Text:
Ephesians 2:14 (NLT)
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
Observation:
Yesterday I listened to what man, female and male, said about how to have unity in our nation.
This morning as I sat down to write the Lord directed my steps to turn to this passage in Ephesians. In this passage we hear of what God says about how to have true unity.
Many of you heard what man said. If you are willing, here is what God says in His Word.
Ephesians 2:11-18 (NLT)
11 Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
Who do you believe; man or God? Who do you trust; man or God? Who do you follow; man or God?
Numbers 23:19 (NLT)
19 God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
God has spoken. What is your response to Him?
Prayer:
Father, I exalt Your name higher the highest heavens. Father, I declare that my only hope is in You alone because all other ground is sinking sand.
Father, I pray that no one listening to the sound of my voice or reading these words would reject your invitation to come to You, and find the only way to peace and rest that endures forever. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:
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