Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:11-13
Separate from Christ … strangers to the covenants of promise … having no hope …
without God in the world …
What tragic words. Words that described each of us before we met Jesus and
accepted the gift of salvation. And they describe millions of people throughout
our world today.
I can’t imagine living without Jesus in my life. I don’t know how I made it
through my twenty-year rebellion without him. Without the confidence that God
has a purpose for my life, a purpose for the pain, a purpose for the trials,
I’d be … well, I might just not be at all.
These days, my only real hope comes from my relationship with my Lord and
Savior. It hurts my heart to see people I love who don’t have that hope. I
wrote in my book, The Best Laid Plans:
Why in the world would I,
would you, want to look forward to another day on this earth without hope that
every new day would bring the peace that God promised? God does promise us a
future filled with hope. A synonym for hope is “expectation.” God promised us a
future full of expectation for His provision, for His comfort, for His protection,
and, yes, for His peace. I often wonder how those who don’t know Jesus have
hope. What is it they hope for? Is it wealth? Is it possessions? Is it a
relationship? And when money or things or people let them down, then
what do they hope for? I’m ever-grateful for my Lord, who welcomed this
prodigal back with open and loving arms. I’m ever-grateful that I am no longer
separated from Christ, that I’m no longer a stranger to God’s covenant of
promise, that I have hope, and that I am a beloved daughter of the Father.
Where are you? Are you separated from Christ, without real hope? God the Father
is waiting patiently for you to open the door of your heart.
Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10
If you ask a group of people if there’s a heaven, most will answer yes. If you
ask those same people how they'll get to heaven, many will answer, “Be good” or
“Do good things.” And if the good outweighs the bad, they'll get through those
pearly gates.
While doing good things is certainly important, the Bible makes it very clear:
Doing good things (what Paul calls “works”) doesn’t save us. Salvation comes
only through faith. God’s grace—His unmerited favor—is offered to us freely,
and when we accept His gift, we are saved from our sins and we can be confident
of eternal life in heaven.
Good works are still important for those of who follow Christ, however. As
James wrote:
My friends, what good is it
to say you have faith, when you don't do anything to show that you really do
have faith? Can that kind of faith save you? If you know someone who doesn't
have any clothes or food, you shouldn't just say, "I hope all goes well
for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat." What good is it
to say this, unless you do something to help? Faith that doesn't lead us to do
good deeds is all alone and dead! (2:14-17, CEV)
But make no mistake, works alone won’t get you to heaven. They won’t save you
from your sins.
So if anyone asks you how to get to heaven, tell them the truth. Tell them the
good news of salvation through faith. Maybe you’ll be the one who leads them to
a relationship with their Savior!
Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:4-7
Yesterday, I wrote that if we’re not following God, we’re following His enemy.
We’re “dead people walking.” But when we commit our lives to Christ, we are
“made alive.” And it’s because of God’s love, His mercy, His grace, and His
kindness.
God loves us so very much, and He freely showers us with mercy, grace, and
kindness.
Mercy … “compassion or forbearance shown especially to an
offender or to one subject to one's power.”
Grace … “unmerited divine assistance given humans for
their regeneration or sanctification.”
Kindness … “the quality or state of being kind; favor; benevolence.”
We don’t deserve any of these precious gifts. We don’t deserve being “seated
with Him in the heavenly places.” We don’t deserve His love.
But He does love us: "God loved the people of this world so much that
he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal
life and never really die" (John 3:16, CEV). That’s how much He loves me. That’s how much He loves you.
Have you accepted God’s amazing gifts of love, mercy, grace, and kindness? He’s
waiting to give them to you.
Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:1-3
I have no desire to be who I was. Although I asked Jesus into my heart when I
was six years old, I allowed circumstances to take me away from my child-like
faith. I made very deliberate, very poor choices, and I became a “dead woman
walking.”
I reveled in what the world offered—partying, drinking, dancing ‘til dawn. I
indulged the lusts and desires of my flesh. It was all about me.
As I think about it now, I realize I’d changed my alliance. Instead of serving
the God of the universe, I was serving the “prince of the power of the air.”
Just writing those words just about breaks my heart. It’s one thing to say I
chose not to follow God’s leading; it’s quite another to say I chose to follow
His enemy.
Jesus was so very right when He said we can’t serve two masters. And if we’re
not serving God, we’re serving Satan.
No matter whom we are now, at one time—before we chose to follow Christ—we
followed Satan. The question is, how obvious is it that we are serving God? If
someone were to look at us as we’re standing in a very long line at the grocery
store, would they know we’re Christians? If they read our Facebook page, would
they see Christ shine through us? If they heard us joke with our friends, would
they hear the love of God?
Would the world still see us as “dead people walking”? Or would they see
something different. Something appealing. Something like Christ.
