Category Archives: Ephesians

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The Coattail Effect

It's Nothing You Did - It's Everything God Did

SYNOPSIS: Today, REST in what God has done as a worshipful response for your salvation: Reflect on God’s grace. “It is by grace you are saved…” (v. 8) Express gratitude to God for the gift of salvation. “It is the gift of God.” (v. 8) Stop working for what you already have—God’s approval! “You are God’s workmanship…” Trade your ‘to do’ list for God’s. “Do good works which God prepared in advance for you to do.” (v. 10) You’ve crossed over the bridge of faith riding on Someone else’s efforts, so enjoy the ride! As John Piper said, “Delighting in God is the work of our lives.  God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

Project 52—Memorize:
Ephesians 2:8-10

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 are three of the most revolutionary verses in the entire Bible, dramatically revealing how our salvation really came about. Basically, Paul is telling us that we are saved totally by the love, grace, mercy, will and power of God. We had very little to do with it—except to simply, humbly and gratefully receive this marvelous gift. Even then, God helped us with that. This is the coat-tail effect: God did all the work, now we get a free ride on his efforts.

So what does this mean for me? Plenty! Among the countless numbers of ramifications, one of the most enjoyable is that I can sit back and simply rest in this wonderful gift of salvation provided in Christ Jesus.

Let me spell out 4 things from these verses using the word REST that you can try as a response of worship for your salvation:

Reflect: First of all, this week, reflect on God’s grace. Verse 8 says “it is by grace you are saved…” Verses 4-5 say, “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead…” You did nothing to save yourself and make you acceptable to God. You were dead! Do you know what a dead person can do to be un-dead. Nothing—except lay there and be dead! It was all up to God. So just spend some time thinking about that, and it will lead to the response.

Express: Express your gratitude to God for the gift of salvation. Express a prayer of thanksgiving every day specifically for the gift of eternal life he has given you. Do you realize how marvelous this gift is? Verse 8 goes on to say that every aspect of your salvation “is the gift of God.” Even the faith to believe was God’s gift, according to the grammar of that verse. God has even provided you the ability to believe—how awesome is that?

Stop: Stop working for what you already have—approval! Verse 10 says “you are God’s workmanship…” God does not accept or approve of you based on your efforts—he does so based on Christ’s work. You were “created in Christ Jesus.” You are his masterpiece! So whenever you feel the need to perform for your worth—quit! You’re already worthy. Just take delight in God and what he’s done for you through Jesus. Delighting in God is a very spiritual matter—and it’s appropriate! So stop working for approval and enjoy God this week!

Trade: Trade your ‘to do’ list for God’s. Verse 10 says you were created, “to do good works which God prepared in advance for you to do.” Once you’re freed from the need to work for approval and acceptance, you can do the works that arise out of grace—those are the “good works prepared in advance for you to do.” What are those good works? I don’t know, but to paraphrase Augustine, “just love God and do as you please” and I have a feeling you’ll be just fine!

A flea was riding on an elephant’s ear when they came to an old wooden bridge.  And as they crossed the bridge wobbled badly and almost collapsed.  When they got the other side the flea said to the elephant, “Boy, we shook that bridge, didn’t we!”

Friend, you’ve crossed over the bridge of faith riding on someone else’s efforts.  So quit trying to add to it—it’s already done. Quit trying to get there—you’re already there. Just rest in who you are in Christ based on what he’s done for you on the cross.

And enjoy the ride!

“Delighting in God is the work of our lives.  God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”  ~John Piper

Reflect and Apply: Offer this prayer of gratitude: “Father, I am your workmanship. I am your masterpiece.  How marvelous the thought! Enable me to live up to that and honor your design in everything I think, say and do.”

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A Competition of Kindness

The Essence of Authentic Christianity

SYNOPSIS: Love is the true essence of Christianity, Jesus taught. But love is no vague notion in the Bible; it’s an action. And there is a word for love-in-action in scripture, and it’s called kindness. Love and kindness go together, and kindness is simply put, love acting out. Furthermore, among other things, kindness is rooted in compassion (to feel in your guts, literally) and it is expressed in the most compelling of ways, through forgiveness. Kindness: your love acting out in compassion and forgiveness. Hebrews 10:24 says, “In response to all God has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind…” (TLB) In other words, in gratitude for all that God has done for us, you and I are to engage in a “competition of kindness” with one another. What do you say that go for the gold in that competition!

Project 52—Memorize:
Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

One day a man came to Jesus and said “Lord, what’s the most important verse in the whole Bible.”  Jesus said “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.  That summarizes the entire Bible.”  (Matthew 22:36-40, Free Translation)

That’s the whole essence of Christianity. Jesus was saying that nothing matters more in life than relationships—with God, first, and with others running a close second. You can be successful in every other area of life, but if you are failing in your relationships, you are in danger of failure in God’s book. Galatians 4:14  puts it succinctly yet powerfully: “For the whole Bible is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Jesus said the identifying hallmark of authentic Christianity, is love. John 13:35 says, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Not that you have Bible knowledge, not that you give money to start churches in the unreached world, not that you are a deacon or teacher or soloist in your church, but that you love.

Now there is a word for love in action in the Bible, and it’s called kindness. Love and kindness go together, and kindness is simply love in action.  Furthermore, Paul indicates that kindness, among other things, is rooted in compassion (to feel in your guts, literally) and expressed in the most compelling way of all, through forgiveness. Love in action: kindness, compassion, forgiveness. Titus 3:4-5 reminds us, “when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us…” 

When you are kind, love moves beyond thought or feeling and you take action in a practical way. There is so much power in kindness because our world knows very little about genuine kindness. It knows a lot about selfishness, violence, and hatred. That’s why what the world needs more than anything else right now is massive doses of kindness, and Christians ought to be leading the way, showing our world this kind of love in action. You and I have the power to change a life, a community, a world—not by political power, not by imposing our will, not by enormous resources—but by Spirit-empowered acts of kindness.

It might be interesting to note that the Greek word for kindness is “chrestos”.  That’s just one letter different from the Greek word for Christ, “Christos”. When the first church began 2000 years ago, chrestos and Christos were often confused in the Roman Empire—they thought Christians were simply people who believed in kindness. It was known as the “kind religion.” What a thing to be confused with! And what a powerful thing their kindness was, In a mere 300 years, this small band of kind ones won over a hostile empire.

Has anyone ever confused your Christianity with kindness? The truth is, our lives will be evaluated not just on what we said we believed, but on how we treated other people. This isn’t just some minor issue, it’s the heart of Christianity.  The core of our faith is this love in action. And at the nucleus of love in action is kindness. In the Living Bible, Hebrews 10:24 says, “In response to all God has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind…” 

God says in light of what He’s done for us, we are to engage in a “competition of kindness” with one another.

I hope you go for the gold in that competition.

“Because of God’s deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others…” ~Colossians 3:12 (LB)

Who needs your proactive and practical kindness today? Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” So, get after it!

A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve. —Joseph Joubert.

Reflect and Apply:  The more understanding you are of a person, the kinder you’re going to be to them.  That is why it is so easy to be unkind to strangers. Reflect on Hebrews 4:15-16—one of the most comforting truths about how Christ perceives us, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.” Now, work on gaining a greater understanding of the people in your life with whom you have the greatest difficulty being kind.

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God, Help Me To See My Real Enemy

52 Simple Prayers for Each Week of the Year

Satan hates God, but since he can’t get to God, he goes after you. He is behind every conflict, upheaval, and attack in your life and in your world. Of course, he manipulates people and uses circumstances in the visible realm, but make no mistake, the Enemy is behind it all seeking to steal, kill and destroy. Don’t fall for attacking the wrong enemy. Put on the armor of God and take the fight to the Evil One. And don’t fear: Jesus already defeated him at the cross. You’re just in the mop up campaign, and it will last just a little while longer.

A Simple Prayer to Defeat Satan:

God, help me to see the real enemy—The Enemy—behind every conflict, every upheaval, and every attack. Too often I focus on “flesh and blood” causes, but it is the Evil One who hates me because I belong to you. It is he who uses people and circumstances to derail your plan for me and my trust in your sufficiency. So give me eyes to see, help me to exercise discernment, and remind me to go to battle against him in the armor you have provided the next time I am tempted to take it out on someone else.
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God, I Want To Want To Love You More

52 Simple Prayers for 2018

Too many of us have a disconnect between the theology in our head and the love in our heart. That’s why we should earnestly pray for the release of divine power that will move us beyond an experience of intellectual Christianity to an actual experience of Jesus in our hearts—to a deep knowledge of Christ’s love for us, and in response, our passionate love for Christ. And we need to pray that because it doesn’t take a greater human effort to achieve it, it requires a supernatural connection between our head and heart to grasp just how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

A Simple Prayer to Love God More:

God, as Teresa of Avila honestly prayed, so I pray, “Oh God, I don’t love you, I don’t even want to love you, but I want to want to love you.” Create in my heart a burning desire to love you more than life itself. And lead me to an experience of divine love that surpasses knowledge and fills me with your fullness. And Lord, do it today.
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Yield

Reflect:
Ephesians 5:10-20

“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” (Ephesians 5:18, NLT)

If you are a believer, the Spirit-filled life is not an option, it’s a divine expectation. Spirit-filled, Spirit-formed, Spirit-led living is a Christian essential.

In the New International Version of the Bible, when Paul says, “Don’t get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery,” that is, meaningless, valueless, even self-destructive living, but “instead be filled with the Spirit,” he was speaking to believers who had come out of the pagan culture of Ephesus.

In their pagan worship and ritual, one of their idols was Baccus, the god of wine and drunken orgies. Their belief was that to commune with this god and to have his leading, they had to get drunk. In their drunken stupor, they believed they could discern his will and how best to serve him. And the sick by-product of their out-of-control intoxication was to engage in sexual immorality with temple prostitutes.

Just as depending on wine was a destructive counterfeit to Spirit-filled living in Paul’s day, so we need to be careful in our culture today where alcohol is the drink of choice to help people relax, feel confident, or take away the pain of whatever ails them and make them feel good, that we don’t buy into that deceptive line. This is not an anti drinking campaign, since Scripture doesn’t explicitly forbid the enjoyment of alcohol. However, there are an unfortunately large number of Christians today whose drinking habits are no different from unbelievers. The truth is, it is still God’s desire that we depend on being filled with his Spirit to make us confident, competent and joyful rather than a drink—or for that matter, a relationship or position or a possession.

In truth, nothing compares to the Spirit-filled life to satisfy every longing of your heart and enable you to experience the good life. The greatest and longest lasting “high” in this world comes from being filled with the Spirit-filled. Now Paul is not referring to that instantaneous infilling of the Spirit that we read about in Acts 2, but rather the ongoing submission of our will to God’s work through an active yielding of one’s life to the Spirit’s control.

Spirit filling in the book of Acts was an event, while the filling in Ephesians was an ongoing process. In Acts, it was evidenced by extraordinary, miraculous happenings, while in Ephesians, it was evidenced by ordinary, everyday choices that submitted the believers to the Spirit. In Acts, the Spirit was received by asking in faith, while in Ephesians the Spirit was pleased by the believer yielding in obedience. Both kinds of Spirit infilling are valid, and needed.

Being filled with the Spirit is not a matter of eliminating sinful or unproductive behavior in your life and passively waiting for God to supernaturally fill you, Paul is saying Spirit-filled living is about eliminating those things that grieve the Holy Spirit and replacing them with passions that please him. Living the Spirit-filled life is about the daily choices you make to yield control to him—choices to imitate God and eliminate immoral or questionable practices; choices to find out what pleases God; choices to find out what God’s will is—and ruthlessly pursue it.

Make a decision today to allow the Holy Spirit to have all of you! In every area of your life, yield control to him—that is what it means to be Spirit-filled. And there is no temporary high that compares to that.

“O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.” ~Augustine

Reflect and Apply: Offer this prayer: “Holy Spirit, take control of all of me—mind, tongue, hands, eyes—all my thoughts, words and actions. Have more of me, I pray.”

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The Coattail Effect

Reflect:
Ephesians 2:8-10

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 are three of the most revolutionary verses in the entire Bible, dramatically revealing how our salvation really came about. Basically, Paul is telling us that we are saved totally by the love, grace, mercy, will and power of God. We had very little to do with it—except to simply, humbly and gratefully receive this marvelous gift. Even then, God helped us with that. This is the coat-tail effect: God did all the work, now we get a free ride on his efforts.

So what does this mean for me? Plenty! Among the countless numbers of ramifications, one of the most enjoyable is that I can sit back and simply rest in this wonderful gift of salvation provided in Christ Jesus.

Let me spell out 4 things from these verses using the word REST that you can try as a response of worship for your salvation:

Reflect: First of all, this week, reflect on God’s grace. Verse 8 says “it is by grace you are saved…” Verses 4-5 say, “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead…” You did nothing to save yourself and make you acceptable to God. You were dead! Do you know what a dead person can do to be un-dead. Nothing—except lay there and be dead! It was all up to God. So just spend some time thinking about that, and it will lead to the response.

Express: Express your gratitude to God for the gift of salvation. Express a prayer of thanksgiving every day specifically for the gift of eternal life he has given you. Do you realize how marvelous this gift is? Verse 8 goes on to say that every aspect of your salvation “is the gift of God.” Even the faith to believe was God’s gift, according to the grammar of that verse. God has even provided you the ability to believe—how awesome is that?

Stop: Stop working for what you already have—approval! Verse 10 says “you are God’s workmanship…” God does not accept or approve of you based on your efforts—he does so based on Christ’s work. You were “created in Christ Jesus.” You are his masterpiece! So whenever you feel the need to perform for your worth—quit! You’re already worthy. Just take delight in God and what he’s done for you through Jesus. Delighting in God is a very spiritual matter—and it’s appropriate! So stop working for approval and enjoy God this week!

Trade: Trade your ‘to do’ list for God’s. Verse 10 says you were created, “to do good works which God prepared in advance for you to do.” Once you’re freed from the need to work for approval and acceptance, you can do the works that arise out of grace—those are the “good works prepared in advance for you to do.” What are those good works? I don’t know, but to paraphrase Augustine, “just love God and do as you please” and I have a feeling you’ll be just fine!

A flea was riding on an elephant’s ear when they came to an old wooden bridge. And as they crossed the bridge wobbled badly and almost collapsed. When they got the other side the flea said to the elephant, “Boy, we shook that bridge, didn’t we!”

Friend, you’ve crossed over the bridge of faith riding on someone else’s efforts. So quit trying to add to it—it’s already done. Quit trying to get there—you’re already there. Just rest in who you are in Christ based on what he’s done for you on the cross.

And enjoy the ride!

“Delighting in God is the work of our lives. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” ~John Piper

Reflect and Apply: Offer this prayer of gratitude: “Father, I am your workmanship. I am your masterpiece. How marvelous the thought! Enable me to live up to that and honor your design in everything I think, say and do.”

Posted on

A Competition Of Kindness

Reflect:
Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

One day a man came to Jesus and said “Lord, what’s the most important verse in the whole Bible.” Jesus said “Love God and love your neighbor as your-self. That summarizes the entire Bible.” (Matthew 22:36-40, Free Translation)

That’s the whole essence of Christianity. Jesus was saying that nothing matters more in life than relationships—with God, first, and with others running a close second. You can be successful in every other area of life, but if you are failing in your relationships, you are in danger of failure in God’s book.

Jesus said the identifying hallmark of authentic Christianity, is love. John 13:35 says, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Not that you have Bible knowledge, not that you give money to start churches in the unreached world, not that you are a deacon or teacher or soloist in your church, but that you love.

Now there is a word for love in action in the Bible, and it’s called kindness. Love and kindness go together, and kindness is simply love in action. Titus 3:4-5 reminds us, “when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us…”

When you are kind, love moves beyond thought or feeling and you take action in a practical way. There is so much power in kindness because our world knows very little about genuine kindness. It knows a lot about selfishness, violence and hatred. That’s why what the world needs more than anything else right now is massive doses of kindness, and Christians ought to be leading the way, showing our world this kind of love in action. You and I have the power to change a life, a community, a world—not by political power, not by imposing our will, not by enormous resources—but by Spirit-empowered acts of kindness.

It might be interesting to note that the Greek word for kindness is “chrestos”. That’s just one letter different from the Greek word for Christ, “Christos”. When the first church began 2000 years ago, chrestos and Christos were often confused in the Roman Empire—they thought Christians were simply people who believed in kindness. It was known as the “kind religion”. What a thing to be confused with! And what a powerful thing their kindness was, In a mere 300 years, this small band of kind ones won over a hostile empire.

Has anyone ever confused your Christianity with kindness? The truth is, our lives will be evaluated not just on what we said we believed, but on how we treated other people. This isn’t just some minor issue, it’s the heart of Christianity. The core of our faith is this love in action. And at the nucleus of love in action is kindness. In the Living Bible, Hebrews 10:24 says, “In response to all God has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind…”

God says in light of what He’s done for us, we are to engage in a “competition of kindness” with one another.

I hope you go for the gold in that competition.

“Because of God’s deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others…” ~Colossians 3:12 (LB)

Reflect and Apply: The more understanding you are of a person, the kinder you’re going to be to them. That is why it is so easy to be unkind to strangers. Reflect on Hebrews 4:15-16—one of the most comforting truths about how Christ perceives us, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.” Now, work on gaining greater understanding of the people in your life with whom you have the greatest difficulty being kind.