Eph5

"Make the most of time, because the days are evil."

Time is limited and life is short. We tend to give ourselves for things that don't matter. Paul encourages the Ephesian believers to 

"make the most of their time" by doing what is pleasing to the Lord. Living for what matters, matters!

His first practical application was marriage. How are our marriages? Are they pleasing to God? Do our marriages attracted others to want to follow Jesus? Is our family the kind of family that others want to have?

Family is worth our time. Invest wisely. Some things really do matter.

Eph4

Humility, gentleness, patience and acceptance. These are the first qualities Paul lists for those who desire to "walk worthy" of the calling of the gospel. Gospel living is about living for others not ourselves. This is always a hard call.

As I think about my life and the qualities that describe me, unfortunately these likely would not make the top of my list. Especially gentleness and patience. But, God is not expecting perfection! He is desiring growth, progress and movement. I pray these qualities are growing in my life. I pray they are growing in yours.

Character is often built through effort over time. Christian character is primarily determined by submission rather than effort. Don't get me wrong, submission and obedience take a ton of effort. Knowing the right thing to do is way different than actually doing it!

Surrender to God's ways today.

Eph3

"I pray that God may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God's love, and to know the Messiah's love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God." vs. 16-19

This was Paul's prayer for us! This is my prayer for each of you. Live by God's grace. Express His love to others. Today and everyday is a critical day for someone.

Eph2

It is God's choice that brings salvation AND it is His grace that makes it possible. It is by GRACE that we are saved. Salvation cannot be earned and we could never do enough to deserve it. It is a gift.

How have we responded to this awesome gift? Are we grateful? Or do we actually feel God "owed" salvation to us? Have we accepted this gift or do we simply let the gift remain unreceived? Have we embraced this gift and truly let it change and redirect our lives?

There is no gift that compares to this!

Eph1

If we have believed the gospel salvation is a settled fact! "Sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." Notice Paul's use of past tense, factual language! It's a done deal.

So many believers doubt their faith. Why? Often it is because they still are caught in "earning salvation mode" and they feel like they actually have something to do with their own salvation. Somehow we believe we need to be "good enough" to be saved before we can be saved. Nothing is farther from the truth! 

Salvation is from God. Rooted in Who He is and not what we do. He chose us! In fact, He "predestined us" to be saved. If He didn't know we would believe before we believed, then He is NOT GOD and He CANNOT save. Salvation is a gift from God. Those of us who have believed should celebrate this wonderful gift.

It's a wonderful truth to ponder.

Gal6

God's goal is always restoration not humiliation! When someone is trapped by sin, we should gently work to restore them back into relationship with Christ. Sin separates. Grace restores!

Make no mistake, we will give account for sin AND we will "reap what we sow". If we sow to the flesh we will reap destruction, but if we sow to the spirit we will reap eternal life. Doing right is hard work. Doing right is worth it. Don't stop doing good because of weariness. In time, we will reap what we sow. 

Think about broken relationships today. What can be done to bring healing in those relationships? Work for unity relationally. Especially with other believers. It is the fruit of gospel living.

Gal5

Our culture praises the sin of "selfish ambition" and minimizes almost everything else on the list of sins in this chapter! Selfishness is not only commended, it is taught as a way to get ahead in this life. We teach, "look out for yourself first" & "do what's best for you" & "if it feels right, it can't be wrong." All of these statements are godless and false.

Understanding that we are "loved by God" causes us to consider others over ourselves. It enables us to "love our neighbor as ourselves". Paul is not instructing us to "not love" ourselves. He is instructing us to NOT LOVE OURSELVES FIRST! Love God first. Express that love to others second. Loving self needs little work.

The entire law if fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. What will we do motivated by the love for others today?

Gal4

Adoption is a badge of honor, not a sign of rejection! We are adopted children of God and co-heirs with Jesus! We have the privilege of being "known by God" and the ability to call Him "father"! What could be better than that?

Adoption is a great picture of the gospel! We were sick, poor and in need of salvation. Not only did God rescue us from our hopeless situation, He made us His children and has guaranteed us an eternal inheritance with Him forever. All that we need He has given us! All that He has is ours!

This is the gospel. How beautiful is that?

Gal3

The "hypnotic lie" that salvation comes through works still lives in our culture! Salvation has always only come through faith apart from works! Christ fulfilled the works of the law. He completed all righteousness. Any righteousness we have before God, comes through faith in Jesus.

Paul was very clear on this point! He did not want the early believers to be confused about salvations and what it was that saved them. He also did not want them to be confused about life after salvation! We are not "saved by faith" and "kept by works". We are saved and kept by faith! Salvation and righteousness are gifts from God. Neither can be earned.

This is a strong letter. Getting the gospel right was worth fighting about. It still is!

Gal.2

What does it mean to "live for Christ?" Many of us would claim to do this, but what does that really look like?

Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live!" He thought about "his life" as being done when he placed his faith in Christ. His "new life" was to be lived totally for the gospel; A life of faith not works. It was a life of learning to be "in relationship" with God and wanting only His approval.

Living for Jesus is learning to love Him and express His love to others. The gospel tears down racial, cultural and socioeconomic barriers. It is pleasing to Jesus to love every person the same regardless of these things.

This is not an easy truth to live out. Even Peter, James and John struggled. And I am confident even Paul did at times. As a person, any person, it is hard to live in relationship with God!

Gal1

From the greatest opponent of the gospel to its greatest advocate! This was Paul's story. He went from seeking to destroy the church to actually giving his life for her advancement! Talk about life change.

We all have a story. None likely as radical as the apostle Paul, but we have a story non the less. God has called all of us to be His children. Christ died for all of our sins. His desire is for all of us to live for Him. How are we doing?

The Galatians were not doing so well. In fact, Paul wrote this letter because they were doing poorly. (Apparently first century believers also struggled!) Have we forgotten the clear and simple message of the gospel. Are we living for ourselves or for the One who saved us?

Live for Christ today.

2Co13

"Rejoice, become mature, be encouraged, pursue unity and peace with each other." These are Paul's final words to the Corinthians!

Rejoice, because God is at work among them. Be mature, because they have not yet become who they need to be. Be encouraged, because they have truly made progress since his first letter. Pursue unity and peace, because that is the best testimony of the gospel to outsiders.

These things are still great encouragements to us! As I think about my life and our church, these are things we still need. To joyfully continue to grow in our faith as we work together to see God continue His work in our community. We are NOT there yet, but we are gaining ground by God's grace.

Be encouraged. 

2C012

What struggles with sin are currently hindering our progress of faith? Are they the same sins we struggled with when we first met Christ or are they new and different struggles?

We all know we fall short of the goal: to be like Christ, but we all should be growing in our faith and our relationship with Him. Sins that we once were crippled by should be in our past or at least a way less common struggle. We are to be "maturing in our faith".

I often find myself struggling with the same things! I wonder if the struggles will always be there or if it will ever totally go away. Most recently I have been struggling with my "lack of love" for all people. I tend to be more "selective" in my love and more conditional with whom I love. This is clearly NOT christian maturity.

Maybe my lack of love is just evidence of my failure to deal with sin. Maybe my lack of love IS the sin. I wonder what the apostle Paul would want to correct me specifically in. What about you?

2Co11

Paul's goal for believers: complete and pure devotion to Christ. When He boiled it down for the Corinthians, this was his conclusion.

Generally we are not conflicted over what Christ would have us do, but rather the actual desire and ability to get it done. Often our desires are in conflict. What we want is different than what Christ wants for us. Maturity in Christ is actually believing and obeying what Christ wants.

Paul concludes this chapter with the reality that obedience to Christ is often NOT an easy or trouble free path to follow. It is hard, but worth it.

2Co10

Does our life back up our words? Actions do speak louder than words, but actions are not the same as words. We need to both speak and live the gospel!

I wonder what kind of person the apostle Paul was? I can't get over his quote of what the Corinthians said of him, "physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable." Wow, that is not what a pastor or teacher wants to hear! They said, "he should stick to writing" (in essence).

Yet Paul was bold with his life and words. He claimed the reality that the Corinthian's faith was "proof" of his faithfulness. He urged them to grow in faith so that his ministry could expand through them to the next region. He was undeterred by their low opinion of him. Possibly even emboldened by it.

What do the opinions of others do to us? This is an interesting chapter.

2Co9

What is the most generous gift you have ever given to God's work? How does that compare to generous gifts you have given yourself? I have discovered that there is nothing that reveals our true love more than where we give (or spend) our money!

Most christians I know have way more invested in transportation, hobbies, phones and clothes than they do in kingdom work. In fact, most christians believe that giving 10% would be generous! I doubt the Corinthians would have thought this way. Paul was not commenting their "tips toward God", but was actually encouraging "rich generosity".

Money talks, we can't deny. It says, "this is what I love."

God help us all to love Him and His purposes and to demonstrate that love through generous giving.

2Co8

Why is generosity more often seen among the poor than among the rich? Why do those who generally have the least give more proportionally that those who have the most? How is it in our lives? Are we generous?

I remember when I was younger thinking, "If I ever make what I make now, I will give 50% away. I thought, who needs so much money!" Guess what, I don't give at that level. In fact, as my income has increased, so has my consumption of that income. Yet my happiness is unchanged. I am faithful to always give 10% plus to the things of God, but I still keep the majority. I am alway convicted by this passage.

The Macedonians gave generously! They begged for the opportunity to give. They were under intense affliction and in the midst of extreme poverty, yet they gave generously! What a great example. What a challenge.

Be generous. It matters.

2Co7

"Godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death." 

When we fail, are we convicted or do we just feel bad? Bad feelings always accompany our sin! What we do with those bad feelings has everything to do with our spiritual growth. Paul said that conviction should lead to repentance. Guilt should cause us to turn from sin and ask for forgiveness. The process of spiritual growth is a continuous cycle of confessing and forsaking sin.

On the other hand, if we are only sorry when we get caught or if we fail to confess and repent, then our conscience is being damaged and abused. Sin will produce more sin! Our ability to live in a manner honoring to Jesus will become less and less.

Let's allow conviction to do its work in our hearts and lives. Confess and forsake sin today.

2Co6

What keeps us from experiencing the fullness of Christ? Paul says, we are "limited by our own affections." 

This is an amazing idea to ponder. Do we want Christ for His sake or do we want Christ for our own sake? Are our desires to follow Him or is our desire to have Him give us what we want? Is our affection truly for Jesus or something else? Honestly, it is a struggle isn't it?

Look at the list of ways that Paul describes as commending himself: great endurance, afflictions, hardship, difficulties, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleeplessness, hunger, purity, etc. This is not the list someone gives when recruiting others to their cause! This is generally not a list that we associate with following Christ! Yet this is Paul's list.

It certainly should cause us to pause and wonder. Are we truly in it for Christ sake? Do we want what He wants or something else?

2Co5

Paul believed that the best way he could live to please God was by sharing the gospel with others! He was compelled by the love of Christ to "persuade" others to believe.

It is culturally unacceptable to seek to convince someone to change their "personal view" on salvation. In fact, we are religious fanatics if we even talk about what the bible clearly teaches! Our culture says, "Everyone goes to Heaven", "God would never judge anyone eternally", "Only guys like Hitler and ISIS go to hell." Yet Paul was convinced otherwise.

His "aim" was to not live to please himself, but for the One who died for him. He knew he would one day appear before the "tribunal of Christ" and it caused "fear of the Lord" to change his behavior.

If this was true of the apostle Paul, how much more should it be true of us? Do we truly get the gospel? Who are we seeking to convince of its truth?

2Co4

Families disfunction around secrets! When we cover our sin, we will not prosper. When we confess and forsake our sin, we will find mercy.

God is light and those who choose to walk with Him must walk in that light. We all struggle with sin. We don't all confess our sinful secrets and find true freedom from that sin. Paul said, "we renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message, but commending ourselves to every person's conscience in God's sight…"

Are there unconfessed sinful secrets that we have yet to come clean with? Are we willing to turn from those things and walk purely with Jesus? Paul is calling all of us to this reality.