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Lost its punch?

(07.28.21–Sin Escapes! –Romans 6: 23)


My friend, may I ask you a question? Since many today view sin as a harmless and meaningless threat to their wellbeing, ridiculing and scorning those who point out its devastating effects on human existence, has sin lost its punch?


My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.



My wife Holly will tell you that I have a recurring tendency to downplay the seriousness of most things that happen around here at Beech Springs. It's my nature. I guess it's my mindset to diffuse situations, reduce stress and look for solutions under calmer circumstances. This seems to work under most situations but there are exceptions. Take for example recently when my son Dan informed me that mice had built a nest over the cooling fins on the top of our garden tractor's engine. "It's not so bad." I told him. "We'll run the engine and the nesting materials will be blown away." Dan was not convinced. He frowned and stopped me in my tracks. "Dad," he reminded me, "the materials will only press down harder because of the force of the engine turning. It will eventually cause the engine to overheat. We need to take it apart and remove the nest." Point well taken. Overheating could lead to engine failure and a big bill. I retreated and agreed to do the repair. The thought of a big repair bill was enough to convince me.


When it comes to identifying and repairing sinful situations in our lives, downplaying the risk is just as foolish.

Here's a story: 400 years ago inventor Anton van Leeuwenhoek was honing his skill in grinding and polishing miniature high magnification lenses when his curious mind led him to prepare specimens of the natural environment and examine them through his new lenses. These revealed a new world of life, including what he called "tiny animals." He became the first person to ever see bacteria and is commonly called "The Father of Microbiology." When people such as Louis Pasteur in France began to assert that such microscopic organisms might cause disease and steadfastly insisted that surgeons sanitize their hands and equipment before surgery, they were often met with resistance. Many scientists and physicians found it ridiculous that something so tiny could harm a human being. Doctors such as Ignaz Simmelweis of Vienna, who insisted that doctors cleanse themselves before delivering babies, were made outcasts in the medical community. Of course, in time, Simmelwies, Pasteur and others would be vindicated as the danger came to be realized. (Author unknown)

Sin can also mislead people in a very similar way bacteria did in times past. Indeed many today view sin as a harmless and meaningless threat to their wellbeing, ridiculing and scorning those who point out its devastating effects on human existence. The Bible tells us, however that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Sin leads inevitably to spiritual failure and the bill for spiritual failure is a big, big bill, eternal death. Downplaying sin is foolish. Putting your life under the microscope of faith will reveal just how much.


We pray. Heavenly Father, sin has so often mislead us when we allow it to become less than the deadly serious flaw in our lives that it is. We are ashamed Lord that many Indeed today view sin as a harmless and meaningless threat to their wellbeing, ridiculing and scorning those of us who point out its devastating effects on all of us. You tell us, however that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Sin leads inevitably to spiritual failure and the bill for spiritual failure is eternal death. Downplaying sin is foolish. Putting our life under the microscope of faith will reveal just how much that is true. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!


Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.


If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”


<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Lost its punch?

(07.28.21–Sin Escapes! –Romans 6: 23)


My friend, may I ask you a question? Since many today view sin as a harmless and meaningless threat to their wellbeing, ridiculing and scorning those who point out its devastating effects on human existence, has sin lost its punch?


My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.



My wife Holly will tell you that I have a recurring tendency to downplay the seriousness of most things that happen around here at Beech Springs. It's my nature. I guess it's my mindset to diffuse situations, reduce stress and look for solutions under calmer circumstances. This seems to work under most situations but there are exceptions. Take for example recently when my son Dan informed me that mice had built a nest over the cooling fins on the top of our garden tractor's engine. "It's not so bad." I told him. "We'll run the engine and the nesting materials will be blown away." Dan was not convinced. He frowned and stopped me in my tracks. "Dad," he reminded me, "the materials will only press down harder because of the force of the engine turning. It will eventually cause the engine to overheat. We need to take it apart and remove the nest." Point well taken. Overheating could lead to engine failure and a big bill. I retreated and agreed to do the repair. The thought of a big repair bill was enough to convince me.


When it comes to identifying and repairing sinful situations in our lives, downplaying the risk is just as foolish.

Here's a story: 400 years ago inventor Anton van Leeuwenhoek was honing his skill in grinding and polishing miniature high magnification lenses when his curious mind led him to prepare specimens of the natural environment and examine them through his new lenses. These revealed a new world of life, including what he called "tiny animals." He became the first person to ever see bacteria and is commonly called "The Father of Microbiology." When people such as Louis Pasteur in France began to assert that such microscopic organisms might cause disease and steadfastly insisted that surgeons sanitize their hands and equipment before surgery, they were often met with resistance. Many scientists and physicians found it ridiculous that something so tiny could harm a human being. Doctors such as Ignaz Simmelweis of Vienna, who insisted that doctors cleanse themselves before delivering babies, were made outcasts in the medical community. Of course, in time, Simmelwies, Pasteur and others would be vindicated as the danger came to be realized. (Author unknown)

Sin can also mislead people in a very similar way bacteria did in times past. Indeed many today view sin as a harmless and meaningless threat to their wellbeing, ridiculing and scorning those who point out its devastating effects on human existence. The Bible tells us, however that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Sin leads inevitably to spiritual failure and the bill for spiritual failure is a big, big bill, eternal death. Downplaying sin is foolish. Putting your life under the microscope of faith will reveal just how much.


We pray. Heavenly Father, sin has so often mislead us when we allow it to become less than the deadly serious flaw in our lives that it is. We are ashamed Lord that many Indeed today view sin as a harmless and meaningless threat to their wellbeing, ridiculing and scorning those of us who point out its devastating effects on all of us. You tell us, however that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Sin leads inevitably to spiritual failure and the bill for spiritual failure is eternal death. Downplaying sin is foolish. Putting our life under the microscope of faith will reveal just how much that is true. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!


Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.


If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”


<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

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