Dear Editors and friends,

Please freely print this weeks Penny Pulpit Column in your papers, bulletins, emails, bloggs and twitters .  Thank you for this consideration.
Pastor Ed Rice,  Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY 14441

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Msg #1147 The Thanksgiving Stairwell

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

There are seven steps that lead man down and away from God's presence. Consequently, these same seven steps lead us back into his presence. The question begs to be asked; Going up, or going down? None stand still on this stairway. The seven steps are outlined in Romans 1:21-23. The top step, the highest achievable by mere humanity is to 'know God.' The context of this Scripture justifies that every accountable human alive was at one point on this step and is therefore without excuse. This dissertation to Romans goes on to account that one can only get back to this step via a propitiation found in Jesus Christ alone. This top step captures every level of intimacy conceivable in the mind of mere man. Staying on this step is God's intent for his creatures. To know God, i.e. to know Christ, is our highest calling. Moses captures it in Exod 33:11, Paul in Phil 3:10. The second step “They glorified him not as God” is the departure from the top. Third step “neither were thankful.” Emphasis is on our Thanksgiving here. The steps go down rapidly “Became vain in their imagination;” “Their foolish heart was darkened;” “They became fools” and finally “They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man.” Bottom of the stairs finds a terrifying verse “Wherefore God also gave them up.” A truly saved, born again person came up and had an eternal light turned on on that third step up from the bottom. Because it is an 'eternal light' that they got in 'So Great Salvation' they can never stray away from God past the third step down from the top. Which step are you on? Which way are you going?

An Essay for week #47 Sun, Nov 27, 11

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