Dr. Michael Youssef

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). The line in the Lord’s Prayer that reads, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” does not mean that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving other people (Matthew 6:12). If that were true, then salvation would rest on good works, and faith would be unnecessary. Paul says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our eternal debt was paid on the cross once and for all. Nothing is outstanding. Forgiving others is not a payment toward our own forgiveness: It’s a sign of spiritual life. Once we have received God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, it follows that we should become more forgiving of people. There are two sides to forgiving. The […]

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The spirit of the age that Paul warns us about also comes dressed in the form of moral tolerance. Today, this spirit declares that Jesus is ambiguous about sin and so must we be. This movement proclaims that Christ does not care how people behave morally. It declares that Christ is apathetic toward our decisions and lifestyles, but God loves us too much to let us live a life of sin. He wants us to follow Him on the only path to fullness of life. Read Romans 6:23. Paul tells us that sin has a price, and that price is death. Any sin we commit ushers decay into our lives. Sexual immorality kills intimacy. Lying damages integrity. Gossip destroys relationships. Every sin brings something corrupt and evil into our lives. The spirit of the age wants to keep […]

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Our society tells us that the key to success is to acquire as much as we can—money, possessions, assets, friends, promotions. But this is the opposite of God’s formula for success: giving our all.   When we fully comprehend the price of our salvation, we want to give back to God out of gratitude and thanksgiving. When we fully realize the mercies of God, we want to worship Him with our every breath. God’s love and sacrifice for us should motivate us to love and to sacrifice ourselves in return.   “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for […]

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Another role of the godly parent is to cultivate compassion for others. Job trained his children to be generous, hospitable, responsible, kind, and considerate and to be leaders in building up others and the community in unity and harmony. This does not mean Job taught his children to compromise for the sake of agreement, but rather to hold strong principles and demonstrate genuine love. How do we develop compassion for others? We first must experience God’s love and then be challenged to pass on that love. Children first experience God’s love by experiencing the love of their own parents. The more their parents express love to them, the quicker they are to show compassion. Assure your children repeatedly of God’s love, even when they disobey. Be affectionate with them, hugging and kissing them and putting your hand on their shoulders […]

  “Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). How often do you read instruction manuals for new appliances, toys, or gadgets? Most of us are guilty of either not following the directions closely or tossing out the booklet completely. But there is one instruction manual we cannot afford to ignore—the Bible. It is our spiritual operations manual. And when we ignore it, the consequences can be eternal. Scanning through the Scriptures for the main points won’t stretch us. Randomly flipping through the pages won’t develop our spiritual maturity. We can’t skim the surface and expect to find the pearls. We need to dive deep under the surface to find the treasure. To truly grow spiritually, we need to devote time, effort, and focused attention to learning from God’s Word. Before we begin reading God’s Word, we need to prepare our […]

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives . . . to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:1, 3). Over the past few years, many people have asked whether God is really in control. Trials, tragedies, and feelings of insecurity have altered the way we live. But there is no need to fear. Tragedy and triumph frequently work as partners. As we trust God, we can experience restoration and resurrection as God brings a dying dream to life, heals our broken bodies, and mends our shattered lives. In a beautiful cathedral in Europe, a magnificent stained-glass window towered above the altar. One day a violent storm shattered the resplendent window into a thousand pieces. The church’s custodian hesitated to discard the multicolored fragments of glass. Instead, he put them […]

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Today there are countless ways to address self-image, self-esteem, self-acceptance, and self-fulfillment. While these themes are pervasive in our culture, pursuing them is a little like drinking salt water—the more we drink, the thirstier we become. True contentment does not come from self-fulfillment, but through discovering the treasure house that Jesus Christ makes available when we surrender our lives to Him. The apostle Paul reminded us of this treasure house when he wrote, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We must know Jesus as Lord if we are to receive the spiritual blessings He has provided in the heavenly realms. He is the only source of authentic worth, lasting contentment, […]

“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15). Throughout Scripture, we see the heart of God and the depth of His disappointment when His people forget about Him and His past mercies, blessings, and grace. In fact, the reason God established all the festivals and celebrations, such as Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Passover, and others, was to empower the Israelites to constantly remember God’s gracious hand that delivered them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land. He provided a visible, tangible reminder of His work. Similarly, in the New Testament, Jesus established the Lord’s Supper and baptism to point us to His indescribable love toward us with physical reminders. Why does God want us to remember? God’s desire for us to recall His past mercies has nothing to do with His own personal insecurities (He […]

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). Giving was a major emphasis of Paul’s ministry, especially during his third missionary journey. He understood that generosity naturally leads to praise and worship of God. Unfortunately, when Paul thought of the Corinthian believers, he had to acknowledge that they had failed to keep their promises in the area of giving. The Corinthian believers had made a commitment to God. They had promised to support the poor through their gifts and offerings. However, when it came time to follow through, they did not fulfill their promise (see 2 Corinthians 8). Praise always requires a heart commitment. Giving requires the same action. If we fail to complete the promises we have made to God, our hearts will be saddened, and we won’t feel like praising Him. Therefore, before you make a commitment to give, ask God to show you what He […]

“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). With the stroke of a pen, Emperor Constantine issued the edict of Milan in 313 A.D., and Christianity became fashionable instead of an offense deserving persecution. Suddenly, church membership rolls grew as thousands joined churches after professing faith in Christ. However, many were not sincere. Only God, the searcher of hearts, knows how many remained pagan at heart. However, their harmful influence in the church soon became apparent. A life lived for Jesus Christ is not usually outlined with popularity or ease. But churches in the West today are steeped in comfort, espousing self-help rather than sacrifice, and they are growing in number. Perhaps, like Asaph in Psalm 73, you are frustrated by the prosperity of those who do not seek the Lord nor honor His Word. Maybe you feel as though you are […]

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19). A 2017 study conducted by American Culture and Faith Institute revealed that only 39 percent of born again Christians believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith. This isn’t surprising when we consider that only 3 out of 10 born again adults have a Biblical worldview. No wonder Christians aren’t witnessing to the lost in their midst! It’s all the more paramount that born again believers with a Biblical understanding not give up sharing Christ. Many Christians believe they must take a stand for Christ in their own strength—and so they become discouraged. Others are crippled by their fear of rejection. As followers of Christ, we must overcome these hindrances, trusting that Christ within us will give us the words to say. What’s the key to being a fruitful witness? Obedience. […]