Moments For You

In the New Testament, “forgiveness” comes from the Greek word aphiemi. Literally this means to send away, or to put apart. Thus the root meaning of forgiveness is to put away an offense. In secular Greek literature, this word was fundamental. It was used to indicate the sending away of... Read more →

“I [Jesus] have called you friends” (John 15:15). Jesus came to bring life. He came so that we can experience life the way it was meant to be. Through Him we can have deep fulfilling relationships, contribute to the world in meaningful ways, have joy that isn’t dependent on circumstances,... Read more →

If you are a Christian, someone trusting Christ alone for your salvation, Scripture promises that the moment you leave this life you will go to Heaven. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. To depart this life is to “be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23).... Read more →

He should have known better. He never should have stayed at home alone while his army was fighting in the field. He never should have lingered late at night on his rooftop. He never should have set his eyes on that beautiful lady. He never should have inquired about who... Read more →

The Christian life is all about following Christ on a journey of personal transformation. But we were never meant to make that journey alone. We were meant to be accompanied by other travelers, because it’s more fun that way, and because God uses those friendships to shape us—to form us... Read more →

A person walking in the light does not deny his sin or try to cover it up. He does not blame others for it or make excuses about it. Rather, he confesses it: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to... Read more →

In today’s busy world, friendship often takes a back seat to “more important matters.” Most of us are too busy with family and careers and hobbies to invest in meaningful friendships. Now, if you’re in middle school, friendship is a life or death situation. But once you’re an adult, friendships... Read more →

“Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” (Matthew 18:21). In Matthew 18, we see our Lord teaching on the childlikeness of the believer. In verse 2, the text tells us that Jesus actually took an infant and held that infant in His arms to... Read more →

“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at Him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Luke 7:34). It is often said that you can tell what a person is like by the company he keeps. There is some... Read more →

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Paul says not only “don’t be bitter,” but “be kind and forgiving to one another.” And we’re not going to do it just because we’ve decided to do it. We’re going to do... Read more →

C. S. Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, was a very thoughtful and perceptive Christian. He wrote some of the most poignant words about friendship: “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you... Read more →

One of the most difficult things a Christian will face is offering genuine forgiveness to those who have deeply hurt us. When Jesus commands us to love our enemies and offer our forgiveness to them it’s hard for us to believe that He knew what He was talking about. “Jesus... Read more →

Much can be learned from the example of Job and his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. When we are aware of a friend who is hurting, we can follow the positive example of these men by going to the person, mourning with them, and spending time together. Our physical presence... Read more →

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB) that genuine love “does not keep an account of a wrong suffered.” This is one of those word pictures in Scripture where something familiar is used as a metaphor. Here Paul uses an accounting term describing a merchant who keeps tally of... Read more →

Dick Sheppard served as a chaplain in the British army during World War I. One night he was lying in the dense blackness of no man’s land when he heard footsteps approaching. Unable to see who it might be, he was tempted to cry out, “Friend or foe?” Years later,... Read more →