Accepting God's Forgiveness
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 28th, 2025
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." - Psalm 103:12When God forgives, He doesn't do it halfway. Throughout Scripture, He uses descriptive illustrations to help us understand how completely He removes our sins:He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:11-12). How far is the east from the west? It just continues to go. God ...  Read More
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Four Types of Consciences
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 27th, 2025
"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." - Acts 24:16In God's word, we see four different types of consciences that people can have:The Weak Conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7) - People may feel guilty when they should not. Often, people feel guilty about things that are not sins. Paul addressed this when he talked about eating meat sacrificed to idols. There are some areas the...  Read More
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Finding Freedom from False Guilt
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 26th, 2025
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." - 2 Corinthians 7:10The biggest thing I want you to take away from this devotion is the difference between what the Bible calls godly sorrow and worldly sorrow, godly guilt and worldly guilt.When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, what did they do? They hid thems...  Read More
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Breaking the Cycle of Bitterness
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 23rd, 2025
"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...  Read More
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The Weight of Unforgiveness
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 22nd, 2025
"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,...  Read More
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The Freedom of Forgiveness
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 21st, 2025
"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...  Read More
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The Process of Healing Your Hurts
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 20th, 2025
"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...  Read More
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Rooted in Grace, Not in Bitterness
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 19th, 2025
"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...  Read More
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You're Not Meant to Go Alone
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 16th, 2025
"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." – Galatians 6:2Life feels lighter when we share the load. God designed us for community, and He never intended for us to carry our burdens alone. When we walk alongside others, or let them walk with us, our burdens become lighter.Henry Cloud, a Christian psychologist, shared a fascinating study about stress. In this ...  Read More
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Strength Found in the Stillness
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 15th, 2025
"He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul." – Psalm 23:2-3Even Jesus, the Son of God, took time to rest. He withdrew to quiet places to pray and refocus. Yet, many of us resist rest, thinking it’s unproductive. But rest isn’t laziness—it’s wisdom. Without it, we lose our strength and eventually break under the pressure.The Apostle John understoo...  Read More
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Stretched Too Thin
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 14th, 2025
"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." – Isaiah 40:31Life has a way of stretching us. Like a rubber band, we’re designed to expand and contract to meet the demands of life. But when we’re stretched too far for too long, we lose our elasticity. We become brittle and frag...  Read More
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When the Weight is Too Much
by Dr. Josh Franklin on May 13th, 2025
"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." – Psalm 55:22Stress isn’t always bad. Like a chair designed to hold a specific amount of weight, we’re capable of handling certain responsibilities and challenges. But problems arise when we overload ourselves with more than we’re built to carry. A chair can hold its weight limit for years, but if you...  Read More
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