God Speaks
In a Letter to the Ephesians, Paul Addresses Christian Doctrine and How to Live It Out In Daily Life
Verse of the Day: Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way 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 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Ephesians 1
Reflection: When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to believers in Ephesus, he was in a prison in Rome. Yet he wrote to encourage them. tprayed for them to be blessed and have peace from God the Father and Jesus the Son. He praised God for every blessing believers have in heaven because we belong to Christ. Paul wrote that before God created anything He laid out His unchanging plan to adopt us, sinful human beings, by sending Jesus Christ to die for us and take away all our sins. God did this just because He wanted to! God’s overflowing kindness to us also led Him to shower us with the vast riches of His grace. He thoroughly understands us and knows what is best for us at all times. At just the right time, in His marvelous mercy, God will sovereignly draw together all those who believe in Christ to be with Him forever. These chosen ones will praise God and give Him glory for all the wonderful mighty things He has done for us. All who are saved by trusting in what Christ has done for them are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit within us. We praise our glorious God because He purchased us with the blood of Christ from the slave market of sin and guarantees to bring us to Himself. This is accomplished by the same mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead and placed Him in the position of highest honor next to God the Father in heaven, That means the Lord Jesus Christ is higher in authority than anything or anyone else (except the Father). He is the head! (Mary’s personalized paraphrase of Ephesians 1:16-19 TLB)
Prayer: Father God, I pray for the readers of this blog. I thank You for them. I ask You, the glorious Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, to give them wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that He has done for them. I pray that their hearts will be flooded with light so that they can see something of the future You have called them to share. I want them to know that You have been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to You. I pray that they will begin to understand how incredibly great Your power is to help those who believe You. It is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at the Father’s right hand in heaven. I pray that they will truly grasp that You have made Jesus the head of His body the church which He fills with Himself, the Author and Giver of everything everywhere! AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will make a list of at least five tangible things Jesus has given me here on earth and thank Him for them.
- I will make a list of at least five intangible things Jesus has given me here on earth and thank Him for them.
- I will make a list of at least five tangible things Jesus has waiting for me in heaven and thank Him for them.
- I will make a list of at least five intangible things Jesus has waiting for me in heaven and thank Him for them.
Ephesians 2
Reflection: [Author’s note: In this chapter Paul is emphasizing what Gentile believers in Christ used to be like before they turned to depend on Christ in faith and what they are now. Since I and the majority of the readers of this blog are Gentile (non-Jewish) believers, I will summarize and apply it to us.]
We used to be under God’s curse because we, like every other human being, continually did whatever we wanted regardless of what God or anyone else wanted. We were controlled by Satan through our passions, evil thoughts and sinful natures. We were against God whether we realized it or not. And God was against us for that reason. Spiritual death was God’s just punishment for these attitudes and actions. But God in His great mercy and love had a better plan. Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth in a human body, lived a God-glorifying, sin-free life and died on the cross taking our place. Because that satisfied the death-for-sin penalty, God raised Him from the dead setting whoever will believe free. Not only that, God raised us out of the grave with Christ. From God’s viewpoint, we are now seated with Him in Heaven in Christ Jesus. God did all this so that throughout the coming ages He could pour out His infinite grace and kindness on us in Christ. All we have to (or can) do is trust and cooperate with Him to work things out for our ultimate good and His glory. We can’t do anything on our own. We don’t have any reason to brag. We just do the good work He designed for us. Because of Christ dying for all, there are now no insiders (Jews who first had God’s rules, promises, land and blessings) or outsiders (Gentiles–any other people groups, who did not). The blood Jesus shed at the cross broke down the wall between the haves and the have-nots. There is no longer any need for jealousy or hostility. All who trust Christ are declared equal citizens of the Kingdom of God with all the rights and privileges of Christ. Each believer is part of the new dwelling place God is building by His Spirit with Jesus Christ as the center and focal point.
Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You that I no longer have to give in to the promptings of my own desires, the urges of my sinful nature or Satan’s deceitful schemes. You, Lord God, used Jesus’s voluntary death to set me free to know and love You and other people. Because of Your obedience, Jesus, I am free to love and obey God the Father and to love other people just like You. I’m no longer an outsider. I am an adopted child of God, a co-heir with Christ. I’ll never come to the end of thanking You. AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will reread this chapter aloud and personalize it by substituting I or we for you or they, etc.
- I will think about what I’m reading and “take it to heart.”
- I will ask God to show me at least one way I can show love to another of God’s children today, then do it.
- I will talk with someone today about how they can become a citizen of the Kingdom of God.
Ephesians 3
Reflection: For millennia God had a secret. After Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul, God revealed to him what it was: It had forever been God’s plan to save the Gentiles as well as the Jews through the Messiah (the Christ). “Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:6 ESV) Paul was writing this letter while imprisoned for preaching this eternal-life-giving message to non-Jews. Paul knew that he was unworthy and incapable on his own to carry out this great task. He had to rely on the God who created all things to adequately preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. This is “so that through the church [all believers, Jew and Gentile alike] the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places [this includes the holy angels, faithful humans, as well as Satan and all of his forces].”
This song is especially meaningful in light of Ephesians 3: Jireh | Elevation Worship & Maverick City
 Jireh | Elevation Worship & Maverick City |
Prayer (Mary’s personalized paraphrase of Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT)
“I fall on my knees to pray to [You, Father God], the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from [Your] glorious, unlimited resources [You] will empower [Your people] with inner strength through [Your] Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in [our] hearts as [we] trust in Him. [Our] roots will grow down into [Your[ love and keep us strong. And may [we] have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep [Your[ love is. May [we] experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then [we] will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from [You alone.] Now all glory to [You, Lord God], who is able, through [Your] mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to [You] in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!” AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will read this prayer aloud on my knees if physically possible.
- I will pray this prayer for at least one other individual believer or group. Be specific.
- I will thank God for filling me with His great love and look for ways to express it to others. Be specific.
- I will use biblical reference materials to learn more about the Ephesians.
Ephesians 4
Reflection: Even though he was writing from prison, Paul instructed Ephesian believers in how to function as a unified body for glory of God. God gave each one of them different talents, abilities, and roles to play, with each member of the group needing to focus on only one goal: equipping God’s people to do the work of building up the Church, the body of Christ. Paul wanted them to function as a healthy adult body with each part working properly and in unison. The Ephesians were to set aside their former way of life, which was filled with doing whatever they felt like, always wanting more, bigger, better, not concerned whether it was right or wrong. Now Paul was telling them to put on a new way of feeling, thinking, and acting. They were to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He made them more and more like Jesus–righteous, good, and kind. Paul’s practical alternatives included: stop lying; tell the truth; quiet any angry reactions; don’t hold grudges; settle disagreements quickly; don’t give Satan a foothold; stop stealing; do honest work; share with others; don’t use bad language; say only what is true, good, helpful, and a blessing; stop being mean; stop quarrelling, criticizing, and hating. Instead, they were to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving because that was how Jesus was to them.
Prayer: Gracious Father in heaven, I pray that You will enable other believers and me to live in ways that honor You and bless those around us. We need to operate in humility, gentleness, patience, making allowances for each other’s shortcomings and expressing Your love for people. We need Your Holy Spirit to help us stand together as a team. Help each one to do their part faithfully and with excellence. Please help Your people so that we stand firm together, not wishy-washy or confused by the latest ideologies. Help us to lovingly speak the truth. Let us act like wise adults, not foolish children. Give us the strength of character and courage to admit and turn away from our old evil inclinations, wrong thinking, and behavior. Instead, help us to set our minds and actions to be more like Christ day by day. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will ask God which of Paul’s alternatives listed above He wants me to focus on today, then do it.
- I will turn a grudge I’ve been holding over to the Lord, take the action He prompts me to do, and thank Him for however things turn out.
- I will look for ways to be righteous, good, and kind to _______________ (a specific person God brings to mind) today.
- I will compliment ______________ (a specific fellow believer) for being like Christ in _________ (some specific way) today.
Ephesians 5
Reflection: Since we have been adopted by the great God who created the universe and everything in it, and since Jesus paid the fine for our freedom by His blood and death, we should live in ways that imitate and please Him. We should stop “doing our own thing”–any kind of sexual sin, questionable practices, bullying or extortion, greedy grasping for more, filthy talk, course jokes, gossip, proud bragging, mocking, or putting people down. Instead, we should love and worship God for the good things He has given us in this life and in Heaven. God will deal severely with those who continue doing the evil things just mentioned, either in this life or in eternity apart from Him. We believers who are His loving and obedient children need to learn to do what pleases God. When we see evil and darkness taking place, we shouldn’t participate but rebuke and expose them. When these evil, sinful actions are brought out into God’s light, hopefully, some people will realize how wrong they are, turn around, and become children of light. May they truly wake up from the dead because Christ has given them light. Let’s not be fools, but be wise, taking every opportunity for doing good. Yielding to the control of the Holy Spirit, we should find out and do whatever the Lord wants. Singing hymns and praise songs helps. So does giving thanks to God and other people. We honor God by putting others’ interests and needs ahead of our own. This is especially true in marriage. Wives are to continually respect, support, and encourage their own husbands and look to them to make the final decision on things. Husbands are to love, cherish, provide for, and protect their wives. The relationship between Christ and His people is our perfect example. Christ died for us and now stands up for us before the Father. Christ is working to make us spotlessly clean, wrinkle-free, and beautiful, ready for our wedding to Himself. We are to be responsive and obedient to the Holy Spirit and anxiously awaiting Christ’s return.
Prayer: Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. please help me overcome my old sin-loving nature that wants to do all those wicked things I used to do automatically. I was even fooled into thinking they were good for me. Take control of my inappropriate urges, my selfish attitudes, and my careless or hurtful words. Your Word tells me to consider myself dead to them. Help me learn and do whatever pleases You. Please expose the shameful, worthless pleasures of evil and darkness. Help as many people as possible awaken to see where they are wrong, to turn to the light of Christ, and to receive the cleansing and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Please help wives to yield to and respect their husbands. Help husbands to love themselves by loving their wives. May we all, regardless of our marital status, submit to Your will and imitate Christ Jesus, our Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will ask God to show me what sins have become automatic responses in my life and ask for Him to transform me.
- I will meet with a Christian counselor who can help me bring any hidden sin patterns out into the light of Christ and who can assist me in overcoming them.
- I will gather a personal collection of worship and praise songs that I can use when I am tempted to fall back into old patterns.
- I will find a way ______________ (be specific) to submit (or yield) to someone else for the glory of God, following Christ’s example.
Ephesians 6
Reflection: The Apostle Paul continues his instructions about submission from chapter 5. After instructing husbands and wives to love and respect each other, Paul now talks to children and parents, workers and bosses. Children are to honor their parents. [As noted in the text, this is one of the Ten Commandments that comes with a promise of reward for obedience–long life and wellbeing.] Parents are to not exasperate their children. Workers are to work hard whether watched or not. Bosses are to treat workers fairly. All of them are to treat each other well as if the other person were Jesus Christ Himself. We must always remember God is our ultimate master, and He doesn’t play favorites. In verses 10-18, Paul deals with the weapons God has provided for us to use in our battle with Satan and his influence. These weapons are truth; righteous living; the readiness and stability that comes when we share the good news of how people can be at peace with God; trusting Jesus; and salvation–relying on God’s rescue plan. Our offensive weapon is God’s words and promises written by the Holy Spirit in the scriptures. Prayer is the line of communication between us and the Father to get what we or others need for the battle. Paul closes by saying that he was sending Tychicus to convey information as well as God’s peace, grace, and love to sustain them. (This letter was sent to those in Ephesus who truly loved Jesus.)
Prayer: Dear God who is our Husband, Father, and Master, thank You for sending Jesus who not only taught about these roles but also modeled them for us. Please help me to live them out in my day-to-day life. Please also help me to work hard at developing my skills so that I can appropriately and effectively use these weapons that You have so lovingly provided. In Jesus’s powerful name, AMEN.
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will look for a specific way to honor my parents (and/or a parent figure in my life), then do it.
- I will look for a specific way to encourage a child (my own and/or someone else’s), then do it.
- I will look for a specific way to serve a supervisor in my life, above and beyond the call of duty, then do it.
- I will look for a specific way to increase my skills in using my spiritual weapons, then do it.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.