Time for Grace-January 17, 2024

Time for Grace-January 17, 2024

Ephesians 2:17-19

He also came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.

Dear Lord Jesus,

You came to bring peace, but it is not as the world likes to envision it. They imagine peace will happen when wars cease, and everyone gets along.

However, we live in a sin-filled world with fellow people as its rulers, and they have hearts filled with pride, hate, anger, and every iniquity under the sun. So, while You have ordained governments to enact laws to curb people’s sins and have given them the power to punish lawbreakers, sin is not done away with, but laws are a way of keeping people in line. Peace will not come through laws, but they will help keep us safer if they are enforced.

True peace comes from knowing You have removed all our sins; they divide us from the heavenly Father, the Spirit, and You. You came and preached a message of repentance and forgiveness for all people because Your desire was for all people to be saved, so You willingly came and gave Your life as a ransom for our sins so that we would become part of Your holy family.

We pray that you would be with all our government leadership; give them understanding within their roles so they will provide security for us while we are on the earth. At the same time, let us remember true peace comes from our heavenly citizenship. Let us share that peace with those around us so that they, too, will have access to the Father by the Spirit through You. Amen.

Written through Pastor Roger Emmons

May the peace of God that passes all human understanding guard your hearts and minds in the one true faith in Christ Jesus.