Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
The focus of 10 Minutes with God this week is Paul’s teaching to husbands and wives in Ephesians 5. If you are married, begin your week by thanking God for your partner in marriage and asking him, by his Spirit, to be the “third cord” of your marriage.
If you are not married – ask the Lord to use this teaching to either prepare you for that relationship or to enrich all of your current significant relationships.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of the water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church – for we are all members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife, as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:21-33
We have a product at our house called “Gorilla Glue.” The bottle claims that Gorilla Glue can bond everything from wood to glass to foam – and is faster and stronger than any other bonding agent available. While I’m not quite convinced that Gorilla glue is all it claims to be, I do know that it can bond skin if you aren’t careful!
Paul here turns his attention to how new life in Christ should manifest itself in the central relationships of our lives – including marriage. And he begins, in effect, with the “Gorilla Glue” of marriage – Christ himself.
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Notice that Paul is assuming that all of our relationships begin with a prior relationship with Christ. That is, our relationship with Jesus is to shape our relationships with others. Paul has already taught us that we become adopted into our new family when we hear the word of truth, believe, and then are sealed by the Holy Spirit (chapter 1). And that once Jesus takes up residence in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (chapter 3), we are to put off our “old selves” and put on our “new selves” which are created to be like God (chapter 4). As new people we are then to treat others the way Jesus would treat them – with respect, compassion and forgiveness (chapter 4).
What does all this have to do with marriage? Paul is telling us that the first step in growing a great marriage relationship is to be fully submitted to Jesus Christ – and to be growing more and more like him. He is telling us that the Gorilla Glue of marriage is Christ himself. As we allow Jesus to shape our hearts and lives, we will find all of our relationships – including marriage – deepened and strengthened by him.
Close your time with God today by thanking him for your husband or wife (if you are married), or for the central relationships in your life, and by asking him to teach you how to love others as he loves them.
Brian Coffey
Friday, May 28
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. - Ephesians 5:21
The word Paul uses here for submit literally means, “arrange under”. More importantly, Greek has three voices or ways of describing a given action: active, middle and passive. The active voice for submitting would be “subjugate” them. In Paul’s writings, the only time the active voice is used, God alone is the “subjugator”. An example is Eph. 1:22 where Paul says, in effect, God subjugated all things under Christ’s feet. The passive voice of submitting would imply “let yourselves be subjugated”. In this verse and the verses that follow (right up to 6:9) only the middle voice is used, “submit yourselves”.
That means that the submission Paul urges is both voluntary and mutual.
All of us are voluntarily to submit to each other!
None of us is told to make someone else submit to us. That totally changes the nature of submission in the church. Other than for teaching young children to obey their parents (mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures), there is no place for those in authority to ensure or force the submission of others. This applies to all relationships in the body of Christ – husbands and wives, children and parents, masters and servants.
In saying this, Paul is dealing with the basic remedy for all the conflicts in our day. Paul will apply this principle as he discusses the relationship of husbands to wives, which brings in the whole realm of marriage and divorce and the problems that arise there. Then he will take up the matter of children and parents, which we have already talked about (see previous devotions this week) Then he will take up the issue of management and labor. In each case, the remedy is always the same: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
If we have any desire at all to be part of a solution to the issues surrounding us today, we must do so out of an understanding of what God has revealed about the heart of the problem. We must go back to the cause of all human strife – selfishness. Every one of us has at some time asked the question, “How can I get the greatest satisfaction out of life?”
Sooner or later, in our attempts to get what we want out of life, we find ourselves on a collision course with someone else who is attempting the same thing. We find that our efforts to satisfy ourselves are continually sabotaged by others who are trying to achieve satisfaction in the same way. We insist on our rights, and others insist on their rights, and so we become obstacles to each other.
But Paul changes the whole pattern for us by introducing two radical factors that alter the whole situation.
First, the Christian must never forget that in every relationship of life, another person is present: It is not merely a problem of what I want versus what you want. In every relationship a third Person is present—the Lord Jesus Christ!
Second, when I am at odds with another person, to see that Christ is there too is to make me aware immediately of what He has taught me. It is only when I forget myself and devote myself to another's fulfillment that I will find my own heart running over with grace and satisfaction.
This is one of the fundamental mysteries of life, and it is confirmed to us every day. Those who try desperately to satisfy themselves are the ones who end up hollow inside. Jesus put it this way: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
It becomes, then, a question of priority. You cannot have your rights by insisting upon them. You can have them only when you seek to give others their rights.
Do you dare to try living this radical principle right where you live today??
Lord Jesus, You who emptied yourself of Your glory and laid down Your rights in order to serve us, help us to follow Your example and submit to each other for Your sake and for the glory of God - Amen
Jeff Frazier
The word Paul uses here for submit literally means, “arrange under”. More importantly, Greek has three voices or ways of describing a given action: active, middle and passive. The active voice for submitting would be “subjugate” them. In Paul’s writings, the only time the active voice is used, God alone is the “subjugator”. An example is Eph. 1:22 where Paul says, in effect, God subjugated all things under Christ’s feet. The passive voice of submitting would imply “let yourselves be subjugated”. In this verse and the verses that follow (right up to 6:9) only the middle voice is used, “submit yourselves”.
That means that the submission Paul urges is both voluntary and mutual.
All of us are voluntarily to submit to each other!
None of us is told to make someone else submit to us. That totally changes the nature of submission in the church. Other than for teaching young children to obey their parents (mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures), there is no place for those in authority to ensure or force the submission of others. This applies to all relationships in the body of Christ – husbands and wives, children and parents, masters and servants.
In saying this, Paul is dealing with the basic remedy for all the conflicts in our day. Paul will apply this principle as he discusses the relationship of husbands to wives, which brings in the whole realm of marriage and divorce and the problems that arise there. Then he will take up the matter of children and parents, which we have already talked about (see previous devotions this week) Then he will take up the issue of management and labor. In each case, the remedy is always the same: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
If we have any desire at all to be part of a solution to the issues surrounding us today, we must do so out of an understanding of what God has revealed about the heart of the problem. We must go back to the cause of all human strife – selfishness. Every one of us has at some time asked the question, “How can I get the greatest satisfaction out of life?”
Sooner or later, in our attempts to get what we want out of life, we find ourselves on a collision course with someone else who is attempting the same thing. We find that our efforts to satisfy ourselves are continually sabotaged by others who are trying to achieve satisfaction in the same way. We insist on our rights, and others insist on their rights, and so we become obstacles to each other.
But Paul changes the whole pattern for us by introducing two radical factors that alter the whole situation.
First, the Christian must never forget that in every relationship of life, another person is present: It is not merely a problem of what I want versus what you want. In every relationship a third Person is present—the Lord Jesus Christ!
Second, when I am at odds with another person, to see that Christ is there too is to make me aware immediately of what He has taught me. It is only when I forget myself and devote myself to another's fulfillment that I will find my own heart running over with grace and satisfaction.
This is one of the fundamental mysteries of life, and it is confirmed to us every day. Those who try desperately to satisfy themselves are the ones who end up hollow inside. Jesus put it this way: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
It becomes, then, a question of priority. You cannot have your rights by insisting upon them. You can have them only when you seek to give others their rights.
Do you dare to try living this radical principle right where you live today??
Lord Jesus, You who emptied yourself of Your glory and laid down Your rights in order to serve us, help us to follow Your example and submit to each other for Your sake and for the glory of God - Amen
Jeff Frazier
Thursday, May 27
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. – Ephesians 6:9
Paul’s words to owners of slaves are based on the same principle he gave to the slaves themselves. But why didn’t Paul just tell all slave owners to set their slaves free? Surely any human “owning” any other human is immoral.
Why didn’t Jesus himself speak out against this horror that was so common in his world?
We must beware of judging people of another culture and another era by standards which we have adopted after many decades of debate and political action. The early church was born and grew in a world that fully integrated slavery into the economy and society. They (the early Christians) too were marginalized and powerless and had little or no impact on their world as a whole. Even if they had, slavery could not be eliminated very easily; slaves outnumbered free people in many cities. Given this reality, it is remarkable to see the radical steps the church had taken.
The truly remarkable thing in this passage is that Paul assumes that slave and free will be worshiping together in the local churches! Not only were they equal before the cross, but they both came under the law of Christ and were responsible to him for their treatment of each other.
In another place (the book of Philemon), Paul appeals to a slave owner to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus as a brother. In the church, slaves and masters were brothers and sisters, whatever they were in the world. It was that attitude and those values that would eventually lead to the abolishment of the slave trade and slavery itself.
In the words of the great Christmas Hymn “O Holy Night”,
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
My guess is that it is a safe bet that there aren’t many slave owners reading this devotion. But there are probably more than a few readers who either employ others or supervise others in various occupations.
How can we apply Paul’s words to ancient slave owners to employers and/or supervisors today?
Here are a few thoughts…
Treat those who work for you or under your supervision with respect and with sincerity of heart, just as you would treat Christ Jesus.
Manage them, not just for your own convenience or to make them productive, but doing what is right because you serve Christ.
Supervise them fairly knowing you are both being supervised by Jesus.
Remember you will be rewarded for the good you do, just as they will.
Slave owners had the same Master in heaven that slaves had. Both were expected to serve him faithfully, whatever their respective roles.
Lord Jesus, you called Yourself servant of all, yet You are the Master of everything. Help us to serve others in Your name, regardless of rank or title, and without favoritism toward any – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Paul’s words to owners of slaves are based on the same principle he gave to the slaves themselves. But why didn’t Paul just tell all slave owners to set their slaves free? Surely any human “owning” any other human is immoral.
Why didn’t Jesus himself speak out against this horror that was so common in his world?
We must beware of judging people of another culture and another era by standards which we have adopted after many decades of debate and political action. The early church was born and grew in a world that fully integrated slavery into the economy and society. They (the early Christians) too were marginalized and powerless and had little or no impact on their world as a whole. Even if they had, slavery could not be eliminated very easily; slaves outnumbered free people in many cities. Given this reality, it is remarkable to see the radical steps the church had taken.
The truly remarkable thing in this passage is that Paul assumes that slave and free will be worshiping together in the local churches! Not only were they equal before the cross, but they both came under the law of Christ and were responsible to him for their treatment of each other.
In another place (the book of Philemon), Paul appeals to a slave owner to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus as a brother. In the church, slaves and masters were brothers and sisters, whatever they were in the world. It was that attitude and those values that would eventually lead to the abolishment of the slave trade and slavery itself.
In the words of the great Christmas Hymn “O Holy Night”,
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
My guess is that it is a safe bet that there aren’t many slave owners reading this devotion. But there are probably more than a few readers who either employ others or supervise others in various occupations.
How can we apply Paul’s words to ancient slave owners to employers and/or supervisors today?
Here are a few thoughts…
Treat those who work for you or under your supervision with respect and with sincerity of heart, just as you would treat Christ Jesus.
Manage them, not just for your own convenience or to make them productive, but doing what is right because you serve Christ.
Supervise them fairly knowing you are both being supervised by Jesus.
Remember you will be rewarded for the good you do, just as they will.
Slave owners had the same Master in heaven that slaves had. Both were expected to serve him faithfully, whatever their respective roles.
Lord Jesus, you called Yourself servant of all, yet You are the Master of everything. Help us to serve others in Your name, regardless of rank or title, and without favoritism toward any – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Wednesday, May 26
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. - Ephesians 6:7-8
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. – Colossians 3:23
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58
Paul repeatedly tells us that we (all Christians) should be working for God and not for men. But what does this mean exactly? Is Paul only talking about “church work”, i.e. serving in the church or ministry, or is he talking about all of our work? How can we “work for God” if we are employed by a corporation, or a school district, or a construction company? How can we serve God when we also have earthly bosses to worry about?
I recall a conversation I once had with a friend who told me that he was envious of my occupation as pastor. He said that he wished he could be more involved in the church, but he was frustrated because his job kept him so busy that he had no time for ministry. He had completely separated his work life from his spiritual life.
Paul cuts right across those assumptions with his instructions to slaves in Ephesians 6. Work done in the name of Christ is ministry. The way you do your job is important to the Kingdom. Ideally there is no tension between work and ministry because they are one and the same when done as slaves of Christ.
But what relevance do instructions to slaves have for modern day employees? To put things into perspective, it is important to note that in 100 AD slaves in the Greek and Roman world were not all like slaves from Africa in the modern era. Not only menial tasks, but virtually all work - skilled, unskilled and professional - was done by slaves.
There were an estimated 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, and clearly Paul would have been addressing many in the churches. It was such a widely accepted fact of normal economic life that it was virtually unchallenged in the ancient world. Paul’s concern then is not the abolition of slavery, but how to deal with the tension between living as a slave while being free spiritually in Christ. Paul’s instructions to slaves of the Roman Empire have parallel relevance to all Christians today who have no choice but to work for someone else to earn a living.
Here are a few reflections to help you determine who you are really working for…
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have redeemed our lives from the slavery of sin & death. Help us to live and work as if we were Your slaves alone, with joyful obedience, faithful service and genuine integrity. - Amen
Jeff Frazier
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. – Colossians 3:23
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58
Paul repeatedly tells us that we (all Christians) should be working for God and not for men. But what does this mean exactly? Is Paul only talking about “church work”, i.e. serving in the church or ministry, or is he talking about all of our work? How can we “work for God” if we are employed by a corporation, or a school district, or a construction company? How can we serve God when we also have earthly bosses to worry about?
I recall a conversation I once had with a friend who told me that he was envious of my occupation as pastor. He said that he wished he could be more involved in the church, but he was frustrated because his job kept him so busy that he had no time for ministry. He had completely separated his work life from his spiritual life.
Paul cuts right across those assumptions with his instructions to slaves in Ephesians 6. Work done in the name of Christ is ministry. The way you do your job is important to the Kingdom. Ideally there is no tension between work and ministry because they are one and the same when done as slaves of Christ.
But what relevance do instructions to slaves have for modern day employees? To put things into perspective, it is important to note that in 100 AD slaves in the Greek and Roman world were not all like slaves from Africa in the modern era. Not only menial tasks, but virtually all work - skilled, unskilled and professional - was done by slaves.
There were an estimated 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, and clearly Paul would have been addressing many in the churches. It was such a widely accepted fact of normal economic life that it was virtually unchallenged in the ancient world. Paul’s concern then is not the abolition of slavery, but how to deal with the tension between living as a slave while being free spiritually in Christ. Paul’s instructions to slaves of the Roman Empire have parallel relevance to all Christians today who have no choice but to work for someone else to earn a living.
Here are a few reflections to help you determine who you are really working for…
Do you work hard only when the boss is watching or only when you know those who could advance your career will notice it?
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. – Ephesians 6:6
Do you entangle yourself in office politics or water-cooler gossip about your co-workers?
Do you ever cheat your company or employer of an honest day’s work?
(re-read the verses at the beginning of this devotion)
What if you saw God as your “boss”??
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. – Ephesians 6:6
Do you entangle yourself in office politics or water-cooler gossip about your co-workers?
Do you ever cheat your company or employer of an honest day’s work?
(re-read the verses at the beginning of this devotion)
What if you saw God as your “boss”??
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have redeemed our lives from the slavery of sin & death. Help us to live and work as if we were Your slaves alone, with joyful obedience, faithful service and genuine integrity. - Amen
Jeff Frazier
Tuesday, May 25
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4
As a father, I sometimes wish the command had been “Children, don’t exasperate your fathers”, but that isn’t the way it is. The command for children to obey their parents is balanced here with a command to fathers – and mothers, since the word used can apply to both parents. Paul was writing to people living in a patriarchal society in which the father held absolute authority in the home, but the Bible teaches that raising children is to be a joint effort between both mother and father (and of course mothers can be just as exasperating to children as fathers).
Nevertheless, the importance of fathers in the lives of children really cannot be overstated. Many children grow up without a Father in the home, or in their life at all. Author Donald Miller’s book, To Own A Dragon speaks directly to this tragic reality. In the back of the book he lists some horrifying statistics, among them “85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.”
Fathers and mothers alike have to be careful not to discipline their children out of anger or frustration, which only teaches them to handle their own problems with anger. Instead, treating them as individuals made in the image of God and having their independent relationship to God will help us take them by the hand and lead them where they were meant to go. Proverbs 22:6 says, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. The challenge is to distinguish between the way we wish they would go and the way their heavenly Father has designed them to go. But it is a challenge all parents must face. The simple truth is that parenting is hard - really hard. Every parent knows the feelings of anxiety, fear, and general inadequacy that accompany our efforts to raise our kids “right”.
Every parent knows that there is no “one size fits all” approach to parenting; there is no such thing as a magical parenting formula that works for every child. Of course there are certain things that every child needs - things like security, encouragement, discipline, guidance, etc. But when and how to discipline, or when and how to encourage - these are tough questions for parents. When you combine this with the different personalities and temperaments of each child and then with their different developmental stages, you realize that parenting is much more like solving a riddle than following an instruction manual. This is why I am always a little leery of books or seminars that make promises like 10 steps or seven principles of perfecting parenting.
Raising kids in the training and instruction of the Lord takes wisdom, discernment, courage, perseverance and grace (and a whole lot of prayer). But isn’t this precisely the way our Heavenly Father handles us? God does not treat us all with some cookie cutter approach to our spiritual growth, and we should all be very glad that He doesn’t. His Spirit convicts, comforts, challenges, teaches, heals, prompts, and guides in different ways and at different times for different people. Your Father knows when you need to be comforted and He knows when you need to be kicked in your spiritual rear-end. Remember, we are his children and He is fathering us as His children, His dearly loved children (Eph. 5:1).
If you are a parent, take a few moments to thank God for the amazing gift of your children…
Ask Him to give you His insight as your heavenly Father, to know the way each of your children should go, and for the wisdom and courage to train and instruct them in it…
Thank God that He knows you and He designed the way in which you are to go. Thank Him that He is perfectly willing and able to train and instruct you in it.
Prayer:
Father, we praise you for the blessing of children, grant us the joy of taking them by the hand as they grow in their understanding and love of you, and teach us all to know that we too are children with you as our Father – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
As a father, I sometimes wish the command had been “Children, don’t exasperate your fathers”, but that isn’t the way it is. The command for children to obey their parents is balanced here with a command to fathers – and mothers, since the word used can apply to both parents. Paul was writing to people living in a patriarchal society in which the father held absolute authority in the home, but the Bible teaches that raising children is to be a joint effort between both mother and father (and of course mothers can be just as exasperating to children as fathers).
Nevertheless, the importance of fathers in the lives of children really cannot be overstated. Many children grow up without a Father in the home, or in their life at all. Author Donald Miller’s book, To Own A Dragon speaks directly to this tragic reality. In the back of the book he lists some horrifying statistics, among them “85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.”
Fathers and mothers alike have to be careful not to discipline their children out of anger or frustration, which only teaches them to handle their own problems with anger. Instead, treating them as individuals made in the image of God and having their independent relationship to God will help us take them by the hand and lead them where they were meant to go. Proverbs 22:6 says, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. The challenge is to distinguish between the way we wish they would go and the way their heavenly Father has designed them to go. But it is a challenge all parents must face. The simple truth is that parenting is hard - really hard. Every parent knows the feelings of anxiety, fear, and general inadequacy that accompany our efforts to raise our kids “right”.
Every parent knows that there is no “one size fits all” approach to parenting; there is no such thing as a magical parenting formula that works for every child. Of course there are certain things that every child needs - things like security, encouragement, discipline, guidance, etc. But when and how to discipline, or when and how to encourage - these are tough questions for parents. When you combine this with the different personalities and temperaments of each child and then with their different developmental stages, you realize that parenting is much more like solving a riddle than following an instruction manual. This is why I am always a little leery of books or seminars that make promises like 10 steps or seven principles of perfecting parenting.
Raising kids in the training and instruction of the Lord takes wisdom, discernment, courage, perseverance and grace (and a whole lot of prayer). But isn’t this precisely the way our Heavenly Father handles us? God does not treat us all with some cookie cutter approach to our spiritual growth, and we should all be very glad that He doesn’t. His Spirit convicts, comforts, challenges, teaches, heals, prompts, and guides in different ways and at different times for different people. Your Father knows when you need to be comforted and He knows when you need to be kicked in your spiritual rear-end. Remember, we are his children and He is fathering us as His children, His dearly loved children (Eph. 5:1).
If you are a parent, take a few moments to thank God for the amazing gift of your children…
Ask Him to give you His insight as your heavenly Father, to know the way each of your children should go, and for the wisdom and courage to train and instruct them in it…
Thank God that He knows you and He designed the way in which you are to go. Thank Him that He is perfectly willing and able to train and instruct you in it.
Prayer:
Father, we praise you for the blessing of children, grant us the joy of taking them by the hand as they grow in their understanding and love of you, and teach us all to know that we too are children with you as our Father – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Monday, May 24
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise — “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” - Ephesians 6:1-3
This is a very familiar passage to many of us. Perhaps you can still hear the voice of your mother or father quoting this verse to you in order to get you to behave. Perhaps you have used it in the same way with your children.
It is interesting that Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Ephesus assuming that there would be children in the congregation. He apparently expected children to be present in the worship gatherings when his letter would have been read aloud. Imagine families sitting together; mothers and fathers, sons and daughters all listening as these words are read to them. Can you imagine first century moms and dads elbowing their children and whispering, “I told you so.”
When I was a youth pastor, I would often hear kids asking the question about how far they had to take this commandment. Questions like: what are the limits of this call to obey our parents? What are the circumstances under which we don’t have to obey? What if my parents are just wrong? Of course we all know or have heard horror stories of parental abuse or neglect and in such cases strict obedience is not God’s will. We may also be in a situation where we have grown up and are out on our own, and we no longer obey like we did when we were young children. But these are exceptions and they do not negate the Biblical principle here. We are called to obey and to honor our parents!
Paul gives three basic reasons for this command. First of all, it is right. It is part of the natural order of how things work. This is virtually self-evident. No society on earth can tolerate rebellious children without serious consequences. Second, Paul appeals to the Ten Commandments. Children’s obedience is not just naturally right; it has been revealed as a requirement of God. Children in Jewish society were considered morally responsible at 13 years of age (boys) and at 12 (girls). It is significant to note that when Jesus was 12 he was confounding the teachers of the law in the temple at Jerusalem with his understanding and answers (Luke 2: 47), yet when he returned home with his parents he was still obedient to them. Finally, Paul reminds us of the promise associated with the command – the prospect of the good life and enjoying long life on earth. The promise is not so much to individuals as to whole societies. Everyone will be happier and enjoy life to the full where children are given moral responsibility and they voluntarily act in the way God intended.
This passage is describing how things are supposed to work in God’s kingdom on earth. But we do not have to look very far or very hard today to see that this is not the way most of the world operates. The Christian family is supposed to be an example to the world of the grace and love of God in action. The call for children to obey and honor their earthly parents is a reflection of the call for us all to obey and honor our heavenly father. We do not always understand what God is doing or why He requires certain things of us. We certainly will not always feel like obeying, but He is still our Heavenly Father!
Take a few moments to thank God for your parents…
If your parents are no longer living – thank Him for the memories and legacy they left in you…
If your parents were less than perfect, if they wounded you in some way – ask God to help you forgive them (for this is a part of honoring them too) and to be grateful for the few things they did well…
Ask God to help you see how you can (whatever your age or stage of life) obey His command to “honor your mother & father”…
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, though you were perfect and without sin, you were humble enough to obey and honor your imperfect parents while you were on earth. Teach us to live as your children and to learn the great joy of honoring our earthly parents in order that we might become more obedient to You. - Amen
Jeff Frazier
This is a very familiar passage to many of us. Perhaps you can still hear the voice of your mother or father quoting this verse to you in order to get you to behave. Perhaps you have used it in the same way with your children.
It is interesting that Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Ephesus assuming that there would be children in the congregation. He apparently expected children to be present in the worship gatherings when his letter would have been read aloud. Imagine families sitting together; mothers and fathers, sons and daughters all listening as these words are read to them. Can you imagine first century moms and dads elbowing their children and whispering, “I told you so.”
When I was a youth pastor, I would often hear kids asking the question about how far they had to take this commandment. Questions like: what are the limits of this call to obey our parents? What are the circumstances under which we don’t have to obey? What if my parents are just wrong? Of course we all know or have heard horror stories of parental abuse or neglect and in such cases strict obedience is not God’s will. We may also be in a situation where we have grown up and are out on our own, and we no longer obey like we did when we were young children. But these are exceptions and they do not negate the Biblical principle here. We are called to obey and to honor our parents!
Paul gives three basic reasons for this command. First of all, it is right. It is part of the natural order of how things work. This is virtually self-evident. No society on earth can tolerate rebellious children without serious consequences. Second, Paul appeals to the Ten Commandments. Children’s obedience is not just naturally right; it has been revealed as a requirement of God. Children in Jewish society were considered morally responsible at 13 years of age (boys) and at 12 (girls). It is significant to note that when Jesus was 12 he was confounding the teachers of the law in the temple at Jerusalem with his understanding and answers (Luke 2: 47), yet when he returned home with his parents he was still obedient to them. Finally, Paul reminds us of the promise associated with the command – the prospect of the good life and enjoying long life on earth. The promise is not so much to individuals as to whole societies. Everyone will be happier and enjoy life to the full where children are given moral responsibility and they voluntarily act in the way God intended.
This passage is describing how things are supposed to work in God’s kingdom on earth. But we do not have to look very far or very hard today to see that this is not the way most of the world operates. The Christian family is supposed to be an example to the world of the grace and love of God in action. The call for children to obey and honor their earthly parents is a reflection of the call for us all to obey and honor our heavenly father. We do not always understand what God is doing or why He requires certain things of us. We certainly will not always feel like obeying, but He is still our Heavenly Father!
Take a few moments to thank God for your parents…
If your parents are no longer living – thank Him for the memories and legacy they left in you…
If your parents were less than perfect, if they wounded you in some way – ask God to help you forgive them (for this is a part of honoring them too) and to be grateful for the few things they did well…
Ask God to help you see how you can (whatever your age or stage of life) obey His command to “honor your mother & father”…
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, though you were perfect and without sin, you were humble enough to obey and honor your imperfect parents while you were on earth. Teach us to live as your children and to learn the great joy of honoring our earthly parents in order that we might become more obedient to You. - Amen
Jeff Frazier
Friday, May 21
Psalm 1:6
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Thank the Lord today for his guidance over your life and ask him to keep you from that which would dishonor him and damage your own soul.
Read:
Ephesians 4:25-32
(v. 25) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work. Doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
When it comes to anger, are you a “spewer” or a “swallower?” Let me explain. A spewer is a person who, when they are angry, typically vents that anger or frustration immediately and outwardly to whoever happens to be in the vicinity. A swallower is someone who, instead of spewing anger on others, tends to swallow that anger inside themselves. In fact, quite often swallowers are not even aware that they are angry, but they are – sometimes even more angry than the spewers.
Paul here is giving some very practical instruction about these two kinds of anger. He calls them “rage” and “bitterness.” But before he talks about rage and bitterness – he says, “In your anger do not sin.” In other words, anger, as a human emotion, is not necessarily sinful. Anger can, at times, be the appropriate response to frustration, pain or injustice because it tells us something is wrong and can spur us to take action. But anger, according to Paul, also makes us vulnerable to sin. Two of the forms of sinful anger that Paul mentions (he actually mentions several others as well) are rage and bitterness.
Rage is the outward and often explosive expression of anger. Rage is spewing. Rage is sinful because it hurts other people and destroys relationships.
Bitterness is anger turned inward. Bitterness is swallowing anger and holding on to it while it ferments and rots in our souls. Bitterness is sinful because it also hurts people (mostly us) and destroys relationships. It may work more slowly and more coldly – but it destroys nonetheless.
Paul teaches us two things with regard to rage and bitterness. First, he urges us to keep short accounts. “Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.” In other words, recognize and deal with your anger before it becomes sinful. Then he says, “get rid” of your anger. How do we do that? The rest of scripture suggests that prayer and confession is a great place to begin. When we allow the Holy Spirit to expose the anger we harbor in our hearts and then confess that to God in the safety and trust of prayer, we will find that he begins to release us from that rage or bitterness – and enables us to move toward genuine forgiveness.
So, are you a spewer or a swallower? Take some time as you close your week with God and ask him to help you identify any sinful anger you may have spewed or swallowed in recent days. Then ask him to help you confess and release that anger with his help.
Brian Coffey
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Thank the Lord today for his guidance over your life and ask him to keep you from that which would dishonor him and damage your own soul.
Read:
Ephesians 4:25-32
(v. 25) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work. Doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
When it comes to anger, are you a “spewer” or a “swallower?” Let me explain. A spewer is a person who, when they are angry, typically vents that anger or frustration immediately and outwardly to whoever happens to be in the vicinity. A swallower is someone who, instead of spewing anger on others, tends to swallow that anger inside themselves. In fact, quite often swallowers are not even aware that they are angry, but they are – sometimes even more angry than the spewers.
Paul here is giving some very practical instruction about these two kinds of anger. He calls them “rage” and “bitterness.” But before he talks about rage and bitterness – he says, “In your anger do not sin.” In other words, anger, as a human emotion, is not necessarily sinful. Anger can, at times, be the appropriate response to frustration, pain or injustice because it tells us something is wrong and can spur us to take action. But anger, according to Paul, also makes us vulnerable to sin. Two of the forms of sinful anger that Paul mentions (he actually mentions several others as well) are rage and bitterness.
Rage is the outward and often explosive expression of anger. Rage is spewing. Rage is sinful because it hurts other people and destroys relationships.
Bitterness is anger turned inward. Bitterness is swallowing anger and holding on to it while it ferments and rots in our souls. Bitterness is sinful because it also hurts people (mostly us) and destroys relationships. It may work more slowly and more coldly – but it destroys nonetheless.
Paul teaches us two things with regard to rage and bitterness. First, he urges us to keep short accounts. “Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.” In other words, recognize and deal with your anger before it becomes sinful. Then he says, “get rid” of your anger. How do we do that? The rest of scripture suggests that prayer and confession is a great place to begin. When we allow the Holy Spirit to expose the anger we harbor in our hearts and then confess that to God in the safety and trust of prayer, we will find that he begins to release us from that rage or bitterness – and enables us to move toward genuine forgiveness.
So, are you a spewer or a swallower? Take some time as you close your week with God and ask him to help you identify any sinful anger you may have spewed or swallowed in recent days. Then ask him to help you confess and release that anger with his help.
Brian Coffey
Thursday, May 20
Psalm 1:4-5
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For your prayer today, ask God to use his word to keep you from sin and evil – and to protect you with his righteousness.
Read:
Ephesians 4:17-24
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding, and are separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
On of the television shows my family has enjoyed watching from time to time in recent years is “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” That’s the show where a family with a special story or need is identified and the crew moves in and totally rebuilds their home. Most often this process requires a complete tearing down or demolition of the old home before the new one can be built in its place.
That’s the idea behind Paul’s teaching here about the “old self” and the “new self.” When we come to faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our hearts and begins a process that might be described as an “extreme makeover.” The “old us” –with distorted beliefs, selfishness, pride and sinful attitudes – must be torn down, demolished, thrown out, in order for the “new us” to be rebuilt – with new beliefs, new attitudes, and new behaviors.
This spiritual makeover is both an instantaneous event and a process that takes years to be complete. It is instantaneous because the moment we open our hearts in surrender to faith, Christ enters in the person of the Holy Spirit and takes up residence in our lives – never to leave us. And it is also a process that takes years – if not the rest of our lives – to complete because we are sinful beings and need the continual mentoring and discipline of the Holy Spirit as we are slowly but surely shaped into the likeness of our Lord.
Take a few moments to think about how your heart, life and behaviors have changed since you came to know Jesus as Lord.
Then ask him if there are still a few rooms of your heart that need to be cleaned out and refurnished in him.
Invite Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to complete the extreme makeover he has already begun in your life!
Brian Coffey
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For your prayer today, ask God to use his word to keep you from sin and evil – and to protect you with his righteousness.
Read:
Ephesians 4:17-24
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding, and are separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
On of the television shows my family has enjoyed watching from time to time in recent years is “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” That’s the show where a family with a special story or need is identified and the crew moves in and totally rebuilds their home. Most often this process requires a complete tearing down or demolition of the old home before the new one can be built in its place.
That’s the idea behind Paul’s teaching here about the “old self” and the “new self.” When we come to faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our hearts and begins a process that might be described as an “extreme makeover.” The “old us” –with distorted beliefs, selfishness, pride and sinful attitudes – must be torn down, demolished, thrown out, in order for the “new us” to be rebuilt – with new beliefs, new attitudes, and new behaviors.
This spiritual makeover is both an instantaneous event and a process that takes years to be complete. It is instantaneous because the moment we open our hearts in surrender to faith, Christ enters in the person of the Holy Spirit and takes up residence in our lives – never to leave us. And it is also a process that takes years – if not the rest of our lives – to complete because we are sinful beings and need the continual mentoring and discipline of the Holy Spirit as we are slowly but surely shaped into the likeness of our Lord.
Take a few moments to think about how your heart, life and behaviors have changed since you came to know Jesus as Lord.
Then ask him if there are still a few rooms of your heart that need to be cleaned out and refurnished in him.
Invite Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to complete the extreme makeover he has already begun in your life!
Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 19
Psalm 16:1-2
Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
For your prayer today, thank the Lord for the safety of his presence and the guidance of his word. Thank him for the many good things he has provided to you.
Read:
Ephesians 4:7, 11-12, 16
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it….
(v.11.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…
(v. 16) From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
About six weeks ago I was carrying some luggage and tried to open a hotel room door handle with just the index finger on my right hand. Somehow, either my finger slipped or the handle snapped back in such a way that my finger was wrenched hard in a direction it was not meant to bend. I felt a sharp pain and knew I had done something bad to my finger. Within a few minutes my knuckle was swollen and I began to suspect I had probably sprained or torn a ligament of some kind. Over the next few days I was amazed at how many things were harder to do because just one of my fingers was out of whack. It was hard to get dressed, it was hard to tie my shoes, it was hard to open packages or bottles, and even at night it was hard to sleep.
Paul loved to use the analogy of the human body in his teaching about the church. In referring to the church as the “body of Christ,” Paul was saying more than just that the church is a large group of people. He as saying the church is a group of people that are uniquely called, gifted, and arranged so that they function in a coordinated and unified way – just as our bodies do.
He says, “…from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” This means that just as my body needs my finger and the ligaments that allow that finger to function properly – so also the church needs each person, uniquely gifted and placed, to be functioning as God intended for the body of Christ to be all that it can and should be. It also means that when even one part – no matter how small – is not functioning as God intended, the whole body suffers as a result.
What part of the body are you? Your personal and spiritual gifts might make you like the mouth (teacher); or the hands (one who serves); or legs (one who goes out into the world); or the heart (one who cares for others). But you do have a role in this body – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. God wants you to know that there are no insignificant members of his body. You matter to him and your service matters to his church!
Brian Coffey
Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
For your prayer today, thank the Lord for the safety of his presence and the guidance of his word. Thank him for the many good things he has provided to you.
Read:
Ephesians 4:7, 11-12, 16
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it….
(v.11.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…
(v. 16) From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
About six weeks ago I was carrying some luggage and tried to open a hotel room door handle with just the index finger on my right hand. Somehow, either my finger slipped or the handle snapped back in such a way that my finger was wrenched hard in a direction it was not meant to bend. I felt a sharp pain and knew I had done something bad to my finger. Within a few minutes my knuckle was swollen and I began to suspect I had probably sprained or torn a ligament of some kind. Over the next few days I was amazed at how many things were harder to do because just one of my fingers was out of whack. It was hard to get dressed, it was hard to tie my shoes, it was hard to open packages or bottles, and even at night it was hard to sleep.
Paul loved to use the analogy of the human body in his teaching about the church. In referring to the church as the “body of Christ,” Paul was saying more than just that the church is a large group of people. He as saying the church is a group of people that are uniquely called, gifted, and arranged so that they function in a coordinated and unified way – just as our bodies do.
He says, “…from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” This means that just as my body needs my finger and the ligaments that allow that finger to function properly – so also the church needs each person, uniquely gifted and placed, to be functioning as God intended for the body of Christ to be all that it can and should be. It also means that when even one part – no matter how small – is not functioning as God intended, the whole body suffers as a result.
What part of the body are you? Your personal and spiritual gifts might make you like the mouth (teacher); or the hands (one who serves); or legs (one who goes out into the world); or the heart (one who cares for others). But you do have a role in this body – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. God wants you to know that there are no insignificant members of his body. You matter to him and your service matters to his church!
Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 18
Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
As you begin your time today, ask God to use his word to grow your roots deep into his truth so that your life may bear fruit for him.
Ephesians 4:14-16
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
I can remember as a young person watching a goofy television show called “Truth or Consequences.” I don’t actually remember much about the show – but I have always wondered if the person who came up with the name for that show was familiar with the Bible!
Paul knew that the city of Ephesus was dominated by the magnificent Temple of Artemis (a pagan goddess) that was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. He knew that the young Ephesian believers were being bombarded daily with philosophies and superstitions that threatened their spiritual growth in Christ. So he focuses on the truth of what God has done in and through Jesus Christ – and reminds his readers that truth matters.
A number of years ago a man named Marshal Applewhite attracted a ragtag band of devoted followers to his “Heaven’s Gate” cult. He claimed – among other things - that an alien spaceship was soon going to rendezvous with earth and that all those who followed his commands would be transported to what he called the “level beyond human.” What happened, of course, was the tragic mass suicide of several dozen of his followers.
Truth matters! Recognizing, understanding and acting on truth produces consequences that are certain. And failing to recognize, understand, and act on truth also has consequences that are equally certain.
When Paul uses the word “truth” he is talking about the truth of Christ. He means that Jesus was the Son of God, and that by his death and resurrection salvation is available to all who believe. The truth is that without Christ, we are still in our sins and separated from the hope of eternal life. The truth is that by faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells our hearts to assure us we are children of God (Romans 8) and to guarantee our inheritance (of eternal life).
Truth matters. As human being we do not create truth, but we discover truth. And then we choose to acknowledge that truth or disregard it. I can choose to believe that gravity does not exist or that it does not apply to me. But if I jump off the top of my house, it will not matter that I do not believe in gravity, because gravity is true and I will fall to the earth with a thud. The same is true with Christ.
The truth of Christ is not exclusive or harsh – just as the truth of gravity is not exclusive or harsh. It is simply true. God’s grace is that he shares his truth with us so that we might understand, believe and act on that truth.
Have you accepted the truth of Jesus Christ? If so, thank God for the promises of his truth. If not – or if you are not sure – ask God to make his truth clear to you so that you can make a decision of faith!
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
As you begin your time today, ask God to use his word to grow your roots deep into his truth so that your life may bear fruit for him.
Ephesians 4:14-16
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
I can remember as a young person watching a goofy television show called “Truth or Consequences.” I don’t actually remember much about the show – but I have always wondered if the person who came up with the name for that show was familiar with the Bible!
Paul knew that the city of Ephesus was dominated by the magnificent Temple of Artemis (a pagan goddess) that was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. He knew that the young Ephesian believers were being bombarded daily with philosophies and superstitions that threatened their spiritual growth in Christ. So he focuses on the truth of what God has done in and through Jesus Christ – and reminds his readers that truth matters.
A number of years ago a man named Marshal Applewhite attracted a ragtag band of devoted followers to his “Heaven’s Gate” cult. He claimed – among other things - that an alien spaceship was soon going to rendezvous with earth and that all those who followed his commands would be transported to what he called the “level beyond human.” What happened, of course, was the tragic mass suicide of several dozen of his followers.
Truth matters! Recognizing, understanding and acting on truth produces consequences that are certain. And failing to recognize, understand, and act on truth also has consequences that are equally certain.
When Paul uses the word “truth” he is talking about the truth of Christ. He means that Jesus was the Son of God, and that by his death and resurrection salvation is available to all who believe. The truth is that without Christ, we are still in our sins and separated from the hope of eternal life. The truth is that by faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells our hearts to assure us we are children of God (Romans 8) and to guarantee our inheritance (of eternal life).
Truth matters. As human being we do not create truth, but we discover truth. And then we choose to acknowledge that truth or disregard it. I can choose to believe that gravity does not exist or that it does not apply to me. But if I jump off the top of my house, it will not matter that I do not believe in gravity, because gravity is true and I will fall to the earth with a thud. The same is true with Christ.
The truth of Christ is not exclusive or harsh – just as the truth of gravity is not exclusive or harsh. It is simply true. God’s grace is that he shares his truth with us so that we might understand, believe and act on that truth.
Have you accepted the truth of Jesus Christ? If so, thank God for the promises of his truth. If not – or if you are not sure – ask God to make his truth clear to you so that you can make a decision of faith!
Monday, May 17
Psalm 1:1-2
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night.
Begin this week by thanking God for his word and asking him to help you walk in the counsel of his truth.
Read:
Ephesians 4:7, 11-16
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it….
(v.11.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
My wife and I have four sons – ages 19, 17, 14 and 12. This means that, at any one time, all four of our boys are at different levels of physical, emotional and spiritual maturity. Where the older boys are mature enough to have their driver’s licenses and can come and go basically as they please, the younger boys don’t yet enjoy that kind of freedom. And while they may not always like it, they understand that they will receive those privileges when they are old enough and mature enough to handle the increased responsibility. And, believe me, they are definitely looking forward to those driver’s licenses!
In the same way, Paul here speaks of the hope of maturity – not physical maturity, but spiritual maturity. He says that one of the purposes of the church – of pastors and teachers – is that “the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Just as there are milestones of maturity in our son’s lives – turning 13, going to high school, getting a driver’s license – so also Paul suggests several milestones of spiritual maturity. He seems to identify “works of service,” “the knowledge of the Son of God,” and “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” as a few of the telltale markers of spiritual maturity.
In other words, we don’t necessarily grow more spiritually mature simply by growing older! We grow in spiritual maturity by knowing and believing certain things, by doing certain things, and by intentionally pursuing certain things.
Take a moment to do a little “maturity inventory” of your own spiritual life. If you were to sit down with the Apostle Paul at the ancient version of a Starbucks for the ancient version of a mocha frappuccino, and the two of you were to talk about your spiritual development – how would that conversation go? I imagine Paul might ask a few diagnostic questions during the conversation. He might ask:
“Are you growing in your knowledge of Christ? Is the Holy Spirit playing a greater and greater role in your life, decisions, speech and behavior?”
“Are you growing in your understanding of God’s word? Is God’s word part of your daily life and is his truth shaping your mind and heart as much as the media of our culture?”
“Are you growing in works of service? Are you doing your part in building up the church?”
For Paul, the goal of spiritual life in Christ is not church attendance – or even church membership. The goal is maturity! As you close your time with God today, ask him to help you identify areas of your spiritual life that have room to grow. Commit yourself to the process of growing toward maturity – in knowledge, in service and in Christ-likeness!
Brian Coffey
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night.
Begin this week by thanking God for his word and asking him to help you walk in the counsel of his truth.
Read:
Ephesians 4:7, 11-16
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it….
(v.11.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
My wife and I have four sons – ages 19, 17, 14 and 12. This means that, at any one time, all four of our boys are at different levels of physical, emotional and spiritual maturity. Where the older boys are mature enough to have their driver’s licenses and can come and go basically as they please, the younger boys don’t yet enjoy that kind of freedom. And while they may not always like it, they understand that they will receive those privileges when they are old enough and mature enough to handle the increased responsibility. And, believe me, they are definitely looking forward to those driver’s licenses!
In the same way, Paul here speaks of the hope of maturity – not physical maturity, but spiritual maturity. He says that one of the purposes of the church – of pastors and teachers – is that “the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Just as there are milestones of maturity in our son’s lives – turning 13, going to high school, getting a driver’s license – so also Paul suggests several milestones of spiritual maturity. He seems to identify “works of service,” “the knowledge of the Son of God,” and “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” as a few of the telltale markers of spiritual maturity.
In other words, we don’t necessarily grow more spiritually mature simply by growing older! We grow in spiritual maturity by knowing and believing certain things, by doing certain things, and by intentionally pursuing certain things.
Take a moment to do a little “maturity inventory” of your own spiritual life. If you were to sit down with the Apostle Paul at the ancient version of a Starbucks for the ancient version of a mocha frappuccino, and the two of you were to talk about your spiritual development – how would that conversation go? I imagine Paul might ask a few diagnostic questions during the conversation. He might ask:
“Are you growing in your knowledge of Christ? Is the Holy Spirit playing a greater and greater role in your life, decisions, speech and behavior?”
“Are you growing in your understanding of God’s word? Is God’s word part of your daily life and is his truth shaping your mind and heart as much as the media of our culture?”
“Are you growing in works of service? Are you doing your part in building up the church?”
For Paul, the goal of spiritual life in Christ is not church attendance – or even church membership. The goal is maturity! As you close your time with God today, ask him to help you identify areas of your spiritual life that have room to grow. Commit yourself to the process of growing toward maturity – in knowledge, in service and in Christ-likeness!
Brian Coffey
Friday, May 14
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. - Ephesians 5:18
It is very interesting that Paul puts these two things in contrast, one against the other. Don't get drunk with wine, he says. This implies there are things in life that may tend to drive you to drink. Some people drink because they feel they need it to have a “good time”. Others are simply able enjoy it in moderation with friends or family. But many people drink in order to deal with the pressures and demands of life. They feel the need for some kind of release, or something that will help them relax a bit, or give them some confidence, etc. Paul warns us to be careful what we look to for this kind of help. It is important to note that the Bible never forbids drinking, but the trouble with alcohol is that it so easily leads to a lack of control. The word here translated debauchery is a Greek word that means “without any limits, or recklessness” It refers to the tendency to throw all restraints overboard and live without control.
In contrast to this he says to satisfy that need by being filled with the Spirit, for that is God's provision for this need in human life. None of us should feel ashamed about our sense of need. We were not made to be self-sufficient, independent creatures. Because you feel like you need something to help you, to strengthen you, to make you feel adequate to face life, do not be troubled by that. You do need something! But let it be the right thing. “Be filled with the Spirit.”
Here he touches on the great secret of genuine Christianity, the possibility of being filled with the Spirit. When you became a Christian, when you believed in Jesus Christ and received Him as your Lord, the Holy Spirit came to live in you. You have the Spirit, but the interesting paradox is that, though all Christians have the Holy Spirit, we constantly need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
The filling of the Holy Spirit is the momentary taking from Him of the resources you need for the situation in which you find yourself. It really has nothing to do with an experience or a feeling; it is a quiet drinking again and again of an inner supply of strength and peace and joy.
This is a truth that many Christians seem to miss. They think that Christianity means coming to church, getting a blessing, and then going away to try to live in the light and warmth of the blessing until it leaks away, and then they must come back and get filled up again. But that is not Christianity. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:38) That is the strengthening that comes from the Spirit, and there is more than enough of the Spirit for any situation!
Spend some time in reflection on these questions…
Where do I feel pressured in my life?
Where do I feel out of control in my life?
Where do I feel insecure in my life?
Where do I turn for security, control and confidence in my life?
Father, I pray that You will teach me to draw upon the well of Your Spirit within me, to know that every demand or opportunity I face, I face with You, and that you are fully prepared to live Your life through me in every situation – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
It is very interesting that Paul puts these two things in contrast, one against the other. Don't get drunk with wine, he says. This implies there are things in life that may tend to drive you to drink. Some people drink because they feel they need it to have a “good time”. Others are simply able enjoy it in moderation with friends or family. But many people drink in order to deal with the pressures and demands of life. They feel the need for some kind of release, or something that will help them relax a bit, or give them some confidence, etc. Paul warns us to be careful what we look to for this kind of help. It is important to note that the Bible never forbids drinking, but the trouble with alcohol is that it so easily leads to a lack of control. The word here translated debauchery is a Greek word that means “without any limits, or recklessness” It refers to the tendency to throw all restraints overboard and live without control.
In contrast to this he says to satisfy that need by being filled with the Spirit, for that is God's provision for this need in human life. None of us should feel ashamed about our sense of need. We were not made to be self-sufficient, independent creatures. Because you feel like you need something to help you, to strengthen you, to make you feel adequate to face life, do not be troubled by that. You do need something! But let it be the right thing. “Be filled with the Spirit.”
Here he touches on the great secret of genuine Christianity, the possibility of being filled with the Spirit. When you became a Christian, when you believed in Jesus Christ and received Him as your Lord, the Holy Spirit came to live in you. You have the Spirit, but the interesting paradox is that, though all Christians have the Holy Spirit, we constantly need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
The filling of the Holy Spirit is the momentary taking from Him of the resources you need for the situation in which you find yourself. It really has nothing to do with an experience or a feeling; it is a quiet drinking again and again of an inner supply of strength and peace and joy.
This is a truth that many Christians seem to miss. They think that Christianity means coming to church, getting a blessing, and then going away to try to live in the light and warmth of the blessing until it leaks away, and then they must come back and get filled up again. But that is not Christianity. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:38) That is the strengthening that comes from the Spirit, and there is more than enough of the Spirit for any situation!
Spend some time in reflection on these questions…
Where do I feel pressured in my life?
Where do I feel out of control in my life?
Where do I feel insecure in my life?
Where do I turn for security, control and confidence in my life?
Father, I pray that You will teach me to draw upon the well of Your Spirit within me, to know that every demand or opportunity I face, I face with You, and that you are fully prepared to live Your life through me in every situation – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Thursday, May 13
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” – Ephesians 5:8-14
Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). He also said to the disciples, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16). In these contexts, it would seem that “light” consists of eternal life and good deeds done in the world. That is at least part of what pleases the Lord.
What Paul is saying here is even more dramatic, in some ways. He is not saying just that once we were walking in darkness or that our understanding was darkened (as in 4:18), but that once we were darkness itself. We were like spiritual black holes, absorbing everything into ourselves and giving nothing in return. In contrast, now we are light – not just walking in the light, or have the light, but we are light in the Lord. Therefore we are to live as people whose very being belongs to light and not to darkness. We are to “emit” rather than only absorb.
Paul says that everything is made visible by the light. There is no sharper contrast than light and darkness. Even the smallest light is visible in pervasive darkness. Have you ever had the experience of driving across a lonely stretch of road during a cloudy or moonless night and seeing on the horizon a pinpoint of light that after five minutes is clearly seen to be the distant lights of a city or town? For all that distance, the light is clearly visible. Jesus says it is the same with our good deeds. They do not necessarily need to be public or spectacular. Every cup of water in Jesus’ name bears “the fruit of the light”. Children of light live transparently and openly, without hypocrisy or fear or deception. The people who behave as children of light are the kind of people this world needs.
One of the keys to living as children of light is to “be careful little eyes what you see”, as the children’s Sunday School song goes.
Jesus put it this way: Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body is also full of light. (Luke 11: 34)
We must be discerning about what we read, watch and listen to if we are to live as children of the light (see yesterday’s devotion).
Another key is to “find out what pleases the Lord.” (Eph. 5:10) Paul tells us here and in verse 17 that we are to discern and understand what the Lord’s will is for us. He is not primarily talking about God’s will for what job we should take or what house we should buy, he is referring to the kind of life God wants us to live. In other words, living as children of light takes some thoughtful discernment and prayer. We live in a world full of darkness and it is easy to become confused or distracted from the truth. This is why Paul tells us not to let anyone deceive us with empty words (5:6) and to be very careful how we live (5:15).
Lord Jesus, You who are the light of the world, shine Your light into the darkness of our hearts. Shine through us into the lives of others, that they may come to know You as the light of life – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). He also said to the disciples, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16). In these contexts, it would seem that “light” consists of eternal life and good deeds done in the world. That is at least part of what pleases the Lord.
What Paul is saying here is even more dramatic, in some ways. He is not saying just that once we were walking in darkness or that our understanding was darkened (as in 4:18), but that once we were darkness itself. We were like spiritual black holes, absorbing everything into ourselves and giving nothing in return. In contrast, now we are light – not just walking in the light, or have the light, but we are light in the Lord. Therefore we are to live as people whose very being belongs to light and not to darkness. We are to “emit” rather than only absorb.
Paul says that everything is made visible by the light. There is no sharper contrast than light and darkness. Even the smallest light is visible in pervasive darkness. Have you ever had the experience of driving across a lonely stretch of road during a cloudy or moonless night and seeing on the horizon a pinpoint of light that after five minutes is clearly seen to be the distant lights of a city or town? For all that distance, the light is clearly visible. Jesus says it is the same with our good deeds. They do not necessarily need to be public or spectacular. Every cup of water in Jesus’ name bears “the fruit of the light”. Children of light live transparently and openly, without hypocrisy or fear or deception. The people who behave as children of light are the kind of people this world needs.
One of the keys to living as children of light is to “be careful little eyes what you see”, as the children’s Sunday School song goes.
Jesus put it this way: Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body is also full of light. (Luke 11: 34)
We must be discerning about what we read, watch and listen to if we are to live as children of the light (see yesterday’s devotion).
Another key is to “find out what pleases the Lord.” (Eph. 5:10) Paul tells us here and in verse 17 that we are to discern and understand what the Lord’s will is for us. He is not primarily talking about God’s will for what job we should take or what house we should buy, he is referring to the kind of life God wants us to live. In other words, living as children of light takes some thoughtful discernment and prayer. We live in a world full of darkness and it is easy to become confused or distracted from the truth. This is why Paul tells us not to let anyone deceive us with empty words (5:6) and to be very careful how we live (5:15).
Lord Jesus, You who are the light of the world, shine Your light into the darkness of our hearts. Shine through us into the lives of others, that they may come to know You as the light of life – Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Wednesday, May 12
Begin your time with God today by reading and reflecting on this passage…
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. – Ephesians 5:3-5
This must have sounded as prudish and ridiculous to the first century pagans of Ephesus as it does to many in our culture today. Ephesus was the world center for worship of the pagan fertility goddess Artemis. The temple of Artemis in Ephesus employed thousands of prostitutes and the worship rites performed there were extremely elaborate and perverse to say the least. Sexual promiscuity and perversion were almost the accepted norm in the city and it was considered the duty of all faithful citizens to engage in these acts in order to appease the goddess (not to mention the fact that Artemis worship was big business in Ephesus).
So when Paul says that there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality among the believers, he is saying something incredibly radical for their culture – and for ours as well! While temple prostitution is not the norm in American society, we are no less sexually corrupt. We are bombarded daily with sexually explicit images and messages that amount to an all out assault on the sexual ethic of the Gospel. These images and messages are so frequent and numerous that we become numb and callous to them. The next time you are watching your favorite television program (before you DVR past the commercials) take note of the number of sexual images and/or innuendos that occur during just one commercial break. It is everywhere!
Paul says that sexual immorality or any kind of impurity is improper for God’s people. The word he uses for “improper” can also be translated “unbecoming” - the word had to do with attractiveness and beauty. In other words, Paul is saying that sexual immorality and impurity just don’t look right on God’s people and it is totally out of place and unattractive for those who claim to be imitators of God!
Paul goes on to say that we shouldn’t even talk or joke about this stuff. How many of us has had the experience of being exposed to something dirty, obscene, or improper in sexual matters and coming from that experience feeling dirty and unclean? What a refreshing thing it is to come into a community of people whose time and talk is filled with that which is noble, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy (as Paul says in Philippians 4:8).
Take a few moments to reflect on your life in the area of sexual purity. It is all too easy to ignore the questions below and just go on about your life. Please don’t!
Ask God for the strength to pursue purity and wholeness and ask Him for the courage to take the necessary action in this area.
Jeff Frazier
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. – Ephesians 5:3-5
This must have sounded as prudish and ridiculous to the first century pagans of Ephesus as it does to many in our culture today. Ephesus was the world center for worship of the pagan fertility goddess Artemis. The temple of Artemis in Ephesus employed thousands of prostitutes and the worship rites performed there were extremely elaborate and perverse to say the least. Sexual promiscuity and perversion were almost the accepted norm in the city and it was considered the duty of all faithful citizens to engage in these acts in order to appease the goddess (not to mention the fact that Artemis worship was big business in Ephesus).
So when Paul says that there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality among the believers, he is saying something incredibly radical for their culture – and for ours as well! While temple prostitution is not the norm in American society, we are no less sexually corrupt. We are bombarded daily with sexually explicit images and messages that amount to an all out assault on the sexual ethic of the Gospel. These images and messages are so frequent and numerous that we become numb and callous to them. The next time you are watching your favorite television program (before you DVR past the commercials) take note of the number of sexual images and/or innuendos that occur during just one commercial break. It is everywhere!
Paul says that sexual immorality or any kind of impurity is improper for God’s people. The word he uses for “improper” can also be translated “unbecoming” - the word had to do with attractiveness and beauty. In other words, Paul is saying that sexual immorality and impurity just don’t look right on God’s people and it is totally out of place and unattractive for those who claim to be imitators of God!
Paul goes on to say that we shouldn’t even talk or joke about this stuff. How many of us has had the experience of being exposed to something dirty, obscene, or improper in sexual matters and coming from that experience feeling dirty and unclean? What a refreshing thing it is to come into a community of people whose time and talk is filled with that which is noble, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy (as Paul says in Philippians 4:8).
Take a few moments to reflect on your life in the area of sexual purity. It is all too easy to ignore the questions below and just go on about your life. Please don’t!
Consider what you watch or see that may be corrupting you…
Consider what you hear or say that is impure…
Consider who you spend time with who may be inappropriate and tempting for you…
Consider who you can confess these things to and who can help to hold you accountable…
Consider what you hear or say that is impure…
Consider who you spend time with who may be inappropriate and tempting for you…
Consider who you can confess these things to and who can help to hold you accountable…
Ask God for the strength to pursue purity and wholeness and ask Him for the courage to take the necessary action in this area.
Jeff Frazier
Tuesday, May 11
Let me ask you a question. What really motivates you? What is the strongest motivator in your life?
Some people are motivated by challenges; they want to see if they can overcome the obstacles in their path. Some people are highly motivated by competition; they want to prove that they are better than others. Some people are motivated by encouragement; they need to know that others believe in them. And some people are motivated by fear, others by greed, others by a sense of duty or obligation, still others by anger. There are all kinds of motivational forces in our lives.
But what is the greatest motivational force in the universe?
Read the passage from yesterday (Ephesians 5:1-2) again.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Here Paul gives us the answer to our question. The greatest motivational force in the universe is Love!
Of course nowhere is this more true than in our spiritual lives. But it is also true in our families, in our friendships, in our work, and even in places you might not expect to find love as a motivational tool at all.
When I was playing football in college I saw teammates and opponents using all kinds of motivational tricks to prepare themselves for a game. Some players would talk about “going into battle” and “defending our turf.” Some would even work themselves up into a frenzy of artificial anger toward the opposing team. Coaches too would use the slightest hint of disrespect (whether real or imagined) to gain a competitive edge for their team. (I confess that I have indulged in of all of these motivational tactics at one time or another). However, it was during my senior year that I began to see that all of these motivational “tricks” were just that. They were tricks and gimmicks to produce temporary results. I discovered that what really motivated me was a love for the game, a love for my teammates and a deep sense of gratitude to God for the ability to compete and the desire to honor Him with my efforts.
Or, if sports illustrations just don’t do it for you…consider parents and children. Parents can often get their children to behave by promising rewards if the child obeys, or by threatening punishment if the child disobeys. But what is the parent’s real desire for their kids? It is for their child to genuinely want to obey because they love and trust their parent. There is no greater source of motivation than for a child to know deep in his or her heart that they are loved by Mommy and Daddy. Of course this is no guarantee that all will go well in the child’s life. As the child grows, the bribes and boundaries often become less effective and at a certain point, that child must find a deeper motivation for his or her choices.
Can you see how the very same principle applies to your spiritual life? Your Heavenly Father has set boundaries in place because He loves you. He has warned you about the earthly consequences of violating those boundaries and He has told you about the blessings of living within them. Yet you continue to test the boundaries.
Here in Ephesians Paul gives us the foundation for our motivation in the Christian life. We are loved by God (see yesterday’s devotion), and we have a tangible example of that love in Jesus Christ! Look again at the verse above…Paul says that 1) We are loved. 2) We are to live a life of love. 3) We are to follow the example of Christ’s love.
Close your time by considering the question at the beginning of this devotional - what really motivates you?
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all.” Does the love of Christ compel you?
Prayer
Oh Lord, You alone are my strength and my life. I confess that I am often driven by the wrong motivations and sometimes I am just not very motivated at all. Help me to grasp the depth of Your love for me, and to find my motivation in the strength of Christ’s example! - Amen
Jeff Frazier
Some people are motivated by challenges; they want to see if they can overcome the obstacles in their path. Some people are highly motivated by competition; they want to prove that they are better than others. Some people are motivated by encouragement; they need to know that others believe in them. And some people are motivated by fear, others by greed, others by a sense of duty or obligation, still others by anger. There are all kinds of motivational forces in our lives.
But what is the greatest motivational force in the universe?
Read the passage from yesterday (Ephesians 5:1-2) again.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Here Paul gives us the answer to our question. The greatest motivational force in the universe is Love!
Of course nowhere is this more true than in our spiritual lives. But it is also true in our families, in our friendships, in our work, and even in places you might not expect to find love as a motivational tool at all.
When I was playing football in college I saw teammates and opponents using all kinds of motivational tricks to prepare themselves for a game. Some players would talk about “going into battle” and “defending our turf.” Some would even work themselves up into a frenzy of artificial anger toward the opposing team. Coaches too would use the slightest hint of disrespect (whether real or imagined) to gain a competitive edge for their team. (I confess that I have indulged in of all of these motivational tactics at one time or another). However, it was during my senior year that I began to see that all of these motivational “tricks” were just that. They were tricks and gimmicks to produce temporary results. I discovered that what really motivated me was a love for the game, a love for my teammates and a deep sense of gratitude to God for the ability to compete and the desire to honor Him with my efforts.
Or, if sports illustrations just don’t do it for you…consider parents and children. Parents can often get their children to behave by promising rewards if the child obeys, or by threatening punishment if the child disobeys. But what is the parent’s real desire for their kids? It is for their child to genuinely want to obey because they love and trust their parent. There is no greater source of motivation than for a child to know deep in his or her heart that they are loved by Mommy and Daddy. Of course this is no guarantee that all will go well in the child’s life. As the child grows, the bribes and boundaries often become less effective and at a certain point, that child must find a deeper motivation for his or her choices.
Can you see how the very same principle applies to your spiritual life? Your Heavenly Father has set boundaries in place because He loves you. He has warned you about the earthly consequences of violating those boundaries and He has told you about the blessings of living within them. Yet you continue to test the boundaries.
Here in Ephesians Paul gives us the foundation for our motivation in the Christian life. We are loved by God (see yesterday’s devotion), and we have a tangible example of that love in Jesus Christ! Look again at the verse above…Paul says that 1) We are loved. 2) We are to live a life of love. 3) We are to follow the example of Christ’s love.
Close your time by considering the question at the beginning of this devotional - what really motivates you?
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all.” Does the love of Christ compel you?
Prayer
Oh Lord, You alone are my strength and my life. I confess that I am often driven by the wrong motivations and sometimes I am just not very motivated at all. Help me to grasp the depth of Your love for me, and to find my motivation in the strength of Christ’s example! - Amen
Jeff Frazier
Monday, May 10
WARNING! The chapter we will be reflecting on this week, Ephesians 5, is very direct and challenging when it comes to how we are to live as Christians. Actually, Ephesians 4:25 –5:20 is one long description of how Christians are to live out the truth of Christ in their lives. Paul addresses just about every area of life - from honesty, to harsh language and obscenity, to bitterness and anger, to sexuality, to drunkenness, to greed, etc.
In fact, it is tempting to read through this section and feel guilty, overwhelmed, and even a little bit discouraged by all of the areas in which you are failing to measure up to God’s holy standard. But before you get too depressed, you must stop and focus on one little verse right at the beginning of chapter 5.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ¬- Ephesians 5:1-2
These two verses contain the secret of how we can possibly live the kind of life that Paul is describing. Do you see it? It is right there in the very first sentence. Look closely. How does Paul describe us? He calls us “dearly loved children”; this is the key to the whole passage! Paul says that we are to imitate God as little children imitate their parents who love them dearly. Paul does not say that we must live holy lives of perfect obedience in order to become dearly loved children. He tells us that because we already are dearly loved children, we should try to imitate the one who so dearly loves us! This sounds simple, but it is absolutely critical to understanding the Christian life. Until we grasp this truth, Christianity will be nothing more than just another moral and ethical code that is impossible for us to keep.
Have you ever watched a little girl pretending to be grown up? Have you ever observed a little boy imitating his father? I remember when my oldest son was very young and he wanted to mow the grass like Daddy (or as he called it “bow da gass”). He used to follow behind me with his little plastic toy lawn mower as I mowed the lawn. He would try to keep his little wheels right in line with mine. He would go around the trees and shrubs in our yard just like I did. He would even pretend to put gas in his toy mower just like I did in the real one. Why? Because he wanted to be like his Daddy.
This is essentially what Paul is telling us here in Ephesians 5. You should be like your (Abba) Daddy in heaven, not because you have to or because He forces you to, but because you know that He loves you and you want to be like Him! All of the passages in Scripture that deal with the specifics of our lives - language, sex, honesty, etc. - are really just more detailed explanations of how to imitate our Father.
We make a fatal mistake if we skip past the truth of this verse and jump right into trying to keep all of the rules in order to please God or earn His favor. Of course God is pleased when we obey Him, but this does not earn us any more of His love. Consider the example of my son and I mowing the grass together. Of course, I was delighted to have him out there with me. But this did not make me love him any more; he was already my beloved little boy!
Do you get that? Your efforts to imitate God cannot make Him love you more. Your failure to imitate God cannot make Him love you less. You are already His beloved son or daughter! You are His dearly loved child!
So now you know (or have been reminded of) the “secret” of the Christian life, now you are ready to start imitating your Father!
Abba Father, thank you for loving me. I want to be like You! - Amen.
Jeff Frazier
In fact, it is tempting to read through this section and feel guilty, overwhelmed, and even a little bit discouraged by all of the areas in which you are failing to measure up to God’s holy standard. But before you get too depressed, you must stop and focus on one little verse right at the beginning of chapter 5.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ¬- Ephesians 5:1-2
These two verses contain the secret of how we can possibly live the kind of life that Paul is describing. Do you see it? It is right there in the very first sentence. Look closely. How does Paul describe us? He calls us “dearly loved children”; this is the key to the whole passage! Paul says that we are to imitate God as little children imitate their parents who love them dearly. Paul does not say that we must live holy lives of perfect obedience in order to become dearly loved children. He tells us that because we already are dearly loved children, we should try to imitate the one who so dearly loves us! This sounds simple, but it is absolutely critical to understanding the Christian life. Until we grasp this truth, Christianity will be nothing more than just another moral and ethical code that is impossible for us to keep.
Have you ever watched a little girl pretending to be grown up? Have you ever observed a little boy imitating his father? I remember when my oldest son was very young and he wanted to mow the grass like Daddy (or as he called it “bow da gass”). He used to follow behind me with his little plastic toy lawn mower as I mowed the lawn. He would try to keep his little wheels right in line with mine. He would go around the trees and shrubs in our yard just like I did. He would even pretend to put gas in his toy mower just like I did in the real one. Why? Because he wanted to be like his Daddy.
This is essentially what Paul is telling us here in Ephesians 5. You should be like your (Abba) Daddy in heaven, not because you have to or because He forces you to, but because you know that He loves you and you want to be like Him! All of the passages in Scripture that deal with the specifics of our lives - language, sex, honesty, etc. - are really just more detailed explanations of how to imitate our Father.
We make a fatal mistake if we skip past the truth of this verse and jump right into trying to keep all of the rules in order to please God or earn His favor. Of course God is pleased when we obey Him, but this does not earn us any more of His love. Consider the example of my son and I mowing the grass together. Of course, I was delighted to have him out there with me. But this did not make me love him any more; he was already my beloved little boy!
Do you get that? Your efforts to imitate God cannot make Him love you more. Your failure to imitate God cannot make Him love you less. You are already His beloved son or daughter! You are His dearly loved child!
So now you know (or have been reminded of) the “secret” of the Christian life, now you are ready to start imitating your Father!
Abba Father, thank you for loving me. I want to be like You! - Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Friday, May 7
Lift up your heads, O you gates; life them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Psalm 24:9
Begin your time today by asking the Lord to open your heart so that the King of glory may make his presence known to you today through his word and by his Spirit.
Read:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
A couple of weeks ago a volcano erupted in Iceland. Quick, other than this story – when was the last time you thought about Iceland?! But that volcano in a seemingly remote location wreaked havoc on worldwide travel as the plume of volcanic ash spread across the skies over Europe. In other words, that volcano had tremendous impact – albeit negative impact – on the world.
Paul here uses the word “glory” to describe the church of Jesus Christ. What is “glory”? In our culture we tend to think of glory as fame, success, renown – even celebrity. And, course, glory does contain elements of all these – but more! The Old Testament Hebrew word for glory is “kabod.” This word carries the root meaning of “weight” or “that which is heavy.” Something that has glory has great weight. And to change analogies a bit, when something that has great weight falls to the earth it makes a tremendous impact – it leaves a crater.
Paul is saying that the glory of God was fully expressed in Jesus; and that therefore the church is to also be the bearer of that same glory – or weight.
Here are a couple of questions to consider:
Is our church heavy?
Is our church making an impact? If so, what kind of crater are we leaving?
Is your life heavy?
Is your life making an impact? If so, what kind of crater will you leave?
Will the crater we leave be the impact of truth, love, compassion, joy and holiness? Or will we just leave a lot of smoke and dust in the air?
Close your time with the Lord this week by asking him how you might contribute to the glory, weight and impact of his church through your worship, service, generosity, love and obedience.
Brian Coffey
Begin your time today by asking the Lord to open your heart so that the King of glory may make his presence known to you today through his word and by his Spirit.
Read:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
A couple of weeks ago a volcano erupted in Iceland. Quick, other than this story – when was the last time you thought about Iceland?! But that volcano in a seemingly remote location wreaked havoc on worldwide travel as the plume of volcanic ash spread across the skies over Europe. In other words, that volcano had tremendous impact – albeit negative impact – on the world.
Paul here uses the word “glory” to describe the church of Jesus Christ. What is “glory”? In our culture we tend to think of glory as fame, success, renown – even celebrity. And, course, glory does contain elements of all these – but more! The Old Testament Hebrew word for glory is “kabod.” This word carries the root meaning of “weight” or “that which is heavy.” Something that has glory has great weight. And to change analogies a bit, when something that has great weight falls to the earth it makes a tremendous impact – it leaves a crater.
Paul is saying that the glory of God was fully expressed in Jesus; and that therefore the church is to also be the bearer of that same glory – or weight.
Here are a couple of questions to consider:
Is our church heavy?
Is our church making an impact? If so, what kind of crater are we leaving?
Is your life heavy?
Is your life making an impact? If so, what kind of crater will you leave?
Will the crater we leave be the impact of truth, love, compassion, joy and holiness? Or will we just leave a lot of smoke and dust in the air?
Close your time with the Lord this week by asking him how you might contribute to the glory, weight and impact of his church through your worship, service, generosity, love and obedience.
Brian Coffey
Thursday, May 6
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble… Psalm 46:1
Begin today by bringing your needs, pains, and fears to the Lord in prayer. He invites his children to come to him for strength and help.
Read:
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
There are lots of things we can measure in our lives – our height, weight, income, miles-per-gallon, Facebook friends. But I think we would all agree that most important things in life are immeasurable. How do you measure joy, peace or love? The truth is you can’t. And if you try, you actually subtract from the very experience you are trying to measure!
Paul here is teaching us that God specializes in the immeasurable – specifically, “immeasurably more.”
Immeasurably more love.
Immeasurably more joy.
Immeasurably more peace.
Immeasurably more hope.
What does this mean?
Just last week I stood in an ICU room just minutes after a family had to make the unspeakably difficult decision to take their loved one off life support. Their husband and father had suffered massive and irreversible bleeding in his brain – and even with all the knowledge and technology of the modern medical world – there was nothing that could be done. Yet, as we stood around the bed and listened to the labored breathing, there was not despair – but love, peace and hope. Why? Because the truth of Christ had filled this man’s heart and life, as well as his wife and his children. It filled the hospital room in which we stood, and it filled even the tears that welled up in our eyes. The love of Christ was real; the peace of Christ was sweet, and the hope of Christ was absolutely immeasurable.
I believe God always wants to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. I believe God is even now working to do more than you can ask or imagine in your life. Sometimes the “immeasurably more” is obvious – as in the birth of a child or the celebration of marriage. Sometimes the “immeasurably more” is more hidden – like in an ICU room or at a graveside ceremony. But our God is the God of “immeasurably more”!
Looking back over your life – where has God done immeasurably more than you could have imagined?
Where do you need him to do immeasurably more today?
Close your time by thanking him for all he has done and by trusting him to continue to work in your heart and life in the days ahead!
Brian Coffey
Begin today by bringing your needs, pains, and fears to the Lord in prayer. He invites his children to come to him for strength and help.
Read:
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
There are lots of things we can measure in our lives – our height, weight, income, miles-per-gallon, Facebook friends. But I think we would all agree that most important things in life are immeasurable. How do you measure joy, peace or love? The truth is you can’t. And if you try, you actually subtract from the very experience you are trying to measure!
Paul here is teaching us that God specializes in the immeasurable – specifically, “immeasurably more.”
Immeasurably more love.
Immeasurably more joy.
Immeasurably more peace.
Immeasurably more hope.
What does this mean?
Just last week I stood in an ICU room just minutes after a family had to make the unspeakably difficult decision to take their loved one off life support. Their husband and father had suffered massive and irreversible bleeding in his brain – and even with all the knowledge and technology of the modern medical world – there was nothing that could be done. Yet, as we stood around the bed and listened to the labored breathing, there was not despair – but love, peace and hope. Why? Because the truth of Christ had filled this man’s heart and life, as well as his wife and his children. It filled the hospital room in which we stood, and it filled even the tears that welled up in our eyes. The love of Christ was real; the peace of Christ was sweet, and the hope of Christ was absolutely immeasurable.
I believe God always wants to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. I believe God is even now working to do more than you can ask or imagine in your life. Sometimes the “immeasurably more” is obvious – as in the birth of a child or the celebration of marriage. Sometimes the “immeasurably more” is more hidden – like in an ICU room or at a graveside ceremony. But our God is the God of “immeasurably more”!
Looking back over your life – where has God done immeasurably more than you could have imagined?
Where do you need him to do immeasurably more today?
Close your time by thanking him for all he has done and by trusting him to continue to work in your heart and life in the days ahead!
Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 5
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to hmi and praise his name. Psalm 100:4
Begin your time with God today with a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings – spiritual and relational blessings as well as material blessings - he has showered on you.
Read:
Ephesians 3:17-19
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
When our boys were young one of their favorite books was a children’s book entitled, Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney. My guess is many of you remember this classic children’s tale. The story is about how two rabbits - Little Nut Brown Hare (the son rabbit) and Big Nut Brown Hare (the father rabbit) try to express their love for each other. They love each other as far as their arms can reach, and as high as they can hop. The “love contest” goes on until the son says “I love you to the moon!” Thinking nothing can be greater than that, he is surprised and delighted when his father says, “I love you to the moon…and back!”
In a way, Paul is telling the same story here – only he’s not talking about the love of parent for child, but rather the love of Christ for you and me. Some scholars have suggested that in referring to “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,” Paul is borrowing language that the astronomers of his day used to describe and define the known universe. In other words, when Paul seeks to answer the question, “Guess how much Jesus loves you?” he says – “more than the height, breadth, depth and length of the universe itself!”
Paul is teaching us that the love of Christ can be known and experienced but never exhausted or fully understood. Christ’s love can be known because it is real and intimate and personal. The love of Christ can be known through God’s word, through the whispering of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and through the fellowship of the church. On the other hand, Christ’s love is unfathomable because it is utterly undeserved, unconditional, and unstoppable. The late songwriter Rich Mullins described this mystery of this love as “the reckless, raging fury that is the love of God.”
Do you know you have always been loved?
Do you know you will always be loved?
Do you know there is nothing you can do to make Jesus love you any more or any less than he does right at this moment?
Do you know that …really?
Take a few moments to allow yourself to be loved by Christ. Imagine his love as the ground you stand upon, as the air your breathe, as the universe that stretches as far as your mind can image and more, and ask him to fill your heart to overflowing with his love that surpasses knowledge.
Brian Coffey
Begin your time with God today with a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings – spiritual and relational blessings as well as material blessings - he has showered on you.
Read:
Ephesians 3:17-19
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
When our boys were young one of their favorite books was a children’s book entitled, Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney. My guess is many of you remember this classic children’s tale. The story is about how two rabbits - Little Nut Brown Hare (the son rabbit) and Big Nut Brown Hare (the father rabbit) try to express their love for each other. They love each other as far as their arms can reach, and as high as they can hop. The “love contest” goes on until the son says “I love you to the moon!” Thinking nothing can be greater than that, he is surprised and delighted when his father says, “I love you to the moon…and back!”
In a way, Paul is telling the same story here – only he’s not talking about the love of parent for child, but rather the love of Christ for you and me. Some scholars have suggested that in referring to “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,” Paul is borrowing language that the astronomers of his day used to describe and define the known universe. In other words, when Paul seeks to answer the question, “Guess how much Jesus loves you?” he says – “more than the height, breadth, depth and length of the universe itself!”
Paul is teaching us that the love of Christ can be known and experienced but never exhausted or fully understood. Christ’s love can be known because it is real and intimate and personal. The love of Christ can be known through God’s word, through the whispering of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and through the fellowship of the church. On the other hand, Christ’s love is unfathomable because it is utterly undeserved, unconditional, and unstoppable. The late songwriter Rich Mullins described this mystery of this love as “the reckless, raging fury that is the love of God.”
Do you know you have always been loved?
Do you know you will always be loved?
Do you know there is nothing you can do to make Jesus love you any more or any less than he does right at this moment?
Do you know that …really?
Take a few moments to allow yourself to be loved by Christ. Imagine his love as the ground you stand upon, as the air your breathe, as the universe that stretches as far as your mind can image and more, and ask him to fill your heart to overflowing with his love that surpasses knowledge.
Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 4
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, who sins are covered. Psalm 32:1
Begin your time with God with a prayer of confession, opening your heart to the grace of his great forgiveness.
Read:
Ephesians 3:16
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Sometimes I think we can become so comfortable as Christians that we cease to see the true uniqueness of our faith. The center of our faith is that Jesus, who was crucified, rose again from the dead – and lives today in the form of the Holy Spirit. This means that Christianity is the only major world religion that makes the claim that its central figure is still alive!
Here Paul teaches the astonishing truth that Christ actually makes his dwelling place in our hearts through faith. In chapter 1 Paul reminded us that our faith in Christ grants us certain rights and privileges as the adopted children of God. He says that we hear the gospel, believe, and then are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This means that when you put your faith in Christ as Savior and Lord he comes to dwell in your heart in the form of the Holy Spirit. This is not an imaginary thing, but rather a real spiritual event, guaranteed by God’s word.
So, if you are a believer, the question is not whether Christ lives in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether or not you are aware of his presence in your life.
Scripture teaches that the role of the Holy Spirit is to be our counselor, helper and guide. The Spirit reminds us of truth, convicts us of sin, and strengthens us by encouragement. The Holy Spirit is how God chooses to make himself available to us in a personal and powerful way. The Spirit is what transforms our prayer from a “one way street” into a “two way street” in that God communicates with us as we communicate with him.
Are you aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life?
Do you intentionally pay attention to what the Spirit of Christ might be saying to you?
Have you learned to hear his voice?
As you become more and more aware of the Spirit’s encouragement, teaching and guidance remember that the Holy Spirit will never speak in a manner contrary to God’s holy word. Remember that the Spirit will never ask you to do something contrary to the teaching of Jesus. And finally, remember that one of the best ways to confirm what you think the Spirit might be saying to you is to share with a mature and trusted Christian friend and seek their confirmation.
Take time today to thank God for his presence in your heart through the Holy Spirit –and to listen to his voice.
Brian Coffey
Begin your time with God with a prayer of confession, opening your heart to the grace of his great forgiveness.
Read:
Ephesians 3:16
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Sometimes I think we can become so comfortable as Christians that we cease to see the true uniqueness of our faith. The center of our faith is that Jesus, who was crucified, rose again from the dead – and lives today in the form of the Holy Spirit. This means that Christianity is the only major world religion that makes the claim that its central figure is still alive!
Here Paul teaches the astonishing truth that Christ actually makes his dwelling place in our hearts through faith. In chapter 1 Paul reminded us that our faith in Christ grants us certain rights and privileges as the adopted children of God. He says that we hear the gospel, believe, and then are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This means that when you put your faith in Christ as Savior and Lord he comes to dwell in your heart in the form of the Holy Spirit. This is not an imaginary thing, but rather a real spiritual event, guaranteed by God’s word.
So, if you are a believer, the question is not whether Christ lives in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether or not you are aware of his presence in your life.
Scripture teaches that the role of the Holy Spirit is to be our counselor, helper and guide. The Spirit reminds us of truth, convicts us of sin, and strengthens us by encouragement. The Holy Spirit is how God chooses to make himself available to us in a personal and powerful way. The Spirit is what transforms our prayer from a “one way street” into a “two way street” in that God communicates with us as we communicate with him.
Are you aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life?
Do you intentionally pay attention to what the Spirit of Christ might be saying to you?
Have you learned to hear his voice?
As you become more and more aware of the Spirit’s encouragement, teaching and guidance remember that the Holy Spirit will never speak in a manner contrary to God’s holy word. Remember that the Spirit will never ask you to do something contrary to the teaching of Jesus. And finally, remember that one of the best ways to confirm what you think the Spirit might be saying to you is to share with a mature and trusted Christian friend and seek their confirmation.
Take time today to thank God for his presence in your heart through the Holy Spirit –and to listen to his voice.
Brian Coffey
Monday, May 3
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are his sanctuary.
Psalm 96:6
Begin your week with a prayer of worship focused on the splendor, majesty and glory of God.
Read:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Who is the richest person you know? Before you answer that question – you probably want to know how I am defining “rich.” Am I talking about the material riches of money, property and stock portfolios? Or, by “rich” do I mean some personal attribute like intelligence, wisdom or patience? Here Paul refers to the “glorious riches” of God. What kind of riches is Paul thinking about?
Earlier in chapter 1 Paul refers to the authority of Christ when he proclaims that God has placed him “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given…” (Ephesians 1:21). In that same chapter Paul introduces us to God’s grace – that he “lavished on us” through the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:8). So while God owns everything in the universe, materially speaking, when Paul thinks of the glorious riches of God – he is thinking about both God’s authority and his grace.
As the Apostle to the gentile world, Paul is writing from prison so that his readers will understand God’s authority, which includes his power, his holiness and his rule over all things, and then experience his grace, which is expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Think for a moment how important it is that Paul communicates BOTH of these attributes of God. God’s authority without grace would be terrifying! What would keep this all-powerful and holy God from simply destroying what he has made and starting over again? God’s grace without his authority would become license for all many of sin and evil. But because God is rich in both we can worship him with respect and awe – but we can also draw near to him as children to a loving father!
Close your time by thanking God for sharing the riches of his authority and grace with you!
Brian Coffey
Psalm 96:6
Begin your week with a prayer of worship focused on the splendor, majesty and glory of God.
Read:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Who is the richest person you know? Before you answer that question – you probably want to know how I am defining “rich.” Am I talking about the material riches of money, property and stock portfolios? Or, by “rich” do I mean some personal attribute like intelligence, wisdom or patience? Here Paul refers to the “glorious riches” of God. What kind of riches is Paul thinking about?
Earlier in chapter 1 Paul refers to the authority of Christ when he proclaims that God has placed him “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given…” (Ephesians 1:21). In that same chapter Paul introduces us to God’s grace – that he “lavished on us” through the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:8). So while God owns everything in the universe, materially speaking, when Paul thinks of the glorious riches of God – he is thinking about both God’s authority and his grace.
As the Apostle to the gentile world, Paul is writing from prison so that his readers will understand God’s authority, which includes his power, his holiness and his rule over all things, and then experience his grace, which is expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Think for a moment how important it is that Paul communicates BOTH of these attributes of God. God’s authority without grace would be terrifying! What would keep this all-powerful and holy God from simply destroying what he has made and starting over again? God’s grace without his authority would become license for all many of sin and evil. But because God is rich in both we can worship him with respect and awe – but we can also draw near to him as children to a loving father!
Close your time by thanking God for sharing the riches of his authority and grace with you!
Brian Coffey
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