- Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:12-13 – This is the good news of the Good News that we’re called to share. That those who were once far off from God because of their sin and had no chance of closing that distance on their own can be brought near to God because of Jesus. That’s a beautiful message to hear. Today I challenge you in the middle of whatever you are taking care of today to try to remember what it was like when you heard that good news for the first time. Often we can let life make the extraordinary message of the Gospel become common to us. Today, let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. In the course of today remember that you were once a stranger to God’s home yet now you’re a beloved child because of Jesus. Let’s make the Gospel extraordinary again in our life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 538
- And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:17-18 – He came and preached peace. What exactly does that mean? It means Jesus came to tell us that we can have a peaceful, no fear of wrath or condemnation, relationship with God the Father. That message is for those near and far, meaning this relationship with God is open for all and to all. For them the near was being a Jew, far was a gentile. For us we may think the near would the churchy people and far the ones who’ve made horrible mistakes. Not taking in that church people can make horrible mistakes, even if this was a way for us to understand near/far for us today, it doesn’t matter. All have had a way made for them to God, even if their path starts a little further away. So whether you needed to know you haven’t gone too far to have peace with God or you needed to hear that the person you love that’s walking away from God still hasn’t walked too far away from Him to turn back, the message today is peace for all. All can come to God and find peace with Him because of Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1592
- But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5 – It doesn’t take too long of listening to me teach at church to know that my favorite word in the Bible are the “But’s” of the Bible. Here is a beautiful example of why this is the case. We were once far off from God, dead in our sin, children of wrath, and carrying out the desires of the flesh. We we’re searching for God and we certainty weren’t trying to be with Him. Yet even in that despicable space we were in, God in his great love and mercy chose to see us and saved us. We were dead, yet now we are alive in Christ. We have been saved. Know then that this amazing salvation and rescue came through the work of Jesus on the cross, not the work of your hands. In fact, it was our works that got us to the horrible space we were in and it was only through the holy work of Jesus that allowed us the chance to be saved. Let’s remember that it’s only though the mercy and love of Jesus that any of us have this chance of life from death. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2397
Daily DEVO 