Last Sunday we were challenged with Sola Scriptura- the importance of Scripture to our church and individual lives. Its SO easy to say we highly value Scripture but boy was I convicted by my lack of desire to read it and truly desire it above all else.
"Let us then consider it certain and conclusively established that the soul can do without all things except the Word of God."
~Martin Luther
We were challenged to read the book of Ephesians for 5 days this week. I am on day 3 and its SUCH a good book- I think what has hit me most is the contrast of the life we had before Christ and the life we enjoy after we have accepted the good news of the gospel as our sole means of salvation-listen to these verses and get ready to be blown away!
Ephesians 2:1-10
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh,indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in 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 as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
WOW- what grace! What unmerited favor God showed to me- a rebel to His cause!
The whole book is filled with passages like this- showing the sinfulness of man and the greatness of God- and how God reached across that great chasm and filled it with the His Son- CHRIST- on the cross. Brings me to tears.
What a mystery! What love! What grace! What a glorious Gospel!
I pray as I gaze on this great truth that my soul would desire
more and more of this GREAT God and His GREAT Word!
1 comment:
AMEN! Ephesians is definately one of my favorites.
{Fun to find your blog...love the design Bailey did for you! }
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