In Spite of the Odds

'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies...' Psalm 23:5 NKJVIf you are going through a difficult
time right now, read these words: 'You prepare a table before me in the
presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...' (Psalm 23. 5-6 NKJV).
Underline the word 'surely'. It's God's guarantee! When does God
cause your cup to overflow with blessing? When does He empower you to overcome?
When does He demonstrate His goodness and mercy? In the presence of your
enemies! The odds and the opposition can't stop God from blessing you. 'But
I'm really struggling,' you say. Struggle is proof that you haven't been
conquered, that you refuse to surrender, that victory is still possible, and
that you're growing. As long as you keep walking with God and trusting Him, He
will work on your behalf. He will send His Spirit to guide you, His Word to
illuminate your mind, and friends to strengthen you in your time of struggle.
If you're teachable, you're reachable. Keep your heart open, keep listening to
God, keep obeying Him and you will see that your problem is just a platform for
Him to 'show Himself strong on your behalf.' (2 Chronicles
16:9 NKJV) You'll also
discover that His strength comes when you're at your weakest point (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Finally,
you'll be able to thank God for your enemies, because He's promised to bless
you right there in front of them. People and circumstances don't decide your
future, God does - so look to Him!

The Blood of Jesus

"'...The blood...makes atonement for the soul...' " Leviticus 17:11 NKJV

Jeffrey Ebert says: 'When I was five years old, before factory-installed seat belts and automobile airbags, my family was driving home at night on a two-lane country road. I was sitting on my mother's lap when another car driven by a drunk driver swerved into our lane and hit us head on. I don't have any memory of the collision. I do recall the fear and confusion I felt as I saw myself literally covered with blood from head to toe. Then I learned that the blood wasn't all mine, but my mother's. In that split second when the two headlights glared into her eyes, she instinctively...curled her body around mine. It was her body that slammed against the dashboard, her head that shattered the windshield. She took the impact...so that I wouldn't have to. It took extensive surgery for my mother to recover from her injuries.' At the cross Jesus took the impact of our sin, and the moment we place our trust in Him, His shed blood reconciles us to God. Consider God's problem. The Bible says God is '...of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness...' (Habakkuk 1:13 NKJV) So God solves His problem by repositioning us 'in Christ', and seeing us 'through the blood'. The songwriter wrote: 'When God looks at me He doesn't see the things I've done, He only sees the blood of His crucified Son.' God's Word says, 'The blood...makes atonement for the soul.' The word 'atonement' means 'at-one-ment'. Wonderful, the blood of Jesus bridges the gap and makes us one with God! *Word for Today