Paul Wolfowitz has resigned from the World Bank, according to today's New York Times. The bank concluded that he violated ethical rules in giving preferential pay to his female companion. How does the Bible view his sin and ours?

Scripture describes a variety of "crowns" or rewards our Father wants to give his children in heaven. Paul stated: "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25). What kind of "crowns"?

We're exploring the promise that God forgives all that we confess to him and wondering why we cannot therefore simply sin and confess, then sin and confess. Here we find a second reason: our Father rewards eternally our obedience on earth.

It is human nature to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions, to remember their mistakes while forgetting our own.

Management expert Peter Drucker once said that 50 percent of all management decisions will be wrong. A crucial key to leadership success is responding well to mistakes when we inevitably make them. We remember Moses more for parting the Red Sea than for killing the Egyptian soldier.

As frustrated as I can get with the cashew-sized intelligence of my fellow humans, I need look no further than the mirror to find that I am at least as culpable as anyone in the news..The good news is that our Father forgives every act of stupidity we confess to him.

In what ways do you need to accept an apology from yourself today? What persistent sins and recurrent temptations have caused you guilt and grief? What secret shame are you glad isn't the headline of this essay?

Usually forgiveness is better late than never. Sometimes it is better never than late. You can't unburn a book. Words can't be unspoken. Trust cannot be unviolated. Even the God of the universe cannot undo past consequences as though they never occurred.

When last did your attempt to help someone do more harm than good? Who hasn't been misunderstood somewhere along the way? Taken out of context? Misquoted or misrepresented?

Why spend time on personal transgressions which no one else sees? Because they never stay that way. David's lustful thoughts led to lustful actions which led to lying and murder.