The Center of Salvation
Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus lays a foundation for the power of salvation that is achieved through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The core of the Christian faith is found in this event.
The forgiveness of sins that we experience as Christians came through the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. Jesus lived a perfect life, and became a perfect sacrifice for the brokenness of all mankind. Without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). And without the forgiveness of sins, we would not be able to approach our holy and perfect God. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection made a way for us to have a relationship with Him.
Jesus gave His life once and for all, which means that He doesn’t have to die again. All of your sins—past, present, and future—are forgiven through Jesus. In fact, nothing can separate you from the love God has for you.
Paul says that all of this is in line with God’s grace and His promises. All throughout Scripture God promises to redeem His people. He promises to rescue them and free them from their bondage to sin and brokenness. God accomplishes this through Jesus.
Think about God’s great love and grace for you. Do you feel forgiven and set free? Or are you weighed down by your mistakes? Spend some time talking to God, thanking Him for what He has done for you. Remind yourself of God’s promises. Ask Him to fill you with the knowledge of His love and grace.
How to Fight Fear
Think back to a time when you were genuinely scared.
As much as we’d prefer to never experience fear, fear is a part of the human experience. But when we are afraid, we have options…
We can panic, stress, get overwhelmed with worry, overthink every worst-case scenario, and attempt to numb out the anxiety-inducing situations around us in unhealthy ways … or, we can echo David’s words:
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Psalm 56:3 ESV
Something worth noting is that these words were penned after David had been captured by the Philistines. He was being harassed by his enemies and was scared for his life.
But David refused to settle for scared.
He resisted the urge to let fear have the final say. He decided to fight back with truth—and so can we.
We never have to fight alone. God has given us something more powerful than ordinary weapons: He’s given us His Word, His Spirit, and His people. Even when we don’t have access to the ...