Verse of the Day 5/27

Through the Bible - 2 Kings 15-16, Matthew 14:22-36

 

Good morning,

The other day we considered times when we may have been away from God and how through various circumstances and trials he draws us back to Himself as we "grope" or "feel our way in the dark" for Him, that through this process we might find, come to realize that -" in him we live and move and have our being.' Acts 17:28 

Yesterday we considered how God delights in those that do justice, love kindness, and humbly walk with Him.  For today's verse we'll go to a familiar passage from Paul in Ephesians 2 where we are reminded where our salvation comes from and what saving faith leads to.

In verses 8 and 9 we are told God has given us salvation through faith as a gift.

 

 Eph 2:8  For  by grace you have been saved  through faith. And this is  not your own doing;  it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works,  so that no one may boast.   ESV

Today's verse follows immediately after these.  It is often overlooked, but in actuality, shouldn't be separated from what was written before it.

 

Eph 2:10 For  we are his workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus  for good works,  which God prepared beforehand,  that we should walk in them.   ESV

Jesus has saved us that we might follow Him, walk with Him, find who we are by realizing "whose" we are.

 

Take a few minutes and think of the words to the old hymn "Trust and Obey".

 

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy with Jesus, but to trust and obey.

 

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

 

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

 

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

 

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we'll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Eph 2:1-11

 

By Grace Through Faith

 

2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.   NKJV