Scripture: Ephesians 2 v 12 - 13:
"That at that time ye were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now, in Christ
Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of
Christ."
Think back to how your life was before Jesus cleansed you
from all sin by His own shed blood - your life was disordered and strange. Paul
describes it as a life without hope, full of despair, because the purpose of
God was missing.
With Jesus in your heart your life becomes ordered and
manageable. You are entered into the covenant of promise that God has for you.
When you line up with His purpose for your life everything changes for the
better. Hope is restored and every day becomes a victory to celebrate. He who
has begun a good work in your life will continue it until you are home with
Him.
Jesus never said we would have no challenges, troubles or
disappointments but He said I will be with you, I will never leave you. It
helps if you submit to His guidance and don't rush in to volatile situations
willy nilly. The enemy sets traps for
us, we must let Jesus reveal them and lead us onto higher ground.
Sometimes we are faced with insurmountable difficulties,
usually through some disobedience on our part, and we need to stand firm, find
out what Jesus has decided about it and never waver in our faith. No matter how
dire the situation may look, if Jesus says it will be sorted, it may take time,
but His Word never returns to Him void. It always accomplishes what He intended
it to do.
So if you are struggling and do not know Jesus and His
power, this is your opportunity to open your heart to let Him in. Confess your
sins, repent of (change your mind about) being sinful; forgive those who have
hurt you; ask Jesus to cleanse you with His Blood. Invite Jesus Christ to come
into your heart and be your Lord and Saviour. You are now born again and your
name is written in the Lamb's book of Life.
That is called going from Despair to Victory and sharing
that blessing with others makes the victory sweeter.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You only want good things and
experiences for Your children. You have made promises and blessings for us that
are truly wonderful. We thank You for Your love and compassion to all who seek
Your face. Teach us humility and respect. In Jesus' name. Amen.