Tuesday Thought – June 30, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:18-20)

Before Paul came to Christ he studied under the finest teacher in Israel. He was advancing beyond many Jews his own age. (Galatians 1:14) Paul was so well known among the Jews that he could go to the high priest and ask for letters of authority to persecute Christians. (Acts 9:1-2)

After he came to Christ he was such an eloquent speaker that the people of Lystra called him Hermes, the chief spokesman among the Greek gods. (Acts 14:12)

As talented as he was, Paul knew that he could accomplish nothing significant in the Kingdom of God without God’s help. Human talent and effort would not advance the Kingdom. Only God’s blessing and power would enable Paul to do anything worthwhile.

So Paul asked other Christians to pray for him. He considered the prayers of others vital to the effectiveness of his work. Paul wasn’t smart enough to discern what he should say to the crowds that he addressed. He knew he needed God’s wisdom in order to touch the hearts of those who would listen. He knew that human fear would paralyze him without God’s help. Persecution awaited at almost every place Paul stopped to preach. He asked the Ephesians to pray that he would be able to preach without fear no matter what awaited him.

Prayer was important to Paul. He was a man of prayer himself. He taught others to pray and asked them to pray for him. He believed in prayer’s power. He believed God answered prayer.

Prayer is still powerful today. God still answers prayer. Only God’s blessing and God’s power will enable any of us to do anything worthwhile in God’s Kingdom and God’s blessing and God’s power come in answer to prayer.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought –June 29, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith ...” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

There is a battle raging. It’s not being fought with guns, swords and other weapons of human conflict. It’s being fought in heavenly places against spiritual enemies and the only weapons and defenses that count are spiritual in nature. It is a battle for the souls of men and women. On one side of the battle is the devil and he is scheming with every last ounce of wickedness that is in him trying to destroy men’s souls. On the other side of the battle is the Lord and He is unleashing every bit of His power and influence to bring men to Him for salvation and hope. We, and all other humans, are right in the middle of the battle. We are the prize that is being fought to control!

We have no choice about whether or not we want to be involved in the conflict. The only choice is whether or not we will face the conflict with the equipment we need to survive it. God stands ready to provide all of the equipment we need! It’s His armor and He stands ready to give it to us if we want it.

Notice the action words in Paul’s writing to the Ephesians that speak of our responsibility to take from God the armor that He is offering to us. “Put on,” “stand,” “put on,” “stand,” “stand,” “stand firm,” “take up.” Those words represent our responsibility in the battle. None of them speak of our devising the battle plan, creating the armor, or even doing the fighting. All of them represent appeals to God for His help and His provision for the battle, a standing with Him as He does the fighting and a continual reliance upon His strength through prayer.

God will give us everything we need to survive the battle – ours is to do the asking and the relying upon Him!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought – June 26, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 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. 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 6:5-8)

I can’t imagine a much more difficult kind of life than the life of a slave. A slave’s time was not his own, he was bound to be available to the master whenever the master called for him. A slave had no choice about what kind of work he was going to do, he was bound to do whatever the master asked of him, no matter how distasteful it was. Even a slave’s life was not his own, his life was in his master’s hand. Roman law allowed a slave master to kill his own slaves without penalty.

Being a slave is not a life I would ever choose. It’s not a life I can imagine having any satisfaction. My human way of thinking says that a slave should do anything and everything within his power, legal or illegal, in order to free himself from bondage. My human way of thinking says that those who are not slaves should work to free slaves no matter what would be required to do it, even Civil War!

But God didn’t instruct slaves to rebel against their masters in order to gain their freedom. God did not instruct others to rise in revolt to free those who were held in bondage. Instead, God’s instructions focused on the slave doing what was right in the midst of his bondage. It focused not on working to get free from slavery, but on being the best slave possible, serving his master and even doing it out of a willing heart!

And here was God’s promise to slaves: the Lord would reward the slave for how he served as a slave. Do what’s right in this life – even in a horribly wrong situation – and God will take note and reward us. God isn’t just interested in the spiritual things we do, God is interested in every aspect of our lives. At work, at home, at school, at play – do what is right, and God will take note.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought – June 25, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. … 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 with 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. … 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 5:22-33)

God wants to see our marriage relationship healthy and beneficial to both husband and wife. The key is for each spouse to put the deepest needs of the other before his or her own needs.

For a wife, that means to focus on how she treats her husband, not on how he treats her. The core of what Paul tells wives to focus on is respect and the demonstration of that respect in a willingness to follow the husband’s leadership. Respect is the deepest need that a husband has. The place from which respect is most important is from his wife. As a general rule, men have trouble believing they can accomplish anything worthwhile. They doubt themselves and when someone else believes in them it helps to release them to be and to accomplish more of what God wants them to be and to do. A man’s wife holds the key to that release.

For a husband, meeting the deepest needs of his wife means that he focuses on loving her and demonstrating that love by a willingness to sacrifice anything for her, even his own life. Wives, too, struggle with seeing their own value. What they most deeply need is to know that someone cares about them so much that he would do anything for her good. When a wife is genuinely and sacrificially loved by her husband that frees her to become what God wants her to be.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought – June 24, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15-21)

Paul provides some great advice for a healthy and happy life.

Seize the day. Time flies by so quickly (anyone over 40 will testify to the truth of that). We need to take advantage of every day. Use it for the Lord, don’t waste it. When God opens a door of opportunity to share about Christ with someone else, walk confidently through that door, it may never open again.

Seek to follow God’s direction. You’ve spent enough of your life following your own plans and ideas. It’s time to acknowledge that you don’t know what’s best for you. God wants to show you His plan for your life, if you’ll let Him. So, listen to Him and watch for His directional signs.

Pay attention to the Holy Spirit. You’ve got all of the Holy Spirit that you’ll ever receive. There isn’t more of Him for you to seek. However, He doesn’t always have all of you and that hinders the work that He is able to do in your life. Every morning, surrender your life and your day to the Lord and make yourself available to Him to use as He wants.

Praise God to yourself and in the presence of others. Don’t let your fears keep you from speaking up for the Lord. Others need the encouragement you can offer. Others need to hear you praise God and as they do, many will praise God for you to hear and be encouraged, too. Keep a song in your heart all day long. It will lift your spirits and help you focus on God.

Be thankful and show it. Just think about what God has done for you and that exercise should lead you to thanksgiving. You are not a self-made man (or woman), so start being more thankful for what God has done in you, for you, and through you.

Put others first. There isn’t a relationship in your life that wouldn’t be vastly improved if you followed that advice. Don’t just think of what you want or need -- look at the wants and needs of those around you and give yourself to fulfilling them.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 23, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“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)

We all need one or more heroes who will serve as role models for us as we shape our lives.

Growing up, one of my heroes was Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys! I could envision myself riding to the rescue of those who were in distress. He was kind and good and brave, and he always won.

Willie Mays was another one of my heroes when I was a young boy. The Say Hey Kid sure could play baseball. He was a power hitter, he was an amazing outfielder, and he could run the bases with such speed. He was one of the most well-rounded baseball players ever to play the game. I dreamed of hitting home runs to win the World Series for my team. I dreamed of running full speed toward the fence as the ball zoomed off the bat of the opposing player and of reaching out at the last second to catch the ball just before it dropped in for a double or triple.

I had other heroes, too, but Roy and Willie were two of the most important for me as a boy. As I grew older I came to realize that neither was a very realistic hero for me to imitate. There weren’t very many cowboys around anymore, and besides, I lived in a city and never did learn to ride a horse or shoot a gun! And Willie, well there was the minor problem for me of talent – I had none when it came to playing baseball. I could dream all I wanted about doing the things Willie Mays did, but I could never actually DO any of them!

I do still have heroes that I dream of imitating. My primary hero is Jesus Christ! And that’s exactly who Paul says should be the hero for every Christian. And the primary characteristics of Jesus that we should seek to imitate are love for people and service to God. Imitate those characteristics of Jesus and become more and more like Him, and we’ll be heading in the right direction with our lives.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought – June 22, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

Paul told the Ephesians that when a person comes to Christ a radical change comes over their life. They “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires” (Ephesians 4:22) and “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).

Then he goes on to help us understand what the difference will look like in our lives.

“Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor … ‘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. ... Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. ... 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.” (Ephesians 5:25-32)

Our relationship with Christ should change the character of our speech. Before Christ, we spoke however we wanted to speak, in whatever way would advance our own interests and our own ideas. If lying accomplished our goals, we lied. If unwholesome speech made us feel powerful, that’s how we spoke. Our relationship with Christ gives us a new outlook on how we speak. Our speech takes into consideration our love and concern for those to whom we speak. So, we don’t lie because lies hurt others and we care too much to hurt them. We no longer speak in unwholesome ways, but now all of our speech reflects our desire to help the people around us.

Our relationship with Christ should change our attitudes. Bitterness, rage, anger used to characterize our attitudes toward life and toward other people. Now, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are the marks of our attitudes, even as they mark the character of Christ.

Our relationship with Christ should change our actions, too. Stealing and other sinful actions were common place in our lives before Christ. Those actions were focused on getting what we wanted and meeting our needs. A whole new way of looking at how we act has come over us in Christ. We’re not as concerned about our own needs, but now the concern that dominates our actions is our concern for what others need.

Of course, those are the ideals and none of us has made it to those ideals yet. We still stumble in our speech, our attitudes and our actions. But those remain the goals of our lives and the direction in which Christ is taking us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought – June 19, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“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.” (Ephesians 4:14-16)

Maturity is the goal of our relationship with God and here Paul provides several characteristics of the maturity we are to seek.

Stability. Those who are spiritually immature are easily swayed. They are easy prey for false teachers because they are not firmly established in what they believe. But spiritual maturity is so firmly rooted in your spirit that nothing will be able to disturb it. The only way that kind of firm confidence can be built into our lives is by the consistent and long-term study of God’s Word on our own and listening to good teaching.

Truthfulness. Children often lie. It’s not that they are deliberately trying to hurt someone by misleading them, rather it is a mechanism of self-preservation. Even as adults there is a temptation to shade the truth to make ourselves look better or to keep from hurting someone else. But spiritual maturity is characterized by truth-telling. The mature person has learned that shading the truth doesn’t help the situation in the long-term.

Self-sustaining growth. An infant is dependent upon others for everything that he needs for life. He can’t feed himself, change himself, clothe himself, warm himself, cool himself, or do anything else to provide for his own needs. As a child grows, she takes on greater and greater responsibility for providing for her own needs. She’s reached maturity when she is able to move out and provide completely for herself, and even be able to provide for others. The spiritual infant must be spoon-fed and carefully taken care of. Spiritual maturity is marked by being able to provide completely for herself and even to be able to provide for others.

God doesn’t want His children to remain as spiritual infants all of our lives. His goal for us is that we grow. It’s fine to be an infant in the early days of our spiritual life, but to stay there is a sad condition.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought – June 18, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“It was he (Jesus) 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.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

What does maturity look like?

Paul makes the answer pretty clear to the Ephesians. He says that maturity looks like Jesus! To be mature is to attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

To be mature means to have the same priorities that Jesus had. His priorities were the will of God and the needs of the people around Him.

To be mature means to have the same attitudes that Jesus had. His attitudes were an unwavering commitment, absolute unselfishness, compassion, kindness, confidence, serenity, and a host of others.

To be mature means to act in the same ways that Jesus would act if He faced the same situations we face. There was never a time in Jesus’ life in which He gave in to a sinful response to anyone around Him or anything He faced. He responded with purposefulness to each situation and with a godly response.

Is maturity attainable? Well, not perfectly in this life, although the promise of the Bible is that we will attain maturity in heaven. The Apostle John promised, “But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)

In a moment of time, when we see Jesus, we will be transformed to perfect maturity. In the meantime, maturity is to be our goal and the direction in which we are to be moving.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought – June 17, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6)

The unity of His children matters to God. He gave His Son not just to reconcile people to Himself, but also to reconcile people to each other. Yet, that which was meant to reconcile has been twisted to bring even more division to the world. There are thousands of denominations, each with the attitude that they know the truth and each holding the other denominations in suspicion. It’s easy to divide. It doesn’t take any effort at all.

To unite requires that each Christian take some initiative. What are you doing to fulfill Paul’s admonition: “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.”?

Now understand, there are those who call themselves Christians who aren’t. They deny the core truth of the Gospel. Paul is not teaching that we should ignore what people believe. He provides a summary of the core truths that are the foundation of our faith: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father. But the truth is that the core truths are not usually what divides God’s children.

Unity matters to God. It’s got to matter to us, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought – June 16, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“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.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Can you imagine Moses standing by the Red Sea? The sea was in front of him. The Egyptian army was behind him. The rock cliffs were on the sides. There was nowhere to go to escape the danger. God had brought him and his people to this place, but Moses could not imagine how God could rescue them. He didn’t even know what to ask for! Then, God told him to stick his staff into the water and at the moment it touched the water the sea parted and the people could walk across on dry ground. That was not something Moses asked for. That was not something he could even imagine that God could do.

Can you imagine how Enoch felt right at the end of his life? He had a great relationship with God, the Bible says he “walked with God.” He was ready to leave the world and be with God for eternity. The only way he’d ever heard of anyone leaving this earth was through death. He could imagine God taking him to heaven through death. He could even ask for that. But God did something Enoch did not ask for, something he could not even imagine. God took Enoch to heaven without death – he just was gone!

Mary was a young virgin. She knew that some woman would be chosen to bring the Messiah into the world. She heard the Old Testament prophecies. I doubt that she had ever asked to be the one. She couldn’t imagine that God would choose someone as unknown as her. She was shocked when the angel came to tell her the news. It was more than she asked for. It was more than she ever imagined God would do through her.

How many more stories can you think of that tell of what God has done in the lives of His people. Things they didn’t ask for. Things they never even imagined that He might do in them or through them!

God is not bound by our requests. He can work beyond what we ask for. He is not bound by our imagination. He can work beyond what we even dream possible.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought – June 15, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“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, so 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.” (Ephesians 3:14-19)

What is the secret of spiritual maturity?

Paul tells us that it is to be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” That sounds like spiritual maturity to me, to be filled completely with God!

It is surprising to read what Paul says will bring us to spiritual maturity.

It starts by being rooted and established in love. Spiritual life starts when we come to understand that God loves us and wants to be in relationship with us. Responding to God’s love is the first step toward spiritual life and spiritual growth.

The second step is about love, too. It is to grow in our understanding of God’s love for us. None of us fully comprehend how much God loves us when we first come into a relationship with Him. It will take all our lives to begin to grasp the extent of God’s love. As we grow to more fully understand how “wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” then we will move toward greater and greater spiritual maturity.

The third step is about love, too. It’s not just to know God’s love or to grasp how much God loves us, it is to “know this love.” It’s about personally experiencing God’s love. Spiritual growth is not just about head knowledge, it’s about heart experience. Knowing God’s love “surpasses knowledge.” We come to know God’s love, to experience it in the deep places in our hearts, as we walk through life and see God at work in us and around us.

Spiritual growth is about love – understanding and experiencing how much God loves us!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought – June 12, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ.” (Ephesians 3:7-12)

Paul had a clear grasp of the awesome privileges that were his in Christ – and they are ours, too!

He was a servant of the gospel. He considered it a gift of God that he could share the good news with others. He considered himself the least deserving of all of God’s people for that privilege. That same privilege is ours, not based upon how much we deserve it, but based solely upon God’s giving us the opportunity. God invites us to be involved in the most significant task imaginable, to share with others the message of Jesus Christ.

Paul had the privilege of being a part of God’s object lesson to the heavenly authorities. It’s the church that is the illustration God uses to show all of the spiritual powers His wisdom, grace, and love. It’s amazing to consider that God is willing to use us to further His work among people on earth. It is even more amazing when we realize that angels and demons watch what God is doing through us and learn more about God’s character.

Paul enjoyed unhindered access to God’s throne. He could approach God’s throne with freedom – no one blocking the way, no intermediary to go through. He could approach God with confidence. He didn’t need to cower in God’s presence. He wasn’t required to beg in order for God to pay attention to him. He could approach God with the confidence that God cared and wanted to hear from him. We have the same kind of access to God that Paul knew!

Those are awesome and amazing privileges for which Paul gave thanks to God. Those privileges are ours, too. Let’s be sure we take advantage of the privileges that are ours – and express our appreciation to God for them.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought – June 11, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:14-18)

Where can we find peace? Paul’s answer: only in Jesus.

The history of the Jews and Arabs is a history of conflict, distrust and hatred. It went on for thousands of years and continues to afflict the Middle East today. Noble Peace Prizes have been awarded for the progress that has been made between Jews and Arabs in some seasons. Yet conflict continues and every peace process that has been initiated has ultimately failed to produce the desired effect.

Peace between Jew and Gentile does not come and will not come through human efforts. Peace can only come through Jesus! You see that peace in the church of the New Testament era. Jews and Arabs were united in the one body of Christ. Their distrust was dissolved as those who came to Christ gave themselves to a common cause. The hatred was replaced by love for God and love for one another. The division was ended and peace prevailed.

The one place you can see that same kind of peace today between Jews and Arabs, even in Israel, is still in the church. Long-standing ethnic division disappears when Jesus is Lord in the lives of those involved.

That same principle is valid in families, between genders, among races, between nationalities, and in whatever other kinds of divisions exist among humans.

Division dissolves when those involved embrace a common Lord and commit themselves to His will.

There is only one way to peace, and that’s when those in conflict move toward Jesus. The closer we move toward Jesus, the closer we also move toward one another.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought – June 10, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

Paul says the same thing twice in just four verses in Ephesians 2. Maybe he did that because he got so caught up in the excitement that he blurted it out before he was really ready to develop the idea. Maybe he did it because he really wanted us to understand his point – there would no missing this point! Maybe he did it because it’s the core of what Christianity is about.

He said it first in verse 5:  “it is by grace you have been saved.”

There it is again in verse 8:  “it is by grace you have been saved.” This second time he adds, “through faith.”

Grace – unmerited favor is its official definition. It means that this marvelous thing that we have received from God – this eternal relationship with Him – is something we do not deserve in any way and have not and cannot earn in any way. We have received it as a gift from God’s generous and loving heart. That is the only way that it is available. Try to attain salvation in some other way and you will fail! It is available only as a gift!

There is only one way to access this amazing gift – by faith. That is, to trust God for it. If you try to earn, He won’t give it. If you think you deserve it, you’ve been fooled or are fooling yourself. Ask for it and believe that He is loving enough and generous enough to give it – and it’s yours!

That is the core of what Christianity is about and the basis of what marks Christianity as different from every other religious system in the world. Every other system is based upon some form of deserving or earning. You deserve salvation because you are the right ethnicity or have the right ancestry. You earn salvation by doing enough good works or believing the right things or saying the right mantras or doing enough penance or in some other way. Deserve it or earn it are the marks of every other religious system. But the marks of Christianity are gift and trust – grace and faith.

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Thanks be to God!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought – June 9, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

Without Christ, we used to be:

Spiritually dead – “You were dead in your transgressions and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)

Following Satan – “You followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air.” (Ephesians 2:2)

Destined for God’s wrath – “We were by nature objects of wrath.” (Ephesians 2:3)

Far away from Christ – “You were separate from Christ.” (Ephesians 2:12)

Not a part of God’s people – “You were excluded from citizenship in Israel.” (Ephesians 2:12)

Excluded from God’s promises – “You were foreigners to the covenants of the promise.” (Ephesians 2:12)

Without hope – “You were without hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2:12)

But, in Christ, we are now:

Spiritually alive – “You have been made alive with Christ.” (Ephesians 2:5)

Saved – “By grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:5)

Given power and position – “You have been raised up with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 2:6)

Saved – “By grace you have been saved, through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8)

Close to Christ – “You have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

God is available to us – “You have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18)

A part of God’s people – “You are fellow citizens with God's people and members of God’s household.” (Ephesians 2:19)

A part of God’s Temple – “You too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22)

Now that’s a big change! And it all has happened, “because of his great love for us.” (Ephesians 2:4)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought – June 8, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:19-23)

Our connection with God really is all about Jesus!

God raised Jesus from the dead. The resurrection was the stamp of God’s approval on Christ’s sacrifice. It was God’s way of saying with an exclamation point that He accepted Christ’s sacrifice as completely adequate for our salvation.

God seated Jesus at His right hand in the heavenly realms. God did not relegate Jesus just to work that was to be done on earth. Jesus’ position is not an earthly position. Jesus has been given the position of greatest honor in heaven, next to the Father Himself! The work of Jesus was not complete when He left the earth, He is still working on our behalf in heaven in the best place possible from which to work on our behalf.

There is no one who can challenge the position or power of Jesus. He is not just above all rule and authority, but far above it. We’ll never have to be afraid that someone more powerful will come along to wrest Jesus’ place from Him. We can always count on Jesus being there for us.

And it’s not just in our lifetime, nor in the lifetime of the creation that Jesus has power and authority. His position and power will not change, even in whatever ages are yet ahead!

Everything is under Jesus. Nature is under Jesus. Government is under Jesus. Demonic powers are no match for Jesus. Angelic powers submit to Jesus. Psychology, medicine, law, you name it, and it is under the authority of Jesus.

And all the power that Jesus has. And all the authority that is His. All the position to which He can lay claim. All the work that He has done and continues to do. It’s all for us, for His church. As a head never thinks just about itself … all that it does is for the good of the whole body. So, all that Jesus does is always for the good of His whole body, the church that He loves and leads.

It really is all about Jesus. And Jesus is all for us!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought – June 5, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:17-19)

It’s interesting to compare Paul’s prayer requests with our own. When I pray for myself and for others, I’m likely to be praying for health issues, financial issues, job-related issues, family issues, or some other issue related to what is happening in life. And there is certainly nothing wrong with those prayer topics. Paul told the Philippians to “present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Whatever concerns our hearts is appropriate for our prayers. God is concerned about what is happening in our lives.

However, what strikes me about Paul’s prayers is that they are typically focused on spiritual issues, not issues of this life. It’s not that he wasn’t interested in this life, but it was that he knew spiritual life was far more important. The issues of spiritual life and growth were at the front of his mind and were his deepest concerns for himself and for those he cared about.

When he prayed here for the Ephesians, he prayed that they would know God better – see the hope He has given them, understand more fully the inheritance awaiting them, and experience the power He desired to exhibit in their lives.

I don’t want to be discouraged or discourage anyone else from bringing the issues of life to God in prayer. However, I do want to grow in my ability to see the truly important issues that transcend this life and are of the Spirit. I long for my prayer life and yours to be reflective of a heart that understands what is important and is set on those things that truly matter!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought – June 4, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)

Do you realize how many wonderful blessings you have because of Jesus? How often do you stop to think about all that God has done for you -- just because He loves you?

Chosen to be a holy and blameless, not because we are, but because He makes us so in Christ. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (Ephesians 1:4)

Adopted as sons of God. “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:5)

Freely experiencing God’s grace. “He has freely given us of his glorious grace in the One he loves.” (Ephesians 1:6)

Redeemed by the blood of Christ, forgiven for all of our sins. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Ephesians 1:7)

He revealed His marvelous mystery of grace to us, not because He had to, but because He wanted to. “He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:9)

Made a part of the body of Christ. “You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth.” (Ephesians 1:13)

Marked and protected by the Holy Spirit. “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13)

That ought to be enough to get the praise started!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 3, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  Amen.” (Philippians 4:21-23)

Paul had been sent to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. At least that’s what the Jews and Romans thought. But that’s not what God had in mind by allowing Paul to remain in prison and be sent to the highest court in the empire. God’s plan included the salvation of some people, even within the very household of the emperor!

At many times in the early history of the church there wasn’t a place that would represent a greater enemy to the church than the house of Caesar. But even in that place, the gospel penetrated and impacted people’s lives.There is nowhere on earth that is impenetrable by the gospel!

The most liberal university, the most hostile government, the most immoral city, all of them can be and have been penetrated with the gospel. The gospel has the power to go anywhere.

So, don’t think anyplace is beyond God’s reach. He may have to send someone to prison to get the message of the gospel somewhere, but God can reach even the most difficult place. He can even reach people in your family, your neighborhood, your school, your workplace. He may even have you there just for that reason!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 2, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:14-19)

The Philippians were generous people. They helped Paul in his missionary work time and again. And they helped the churches of Judea when they suffered through a famine. Paul used the example of their generosity to encourage other churches toward giving (see 2 Corinthians 8:1ff). They were generous even though they were not a wealthy people.

Paul said of them, “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” (2 Corinthians 8:2)

The giving of the Philippians was good for them. It wasn’t just good for those with whom they shared, it was good for the Philippians, too. Their giving was “credited to their account.” The Bible says that God will be no man’s debtor. When the Philippians gave, God blessed them in return. The blessings may not have been material, but God did bless them.

Their giving pleased God. That’s why they gave. They didn’t give for what they would get in return. They gave because they loved God and wanted to please Him.

Their giving did not deepen their financial poverty. Instead, Paul promises God’s provision for their needs because of their generous giving.

They were a good example to the Corinthians, an encouragement for them to give generously, too. They’re a good example for us, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 1, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-13)

Contentment doesn’t come naturally. Paul said he had to learn it. I’m not sure how he learned it, but it probably had something to do with experiencing going without and finding out that he could live through it and learning to trust the Lord in the midst of it.

Contentment doesn’t require plenty. Paul learned to be content in plenty and in need. Contentment is not based upon how much you have, but about your attitude toward what you have.

Knowing Christ doesn’t guarantee that all your needs and desires will be met, that you will live in prosperity. Paul lived in prosperity sometimes and sometimes he lived in deep need. He knew what it was like even to go hungry.

Here was Paul’s bottom-line: it’s not so much what you are going through, it is Who you are going through it with! Paul had learned to handle any situation, because he had learned to rely upon Christ. Christ’s presence was enough to make every kind of situation bearable.

No matter what kind of situation you are in right now: in plenty or in need, hurting or feeling good, with a great job or unemployed, healthy or sick, or whatever your situation, lean on Christ, rely on Him, trust Him. That’s where we’ll find contentment!

His, by Grace,

Steve