[ampaterry]

Hagen442, welcome to the Amen corner!
Thank you all for the support -

For today:

I have always been interested in old laws and customs, especially those that seem VERY outlandish by today’s standards. There is a law on the books that says an automobile cannot drive at night unless it is preceded by a man carrying a lantern. In Memphis, Tennessee, it is illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians. I’m not going to elaborate on that one!

Some time ago I read this, which leads to the point for today’s message:
In 1842 the first bathtub was denounced as a "luxurious and democratic vanity". I have seen pictures of bathtubs with boards blocking the bathers view of their own body, because it was considered sinful! Boston made it unlawful to bathe, except on doctor's prescription. In 1843, Philadelphia made bathing illegal between November 1 and March 15. Now we know when NOT to visit Philadelphia, huh?

These practices sure seem outlandish! We laugh at people that passed such laws, or believed in such customs, don’t we? Yet there are MANY Christians today that have some VERY odd ideas about cleansing – spiritual cleansing, that is. It is tragic, but true. We have adopted some practices which we need to change! In many cases, we would rather put up with the stench of our unconfessed sins than come clean before God!

Jeremiah 4:14 (KJV); “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?”

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV); “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

1 John 1:9 (KJV); “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And – by the way – someday in the future, someone interested in old ridiculous laws will point out that way back in 2012, the legislature in New York made it illegal to sell large soft drinks, and then forced the hospitals to lock up the baby formula to encourage breast feeding, and will guffaw at all the laws that tried to make us safer by disarming us - -

May God richly bless you, guys -