How to Overcome a Sinful Past - Ben Bailey
A person must also be ashamed of their sinful past. Too often, people who have lived a life of sin go around bragging about the “sins” they used to commit. Sin should be something that causes us great shame, not gives us an avenue to boast (Rom. 6:21). How sad it is when we reach a point that we can no longer blush over sin (Jer. 8:12).
Against the Wind - Celine Sparks
I hadn’t seen a sign of life for miles. It was a desolate road trip home; the kind that makes you wonder if you screamed for your life, would there be anyone near enough to hear you? Then I saw it -- a light in the distance. As I got nearer, it was a fueling station with, I hoped, a bathroom.
The Steadfast Love of the Lord - Ben Bailey
The Book of Lamentations has often been referred to as Israel’s funeral sermon or eulogy. In this Book, Jeremiah laments the ultimate destruction and death of Israel as they go into captivity for their sins. Yet, during this sad and depressing time, we find some incredibly beautiful verses about God’s love.
The Blood of Christ - Ben Bailey
The Holy Spirit says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins” (Heb. 9:22). The Old Testament Levitical system was a very bloody system (Lev. 1-5). For every sin of every kind there was a blood sacrifice to be offered (Lev. 4:1-12). Yet the Scripture records that the blood of all those bulls and goats could never really take away sin (Heb. 10:3-4). How thankful we should be that Jesus was willing to shed His blood once for all for sin so that the sin problem would have a permanent solution (Heb. 10:12). Notice just how important the blood of Christ is to our salvation.
A Haunting Question - Ben Bailey
When the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). This question Jesus asked arose from a discussion of persistence in prayer. This question of the Lord is designed to provoke an evaluation of our faith. The Apostle Paul said, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5). How can we make sure the Lord finds faith when he comes?
Into the Depths of the Sea - Ben Bailey
Being a child of God has many blessings that come with that privilege but one of the richest is the forgiveness we receive through Christ. Sometimes I wonder if we really understand the remission and removal of sin that occurs in the mind of God. The Prophet Micah gives us a very graphic picture of how God removes sin from our lives. Micah says, ““He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). To understand the complete removal of sins that occurs when one obeys the Gospel it would be profitable to explore Micah’s words a little more in depth.