In North America we are encouraged to have a “can do” mentality. One of the most popular themes in books and magazines is the “How to…” theme. You can find out how to lose weight, put on muscle, raise your kids, have a good marriage, buy a beachfront property, prepare for retirement, be a confident person, and on and on it goes. Unfortunately, this mentality is just as popular in the church, even though its Lord said, “Apart from me you can do nothing”. Zero. Squat. Naddah. Yet over and over we do not believe that. We decide what he wants and think we can do it. Do we need to grow? Can do. Raise money? Can do. Have an impact on our community? Can do. Make disciples? Can do. I
“BLESSED IS HE WHOSE TRANSGRESSIONS ARE FORGIVEN, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit” (Ps. 32:1-2). In his devotional companion to a daily Bible reading Don Carson writes, “In a theistic universe where God keeps the books, it is difficult to imagine any greater blessedness. The sad tragedy is that when many people reflect on this brute fact – that we must give an account to him, and there is no escaping his justice – almost instinctively they do the wrong thing. They resolve to take the path of self-improvement, they turn over a new leaf, they conceal or even deny the sins of frivolous youth. We dare n
