November 30, 2017
God spoke all these words: I am God, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery. No other gods, only me.” Exodus 20:2-3 The Message
The oldest lie in history is this: ‘God doesn’t keep his word.’ It’s been whispered throughout all recorded time. No one is immune. It’s loudest when you are at the end of your rope. If you’ve been lifted out of a life of slavery, you know exactly what God means when he says that you are not to look to any other gods … only me. You can become a slave to objects .. substances .. people .. and worst of all yourself. But God has spoken clearly about who He is .. who you are .. where He found you .. and from where He has rescued your life. He’s promised to be your enough. That’s often the daily battle: God’s enough versus your enough? An old English Anglican Christ-follower once wrote: “You will never need more than he can supply, and what he supplies, both materially and spiritually will always be enough for the present.”* That’s the promise found in Jesus. There isn’t one barrier that remains between Christ’s cross and your life. His life is his promise that God always keeps his word … always. There will be times when the circumstances feel overwhelming. Your prayers seem to evaporate from your lips. Your heart races in desperation. How is God enough when there isn’t enough? That’s where the liar sows the lie. God told a wandering collection of former slaves that He was their God … their only God. Anything else was a lie and would lead them back into slavery. Jesus is this same word in your life. He is the only Lord who lifted you out of slavery and the only Lord who will never leave you to yourself. Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ! Whether you are in the desert or surrounded by urban walls .. Jesus keeps his word. He will be your enough. The battle and the lie are both real. Which enough will you take hold of today? It only takes a moment….
“Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”… “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Romans 8:35/Hebrews 13:8 Christian Standard
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent to Jesus People (*J.I. Packer)