Tag Archives: grace

Quick Thought – Tuesday, May 19, 2026: The Bigger Deal

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Stella had been wrong. Her words had been cruel. But when she needed her father, he came home anyway. That kind of love points us toward an even greater love: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Saturday, May 16, 2026: Grace Wouldn’t Be Grace If We Deserved It

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Romans 3 reminds us that no one stands before God on the basis of background, status, heritage or good intentions. We all need forgiveness. We all need redemption. We all need grace. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Thursday, May 14, 2026: Seventy Times Seven

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Forgiveness is easy to admire until we are the ones being asked to forgive.
In Matthew 18, Jesus tells the story of a servant forgiven an impossible debt who then refuses to show mercy over a small one.
“Seventy Times Seven” is a reminder that people who have received mercy are called to show mercy. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Wednesday, May 6, 2026: Grace Is Not Given Because We Earned It

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The Canaanite woman did not come to Jesus claiming she deserved anything. She came in faith, believing that even the crumbs of His mercy were enough. God’s love is not offered because we are good enough. It is offered because He is good. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Monday, May 4, 2026: New Wineskins for New Faith

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Jesus’ image of new wine and fresh wineskins reminds us that faith is not about preserving old rituals but keeping our hearts open, flexible and ready for His renewing work. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Sunday, April 19, 2026: Look Beyond the Pedigree

Posted on April 19, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A person’s appearance, background, or past may tell you very little about what God has done in that heart. John the Baptist looked rough by every ordinary standard, yet he was deeply aligned with the Lord. Sometimes the people God uses most do not fit the religious image others expect. Continue reading →

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The Man on the Bicycle

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A broken-down SUV in a rough neighborhood. A stranger on a bicycle. A pocketknife, a scrap of foam, and a repair I never forgot. More than 25 years later, I still wonder whether that moment was ordinary kindness—or something more. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Saturday, April 4, 2026 (Holy Saturday): The Death We Deserved

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Barabbas walked away alive because Jesus took the cross meant for him. The more I think about that moment, the more I realize how much I understand what it meant to be Barabbas—because apart from Christ, I am the guilty one too. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Thursday, March 26, 2026: Sin and its Consequences

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A childhood memory of losing a horse became a lasting lesson: sincere regret does not always remove the consequences of neglected responsibility. Moses learned something similar when the Lord allowed him to see the Promised Land, but not enter it. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Sunday, March 22, 2026: Mercy at the Tax Table (Fifth Sunday in Lent)

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Jesus did not choose Matthew because he was admired, respected, or morally impressive. He chose him while he was still sitting at the tax table, surrounded by the very things that made others despise him. That is the beauty of grace: Christ calls people before they have cleaned themselves up, and His mercy changes them from the inside out. Continue reading →

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