"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." — Hebrews 12:14-15 (NIV)“An ancient Roman story goes: the soldiers of Caesar became dissatisfied with their regimen and rations. They could not complain to Caesar, so th...

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." — Matthew 6:14-15Unforgiveness weighs us down in ways we often don’t realize. It consumes our thoughts, drains our energy, and holds us captive to the pain of the past. While the other person may have moved on,...

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." — Ephesians 4:32Bitterness is like holding onto a rattlesnake. Letting go might free the snake, but it also spares you from its venom. Forgiveness may feel like it benefits the other person, but in reality, it’s the one holding on to bitterness who suffers the most.Forgiveness isn't about forgetting o...

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." — Ephesians 4:31A preacher once shared a story about golfing with a deacon who marveled at the preacher’s calm demeanor during their games. The deacon said, “Preacher, you’re the most even-handed person I’ve ever seen. You always smile, no matter what happens. When I hit my ball in the wate...

"See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." — Hebrews 12:15David Jeremiah, in his book Slaying the Giants in Your Life, shares the tragic story of Leonard Holt, a man who seemed to embody everything good about community life. Leonard was a hard-working company man employed at a paper mill in Pennsylvania. Outside of work, he wa...