Author Archives: Dan Lemburg

About Dan Lemburg

Hi I'm Dan, I'll update this bio info soon.

God’s promise: the great motivator

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The gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ is in essence the promise of God to mankind. We receive that promise by faith. But prior to faith ever taking root, hope is first born in our heart through God’s promise. Hope always precedes faith because only hope provides us the motivation to believe. It is the catalyst by which faith is activated. Our faith pleases God, who freely imparts His righteousness as a gift of grace. Faith is much more than a superficial belief in God. We ultimately obtain the promise of the gospel by living our lives through what Paul calls the obedience of faith—the type of behavior which offers proof of a thriving faith.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

The Weakness of our Flesh

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Our flesh is weak, isn’t it? It wasn’t long after experiencing the awesome change of being born again that I started to notice some chinks in my armor. What’s this all about, I wondered? Why, if I truly did undergo such an incredible transformation, would I have even a remote desire to return to the things that were so destructive in my life? It amazed me because I knew from prior experience that sin could never be a source of lasting joy. And yet I was willing to toy with it. Could I really be that stupid?

And another issue bewildered me. Why was I now completely set free from some old habits while others sprang back with a vengeance? Yet there they were! I certainly couldn’t deny the reality of their existence. But why would God allow some weaknesses to plague me when He so mercifully delivered me from others?

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Born again: the starting point!

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Being born again into relationship with Christ is merely the starting point of our Christian walk. As we attempt to move forward with Him, it’s not long before we find that our struggle with self-will doesn’t simply evaporate. Each and every one of us butts up against the very same obstacle: “Will I continue living my life for my own self-gratification, or will I surrender my life completely, dedicating myself to live for His purposes and pleasure instead of my own?” Over time we learn that this conflict is a lifelong battle for the believer—that it never entirely disappears, though its intensity certainly diminishes as we mature in our relationship with Him.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Taking God’s Creation for Granted

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Have you considered your hand lately? While watching the World Series it stuck me how effortlessly people use their hands–not just catching one of those foul balls, but everything we do. We use our hands to pick up the tiniest crumb or wield a huge sledge hammer. And all without the least thought given to it. What’s the big deal you might ask? Well, you should ask God that question the next time you look at your hand. The miracle of God’s creation surrounds us, and our hands are just one striking example of His creative genius. We dare not take any of it for granted.

The power of sin is in the Law?

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While the principle of freedom from the power of sin is woven throughout the fabric of the gospel, it still can be a bit confusing. Paul says, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” Don’t you find this a little surprising? It seems here as if sin’s power is tied directly to the law. So freedom from the power of sin must somehow be very closely related to freedom from the law. Yet we tend to think about freedom from sin only as being liberated from the problem of sinning. So how could being set free from the law have anything to do with sin losing its power over us? Well, the truth is that freedom from the law has everything to do with freeing us from sin’s power.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

God reveals Himself through faith

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God does not normally reveal Himself in a way that our physical senses can perceive Him, so this is why faith is required on our part. Now I’m not suggesting that God doesn’t allow us to be aware of His presence; He does. Our experience of Him, however, comes by spiritual means—not physical. But why would God keep Himself hidden at all? Wouldn’t it be much easier to simply appear to us periodically to tell us what He wants? Well, that wouldn’t require faith, would it? Our inability to grasp Him by our natural senses makes faith indispensable. Faith is at the very heart of God’s plan for us. That’s why Scripture tells us that it’s impossible for man to satisfy God without it. But since faith is so contrary to everything instinctive to our humanity, believing Him will never be all that easy. To be sure, it appears that He never meant it to be!

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)