Some thoughts from my devotions in Ephesians:
Passage:
Ephesians 1:3-14
Thoughts:
Paul starts off this section praising God, "Blessed be...God..who has blessed us...with every spiritual blessing." (notice, he didn't say "earthly" blessing).
Notice that most of these blessings have something to do with our salvation.
1. He chose us to be holy and blameless. v. 4
2. He predestined us for adoption as sons. v. 5
3. He redeemed us through Christ's blood. v. 7
4. He forgave us of our sins. v. 7
5. He lavished us with his grace. v. 8
6. He made known to us the mystery of His will. v. 9
7. He gave us an inheritance. v. 10
8. He sealed us with the Holy Spirit. v. 11
Application:
It is so natural to get caught up in earthly blessings (cars, homes, computers, clothes, etc.). These things can, and probably should, be enjoyed. But that enjoyment must be placed in the broader context of our enjoyment of spiritual blessings (e.g. our salvation).
To come at it from a different angle, I usually thank God everyday for food (at mealtime) - but do I thank God everyday for my salvation? I encourage you (and me) to make thanking God for the blessing of salvation a regular habit.
~Jason
Showing posts with label Devotional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devotional. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
With Him
Some thoughts from my devotions in Ephesians:
Passage:
Ephesians 1:20 "that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,"
Ephesians 2:6 "and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"
Thoughts:
Please note: two incredible things happen to Christ in 1:20:
1) He was raised from the dead.
Imagine the look on Satan's face when death's grip couldn't hang on to Christ! Christ came to the earth, gained some followers, gained some haters, and died. Case closed? Not on your life.
2) He was seated at God's right hand in heaven.
I don't think we have to be an expert in Biblical imagery to know that being at God's right hand is a GOOD thing. God stamps his approval on this slain lamb and says, "He's with Me."
What's even more incredible, is that the same two things happen to us in 2:6:
1) We are raised from the dead with Him.
Don't let earthly distractions (Economy, Health, Power) deceive you - our greatest enemy is death. We live our life, we gain some followers, we gain some haters, and then we die.
2) We are seated with Him in heaven.
If God is for us, who can be against us? Again, it's not hard to see the significance of being seated with Christ in heavenly places. Undoubtedly a good place to be considering eternity is a long time.
So the first is a conquering of earthly death, and the second is the sealing of our eternal destiny.
Application:
Oh, please don't miss that ever important prepositional phrase - "with Him". Or that other one at the end of 2:6 - "in Christ Jesus".
These two facts that bring an everlasting peace (power over death, and eternity on God's side), can only be fully realized though the person and work of Jesus Christ. Fortunately, Paul doesn't leave us to guess about how to know that we are saved -
"For by grace you have been saved through faith." (Ephesians 2:8a)
If you want to know more about how to be saved, check out this video.
If you are already saved, let these two truths bounce around in your mind as you go about your day.
-Jason
Passage:
Ephesians 1:20 "that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,"
Ephesians 2:6 "and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"
Thoughts:
Please note: two incredible things happen to Christ in 1:20:
1) He was raised from the dead.
Imagine the look on Satan's face when death's grip couldn't hang on to Christ! Christ came to the earth, gained some followers, gained some haters, and died. Case closed? Not on your life.
2) He was seated at God's right hand in heaven.
I don't think we have to be an expert in Biblical imagery to know that being at God's right hand is a GOOD thing. God stamps his approval on this slain lamb and says, "He's with Me."
What's even more incredible, is that the same two things happen to us in 2:6:
1) We are raised from the dead with Him.
Don't let earthly distractions (Economy, Health, Power) deceive you - our greatest enemy is death. We live our life, we gain some followers, we gain some haters, and then we die.
2) We are seated with Him in heaven.
If God is for us, who can be against us? Again, it's not hard to see the significance of being seated with Christ in heavenly places. Undoubtedly a good place to be considering eternity is a long time.
So the first is a conquering of earthly death, and the second is the sealing of our eternal destiny.
Application:
Oh, please don't miss that ever important prepositional phrase - "with Him". Or that other one at the end of 2:6 - "in Christ Jesus".
These two facts that bring an everlasting peace (power over death, and eternity on God's side), can only be fully realized though the person and work of Jesus Christ. Fortunately, Paul doesn't leave us to guess about how to know that we are saved -
"For by grace you have been saved through faith." (Ephesians 2:8a)
If you want to know more about how to be saved, check out this video.
If you are already saved, let these two truths bounce around in your mind as you go about your day.
-Jason
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Anger and Wisdom
Some thoughts from my devotions in Ephesians:
~~~
Passage:
Ephesians 1:17
"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him..."
Thoughts:
Put simply, Paul prays that God would grant his readers wisdom.
To be fair to the context, the reason Paul prays for a "spirit of wisdom" is so that they would understand the things he talks about in verses 18-19 (hope, inheritance, and power).
Application:
Even though Paul wasn't praying for generic wisdom here in Ephesians - he does do so in Colossians 1:9-10 which says,
"...we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him..."
Make no mistake, it is a GOOD thing to ask God for wisdom (see James 1:5).
Hang with me as I take this application one step further - we should pray for wisdom when we're angry.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I can get really upset about some really dumb things. If something major happens, I can usually keep a cool head - but it's the little things that drive me nuts. One thing I've started trying when I get angry, is praying and asking God for wisdom.
This usually cools me down for two reasons,
1) It breaks the cycle of negative thoughts, and gives me a second to process.
2) God gives me wisdom which seems to say, "Jason, stop and think for a second. Is it really wise to be upset about this? Is it the mature thing to do? Is this something of eternal importance? " The answer to all of these questions comes back no, and it helps calm me down.
So the next time you seem to be getting upset about the smallest things - try saying a simple, genuine prayer for a "spirit of wisdom" from God.
~Jason
~~~
Passage:
Ephesians 1:17
"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him..."
Thoughts:
Put simply, Paul prays that God would grant his readers wisdom.
To be fair to the context, the reason Paul prays for a "spirit of wisdom" is so that they would understand the things he talks about in verses 18-19 (hope, inheritance, and power).
Application:
Even though Paul wasn't praying for generic wisdom here in Ephesians - he does do so in Colossians 1:9-10 which says,
"...we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him..."
Make no mistake, it is a GOOD thing to ask God for wisdom (see James 1:5).
Hang with me as I take this application one step further - we should pray for wisdom when we're angry.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I can get really upset about some really dumb things. If something major happens, I can usually keep a cool head - but it's the little things that drive me nuts. One thing I've started trying when I get angry, is praying and asking God for wisdom.
This usually cools me down for two reasons,
1) It breaks the cycle of negative thoughts, and gives me a second to process.
2) God gives me wisdom which seems to say, "Jason, stop and think for a second. Is it really wise to be upset about this? Is it the mature thing to do? Is this something of eternal importance? " The answer to all of these questions comes back no, and it helps calm me down.
So the next time you seem to be getting upset about the smallest things - try saying a simple, genuine prayer for a "spirit of wisdom" from God.
~Jason
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Thanks for You
Some thoughts from my devotions in Ephesians,
~~~
Passage: Ephesians 1:15-16
"For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,"
Thoughts:
Notice the simplicity of what is going on in these two verses -
Paul responds in TWO ways, because of TWO things he sees in the believers.
Because Paul heard of their 1) faith in Christ, and 2) love for the saints; Paul responds with 1) thankfulness for them, and 2) prayers for them.
Application:
There are so many ways to go with this, but for the sake of brevity, let me just leave you with a couple of things to consider.
Isn't it sometimes difficult for us to do what Paul did? Sometimes, when I think of people who have faith in Christ and love for the saints, I'll focus on some minor issue and think to myself, "They're not doing their music right." or "They only use a certain Bible version." or "I can't believe they're SO Calvinistic." or "That would never happen at my church." or "They aren't the same denomination"
Obviously, a complete and healthy Christian experience goes beyond these two things Paul lists here. But, when I see someone who genuinely has 1) faith in Christ, and 2) love for the saints - why can't my initial response be, "God, thank you for this fellow believer, I pray that you would strengthen them in their walk with You."?
Sadly, my first response is sometimes,
"Dear God,
Why do I have to put up with these idiots. Why can't everyone just be perfect like me.
- Amen."
~Jason
~~~
Passage: Ephesians 1:15-16
"For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,"
Thoughts:
Notice the simplicity of what is going on in these two verses -
Paul responds in TWO ways, because of TWO things he sees in the believers.
Because Paul heard of their 1) faith in Christ, and 2) love for the saints; Paul responds with 1) thankfulness for them, and 2) prayers for them.
Application:
There are so many ways to go with this, but for the sake of brevity, let me just leave you with a couple of things to consider.
Isn't it sometimes difficult for us to do what Paul did? Sometimes, when I think of people who have faith in Christ and love for the saints, I'll focus on some minor issue and think to myself, "They're not doing their music right." or "They only use a certain Bible version." or "I can't believe they're SO Calvinistic." or "That would never happen at my church." or "They aren't the same denomination"
Obviously, a complete and healthy Christian experience goes beyond these two things Paul lists here. But, when I see someone who genuinely has 1) faith in Christ, and 2) love for the saints - why can't my initial response be, "God, thank you for this fellow believer, I pray that you would strengthen them in their walk with You."?
Sadly, my first response is sometimes,
"Dear God,
Why do I have to put up with these idiots. Why can't everyone just be perfect like me.
- Amen."
~Jason
Monday, April 19, 2010
To the Praise of His Glory
Some thoughts from my devotions in Ephesians...
~~~~
Passage:
Ephesians 1:3-14
Thoughts:
What is so interesting to me in this section (only one sentence in the Greek text) is Paul's careful mentioning of each member of the Trinity, and the repetitious use of the phrase, "to the praise".
In verses 3-6, Paul introduces the "God and Father" who has blessed us, and then closes the section by saying that what God has done for us is "to the praise of his glorious grace".
In verses 7-12, he goes on to discuss the redemption we have in "Jesus Christ", and ends the section by declaring that we are "to the praise of his glory".
In verses 13-14, Paul reminds us that we are sealed with the "Holy Spirit", who is the guarantee of our inheritance "to the praise of his glory".
Application:
I guess one application would be for us to be more creative in our praise to God. Rather than saying, "God, thank you for this day." (a good start) - be more thoughtful!
How can we praise the Father?
How can we praise Jesus Christ?
How can we praise the Holy Spirit?
~Jason
~~~~
Passage:
Ephesians 1:3-14
Thoughts:
What is so interesting to me in this section (only one sentence in the Greek text) is Paul's careful mentioning of each member of the Trinity, and the repetitious use of the phrase, "to the praise".
In verses 3-6, Paul introduces the "God and Father" who has blessed us, and then closes the section by saying that what God has done for us is "to the praise of his glorious grace".
In verses 7-12, he goes on to discuss the redemption we have in "Jesus Christ", and ends the section by declaring that we are "to the praise of his glory".
In verses 13-14, Paul reminds us that we are sealed with the "Holy Spirit", who is the guarantee of our inheritance "to the praise of his glory".
Application:
I guess one application would be for us to be more creative in our praise to God. Rather than saying, "God, thank you for this day." (a good start) - be more thoughtful!
How can we praise the Father?
How can we praise Jesus Christ?
How can we praise the Holy Spirit?
~Jason
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Standard in All things Human
If I had to pick one thing that bothers me about Christians/the Church/Christendom today, it's our lack of drive to be the absolute best. We ought to strive for nothing less than excellence in all of our endeavours. We are a reflection of the God we serve, and looking around at God's reflectors here in America, God seems pretty, well, lousy.
Jesus asks us to function as lights to society, so that they can "see our good deeds and give honor to our Father in heaven." Furthermore, in I Corinthians Paul said that we should do everything for God's glory.
If God is really so great (not to mention real) why aren't His followers great? Why aren't we producing the most talented music, running the most successful businesses, building the most efficient houses, writing the most brilliant books, developing the most advanced technology, and altogether running circles around the competition?
To make matters worse, we hypocritically condemn the "secular" pursuits of the world, only to capitalize on their developments. We use cell phones, drive cars, shop at stores, watch TV, take medication, live in houses, and enjoy other such "worldly" creations. Basically, we mooch off of society's advancements, all the while touting an I-only-pursue-God-and-I-don't-waste-my-time-on-temporary-pleasures-because-I-am-so-spiritual attitude.
We tell ourselves that anything other than Bible study and prayer is somehow un-spiritual, and so we don't pursue our interests with excellence (i.e. we aren't good "contributors to society"). If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. If you think it would be a waste of time to perform something you do with anything short of excellence, you are wasting your time. God has given us dominion over this world, and has asked us to bring honor and glory to His reputation. We are supposed to be making God famous. People should watch what we do, and see the glory of God. God has saved us from an old life of bondage to sin, and brought us into a new life of bondage to Him. We have been brought from death to life. We should want to please God, by doing our absolute best for Him. Anything else damages the reputation of God.
The problem comes when I look in the mirror. Am I an excellent writer? researcher? assistant manager? citizen? church member? husband? Do I contribute something worthwhile to others, or just leach off of other's accomplishments?
Truth is, I'm a pretty mediocre guy. Maybe the problem isn't other Christians. Maybe the problem is me.
Jesus asks us to function as lights to society, so that they can "see our good deeds and give honor to our Father in heaven." Furthermore, in I Corinthians Paul said that we should do everything for God's glory.
If God is really so great (not to mention real) why aren't His followers great? Why aren't we producing the most talented music, running the most successful businesses, building the most efficient houses, writing the most brilliant books, developing the most advanced technology, and altogether running circles around the competition?
To make matters worse, we hypocritically condemn the "secular" pursuits of the world, only to capitalize on their developments. We use cell phones, drive cars, shop at stores, watch TV, take medication, live in houses, and enjoy other such "worldly" creations. Basically, we mooch off of society's advancements, all the while touting an I-only-pursue-God-and-I-don't-waste-my-time-on-temporary-pleasures-because-I-am-so-spiritual attitude.
We tell ourselves that anything other than Bible study and prayer is somehow un-spiritual, and so we don't pursue our interests with excellence (i.e. we aren't good "contributors to society"). If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. If you think it would be a waste of time to perform something you do with anything short of excellence, you are wasting your time. God has given us dominion over this world, and has asked us to bring honor and glory to His reputation. We are supposed to be making God famous. People should watch what we do, and see the glory of God. God has saved us from an old life of bondage to sin, and brought us into a new life of bondage to Him. We have been brought from death to life. We should want to please God, by doing our absolute best for Him. Anything else damages the reputation of God.
The problem comes when I look in the mirror. Am I an excellent writer? researcher? assistant manager? citizen? church member? husband? Do I contribute something worthwhile to others, or just leach off of other's accomplishments?
Truth is, I'm a pretty mediocre guy. Maybe the problem isn't other Christians. Maybe the problem is me.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Endurance
While reading in Proverbs (my default devotions if I don't do my regular Bible reading), I came across a particularly challenging verse.
Proverbs 24:10 says,
"If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small."
I think I would have expected the ending of that verse to read a bit differently. I might have expected it to say something like, "If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is average." or, "...it wasn't your fault." or, "...it happens to the best of us."
Really? If I fail during adversity, then I am weak? Let me throw this into a slightly different context, and then end with a challenge.
I remember during one chapel at Xenia Christian High School, one of my teachers, Mr. Holloway gave an illustration using a Styrofoam cup and some water. Mr. Holloway filled the cup to the top with water, and then gave the cup to a student. He instructed the student to hold the cup out at an arms length, and then he suddenly bumped the students arm, forcing the water to spill out. He then asked the student, "Why did water come out of the cup?" The student replied, "Because you bumped my arm." Mr. Holloway informed the student that this was the wrong answer, and the student offered several other guesses, none of which satisfied him. He finally gave the student a clue and asked, "Why didn't coffee, or tea, or something else come out of the cup?" The student replied, "Because there was water in the cup." "Exactly!" my teacher shouted. He went on to explain that what came out of the cup when it was under stress (bumped) was merely a reflection of what was inside. Water wasn't suddenly created, simply because the Styrofoam cup was bumped.
This is true for us as well. When we face "trouble", how we respond is a reflection of who we really are on the inside. Our bad attitudes, clouded thinking, and flippant speech aren't caused by poor situations, they are exposed by them.
So, if I faint in the day of adversity, it is a reflection that my strength wasn't that strong after all. Pretty humbling. Each day we are in a battle. Is your strength small?
Proverbs 24:10 says,
"If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small."
I think I would have expected the ending of that verse to read a bit differently. I might have expected it to say something like, "If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is average." or, "...it wasn't your fault." or, "...it happens to the best of us."
Really? If I fail during adversity, then I am weak? Let me throw this into a slightly different context, and then end with a challenge.
I remember during one chapel at Xenia Christian High School, one of my teachers, Mr. Holloway gave an illustration using a Styrofoam cup and some water. Mr. Holloway filled the cup to the top with water, and then gave the cup to a student. He instructed the student to hold the cup out at an arms length, and then he suddenly bumped the students arm, forcing the water to spill out. He then asked the student, "Why did water come out of the cup?" The student replied, "Because you bumped my arm." Mr. Holloway informed the student that this was the wrong answer, and the student offered several other guesses, none of which satisfied him. He finally gave the student a clue and asked, "Why didn't coffee, or tea, or something else come out of the cup?" The student replied, "Because there was water in the cup." "Exactly!" my teacher shouted. He went on to explain that what came out of the cup when it was under stress (bumped) was merely a reflection of what was inside. Water wasn't suddenly created, simply because the Styrofoam cup was bumped.
This is true for us as well. When we face "trouble", how we respond is a reflection of who we really are on the inside. Our bad attitudes, clouded thinking, and flippant speech aren't caused by poor situations, they are exposed by them.
So, if I faint in the day of adversity, it is a reflection that my strength wasn't that strong after all. Pretty humbling. Each day we are in a battle. Is your strength small?
"Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:10
Monday, January 19, 2009
Moral Vacuum
Like it or not, actions have consequences. Sometimes, we only think of this statement within the context of our own little world - "My actions affect me." While that statement is true, it's incomplete. In reality, "My actions affect myself AND others." As hard as we may try to escape from the world, 99% of the time, we can't. To complicate matters, it's often hard to predict the ripple-affect our actions are going to have, and sometimes we don't even fully see or realize the full impact of our decisions.
For example, take the conflict going on right now in the Gaza strip between Israel and Hamas. While this not-so-little skirmish is technically going on between only two parties (Israel and Hamas), MANY different parties have been affected. Civilians have lost their lives, the safety of reporters has been put in jeopardy, the attempted relief efforts of the U.N. have been hindered, international relations within the middle east have been strained (even more than normal) - and those are just a few of the ones we can readily see. Imagine how long this list would become if we had infinite knowledge? When one party sins against another, other parties are inevitably affected. Interestingly, the negative affect a divorce has on the children (Party C) is talked about just as much as (if not more than) the negative affect divorce has on the couple (Parties A and B)!
To expand the illustration, think about the inter-connectedness within the Body of Christ, the Church. When one member strays from the Lord, it adversely affects a specific part of the Body, which in turns affects the whole. Truth be told, I am not acting very loving towards my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ when I sin against God. What a humbling thought. I'd like to live as though my sin is my problem, something that I'll deal with in the privacy of my own world. I'd like to live as though my sin is no one's business but my own. What a sad, selfish (not to mention - incorrect) way of thinking. As much as it pains me to admit it, my sin is other people's business. Kind of puts the concept of accountability in a whole new light, doesn't it?
For example, take the conflict going on right now in the Gaza strip between Israel and Hamas. While this not-so-little skirmish is technically going on between only two parties (Israel and Hamas), MANY different parties have been affected. Civilians have lost their lives, the safety of reporters has been put in jeopardy, the attempted relief efforts of the U.N. have been hindered, international relations within the middle east have been strained (even more than normal) - and those are just a few of the ones we can readily see. Imagine how long this list would become if we had infinite knowledge? When one party sins against another, other parties are inevitably affected. Interestingly, the negative affect a divorce has on the children (Party C) is talked about just as much as (if not more than) the negative affect divorce has on the couple (Parties A and B)!
To expand the illustration, think about the inter-connectedness within the Body of Christ, the Church. When one member strays from the Lord, it adversely affects a specific part of the Body, which in turns affects the whole. Truth be told, I am not acting very loving towards my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ when I sin against God. What a humbling thought. I'd like to live as though my sin is my problem, something that I'll deal with in the privacy of my own world. I'd like to live as though my sin is no one's business but my own. What a sad, selfish (not to mention - incorrect) way of thinking. As much as it pains me to admit it, my sin is other people's business. Kind of puts the concept of accountability in a whole new light, doesn't it?
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