Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

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Yet I Will Rejoice {No Matter What Monday}

March 25, 2019 by Marissa Leave a Comment

We’ve been taking a journey this month with the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk. He’s pleaded with God to relieve his suffering, heard a troubling answer, reminded himself of God’s character, and received comforting promises from his God. The book of Habakkuk concludes with a beautiful prayer of trust and hope that Habakkuk wrote to be sung by God’s people in worship. 

After remembering God’s faithfulness to His people throughout their history, Habakkuk ends his prayer with these words: 

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

These verses sounds strange to our modern ears . . . no figs or olive oil? Problems with the flock? But this is describing a natural disaster of huge proportions for an ancient, agrarian society. For Habakkuk, if the trees don’t blossom and the flock is gone, there is no food. Habakkuk is saying, “Even if the world falls apart and I lack basic necessities like food, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” 

What’s your “even if”? If the cancer comes back . . . if you never get married . . . if you suffer another miscarriage . . . if your prodigal child never returns home . . . if your relationship with your estranged family member never improves . . . yet we will rejoice in the Lord, we will take joy in the God of our salvation. 

Habakkuk isn’t trusting that his circumstances are going to get better – he’s trusting who God is, no matter what. He knows God can and will keep all His promises. He knows God is ruling and reigning over all things. The Lord is his strength as he seeks to live by faith, remembering that the One who’s been faithful in the past will be faithful throughout Habakkuk’s uncertain future. 

No matter what you face this week, find your joy and your strength in the faithful Lord. 

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Delight Yourself in the Lord {No Matter What Monday

January 21, 2019 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’ve noticed a trend in my life—maybe you’ve experienced this, too. I have my eye on something new for awhile, and I finally get it. At first, my new possession makes me happy. It’s shiny and pretty, or it makes my life easier, or it’s just a fun new toy. But then I find that this new thing doesn’t bring me as much joy as it did at first. A catalog comes in the mail, or a friend gets a new car, or I notice a cute pair of boots at the mall, and suddenly there’s something else that I want. 

I know it’s true, but I still so often forget: the things of this world will never truly satisfy my heart. No matter how much I get, I’ll always want more. There’s only one way to get the desires of my heart once and for all: 

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

This verse doesn’t mean that if I delight myself in the Lord, I’ll get everything listed in the latest Pottery Barn catalog. But as my delight in the Lord grows, my desire will be for Him and the good gifts He gives. And He is always faithful to give us every spiritual blessing in Christ (see Ephesians 1:3). 

God has given His Son to die for you. He’s given you His Spirit to dwell in you. If God gave up His own Son for you, you can have confidence that He will also give you everything else you need (see Romans 8:32). 

When your desire is for the Lord, you will have all you could ever hope for. When God gives you Himself, He also gives you His strength, His peace, His joy, His promises fulfilled, and eternity with Him. 

No matter what you face this week, delight in the Lord who has given Himself to you. 

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Your Waiting Will Not Last Forever {No Matter What Monday}

November 19, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Do you remember what it was like to have out-of-town visitors arriving in the days before cell phones? When I was a kid, I loved the days when our grandparents were coming to town. We knew how far they were driving and could ballpark a estimated arrival time, but we couldn’t be certain. All day we’d watch with eager anticipation for our loved ones, never knowing when the doorbell would end our waiting.

We’ve been talking about waiting for the past couple of weeks. We have courage because it’s the Lord we are waiting for. We remember that God is good to us while we wait. And today let’s find comfort in the promise that our waiting will not last forever. Whether we receive the desires of our hearts here or in heaven, there will be a glorious day when all our waiting will end.

“It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited on him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’” (Isaiah 25:9)

One day, we will behold our God and realize that all we need is Him. Can you imagine seeing the Lord and wishing you’d gotten that new car you’d always dreamed of? Everything else we’ve been waiting for will flee from our thoughts as we see the glory of God and enjoy His presence forever.

This line from a song by Sandra McCracken is one of my favorite descriptions of that day: “He has done great things, we will say together, we will feast and weep no more.”

Can you picture all of God’s people together, finally seeing the full goodness and beauty of our Lord and Savior, giving Him praise for all the great things He has done? Can you see the eyes that will never again cry sorrowful tears? On that day, we will have all we have ever waited for in Christ.

No matter what you face this week, your waiting will not last forever.

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A Future of Everlasting Joy {No Matter What Monday}

June 4, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

In Christ, we have a future of everlasting joy. Biblical encouragement, Scripture, and devotionals for women.Last week, I was listening to a friend wrestle with a big decision when she said something that really resonated with me: “I wish I could see into the future.”

One of my greatest frustrations in life is not knowing what’s ahead. Honestly, I struggle to trust God’s wisdom in not sharing this knowledge with us. Some days, I feel like I’m standing with my face scrunched up against the glass of time, desperate for a glimpse of what’s to come. It feels like it would be so much easier to navigate the hardships and choices of today if I had a clue about what tomorrow holds.

But God, in His perfect wisdom and faithfulness, tells us in His Word exactly what we need to know about our future—no less and no more. We know that for those who are in Christ, there will be a glorious end to our suffering, an imperishable inheritance, and eternal life in heaven. And in this verse from Isaiah, we learn that our future is filled with joy:

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 51:11)

Glorious singing. Joy that lasts forever. Not striving for happiness and abiding joy, but owning it always. No more sorrow, no more burdened sighs. Because of our Savior, we have been ransomed from this broken world, and this is the future that awaits us. Isn’t it beautiful?

When we wrestle with the hardships and choices of today, let’s cling to the promise of our glorious future. When we can’t see what’s ahead, let’s hold tightly to the One who holds all our tomorrows in His hands. When life overwhelms us, let’s remember the promises of our heavenly Father, who will carry us through the cares of this life and bring us into our joy-filled eternity.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord promises a future of everlasting joy.

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I write to remind myself of the truth of God's promises. I share my writing here in case you need to be reminded sometimes, too.

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When you need help, where do you turn? A few years When you need help, where do you turn? A few years ago, I realized that the internet’s vast supply of answers to life’s problems can cause us to be more disconnected from others. Before Google, if I needed to know how to poach an egg or house-train a puppy or get olive oil out of my favorite sweater, I would call my mom or a friend. Now those phone calls don’t happen because I have all the answers at my fingertips.⁠
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So when my son threw up on the loveseat in our living room, I decided to call my mom to ask how to clean it rather than typing the question into an impersonal search engine. I explained my predicament and asked her what I should do. The first words out of her mouth were, “Have you Googled it?”⁠
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I’m thankful for my helpful mom, knowledgeable friends, and of course, Google. But I’m even more thankful for the One we can turn to for help in any and every problem we face.⁠
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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2)⁠
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God is our refuge. He provides safety because He loves us and reigns over any circumstance, any power, or any person that would threaten us. As Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, nothing in this world can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ.⁠
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God is our strength. The One who created the heavens and the earth is your helper (Ps. 121:1-2). He placed in stars in the sky and the fish in the ocean depths, and He promises to give you His strength when you’re weak.⁠
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God is always present in our suffering. This is why the psalmist can say: “Therefore we will not fear . . .” We can face our troubles with confidence that the Lord is with us. He’s not just a passive, uninterested bystander. He’s not just an automated source of abundant answers as we attempt to solve our problems. He is our heavenly Father, our refuge, and our strength.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God is an ever-present help in trouble.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
Arkansas basketball fans will never forget that ni Arkansas basketball fans will never forget that night. It’s one of those “I remember where I was when . . .” moments. I was a senior in high school, riding home from an orchestra rehearsal. I listened on the radio as the Arkansas men’s basketball team beat Duke to win the 1994 NCAA National Championship. When we said we were #1, we weren’t just saying it—we had the trophy to prove it.⁠
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Have you ever read about God’s love for you, but the words felt hollow? Maybe as empty as the boastful claims of a losing team? We sometimes wonder if He really loves us. Our circumstances don’t always appear to reflect His love—at least not the kind of love we would choose!⁠
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And yet, God’s Word tells us that God doesn’t just say He loves us. He’s proved it. There’s no greater proof He could give than the sacrifice of His only Son.⁠
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“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)⁠
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Here’s how you know God’s love for you: before you ever loved Him, He sent His Son to be the propitiation for your sin. But what is propitiation, and what does it have to do with love?⁠
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Propitiation refers to Christ’s turning away God’s wrath from us by taking it on Himself. Christ laid His life over ours like a big shield, taking what we deserve because of our sin. Being our propitiation, our wrath-shield, came at a high price. The sinless One took the punishment our sin deserved and proved God’s great love for us.⁠
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When we start to wonder, “Does God really love me?” we can look at the cross and find reassurance. God sent His Son to give us new life. The Son died and took the wrath we deserved. There’s no higher price God could pay and no greater proof we could ask for.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God proved His love for you in Christ.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
We’re continuing our study of Ephesians in the @ We’re continuing our study of Ephesians in the @first5app and today I had the privilege of sharing about the armor of God. You can read the entire teaching at the link in my bio or in the app! ❤️

Posted @withregram • @first5app When the recipients of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians were exhorted to stand firm in a battle against the spiritual forces of darkness in Ephesians 6:12 , they may have felt overwhelmed. Maybe you feel overwhelmed, too, as you look at the rampant wickedness and unending problems in our world. Maybe you’re burdened by the weight of personal temptation or past failures.  But in reading Ephesians 6, we find that God knows exactly what we will face each day and He has already supplied everything our battle requires.

God’s armor covers us from head to toe — from our helmet to our shoes. Nothing is lacking from the protection and resources God provides.

God doesn’t ask us to assemble our own suit of armor and hope it holds up against the “flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). Our armor is God’s armor, and our strength is His strength. (Ephesians 6:10; Ephesians 6:13)

Our daily battles aren’t easy, but in Christ, victory over the enemy is guaranteed. (Romans 8:31; Romans 8:37)

-@marissalhenley  #First5

How can you see God providing what you need through the armor He has given?
This week, the world around us will be obsessed wi This week, the world around us will be obsessed with love. We will enjoy showing our love for others with pieces of candy taped to little paper cards, candle-lit dinners, and all the heart-shaped gifts money can buy. And while there’s nothing wrong with celebrating love and appreciating those around us, we’ll all wake up next Monday knowing that human love can’t ultimately meet our need to be fully known and fully loved. The love of family and friends is a wonderful gift from the Lord, but it’s not meant to fully satisfy us.⁠
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If you’re looking for love that never changes, never fails, and never ends, that love can only be found in the Lord.⁠
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“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)⁠
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“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved . . .” (Ephesians 2:4-5)⁠
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“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1a)⁠
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“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)⁠
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These verses—and many others in Scripture—reveal key insights about God’s love. First of all, God loved us while we were still sinners. He loved us when we were still dead in our sin (Ephesians 2:1-3). He will always be faithful in His love for us, and He proved that by sending His Son to die for us so we could have new life in Him.⁠
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Second, God’s love secures our place as His children. Our adoption is rooted in God’s love for us, not our being deserving of it. Our position before God isn’t like a job we can lose if we don’t perform. It’s the status of a child who’s been permanently adopted by a loving Father.⁠
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Third, God’s love never ends. The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.  Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). We have complete security in God’s eternal love for His children.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God’s faithful, fatherly love never fails.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
“It’s not fair!” This whiny cry is a nemesis “It’s not fair!” This whiny cry is a nemesis of parents everywhere, but it demonstrates our innate sense of justice. As those made in the image of the righteous God, we recognize what’s wrong and want it to be made right. As we finish our study of Psalm 63, we see that David felt the same way.⁠
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Can I be honest? I wanted to stop our study of Psalm 63 at verse 8. This is a tough passage, and I’m nervous that you might read a political agenda into these words. (Please don’t, and please see an important note I've added in the comments.) However, God’s justice is an important aspect of His character, and when we rightly understand it, we grow in our confidence in Him.⁠
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“But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.” (Psalm 63:9-11)⁠
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The introductory words of this psalm tell us it was written by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. He probably wrote it while running for his life from either Saul or Absalom (see 1 Sam. 23 and 2 Sam. 15). Either way, David asked God to defend him against the wicked actions of his enemies, and David trusted God to do so.⁠
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Psalm 63 reminds us that when we are treated unfairly, we can find hope in the reign of our King, Jesus Christ. It may seem like the wicked prosper now, but God will have the final say. Jesus triumphed over all His enemies on the cross and will one day judge the world with justice and righteousness. We look forward to the day when “a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice” (Isaiah 32:1).⁠
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On that day, “the mouths of liars will be stopped” and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Ps. 63:11, Phil. 2:11). When we look at the world and want to cry, “It’s not fair!”, we can trust the Lord to act with perfect justice and righteousness, now and forever.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, rejoice in Jesus Christ, the King of righteousness.
I recently joined my friend @niki.hardy on her Che I recently joined my friend @niki.hardy on her Chemo Chair Prayers podcast to talk about living with the unknowns of cancer. If you or someone you love is walking through this difficult situation, I'd love for you to listen. There's a link in my bio, or you can find Chemo Chair Prayers wherever you listen to podcasts.
It was familiar routine for many years. We both cl It was familiar routine for many years. We both climbed out of the white minivan, and I locked the doors. As we stepped out into the parking lot, she slipped her soft hand into mine. She knew that she was safest when she was holding her mom’s hand as we walked through the big, bad parking lot. Even as a tween, she still reaches for my hand out of habit, and it makes me smile.⁠
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Who was holding whom as my young daughter and I walked hand-in-hand? She was the one who reached out and grabbed my hand, but I was the one who wouldn’t let go. I was the one who would scoop her up and rush her to safety if danger threatened. If she forgot to reach out and grab my hand one day, I’d reach for hers and grasp it tight.⁠
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As we continue making our way through Psalm 63, we see that David holds on to the Lord even as he is held by the Lord.⁠
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“My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:8) ⁠
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As we’ve studied Psalm 63 this month, we’ve seen that God was refreshing water for David’s dry soul. David knew God’s love was better than life itself. He spent nights focusing on the Lord’s faithfulness rather than his worries and regrets. Today we read that as David’s soul clung to the Lord, the Lord’s right hand held him tight.⁠
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Are you struggling to cling to the Lord? Maybe it feels like your fingers keep slipping in the midst of fear and doubt. You’re trying to hold on, but your muscles are straining and threatening to quit.⁠
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If your grip on God feels weak or faltering today, take comfort in these promises of God: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).⁠
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Keep clinging, friend. And when you’re weary or overwhelmed, remember that the Lord’s steady hand upholds you. He gives you the strength and courage to persevere in the faith. He’s got a strong grip on you, and He won’t ever let go.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, keep clinging to the Lord and trust Him to hold you.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
The house is still quiet in the mornings as I open The house is still quiet in the mornings as I open my Bible and place my coffee mug on the teal coaster that a friend gave me for Christmas. It says, “It’s as if no one in my family appreciates that I stayed up all night overthinking for them.”⁠
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It’s funny because it’s true. As the mom of two teens and a tween, I had a lot of opportunities to overthink even before our world was rocked by a pandemic and political turmoil. Now my nightly overthinking has shifted into overdrive.⁠
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As we continue our study of Psalm 63, we see that David had a better approach to his bedtime routine.⁠
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“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” (Psalm 63:5-7)⁠
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Isn’t it fascinating that David specifically mentioned thinking about God in the watches of the night? He didn’t just praise God during the day - he turned his thoughts to the Lord as he laid down to sleep.⁠
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I think God understands that when we’re alone in the dark with our thoughts, we will be tempted to stew over the past or worry about the future. Through David’s words, God shows us another way. Instead of focusing on our troubles and fears, we can meditate on what God has done and remember that we can trust Him.⁠
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These verses also tell us that David had a satisfied soul and joy-filled lips. These two things are connected—when we find our satisfaction in the Lord, it leads us to praise. We are grateful rather than grumbling. We look at our gracious God and find reasons to be joyful in all circumstances.⁠
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David behaved this way because of what he believed about God. He was satisfied, joyful, and peaceful because he knew the Lord was his refuge and his help. Rather than running out on his own to fix All. The. Things, David sang for joy in the shadow of God’s wings. And so can we.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, you can shift from anxious overthinking into peaceful praise.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
Just sharing a teaching on another favorite passag Just sharing a teaching on another favorite passage - isn't Ephesians sooo good?! I was dead in my sin, but God didn't leave me there--this is the best news ever.

You can read the entire teaching at the link in my bio or in the @first5app. ❤️

Posted @withregram • @first5app “Which do you want first, the good news or the bad news?” 

I cringe when I hear this question. If I have to choose, I’d rather get the bad news over with first. In Ephesians 2:1-7, Paul shares devastating news followed by the best news imaginable. He starts with the bad news that we were all hopelessly and helplessly dead in our sin. 
 
Dead people can’t do anything to change their situation. They can’t make themselves better or even ask for help. Spiritually dead people have only one hope: a rescuer with the power to raise the dead and give them new life. Now it’s time for the good news. In Ephesians 2:4, we find these two little words that change everything: “But God.” 

You were dead in your sin, but God made you alive together with Christ. You were a child of God’s wrath, but God showed His mercy, love and kindness to you as one of His own. God has saved us so that He can spend eternity putting the immeasurable riches of His kindness and grace on display for us. Dear friends, there is no better news than that. 

-@marissa.henley #First5
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