Tues.’s Devo - Our Victory in Christ

Read: Isaiah 43:14-45:10; Ephesians 3:1-21; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 24:1-2 Because of God’s love for his people, he forced the Babylonians to flee from them. He made a dry path through the sea for Israel to escape on and drowned the Egyptians in the sea. He gave them water in the wilderness to drink. *** God had done all that for Israel, but now, when in trouble, she wouldn’t turn to ask him to help. She had forgotten the Lord. She had stopped bringing him sacrifices and offerings. She had burdened the Lord with her sins and faults. *** God alone is the one who will blot out our sins. Man had proven he was a sinner, beginning with Adam. Man has no argument of his innocence with God. All his leaders broke the laws God gave him. So, God disgraced their priests and decreed complete destruction for Jacob and shame for Israel. *** But now, the Lord was calling Israel to repent. God promised to pour out his Spirit upon their descendants and his blessings on their children. They would thrive and proclaim the name of the Lord. *** God challenged anyone to step forward and prove their power against God’s power. *** We were made to be God’s witness that He is the only God. Those who make idols are foolish and their idols are a total sham. But those who put their trust in the Lord will not be ashamed. God has paid the price for our salvation and our sins and offenses will be scattered like the dust in the wind. *** God exposes the false prophets and proves that the wise of this world are really fools. He was sending his servant, Cyrus to level those in authority and smash their kingdoms they thought were so secure. He called Cyrus when he didn’t even know God. He called him for the sake of God’s people, just like he called Trump for the people of God in our day. *** Paul’s message was that both the Gentiles and the Jews who believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ shared equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. This had been the plan from the beginning of time and was now revealed to the church. God was going to use the church to display his wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. *** May God empower us with inner strength through his Spirit and may Christ make his home in our hearts.