Pastor's Circle - Bill Ury

Dr. Bill Ury is Professor of Systematic Theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary and hosts the Hour of Holiness on AFR on Sunday mornings. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss the importance of forgiveness in our lives. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

How vital is a daily devotional life??

It's our life and breath. Without it, I don't think we can sustain any kind of vitality in our relationship with Jesus. 

It's the life's blood for anyone who has come to know Jesus and wants to know him more deeply.

We're all afraid of becoming legalists, but I would love to see a little more legalism in the churhc and a little less of the "anything goes" mentality.

I just finished reading the Bible, so I read the last chapter of Psalms, the last chapter of Proverbs, the last chapter of Malachi, and the last chapter of the Bible.

I was astonished by the common themes: praise, of course, but also incredible intimacy. 

The theme of fathers and children, the bride concept; the intimacy in both Testaments is incredible.

Why do people see daily devotions as legalistic?

I think it's our excuse. There's an aspect of the Judge coming into your life, but you're a child, you're a bride, you're a lover. 

Your response should be breathing back love and adoration and worship. Legalism is an excuse for us not to be about the hard work, and love is hard work.

What do we mean when we talk about the "means of grace"?

I think immediately of the way John Wesley talked about it. He said the means of grace are ways the Lord lets his grace into our lives.

But the means can quickly become an idol as well, taking communion and going to church.

Daily time in the Word is a means of accessing his grace in my life, no more and no less. Daily prayer, attending worship, the Lord's Supper, all of these are ways that God reveals his grace.

Memory of the Word is another means of grace. Singing the hymns of the Lord. Really anything we can do to draw closer to God.