When you think of “sinners” who might be excluded from God’s kingdom, does anyone come to mind? If so, you may be entering dangerous territory. The Pharisees were certain of their own seat at God’s table, convinced that the tax collectors and prostitutes had no such place. But Jesus came precisely for the people the religious crowd wrote off. He welcomes the broken, the fallen, the forgotten with open arms the moment they repent and turn to Him. God’s grace reaches farther than our judgments, and we may be surprised by those who are on heaven’s guest list!

Surrounded by Truth but Living a Lie
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We have all had the awful experience of seeing a news story about a Christian ministry whose leaders were charged with embezzlement or some other crime. It’s a reminder of how close we can be to the truth, but still be living a lie. We can worship and pray and serve in the church, but have hearts that are far from God. What about you? Is Christ your highest pursuit, or are you just going through the motions?


