Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 2:1-10 (day one)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it the gift of God.” (v 8) 44 years ago, I sat in a living room of an home in Amarillo, Texas. I had been invited by a friend to attend a Bible study for High School students. I had no expectations of a spiritual encounter. I was not conscious of any preparation in my heart for the new birth that I was about to experience. As I listened that night, a young man spoke of a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and I felt convicted of my need for a savior. By faith, that night, I prayed for Christ to come into my heart. Over the next weeks and years, I experienced new power operating in my life, the very presence of Christ. I was “made alive”. He forgve my sin. He gave me a gift, unearned and impossible to repay.
As I prepare to teach my SS Class of Burmese Students, I believe that the Holy Spirit is leading me to tell these vulnerable students that this lesson (Ephesians 2:1-10) will be their most valuable tool in combating the many Mormon and Jehovah Witness visitors to their apartments. This scripture is not vague or ambiguous; it is clear and powerful. Salvation by Grace and Grace Alone — a wonderful free gift from God. What a blessing it is to present God’s Word to this community.