Eph6

The struggle in your life is NOT with people! It is a spiritual battle! This is a difficult truth to embrace, but freeing once we have embraced it. God is at work in every area of our lives to bring about His desires. Our job is to submit to Him and to follow His ways.

The battle is in the spiritual realm. Every human encounter is being measured from God's perspective. How we respond has everything to do with how we see God in these situations. Our goal should be to please Him in every way. Think about this! It is an unbelievable challenge. God is using every situation to refine our lives.

This is especially difficult for those of us who tend to be "controlling" in relationships. Our goal should be to pursue obeying God and helping others do the same. When they won't or don't, it doesn't have to ruin our day. God has everything under control. Everything. He doesn't need our assistance or interference. He desires our obedience.

This chapter begins, "children obey your parents, because this is right." Christians, obey God's word because this is right. Honor Him and let Him take care of the rest.

Eph5

"Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk - not as unwise people but as wise - making the most of your time, because the days are evil."

How you spend your time matters! It matters to God and it will have an impact on your eternity. Each of us has been given the same amount of hours in a day, the same amount of days in a week and the same amount of weeks in a year. Every hour is an opportunity to live as a wise person or to be a fool. To make the most of our time, we need to live according to what we know to be true from God's perspective.

Living to please God is not a duty, it is a joy! His desire is for us to enjoy all He has created and for us to enjoy life to the full. In order for that to happen we must trust Him. His ways are not our ways. His desires are not our desires. Yet, when we submit our desires to His ways, we are the ones who benefit. Living the life God wants is full and meaningful, without regret.

Live today for Christ. It is worth it.

Eph4

Take off the old self and put on the new self according to Christ. Since we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit through faith in Him, we are to daily put off our natural tendencies and put on Christ. We are to live for Christ and not ourselves every day.

This is a difficult challenge. What comes natural is always to follow our own desires. What is unnatural is to follow the ways of Christ. It is in doing the "unnatural thing" that we actually are participating in a "spiritual thing". We are to put away sin and to put on righteousness.

What characterizes your life? Is it natural desire or spiritual ability? Paul's challenge is for us to live by the Spirit. It is a great challenge today.

Eph3

The "mystery" of God's administration has been made known. It is the church! His "incalculable riches" are revealed through the church of the living God.

The local church is God's plan A for reaching every community and the world. There is no plan B! If you are not using your gifts and abilities to strengthen the local church, then you are doing something outside of God's plan. His plan was revealed and is no longer a "mystery". The case is closed and the secret has been uncovered. Now that we know, the question is simple, "Are we vitally involved in God's plan?"

I was a christian for several years before I understood this truth. I spent much of my christian life only thinking about myself and my personal relationship with Jesus. I was so mistaken. Salvation is for every person! Salvation is more for every community of believers. The gospel tears down barriers and calls us into community with each other. It orders our lives and demands that we live out our faith according to God's plan not ours.

How are you strengthening your local church? It is God's plan.

Eph2

God displayed the "immeasurable riches of His grace" when He sent Jesus to save us! This is more evidence that we were utterly lost without God! He doesn't save us because of us, He saves us because of Him! Our hearts should be overflowing with gratitude toward God.

Without grace, we are objects of God's wrath. Because of grace, we are the recipients of God's love! "By grace you are saved…it is a gift not of works". This is an overwhelming reality for Christ followers. Rejoice today in God's amazing gift. We have gone from foreigners and strangers to citizens and saints! This is amazing stuff. It would make a great tattoo.

Live like a member of God's family today.

Eph1

How often do you think about heaven? It is the promised inheritance for everyone who believes. 

For me, I too often think only about life in this world. Yesterday we spent the day moving into our new home. It will take some time to get used to the smaller home and new surroundings, but we will love it. God has blessed us far beyond what we deserve. Trey said, "We have a dynamite house!"

Don't get too attached to this life. True life begins when this life is over. Our true inheritance awaits us.

Gal6

God will not be mocked! Everyone will reap what they sow. If obedience to God, eternal reward. If disobedience, no reward. I am challenged to live for the reward of God.

Many fight for recognition and reward in this life. But, at the end of their lives, what did it actually matter? It is vain to pursue anything that will yield only heartache once it is caught. Paul was encouraging the Galatians to pursue Christ with their lives and make much of Him.

It is a great challenge for today.