From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Thu, May 23, 2024 at 6:01 AM

Subject: 5-23-24 THOUGHTS

5-23-24   THOUGHTS

Sin is not to reign in us.  Lusts of this world are to be controlled. The word slave is introduced to show us the depth of our topic.  We are discussing life and death!  Because of grace, sin is not to be master over us.  Our lives belong to God and His righteousness.  The teaching from God’s mind has produced in us obedience from the heart.  We are free to a slavery of power, and might, of joy and love.  We become the “pierced ear” slave of  Ex 21:5-6.   We consider each moment that we were “bought with a price.”  Eternity is ours in Christ Jesus.  

Rom 6:8-18    Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9  knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11  Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,  13  and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14  For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16  Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17  But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18  and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

My Prayer:
Help us, O Lord, to find our blessings in the right places.  We praise and love You, O God, for it is You who blesses and supplies.  In every way, keep us from sin, O Father.  In our hearts, give us the joy of Your salvation.  Keep our faith strong that we may persevere and overcome.  Finish in us what You have started.  Father, bless our lips and our hands as we seek to love our neighbors and our brethren.  Help us to lovingly and joyfully tell the old old story of Jesus and His love.  Keep us in humility in all.  With perception, help us to seek opportunity.  With all our might, may we seek eternity.  In the name of Jesus,    Amen.