Rev. Willie Denson

      I hope that you can have a “but now”. 

That at that time ye were without Christ, being alien from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:12-13 (K.J.V.) Rev. Willie Denson

I have done some bad thing in my life, some things that I dare not even speak of to close friends. I am also sure that most people have done some things that they are ashamed to think of today. There was a period in my life that I was too stupid to even regard God in my daily life. I went about my life as if God did not exist.

But now, (and I am so glad that I have a “but now”.)I can give God all the praise, glory, and honor because even when I didn’t regard him, he cared for me. It is only by the grace of God that I am here today.

Here in this passage of scripture Paul is reminding the gentile Christians of Ephesus that they were once left on the outside of the promises and covenants that he made to Israel. They were without God and therefore without hope.   

Then Paul gives them their “but now”. Paul tell them that they have been brought in close to the promises, the covenants, and the hope in God through the blood of Christ. The separation that use to exist between the Jew and the gentile, the separation that use to exist between the everyday Jew and the priesthood, all of that separation had now become one in Christ Jesus. Whatever you may have done in your life you can find peace and hope in Jesus.

You can have a “but now”. If you accept Jesus into your life, you can boldly say that I use to do this or I use to do that, but now, but now, but now.   

May God bless you and God keep you.