1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:12,830 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,690 --> 00:00:18,230 Speaker 1: a calming, scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,310 --> 00:00:21,590 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:21,610 --> 00:00:26,579 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,180 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: we will reflect on tonight's scripture and Ephesians 2 Our 6 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,610 Speaker 1: evening reflection is written by Amber Ginter and read by 7 00:00:45,670 --> 00:00:53,730 Speaker 1: Kyle Norman. Ephesians 2 As for you, you were dead 8 00:00:53,770 --> 00:00:56,790 Speaker 1: in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to 9 00:00:56,870 --> 00:00:59,620 Speaker 1: live when you followed the ways of this world. and 10 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the 11 00:01:02,260 --> 00:01:05,850 Speaker 1: spirit who is now at work, and those who are disobedient. 12 00:01:07,170 --> 00:01:11,130 Speaker 1: All of us lived among them at one time, gratifying 13 00:01:11,150 --> 00:01:14,869 Speaker 1: the cravings of our flesh, and following its desires and thoughts, 14 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,619 Speaker 1: like the rest we were by nature deserving of wrath. 15 00:01:20,380 --> 00:01:24,100 Speaker 1: But because of his great love for us, God, who 16 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,700 Speaker 1: is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even 17 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,580 Speaker 1: when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace 18 00:01:32,620 --> 00:01:36,569 Speaker 1: that you have been saved. And God raised us up 19 00:01:36,650 --> 00:01:39,870 Speaker 1: with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly 20 00:01:39,930 --> 00:01:43,690 Speaker 1: realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming 21 00:01:43,810 --> 00:01:48,190 Speaker 1: ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace 22 00:01:49,030 --> 00:01:53,830 Speaker 1: expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For 23 00:01:54,030 --> 00:01:57,020 Speaker 1: it is by grace that you have been saved through faith, 24 00:01:57,950 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: And this is not from yourselves, it is the gift 25 00:02:00,670 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: of God, not by works so that no one can boast. 26 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to 27 00:02:09,860 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: do good works, which God prepared in advance for us 28 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:20,750 Speaker 1: to do. Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles 29 00:02:20,810 --> 00:02:25,530 Speaker 1: by birth and called uncircumcised by those who call themselves 30 00:02:25,950 --> 00:02:29,490 Speaker 1: the circumcision, which is done in the body by human hands. 31 00:02:30,530 --> 00:02:34,260 Speaker 1: Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, 32 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,299 Speaker 1: excluded from citizenship in Israel, and foreigners to the covenants 33 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 1: of the promise, without hope and without God in this world. 34 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,230 Speaker 1: But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away 35 00:02:48,990 --> 00:02:52,130 Speaker 1: have been brought near by the blood of Christ, for 36 00:02:52,169 --> 00:02:56,070 Speaker 1: he himself is our peace, who has made the two 37 00:02:56,150 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: groups one, and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing walls 38 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law 39 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,299 Speaker 1: with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create 40 00:03:09,340 --> 00:03:14,139 Speaker 1: in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus 41 00:03:14,260 --> 00:03:18,700 Speaker 1: making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of 42 00:03:18,740 --> 00:03:21,690 Speaker 1: them to God through the cross, by which he put 43 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:27,530 Speaker 1: to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to 44 00:03:27,550 --> 00:03:30,310 Speaker 1: you who are far away, and peace to those who 45 00:03:30,389 --> 00:03:34,270 Speaker 1: are near. For through him we both have access to 46 00:03:34,310 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer 47 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people, and 48 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,420 Speaker 1: also members of his household, built on the foundation of 49 00:03:49,460 --> 00:03:52,780 Speaker 1: the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself being 50 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:57,700 Speaker 1: the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined 51 00:03:57,740 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 52 00:04:02,820 --> 00:04:06,460 Speaker 1: And in Him, you too are being built together to 53 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: become a dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit. 54 00:04:14,970 --> 00:04:17,510 Speaker 1: At the end of every day, most of us think 55 00:04:17,570 --> 00:04:20,770 Speaker 1: back over the highs and lows. What we did right, 56 00:04:21,350 --> 00:04:25,710 Speaker 1: what we did wrong, who we talked to, what we accomplished, 57 00:04:26,110 --> 00:04:29,570 Speaker 1: but we still didn't check off the list. If we 58 00:04:29,610 --> 00:04:33,270 Speaker 1: aren't careful, this mental inventory even gets taken to bed, 59 00:04:33,730 --> 00:04:36,630 Speaker 1: and before we know it, we're tossing and turning with 60 00:04:37,250 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: questions that never seem to end. Thankfully, passages like Ephesians 61 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: 2 remind us that our relationship with God isn't based 62 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 1: on how many items we've checked off our to-do list, 63 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,370 Speaker 1: how long we read our Bible, or even how many 64 00:04:54,470 --> 00:04:57,650 Speaker 1: spiritual things we did that day in service to Jesus. 65 00:04:59,500 --> 00:05:02,700 Speaker 1: Our relationship with God has never been based on how 66 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 1: well we perform. And yet, maybe, we live like it does. 67 00:05:09,670 --> 00:05:13,990 Speaker 1: Instead of resting in grace, we rest in busyness and productivity. 68 00:05:15,050 --> 00:05:17,290 Speaker 1: So we put our heads down and we keep going 69 00:05:17,810 --> 00:05:20,589 Speaker 1: and we burn the candle at both ends. But is 70 00:05:20,630 --> 00:05:26,420 Speaker 1: this really how Jesus says we should live? In Ephesians 2, 71 00:05:26,420 --> 00:05:34,740 Speaker 1: we see that, quote, Contrary to how we might live 72 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,260 Speaker 1: or believe, grace isn't something we have to work hard 73 00:05:38,370 --> 00:05:42,310 Speaker 1: enough to deserve, achieve, or earn. Rather, it is something 74 00:05:42,350 --> 00:05:48,670 Speaker 1: we receive. Tonight, and every night after that, God isn't 75 00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:52,970 Speaker 1: asking you to prove yourself before you rest. He's inviting 76 00:05:53,010 --> 00:05:56,729 Speaker 1: you to accept what he's already freely given to those 77 00:05:56,770 --> 00:06:01,290 Speaker 1: who believe. When you think about your life, are you 78 00:06:01,390 --> 00:06:05,090 Speaker 1: tempted to measure your worth by what you do? I 79 00:06:05,130 --> 00:06:08,170 Speaker 1: know I am. Do you ever feel like you have 80 00:06:08,210 --> 00:06:12,170 Speaker 1: to earn God's approval or carry your mistakes as punishments? 81 00:06:13,230 --> 00:06:17,150 Speaker 1: If so, you're not alone. But instead of judging or 82 00:06:17,190 --> 00:06:23,510 Speaker 1: shaming yourself, talk honestly with God, using these questions. Where 83 00:06:23,570 --> 00:06:27,089 Speaker 1: am I trying to earn what God already has given 84 00:06:27,150 --> 00:06:32,090 Speaker 1: me through grace? And where have I confused following Jesus 85 00:06:32,790 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: with trying to prove myself? This passage reminds us that 86 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: sin is serious. Paul's clear about that. But where we've 87 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: been isn't who we are. And because of his great 88 00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: love for us, God is rich in mercy and love. 89 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,130 Speaker 1: This revelation he offers us isn't a paycheck for good 90 00:06:54,190 --> 00:06:58,450 Speaker 1: deeds or behavior. It's a free gift given to all 91 00:06:58,490 --> 00:07:03,310 Speaker 1: who will accept it. Yes, good works still matter, but 92 00:07:03,330 --> 00:07:07,690 Speaker 1: they come after grace. So tonight, you don't have to 93 00:07:07,770 --> 00:07:11,210 Speaker 1: calculate whether you did enough to prove yourself to God. 94 00:07:11,730 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: You can confess what needs confessing, receive forgiveness, and then 95 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:21,380 Speaker 1: walk in freedom. Because your identity is isn't found in 96 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: the success or failure of today. It's found in Christ alone. 97 00:07:30,990 --> 00:07:35,210 Speaker 1: Dear Jesus, Tonight, I want to thank you for your 98 00:07:35,290 --> 00:07:38,950 Speaker 1: grace and mercy. I confess that I've tried to win 99 00:07:38,970 --> 00:07:43,430 Speaker 1: your approval, that I pour out my sins, failures, regrets, 100 00:07:44,010 --> 00:07:48,620 Speaker 1: and disappointments of today. Thank you for saving grace today. 101 00:07:49,510 --> 00:07:52,830 Speaker 1: Thank you that it isn't based on what I do 102 00:07:52,950 --> 00:07:57,620 Speaker 1: or who I am, but who you are. Please help 103 00:07:57,660 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: me to accept this gift and live in the freedom 104 00:08:00,980 --> 00:08:08,900 Speaker 1: it offers. I love, praise, and thank you, Jesus. Amen. 105 00:08:11,070 --> 00:08:14,070 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 106 00:08:14,530 --> 00:08:26,460 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum Discussions. Thank you for 107 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:31,260 Speaker 1: listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture was read from 108 00:08:31,310 --> 00:08:38,710 Speaker 1: the New International Version by Biblica. All rights reserved. Be 109 00:08:38,770 --> 00:08:42,410 Speaker 1: sure to follow our sister show, Your Daily Bible Verse, 110 00:08:42,650 --> 00:08:47,810 Speaker 1: on Apple or Spotify. By following Your Daily Bible Verse 111 00:08:48,410 --> 00:08:51,890 Speaker 1: and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be sure that your 112 00:08:51,980 --> 00:08:56,090 Speaker 1: day begins and ends today. centered on the Word of God.