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Something
Beautiful
Women
in nearly record numbers, we're told, were drawn in
envy to the picture of a well-known movie actress on
the cover of a popular magazine. She had been
portrayed as possessing flawless beauty....
But
the editors of another magazine published a follow-up
story telling about a photo company that had billed
the first magazine $1,525 for their work on the
picture "to clean up complexion, soften eye line,
soften smile line, add color to lips, trim chin,
...adjust color, and add hair on the top of the
head." So however beautiful she actually is, she
needed something -- quite a little it seems -- to hide
the blemishes that would quickly destroy her image of
"ideal loveliness."
What
a picture of man's SPIRITUAL condition! Every one
of us is flawed when compared with the moral
excellence of Christ.
“For ALL
have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans
3:23). No
matter how good we may appear, we need more than just
a "religious touchup" to
conceal our sins. We desperately need the
soul-cleansing, atoning blood of Jesus Christ. *
Jesus
Christ died on the cross so that we might be cleansed
of the "blemishes" or "stains"
that mar our souls.
He
will cleanse those who... believe
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from
our sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10),
and are baptized
(immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Then,
as we walk in the light of His Word... God
continues to transform us into the likeness of Christ
(Romans 8:29). By
the blood of Jesus and the Spirit of God – with our
cooperation -- He makes something beautiful of our
lives.
“All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful of my life.”
– Bill & Gloria Gaither
“And
now why are YOU
waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your
sins, calling on the name of the Lord”
(Acts 22:16).
--
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
*
Our Daily Bread - Vernon C. Grounds
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