesus Christ. Loving me as his child, he forgives my sins whenever I turn to him in repentance and faith. (Leviticus 26:40–45; Psalm 78:35–39; Matthew 26:27–28; Luke 15:11–32; 2 Co­rinthians 5:16–21; Galatians 4:1–7)
  4. How should you respond to God’s forgiveness?
    Trusting in God’s continual forgiveness, I should live in continual thanks, praise, and obedience to him; and as I have been loved and forgiven by God, so I should love and forgive those who sin against me. (Psalm 51:7–17; Isaiah 44:21–23; Matthew 6:12; 18:21–35; Ephesians 4:32)

I find this really comforting to know that even though I sin, God is willing and able to forgive me because of what Jesus has done for me.

Daily Bible lectionary readings

December 11, 2025

For most of my 36 year Christian walk I have read the Bible every day. I have usually read one chapter a day or have done some sort of Bible reading plan on the Bible app.

Over the last few years I have started doing the lectionary readings of the day. The two main sources I have used are the Revised Common Lectionary or the Daily Catholic Readings.

Both of these resources have a three year cycle that includes an Old Testament reading, a Psalm and a New Testament reading. These readings line up with the seven church seasons of the year (eg. Lent, Ordinary Time, Advent ect).

So if want to start reading the Bible and are not sure where to start, you might like to try the daily lectionary readings. You can find links to them below.

Two weeks looking at Jesus

December 2, 2025

Two weeks on the life and teachings of Jesus

Day 1 – Luke 1:1-80 – Preparing for Jesus’ arrival
Day 2 – Luke 2:1-52 – The story of Jesus’ birth
Day 3 – Mark 1:1-45 – The beginning of Jesus ministry
Day 4 – Mark 9:1-50 – A day in the life of Jesus
Day 5 – Matthew 5:1-48 – The Sermon on the Mount
Day 6 – Matthew 6:1-34 – The Sermon on the Mount
Day 7 – Luke 15:1-32 – Parables of Jesus
Day 8 – John 3:1-36 – A conversation with Jesus
Day 9 – John 14:1-31 – Jesus’ final instructions
Day 10 – John 17:1-26 – Jesus’ prayer for His disciples
Day 11 – Matthew 26:1-75 – Betrayal and arrest
Day 12 – Matthew 27:1-66 – Jesus’ execution on a cross
Day 13 – John 20:1-30 – Resurrection
Day 14 – Luke 24:1-53 – Jesus’ appearance after resurrection

Our ultimate destination

November 24, 2025

For those who have faith in Jesus our ultimate destination is the new heavens and new earth the Bible speaks of. Revelations 21 describes what the new Jerusalem with be like…

Revelation 21:10-27 NLT
[10] So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. [11] It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone-like jasper as clear as crystal. [12] The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. [13] There were three gates on each side-east, north, south, and west. [14] The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. [15] The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. [16] When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. [17] Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel). [18] The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. [19] The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, [20] the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. [21] The twelve gates were made of pearls-each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass. [22] I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. [23] And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. [24] The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. [25] Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. [26] And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. [27] Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty-but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

This description sounds amazing, too glorious to fully comprehend! My finite mind cannot fully grasp it. I can only live in the joyous hope knowing that I will see it because what Jesus has done.

My heart is that everyone who reads this blog will trust Jesus for their salvation and have their name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

If you would like to trust Jesus today, I would encourage you to visit my finding salvation page here.

God bless,

Dave