'Ephesians' Tagged Posts
CARRYING TREASURER IN WEAK VESSELS
The apostle Paul had a great passion to share the gospel with the world. In his endeavors to do so he realized that the great treasure that he wanted to share was held within a weak vessel, his body. He wanted everyone to know that the power he had to serve did not come from himself, but from God.
UPHOLDING ONE ANOTHER THROUGH PRAYER
The Scripture has much to say about praying for one another. Prayer is the absolute best thing we can do, not just because it’s commanded but because it can accomplish much (James 5:16). Prayer for Peter set him free from prison (Acts 12:5). Just as Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ hands during battle gave Israel victory (Exodus 17:12), sometimes we need to help support those around us in need (Galatians 6:2).
DOES YOUR SPEECH GIVE YOU AWAY?
Betraying speech. Does your speech betray you? As Peter was denying Jesus, even to the point of cursing (certainly unbecoming of a follower of Christ) those who had been around him and heard him speak knew that Peter was a Galilean (they spoke with a burr), and that he was a disciple of Jesus. Here’s the twist, Peter was trying to deny Jesus but his speech gave him away . Of course, we would never deny that we’re followers of Jesus! Just the opposite, we try to persuade others that we’re followers of Jesus but again, does our speech betray us? Ponder that a spell, meditate on it. Do people listen to you talk and immediately know that you’re a Christian or is your speech peppered with words that reflects the world more that the church?
HIS WORKMANSHIP
Meditation: These two verses have blessed me tremendously through the years. They assure me that although I may feel at times that in my walk with the Lord I’m taking a step forward and two steps back, I’m God’s workmanship created in Jesus unto good works.I can be confident that what He has ordained will come to pass.Reminds me of a song I used to sing to the kids when I would push them on the swing:
CORRUPT COMMUNICATION
We all know what it’s like to be around someone who’s vocabulary is equivalent to the proverbial sailor’s. We’ve come to half-way expect it, especially in our current environment of caustic division and strife. However, to hear “corrupt” communication from one who claims to be a Christian not only is extremely offensive but also brings reproach to the name of Christ. The Greek word employed for corrupt means “rotten, putrid, obscene vulgarity”. Certainly nothing rotten or putrid should come out of the mouth of those who are to reflect Christ in our speech but should be seasoned with grace, edifying or building up those who are listening.
RICH IN MERCY
of approximately $179B. You could say his bank account is overflowing. However, our God is overflowing with something much more needful to every man and woman, mercy. Without God’s mercy we would be without hope. God is not stingy with his mercy. The problem is that many people do not believe they need mercy. So we complain and groan in trials as if some injustice has happened to us. The truth is that each and everyone of us deserves the wrath of God because we have accumulated a debt of sin that we have no hope or ability to repay. But God who is rich in mercy paid the debt on our behalf by sending his son to die a merciless death on a cross. God deserves our gratitude for His generosity of mercy.
HIS WORKMANSHIP
Millions of dollars have been paid for famous pieces of artwork. In 2017 someone paid $450.3 million for a painting called Salvator Mundi, which is a Latin phrase meaning Saviour of the world. It is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings depicting Jesus Christ. I am sure in putting a value on the painting the buyer put much stock into the fact that it was a “da Vinci.” Since the Christian is a masterpiece created by God, what must we be worth? I suppose the answer lies in the nail pierced hands of the purchaser that shed His blood to pay the price to purchase you.
THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL
Today millions of gifts will be given and received. However, there was one gift given to all of mankind almost 2,000 years ago that is more precious than all of them.