Romans 6:1-7 (NIV) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Continue reading “Be Buried to Be Free || Sin | Grace | Baptism”
So you have a son or daughter who is headed off to college. You want them to have a successful transition in this new stage of life. How can you assist them with this transition in a way that helps them grow in their faith? I’ve got six suggestions.
Salvation is not limited to any temporal aspect. It is not limited to any specific time and place. Salvation is all encompassing. Salvation is through Jesus Christ and includes the past, present, and future. To help us connect salvation to the past we will refer to it as our justification. Salvation in the present is our sanctification and salvation in the future is our glorification.
A life without pain may mean that we have resigned to helplessness and hopelessness. A pain free life sounds great but it may be that we have grown numb or that we are self-medicating to stay numb. A pain free life may mean that we have also become numb to joy and love. In our efforts to avoid pain to try and spare ourselves from the worst, we may inadvertently choose to miss out on God’s best. Pain is a gift, but it is the gift that no one wants. We don’t want it because the problem with pain is that it cannot be switched off. 
Here’s some Saint Patty Day info! Saint Patrick was a 5th century bishop who helped convert Ireland to Christianity. He is depicted with a cross in one hand and a shamrock in the other. It is told that Patrick would use the the three leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity to those he was converting. The colors blue and green have both been associated with Saint Patricks with green taking prominence through the influence of the political group, the United Irishmen. 
“For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” – Acts 9:3
There’s a universal truth in this world God has created: Healthy things grow.