[The Mayor]

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The Core Of The Problem
February 28, 2011

One of my favorite television cartoons as a boy was Tom Terrific. When Tom faced a challenge, he would put on his thinking cap and work through the matter with his faithful sidekick Mighty Manfred, the Wonder Dog. Usually, those problems found their source in Tom’s arch-enemy, Crabby Appleton. To this day, I remember how this villain was described on the show. He was “Crabby Appleton—rotten to the core.”

The fact is that all of us share Crabby Appleton’s primary problem—apart from Christ, we’re all rotten to the core. The apostle Paul described us this way: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God” (Rom. 3:10-11). None of us are capable of living up to God’s perfect standard of holiness. Because of our condition of being separated from a holy God, He sent His Son Jesus to give Himself to die on the cross for the punishment we deserve, and then rise again. Now we can be “justified freely by His grace” through faith in Him (v.24).

Jesus Christ has come to people “rotten to the core,” and makes us “a new creation” by faith in Him (2 Cor. 5:17). In His goodness, He has fixed our problem completely—all the way down to our core.

I know I’m a sinner and Christ is my need;
His death is my ransom, no merit I plead.
His work is sufficient, on Him I believe;
I have life eternal when Him I receive. —Anon.

We need more than a new start— we need a new heart.

Read: Romans 3:10-18

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. —Romans 7:18

Bible in a year:
Numbers 20-22; Mark 7:1-13

[jaycee]

Very good message, Rus! Its always good to remind ourselves “who we are”. Thank you for ODB each day to give us a good start to our day! May you have a wonderful day ! Its real rainy here and was yesterday! But the weather is not too cold. I hope the bitter cold is over but here in Tennessee you can’t be sure. We have had snow in April.

[geologist]

We have a part to play, we must believe that He is and He rewards those that seek Him.

We are to pick up our cross and follow him, and tell our brethren the gospel message of Christ, and we are to be salt and light in this world.
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“Hebrew 11:6

But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
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Matthew 7:21-23 (King James Version)
“ ...
21.Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22.Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23.And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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God is not mocked. When we believe we want to be obedient to his commands. Yes, we make mistakes and do wrong too; but there are fruits of our belief. .