Thought for November 4, 2024

•  1646: Massachusetts imposes the death penalty for anyone denying that the Bible is God's Word
• 1794: The London Missionary Society is formed
• 1841: First wagon train arrives in California
• 1862: Gatling Gun patented
• 1873: Dentist John Beers patents the gold crown
• 1879: James Ritty patents the cash register to prevent bartenders from stealing
• 1898: Pan Xiushan, first Christian convert of the Hmu tribe in china, martyred with William Fleming, the missionary for whom he translated
• 1904: First stadium built specifically for football--Harvard
• 1921: Hitler establishes the Brown Shirts
• 1922: King Tut's tomb discovered
• 1939: First air-conditioned automobile--Packard
• 1979: 90 hostages taken at the Embassy in Tehran
• Born: Will Rogers, Gig Young, Walter Cronkite, Ruth Handler [Barbie], Art Carney, Darla Hood [Little Rascals], Laura Bush, Ralph Macchio, Jeff Probst, Matthew McConaughey, Puff Daddy, Dez Bryant
• Died: Felix Mendelssohn, George Peabody, Cy Young, Yitzhak Rabin, Michael Crichton, Andy Rooney

Thought:

Reading Romans 7:14-25 this morning and noticing that Paul and I have much in common. 

• I am not practicing that which I would like to do. [7:15]
• I am doing the very thing I hate. [7:15]
• I know that nothing good dwells in my flesh. [7:18]
• I wish to do good, but I have trouble doing good. [7:18]
• My inner man agrees with the law of God, but my flesh wages war against God's law. 
• Wretched man that I am, who will set me free from this body of death?

Now the good news. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [8:1] The law of the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death. 

Just think about what Paul has said. I was a slave to the law of sin through my disobedient flesh. But praise God [7:25], Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh [8:3] and through His crucifixion put sin to death, penalty paid. And not only that, He gave us the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all righteousness. 

Now join me in looking around at the world. I see ads for things like "Dead Men Walking." Look around. Those who are not in Christ are dead. But they can have life in Christ and we are the messengers of that good news. 

The other thing I realize today is that I was the walking dead before Christ. One day He will call me forth from the grave, but He has already transferred me from death to life eternal through His blood. What an amazing gift. Today, how will I respond to the Giver of every good and perfect gift--trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

Blessings

Larry