Today’s Reading: Philippians 2:19-3:14

Paul takes a moment in the middle of his letter to the Church in Philippi to call attention to a couple of young men who are living out their faith in Jesus Christ – men who are a great example for us of what holy living and obedience to God’s call should look like. Here is what he had to say about Timothy and Epaphraditus (affectionately nicknamed Timmy and E-Rad by yours truly):

If the Lord is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit…I have no one else like Timothy, who GENUINELY CARES about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. – Philippians 2:19-22

Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphraditus back to you. He is a TRUE brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need…Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away. – Phil. 2:25, 29-30

Even though Paul is calling attention to these two servants of Christ, he wants his readers to focus on the Christ they serve and not on the human servant. He wants the Church to see that this kind of dedicated lifestyle is a result of God’s work within us, evidence that we are submitting to our Creator and not a result of our own human effort.

WE RELY ON WHAT CHRIST JESUS HAS DONE FOR US, NOT WHAT WE CAN DO ON OUR OWN.

C.S. Lewis made a similar point in his book Mere Christianity: “The Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to be good. They hope, by being good, to please God if there is one; or — if they think there is not — at least they hope to deserve approval from good men. But the Christian thinks any good he does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it.”

In his live version of the song Good Good Father, Chris Tomlin prays, “You’re a Father. You’re a good, good Father. You’re not loving us because we’re good; You’re loving us because You’re good.” Oh, what a difference it makes in our Christian walk when we accept this truth and stop trying to earn our salvation!

We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort… – Philippians 3:3b

WE PUT NO CONFIDENCE IN HUMAN EFFORT.

Paul did not want the believers focused on their own list of accomplishments or good behavior. If that won us eternal life, Paul himself would have so much to brag about. But it is not about our attempts at righteousness but about the righteousness of Christ. It is not about building a résumé of all the great things you have done for Christ in order to win His approval. Paul makes his own life an example and builds a résumé of accomplishments. Look at what he does with this list next.

I was circumcised when I was eight years old.
I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin – a real Hebrew if ever there was one!
I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.
I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church.
And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection of the dead.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling you. – Philippians 3:5-14

SO TAKE YOUR Résumé OF GOOD WORKS, CRUMPLE IT UP AND THROW IT IN THE TRASH CAN.

Those of us who answer this call to holy living aren’t saying that we are perfect or that we always get it right. Of course not! Holy living is a devotion to allowing God to continue to do a work in me through my daily relationship with His Son. I don’t look back and see my past failures and sins and quit trying to live a holy life. I don’t look back and see what I have accomplished for His Kingdom and feel I have already arrived. No, I continue to look forward each day to what God wants me to do next and how He wants me to live – not by my own human efforts but as a result of His presence in my life.

Each day pressing on,
each day learning from my weaknesses and seeing His strengths,
each day striving for spiritual maturity.
I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST and experience His mighty power, having faith in the God who makes me right with Himself because His Son was willing to die on a cross for my sins.

Today’s Reading: Philippians 1:27 – 2:18; Psalm 122

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ…standing TOGETHER with one spirit and one purpose, fighting TOGETHER for the faith…Don’t be intimidated by your enemies…For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle TOGETHER. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. – Philippians 1:27-29

IN THIS STRUGGLE TOGETHER

One of the strategies the enemy uses against us is to make us feel like we are alone. He strives to create conflict between believers so that they focus their frustrations on each other instead of finding unity. When we unite in the battle against evil, we become stronger. To divide us is to conquer us and that is exactly what Satan sets out to do. Paul gives great advice to the Church in this prison letter. He calls the believers to offer themselves as gifts to each other; to generously agree with each other, love one another and work TOGETHER!

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. – Philippians 2:1-2

In his letter, Paul encourages believers to grow into the person God calls them to be – bearing the fruit of their salvation for the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:11). Part of this growth is evident in our relationships within the church. God calls us to unity, as each one of us seeks to have the attitude of Christ.

GROWING TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess the Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:1-11

We are a work in progress. The more we seek God and draw closer to Him, the more He works in us – molding and shaping us into the person He created us to be. We are “growing in every way more and more like Christ” (Ephesians 1:15), being equipped to do His work and built up toward maturity in the Lord (Eph. 1:12-13).

When we humble ourselves as Jesus did, we start loving with the same kind of love He displayed on the cross. Then our lives begin to show the results of our salvation — our obedience that comes out of a deep reverence and fear for God. We stop fighting with each other and begin uniting together in obedience to what God has called us to do; no distractions, no unnecessary conflicts, no bitter attitudes or gossiping. When we allow God to do this kind of work among us, we begin to shine brightly so that this dark world can see Jesus.

SHOWING THE RESULTS OF OUR SALVATION

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. – Philippians 2:12b-18

Joy. That is what God wants us to experience as we gather together in the faith. He wants our lives to be an inspiration to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Then, even in the darkest of situations, united TOGETHER we can find love abounding and joy unexplainable. We can pour out our lives like a liquid offering to God, faithfully giving God every relationship and every trial in our life. We can rejoice and share joy…TOGETHER.

Today’s Reading: Philippians 1:12-26

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul taught that believers should look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others (2:4) — a lesson that is easier said than done. But first, Paul lived this kind of servant lifestyle as an example that all of us should follow. His example shows us that looking out for the interests of others is really about serving to advance the gospel.

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. – Phil. 1:12-14

Paul found something to be thankful for EVEN IN THE MOST DIFFICULT OF SITUATIONS. In fact, he was thankful for the chains themselves. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Paul praised God for the good that was coming out of the bad in his life. He was thankful for the effect his imprisonment was having on the palace guard, for they knew that he believed so strongly in Christ Jesus as the promised Messiah that he had been arrested and imprisoned for his faith.

GRATITUDE AND PRAISE

Paul was also thankful for the effect his chains were having outside the walls of the prison. Instead of running in fear, believers were gaining confidence in what God had called them to do. They were speaking God’s message of salvation through Jesus Christ without fear.

Listen carefully, sometimes our difficulties, chains or even our persecution are more than just a chance for self-pity or our next attention-getting social media post. Never in Scripture do we hear God telling us to feel sorry for ourselves. Instead we find verses like this: Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too (Philippians 2:3-4).

Paul goes on in his letter to talk about others who are preaching the gospel with selfish motives. They have made a competition out of it, filling the church with undertones of jealousy and rivalry instead of partnership and encouragement. They preach with selfish ambition, wanting to be the best. We see evidence of this kind of competitive spirit existing among believers today, whether it is an attempt to build the largest church, gain the most followers, or see the most fruit from our ministry.

But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. – Phil. 1:18-19

OPTIMISM AND HOPE

What a great attitude! Paul rejoices about his imprisonment and the good coming out of it. Then he rejoices about the wrong motives of preachers, because at least unbelievers are coming to a saving knowledge of Christ in the midst of the rivalry and selfish ambition. Not only does Paul have a good attitude, he works hard to preserve it; he is determined to make life about Christ and how He wants to use Paul in the lives of others.

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better…But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me. – Philippians 1:20-26

Joy is definitely a theme of Paul’s in his letter to the Church at Philippi. He is a wonderful example of how the fruit of the Holy Spirit can play out in our lives. He can give us joy in difficult situations — joy that is UNEXPLAINABLE in light of what is happening around us. He can give us joy even when we see faults in the believers around us. We can pray for others to experience joy in their faith, and we can let the joy of our salvation make a difference in the lives of others — those close to the difficult situation we are going through and also those watching from a distance.

God, make this the desire of my heart. Take away any rivalry, jealousy or selfish ambition in my attitude. Help me to do everything for your glory and for the advancement of your kingdom. Change my heart so that I can look to the interests of others, and not selfishly try to impress others or look out for myself. Fill my heart with a love that abounds and a joy that is unexplainable. We love you, Father God! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Philippians 1:1-11; Psalm 4

We’ve been moving our way chronologically through the Bible and, more recently, through Paul’s prison letters. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians speaks of God’s plan for our lives; his next letter speaks of God’s provision for those who are persecuted because of their faith.

The Philippian church was going through a difficult time and Paul was able to empathize with them. He used his own circumstances as an example of knowing what it means to be persecuted. After all, he is in prison for his faith as he is writing this letter, and he spent a night in prison when he had previously visited Philippi. He wrote to encourage and strengthen them in the midst of their difficulties. He called them to holy living and joy – yes, joy and passion for Christ EVEN WHEN LIFE IS AT ITS WORST.

Paul knew things have been rough for the church in Philippi — that they had suffered persecution for their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. He understood what it meant to be mistreated for his faith. He encouraged them to continue living both FOR Christ and LIKE Christ.

This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. – Philippians 1:1-2

GRACE AND PEACE

This is a familiar greeting used in Paul’s letters but written with great meaning. Consider when we pass someone at the store and say, “Hi. How are you?” It’s a standard American greeting but we typically don’t expect the person to stop and have a conversation with us. We expect them to say, “Fine. How are you?” and be on their way. Not so with Paul. This is much more than a casual greeting. Paul was speaking a blessing over them — I wish God’s grace in your life. During good times and bad times, may God’s generous grace be evident and may His peace reign in your hearts.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:3-11

JOY AND CONFIDENCE

Paul prayed with joy and confidence when he prayed for the persecuted believers – joy that they were fully committed to the gospel and confidence that the same God who started a good work in them would faithfully carry it on to completion. Oh, how I love that verse! God will never abandon us. He took the initiative in sending His Son to die on a cross so that we could experience salvation and He can be trusted to continue to work in our lives beyond our salvation decision. He will take the good work that was started in our hearts and strengthen it, helping our faith to grow and our love to overflow.

FAITH AND LOVE

Love – that is what Paul is praying God will grow in the hearts of the Philippians. Not just grow but ABOUND. Abounding love, knowledge and deep insight. Paul prays for these things because he knows that it will help the believers be able to discern what is God’s best for them and live a holy life until the day of Christ.

Paul prayed for believers to have knowledge, depth of insight and discernment, while being filled with the fruit of righteousness – who wouldn’t want to have all of these things? But no matter how hard WE try, we cannot have any of these things of our own strength. It is God who started a work in us, and it is God who continues to make us who He wants us to be. He does not do this for our credit but for His glory, not for our plans but for His purposes. It is the fruit of our relationship with Him, of His Spirit living within us and producing within us a “good work”.

Lord, we open our hearts to you this morning and pray that you will bless us with these same gifts. Will you fill us with abounding love? Will you give us deep insight and discernment as we study your word and consider your plan for our lives. Our desire is to grow in our relationship so that the fruit of your Spirit will produce good works and holy living for your glory. Help us to recognize your grace in our lives, EVEN WHEN LIFE IS DIFFICULT, and give us peace in all circumstances. We love you, Lord. Amen.

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only LOVE MUCH but LOVE WELL. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:9-11 (The Message)

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 6:10-24

PRAY in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. — Ephesians 6:18

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

At the end of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul describes for us the armor of God and how to stand firm against the very real attempts of the enemy to block God’s plan for our lives. During a time when fear and panic are settling over the world, Ephesians chapter 6 reminds us of what our response should be: Stay strong in the Lord, resist the enemy and pray in the Spirit.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:10-12

Paul has spent his entire letter talking to the believers about God’s plan for their life – individually and for the Church. Now he gives a final word, but it is much more than a simple conclusion. It is a strong warning! Be strong in the Lord who holds the plan and in His mighty power and strength. God has provided armor to make this possible, even when the devil is using all his tricks and strategies. Be aware that there is an unseen spiritual battle taking place and there are times you will find yourself right in the middle of it.

RESIST THE ENEMY

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6:13-17

There is no doubt about it – we have an enemy! We could potentially fight some kind of spiritual battle every day. But there is no need to panic and no need to fear, for God is on our side and the battle has already been won. When the enemy tries to discourage us, we can remind Him of the Sovereignty of God; when he tries to block the path ahead of us, all we have to do is speak the name of Jesus and he has to flee.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you. – James 4:7b

I can tell you right now that the enemy does not like it when we are growing in our relationship with Christ. He tries to discourage us and speak lies into our hearts. I have had to make a very conscious effort to put on the armor of God and speak the name of Jesus, reminding myself that the devil is full of lies and wants nothing more than to block God’s plan for my life. The best advice I can find in my morning coffee to prepare me for the battle ahead is found in the next verse of Ephesians 6: PRAY in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (v.18).

PRAY IN THE SPIRIT

Prayer is our strongest tactic – praying in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion, staying alert and praying persistently, not just for ourselves but for all believers everywhere. The next best thing I can do to prepare for the battle ahead comes next in the Scripture – I can ask you to pray for me. There is power in prayer and when we unite in prayer, the enemy has no chance.

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. – Ephesians 6:19-20

Yet another reason why God calls us into fellowship with other believers – to pray for them and to let them pray for us. So stand your ground. Satan is much more than a red cartoon costume with horns and a pointy tail. His attempts to destroy us are much more serious than the clever line “the devil made me do it”. Put on every piece of God’s armor so that you will be able to resist Satan’s attempts. Put on the belt of truth so that you can stand against His lies. Ask God to clothe you today with His righteousness. Spend time in God’s word so that He can fill you with His peace, fully preparing you for what is ahead. Hold high your shield of faith and the sword of the Holy Spirit, which is the word of God. Do not live in fear but in peace.

As we end our study of Ephesians, let me leave you with his closing words to us: Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 6:23-24

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 6:5-9

Just as Paul had instructions for the relationship between children and parents, as well as in marriages and the church, he also gave instructions for the relationship between slaves and masters. We can apply these words of wisdom to our relationships on the job or in our ministry teams.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. – Ephesians 6:5-9

SERVE THEM SINCERELY — with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord. We recently looked at very similar instructions from Paul to the Church at Colosse.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites. Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master – in heaven. – Colossians 3:22-4:1

SERVE THEM SINCERELY — as though you were working for the Lord, for the Master you are serving is Christ.

God calls us to have a servanthood attitude in everything we do and in every relationship, whether we are the child or the parent, whether we are the leader or being led. We are all servants and we all have the same Master. When we surrender our lives, we declare that Jesus is Lord! He is in charge, and we willingly take up our cross and follow Him. We go where He tells us to go and do what He tells us to do, saying what He tells us to say as we align ourselves with His will for our lives.

There are quite a few incredible pastors in my life who serve God with a servant attitude. They work long, hard hours – pouring their lives out in response to God’s call. Pastors are willing to go where God sends them, respond as the Holy Spirit leads them, and sacrificially dedicate their lives to the Great Commission. To all the incredible ministry leaders reading this today, whether you are a pastor or a teacher or if you work for a non-profit or ministry, I speak these words of Paul to you: Do the will of God with ALL your heart. Work with enthusiasm, because you are working for the Lord and not to please people.

SERVE SINCERELY out of the reverent love you have for your Savior, Jesus Christ.

WORK WILLINGLY at whatever you do — whether it’s this incredible moment of ministry or it’s the toughest thing you have ever been asked to do.

SERVE HUMBLY, knowing God loves you SO much but that He also loves those He has called you to serve.

PERSEVERE — On your toughest day, hold onto the beautiful promise that the Lord has an inheritance waiting for you, a reward for your faithful obedience.

STAY FOCUSED — The Master you are serving is Christ.

To everyone: Whatever God has called you to do or wherever He has placed you, serve God today with your whole heart. Consider every task ahead of you as if you are doing it for the Lord, as if it is another great opportunity to serve. Remember that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Have you told your pastors how much you appreciate them today — how thankful you are for the role they play in your walk with Christ? The enemy is daily seeking to discourage and defeat them. Let’s always be an instrument of encouragement in their lives. With deep respect, let’s follow their leadership and serve God with all our hearts.

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 6:1-4

God calls us to make the most of every opportunity. He calls us to show His love to one another — to embody both SUBMISSIVE LOVE and SACRIFICIAL LOVE. As we discussed yesterday, submission and sacrifice should be evident in our relationship with God, our marriage relationship and our relationship within the church. As we continue reading in the next chapter of Ephesians, God calls us to this same submission and sacrifice in our relationship with our parents and with our children.

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on earth.” — Ephesians 6:1-3

Paul is repeating a familiar commandment to the Church, the 5th commandment of the 10 found in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. This is the first commandment where God is promising blessings on anyone who will obey – which shows us how important this is to God. But the phrase that sticks out the most to me in these first three verses is “because you belong to the Lord”.

BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO THE LORD

We are God’s children – we belong to Him! Notice He gave no exceptions to this command to obey your parents. It doesn’t say, “If your parents are good to you…” or “If your parents deserve honor…” God’s instructions are for us to show honor to our earthly parents because He is our Heavenly Father and we belong to Him.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4

God has a purpose in parenthood that goes far beyond supplying the physical needs of our children. It is in the parent-child relationship that we begin to understand our relationship with our Heavenly Father. When we discipline our children as God teaches us to, they begin to understand God’s agape love for us and why He disciplines us — what it looks like to submit to His authority and guidance. He is calling us to make the most of this OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD our children.

BECAUSE WE BELONG TO THE LORD, WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN THAT THEY, TOO, BELONG TO THE LORD.

Hebrews 12:6-11 explains this further: “For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children…For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Oh, there are the blessings again – the blessings of a peaceful harvest of right living! This passage comes right after the familiar FAITH chapter in Hebrews 11, which is followed by Paul’s instruction at the beginning of chapter 12. He says to throw off anything that is hindering us, whether it is sin or not; to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and run the race marked out for us. He continues this analogy of running the race in verses 12 & 13, referring to the discipline we receive from our earthly Father:

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. – Hebrews 12:12-13

We have a legacy to carry on to our children. Just as we learned from the discipline we received from our parents, so we need to help our children understand the love of a Heavenly Father who expects submission. In doing this, we are impacting generation after generation.

But perhaps the discipline you received from your earthly parents is not a good reflection of the loving discipline God carries out. Our earthly parents are not perfect like our Heavenly Father is and they sometimes miss out on God’s plan for how a parent should discipline their child. But this does not change God’s instructions to you. Perhaps you are the one who will make a difference for the coming generations by following God’s commandment – by honoring your parents and by training your children in the ways of God. In doing this, you will lead your children and your children’s children to the throne of God.

BECAUSE WE BELONG TO THE LORD, WE MAKE THE MOST OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THE NEXT GENERATIONS.

“…Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” – Ephesians 6:4b (The Message)

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 5:21-33

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. — Ephesians 5:21

The next passage of Scripture can easily be connected with what God had for us in yesterday’s morning coffee when we were called to make the most of EVERY opportunity. We have choices to make in our relationships with others. We can put ourselves first or INSTEAD submit to one another out of our love and respect for Jesus Christ.

SUBMISSIVE LOVE

I need to decide if I love Jesus enough – if I respect Him enough to submit to His authority and live as He has asked me to live. We cannot take this decision for granted because it is the very thing that is keeping us from doing what He has asked us to do. What God asks of us is not always easy, but there is a secret to making any of these relationships work as God designed. It goes back to yesterday’s instructions – to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

First, Paul instructs us regarding the marriage relationship. He tells wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives. As the church submits to Christ, wives should submit to their husbands; as Christ loved the church, husbands should love their wives. And we know that Jesus loved the church so much that He gave His life to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word, without spot or wrinkle.

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must LOVE his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must RESPECT her husband. – Ephesians 5:28-33

I do not think we can do what God is asking here, or at least maintain it for a significant amount of time, without the infilling of the Holy Spirit. It is not always easy to submit in love and respect to our spouse. In the same way, we as the Church have difficulty submitting to God’s authority over us as the body of Christ. This kind of love and respect is also made possible with that key ingredient – the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

To truly love each other the way Christ loves the church, let’s consider again Ephesians 5:2, “Live a life of love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

SACRIFICIAL LOVE

This is what God is calling us to in our marriages and in our relationships with others — sacrificial love. He is calling us to love to the point of sacrifice, putting others before ourselves as a reflection of our relationship with Christ. It goes back to the flavor of yesterday’s morning coffee – to make the most of every opportunity. Today we will be given opportunities to love sacrificially. Starting our day off in God’s presence and allowing Him to fill us fresh and new with His Spirit will empower us to love and respect each other the way God calls us to – whether it is to our spouse or our family or the church or anyone God puts in our path today. Today, let us once again set out determined to make the most of every opportunity.

Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church — a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. – Ephesians 5:1b-2, 22-27 (The Message)

Father God, thank you for not only challenging us to make the most of every OPPORTUNITY TO LOVE, but also for equipping us for that task with the infilling of your Holy Spirit. As we enter your presence this morning, help us to keep our eyes focused on you as we become the person you created us to be — a person who embodies both SUBMISSIVE LOVE and SACRIFICIAL LOVE. God, help us to live a life of love. We desire to be a pleasing aroma to you in the way we serve you and the way we live out our relationships with others. Lord, we put our day into your hands and we ask for you to bless our country, our churches, and our marriages. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20

What are your thoughts on jelly-filled donuts? Have you ever bit into a donut not realizing it was filled with something? Or have you ever anticipated the cream cheese filling only to find nothing inside your pastry? Have you ever bit into a chocolate with no idea what to expect?

Sometimes life gives us what we did not ask for, what we did not choose. In that moment of realization, we have another choice to make. We can react emotionally to the unexpected circumstance in our life or we can proactively give it to God and ask Him to guide our response.

MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

We have so many choices in life. We can choose to focus on the future this world has to offer us or the future God has to offer. We can seek satisfaction with what the world tries to fill us with or allow God to fill us with His presence. We cannot choose both. We either choose one or INSTEAD choose the other. Paul lays out theses options for us in his letter to the Church at Ephesus:

Be filled with the sin nature or instead filled with God
Be filled with ourselves or instead filled with Christ’s love
Be filled with immorality, impurity and greed or instead filled with thankfulness
Be filled with the darkness of the world or instead filled with the light from the Lord
Be filled with what pleases you or instead filled with what pleases the Lord
Be filled with what the world offers or with what God offers

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. INSTEAD, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Ephesians 5:15-20

BE AVAILABLE.

Paul warns us to be careful how we live. God has a plan for our lives and He wants us to be available to Him EVERY moment of EVERY day. His plan is for us to make the most of EVERY opportunity. You may be familiar with this verse, but have you considered the context that verse is coming from. It’s another either / or decision – be filled with the sensual pleasures of this world or filled with the Spirit; live like fools or like those who are wise.

There are some things we can fill our lives with that alter our ability to make the most of every opportunity. Paul uses the example of wine here. There are inherent dangers in the consumption of wine that set it apart from most other things we can consume. Paul warns us here that it can ruin your life. Alcohol has the potential to alter our ability to make a good decision. It does not just quench our thirst but it influences us — it changes personalities, it breaks down inhibitions, it leaves you craving more.

BE FILLED.

But God says – crave ME! Don’t go looking for what the world has to offer in order to find pleasure, but let me be the One to bring you satisfaction – to alter you into the person I want you to be. Be filled with MY Spirit and spend your time giving praise to ME, giving thanks to ME. Understand what I want you to do! Beware of things like alcohol that have the potential to derail you from the life that I have planned for you.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. — Colossians 4:2-6

BE ALERT.

Pray for many opportunities. Proclaim God’s message clearly. Live wisely. Make the most of every opportunity. Over and over again, God has focused my attention on His plan for my life. He created each of us for a purpose. He died on a cross so that we could serve Him, so that He could work through us to bring others to Christ.

God has a plan for our lives and He wants us to be available to Him every moment of every day, ready and alert. His plan is for us to make the most of EVERY opportunity. Let’s guard our hearts and our minds from ANYTHING that might take away our ability to do just that. Let’s make the most of today.

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 5:1-14

Each day we are faced with choices. We spend our day making one decision after another. So as we spend time with Jesus, with or without a cup of morning coffee, let’s open our hearts to the choice Paul lays before us to live one way or INSTEAD live another way.

INSTEAD, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. – Ephesians 4:15

INSTEAD, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy. – Ephesians 4:24

INSTEAD – Have you ever considered the power of this word?. Paul continues in Chapter 5 with the comparison of following our old sin nature or INSTEAD growing each day to become more and more like the God we were created to reflect — truly righteous and holy.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. – Ephesians 5:1-2

Or listen to how The Message rewords 5:2 — Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Just as children follow the example their parents set for them, we are to imitate our Heavenly Father in everything we do. The primary way to imitate God is by living a life filled with love. We are to LIVE LOVE – but not just any kind of love, the example of sacrificial love that Christ Jesus set for us. When we live a life of sacrificial love, the aroma of our life is pleasing to God. When we live for ourselves, let’s face it, we stink!

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes – these are not for you. INSTEAD, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. – Ephesians 5:3-5

Oh how the things of this world pull for our attention every day! We are surrounded by the stink of sexual immorality and, I have to admit, the smell often clings to us as well. The choices we make in the television shows we watch or the movies that entertain us or the jokes we laugh at make an impact on us. We come out smelling a little more like the world every time. Here is Paul’s suggestion: INSTEAD of choosing to fill our minds and our mouths with what the world thinks is entertaining, we can fill our hearts with love so that thankfulness is what spills over. The aroma of thankfulness is pleasing to the Lord.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. – Ephesians 5:6-9

I love that last sentence! It holds the secret of how to imitate God or how to follow the example of Christ. It is the light within you that produces what is good and right and true. Christ living in us – the Holy Spirit filling us each day – that is what changes our aroma. It’s not about human effort to be something I cannot be no matter how hard I try. Imitating God by my own strength is like applying perfume in order to mask body odor instead of simply taking a shower and washing the smell away.

Human effort comes into play when we are faced with choices each day. But in the moment of decision, God has equipped us with the light needed to make the right choices. He can grow us to be what He created us to be but we still have a choice between listening to the prompting of the Spirit or participating in the things those around us are doing – Christians and non-Christians alike.

Paul has another “instead” for us in verses 10-14 of chapter 5: Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; INSTEAD, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Christ provides the light for us to walk in. God does not simply command us to be like Him without equipping us with what we need to obtain holiness. God gives us love so that our life can be filled with the same kind of sacrificial love Christ displayed on the cross. God does incredible things in our life so that it is not difficult to let thankfulness flow from our conversations. Jesus gives us the light within us so that our life can produce what is good and right and true.

But we are still faced with choices each day. We can choose to take part in what the world has to offer or INSTEAD we can rise from the dead and allow Christ to give us light. Look for those “instead” moments today. Recognize the choices before you and determine what aroma your life will cast today.