Ephesians

A Hope and a Future: Hope When You Are Surrounded

Ephesians 1:18-19  “I pray 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 His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” 

Right now there are signs that many Americans are running low on hope.  Since March: alcohol and drug use are up, pornography use is up, anxiety is up, and marriage problems are up too.  This is not the life that God intends for us!

Tags:  Hope, A Hope And A Future, Ephesians, 2 Kings, Elisha

Is It Normal: To Be This Angry?

Ephesians 4:26 "In your anger do not sin."

Have you noticed that people seem angry right now? I read about an individual who visited a drive through at McDonald's this week and noticed that the cook forgot the ketchup on their cheeseburger. This person then got so angry that they went into the restaurant and punched an employee in the face. Wow, talk about anger issues! This is not surprising because we are all living under a huge amount of stress. One psychologist said, " We're living in a big anger incubator."

Tags:  Psalm, David, Anger, Ephesians, Is It Normal

DIY Religion

Ephesians 2:8-9 “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.”
I wish I were a better handyman. Often when things break around my house I go through a process of nervously trying to fix the item before eventually calling a professional to do the job right. Maybe you can relate to the struggle of doing it yourself. Home repair is not the only area where people try to DYI. Some even take a DIY approach to God. 
In Roman
Tags:  DIY, DIY Religion, Ephesians, Paul, Handyman, God Is For You

What’s Gotten into You?

Ephesians 6:12 “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.”
A few years ago my computer got a virus. I don’t know where or how I got it, but the effects were evident. It ran slower, windows would randomly open, and it was almost non functional. Luckily, I was able to take my system to our IT manager who was able to diagnose the unseen problem and remove it from my system. 
Tags:  Ephesians, Mark, Virus

Finding God’s Will: Pray Continually

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

Finding God’s will sounds mystical and complicated.  And often we are only concerned with the will of God when we feel stuck or confused.  But in 1 Thessalonians 5 we see three practical steps what will allow us to live in the will of God.  

Tags:  Finding Gods Will, Pray Continually, 1 Thessalonians, Ephesians, Mark

Prayer - Your Secret Weapon

Ephesians 6:18-20 "And 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 Lord's people."
 
During World War 2, the Nazis were working on a secret weapon for conquering England and winning the war. It was called the V-3 gun.
 
The V-3 gun was a huge cannon that was over a football field and a half long. It was so big that much of it had to be built underground.
Tags:  Ephesians, Paul, Prayer

A Good Fight

Ephesians 6:10-12  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power.  Put on the 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.” 

Tags:  A Good Fight, Ephesians, Armor of God, Pittsburgh Steeler

Married for Good

John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 
 
Gene and Pat Warrington had a good marriage. The two met when they were in junior high school, got married secretly while Gene was on leave from boot camp in in WWII and lived together for 69 years. In the end they passed away only eight hours apart.  Their kids said that their marriage was more than good and was an example for all who knew them.
 
Marriage is intended to be good and all men want a good relationship with their wife.  It is true that all marriages
Tags:  Married, Marriage, John, Ephesians

The Good Life: Vacation

 Ephesians 5:15 ”Be very careful, then how you live - not as unwise but as wise.” 
 
I love vacation! You probably do too! There are few things better than breaking away from the work and stress of everyday life to get a little rest and relaxation. On a good vacation it feels like time moves slow. The days are packed with memories with those you love and the “real world” seems far away. When I think about the Good Life I think about vacations. The only problem is that the challenges of life do not really go away. They still exist back home, but we just get to
Tags:  Ephesians, Paul, The Good Life, Vacation