Freedom from Sin, 10 Things about Southern Baptists, Heart problems, But God...

Freedom from Sin

It is said that a flippant young man remarked to a preacher in mocking fashion, “You say that unsaved people carry a great weight of sin. Frankly, I feel nothing. How heavy is sin? Ten pounds? Fifty pounds? Eighty pounds? A hundred pounds?”

The preacher thought for a moment, then replied, “If you laid a four hundred pound weight on a corpse, would it feel the load?”

The young man was quick to say, “Of course not; it’s dead” Driving home his point the preacher said, “The person who doesn’t know Christ is equally dead. And though the load is great, he feels none of it”

The Christian, unlike the average non-Christian, is not indifferent to the weight of sin. He is actually hypersensitive to it. Having come to Jesus Christ, his senses are awakened to the reality of sin. His sensitivity to sin intensifies as he matures spiritually. Such sensitivity prompted a saint as great as Chrysostom, the fourth century church father, to say he feared nothing but sin (Second Homily on Eutropius).

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10 Things I Wish Southern Baptists Knew About Southern Baptists

Yes, there is a lot of ignorance about Southern Baptists out there among those who aren’t part of our denomination. However, there’s also a lot of ignorance inside the SBC about what’s really going on in our denomination, our doctrine, practices, leadership, and so on. These are ten SBC realities I wish the average Southern Baptist church member were more aware of.

The Lord is stunningly graceful. Read this from Sunny Shell and see if you don't weep.

My Flesh and My Heart May Fail, But God...

This past Friday, my Cardiac Electrophysiologist confirmed that I have an uncommon heart arrhythmia called sick sinus syndrome (SSS). What this means is that my heart can no longer keep a steady rhythm because it's "sick".

But God... such powerful words. We read in Ephesians 2:4

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

Here is a devotional from Our Daily Bread on "But God..."

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8 

Howard Sugden, my pastor when I was in college, preached many memorable sermons. After all these years, the one titled “But God . . .” still makes me stop whenever I come to those words in the Bible. Here are a few examples of verses that encourage me with the reminder of God’s righteous intervention in human affairs: 

“You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to . . . save many people alive” (Gen. 50:20). 

“Their beauty shall be consumed in the grave . . . . But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave” (Ps. 49:14-15). 

“My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26). 

“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:7-8). 

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:9-10). 

Whenever you feel discouraged, look up some “but God” verses and be reassured of God’s involvement in the lives of those who love Him. 

Creator of the universe
Who reigns in awesome majesty:
How can it be that You’re involved
With such a one as me? —Sper 

God’s involvement in our lives should reassure us of His love.