Today's Passage - Romans 4:6-8

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 4:6-8   "David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.'"   Many of us are living under the authority of sin.  To sin is not just to commit some major crime.  A good example is when we get mad at someone.  We know we shouldn't offend others and we know it's not good for our health, but whenever we get mad it's like a storm that is out of control.  After we regain control of our mood, we regret and hope that there won't be a next time.  But again and again, we can never overcome the force inside us.  Temper is only one thing; if we humbly examine ourselves, we'd find that lots of things are controlling us.  Some people will filled with hatred and cannot forgive others; some are conceited and proud; some are living in unclean thoughts in their mind and cannot overcome them.  When we are living under such authority of sin, we won't have peace inside and our hearts are constantly accused by our sense of guilt.  We are always regretting our past and won't have real peace.  The Bible, however, says that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  When we acknowledge our sins and our faults against others before God, God will wipe all our trespasses clean with His precious blood and heal us.  The precious blood of the Lord can bring us three types of grace: The precious blood can redeem our status.  When we acknowledge our sins before God, the Lord will cover us with the precious blood.  Our sins are then forgiven and we are like a blank sheet of paper before God, therefore our status before Him is forgiven. The precious blood can redeem our emotions.  There are people who have repented for their sins and God has forgiven them, but deep down inside they cannot forgive themselves and they still live under the bondage of their past.  The precious blood of the Lord, however, can redeem our status and also redeem our deepest emotions The precious blood can bring us healing of our wounds.  Sometimes the wounds inflicted by others can cause us to feel like we're living in a cold and dark world, but the precious blood of the Lord can heal the wounds in our hearts. Do you need to be redeemed and forgiven?  All you need to do is ask, and the Lord's forgiveness will come upon you!                           Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because you have promised us that if we acknowledge our sin, you will forgive us.  Please place among us the peace from your redemption.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!