Can true Christians have addictions? In today’s Little Lesson, we’re going to talk a little bit about the subject of addictions, which a lot of people struggle with. Including those who are endeavoring to follow Christ.
Probably the first one that comes to mind is addiction to tobacco. I have heard that the tobacco addiction can be tougher to beat than some addictions to things that are considered to be hard drugs.
Do you have to forgive people who don’t even ask for your forgiveness? We’ve been talking about forgiveness the last few episodes of Little Lessons. And today’s question, of course, is another one along those lines. When people offend us, when people sin against us, do we have to forgive them? And my answer is going to absolutely shock many who are watching this.
Will God forgive you if you keep repeating the same sin over and over again? This is a great question because, as I mentioned on our previous Little Lesson, none of us have reached perfection yet.
“We all stumble,” James said, “in many ways, and if anyone hasn’t stumbled in what he says,” there’s the biggest stumbling place right there, “he’s a perfect man, or woman, able to bridle the whole body as well.” (see James 3:2). And he goes on to elaborate about how the tongue is this unruly thing.
You’ve sinned and you still feel guilty; what should you do? Scripture says that everybody’s sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23). So if you’ve sinned, welcome to the human race.
But I’m not trying to give anybody any excuses. Because when we believe in Jesus, we’ve set ourselves on a course to follow Him. Which is another way of saying obey Him. Which is another way of saying we keep His commandments.
And that’s our intention. We repent of our sins. We’re turning away from that which we know is displeasing in God’s eyes, and we set ourselves on a course every day: take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow Him (see Luke 9:23).
Who is the greatest? My answer is going to surprise you! The big question today is, who is the greatest?
Now, before we get into the answer there’s a story told about a pastor who, every Sunday before the adult sermon, brought the children forward and would give a little children’s sermon before they’d be released to go to Sunday School. So, one Sunday, at the beginning of his children’s sermon with all of those kids gathering around him, he said, “Okay, children, I have a question for you. What is small and furry and has a long tail and climbs up and down trees?” One little boy raised his hand, and the pastor said, “Okay, Johnny, what’s the answer?” And he said, “Well, I know the answer is Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me!”
Should you homeschool your children? We’re going to talk about homeschooling, and is that something that you should do?
Well, the most important thing, of course, to understand is that if you are a mom or a dad, it’s your responsibility “to train up your children in the way that they should go,” says Proverbs 22:6, “And, bring them up in the nurture and in the admonition of the Lord,” says the New Testament (see Ephesians 6:4).
Was the Apostle Peter a Calvinist? Well, some say that he was. In fact, of course, all Calvinists will say that Peter’s a Calvinist.
If you don’t know what a Calvinist is just find my little lesson entitled, “What is Calvinism.”
Today we ask, once again, how can you have a consistent and meaningful devotional life? We want to continue following up on our previous little lesson talking about a devotional life, and how is it possible to have a meaningful devotional life?
Well, it has to be heartfelt, right? You don’t just want to be saying redundant prayers by rote.
How can you have a consistent and meaningful devotional life? We’re going to talk about daily devotions, having a devotional life. And what that means is, spending time consistently, usually every day, once a day, in prayer and in meditation in God’s Word.
And before we talk about how to do that consistently and meaningfully, we ought to just gently, first of all, talk about what it says about us if we don’t really have a devotional life.