In Love - Ephesians 5:1-21

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Be imitators of God. That's a fairly tall order, but something we see repeatedly throughout Scripture. "Be holy, as I am holy," and "He predestined them to conformed to the image of his Son" are a couple of examples. Yet in this context, Paul gives us a specific trait to imitate - walking in love. Paul then gives the description of God's example that we should imitate - Jesus sacrifice.

This is a foreign concept in the modern American church. We have bought into our culture, combined our spiritual beliefs with our cultural beliefs. We put more stock in the American Dream, than in the purposes of God. We equate God's blessings and Satan's attacks with the rise and fall of our personal finances.

If our car breaks down, it was the devil, but if we get a new job, God is blessing. I think we forget, when Jesus was tempted by the devil, it was the devil that offered him all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory. What Jesus offered his disciples was a chance to deny themselves, become the servants of all, become living sacrifices, and to take up their crosses and follow him.

We all know we can't take our stuff with us. So, for a group of people who have been promised a better future, we sure spend a lot of time, money, energy, emotions and thoughts on getting that stuff. Remember, every commercial you see is the god, Mammon, crying out to you, "Serve me instead of God Most High." (Mt. 6:24)

I am not saying we have to live as penniless hermits, but what are you sacrificing for the sake of bringing others to God? Is your house your refuge, or a tool for the gospel? If you see your house as your refuge, your castle, your hideaway, then you are living in idolatry. God is your refuge.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

This passage speaks of taking care of the physical needs of others. How much more should we sacrifice for those in need of eternal life? How can you sacrifice your house, your time, your money, your work for God and the gospel?

Greetings from Dogwarts - 4

This is the last one, I promise.

Greetings from Dogwarts - 3

Greetings from Dogwarts - 2

Greetings from Dogwart's

Just for fun:

In a New Way of Life

Like many of Paul's letters, the first part of Ephesians (1-3) is very doctrine heavy. At chapter four, Paul begins with very practical instructions, which continues through the remainder of the book. The practical section of the book may seem much easier to understand, but applying these things to life are not so easy.

We have already seen that when we are in Christ, we are in eternal life, but we are also now living in a new way of life. Paul tells the Ephesian church they must no longer walk as the Gentiles do. He is talking to Gentiles, but by saying this, he is reminding them they are now part of a new kingdom. So, he is telling them don't walk the way you used to, the way the world around you does.

Paul then explains why the world lives as it does. People in the world (or outside of Christ) are:

• darkened in their understanding
• alienated from the life of God because of ignorance
• callous
• given up to sensuality
• greedy to practice impurity

What makes the people of God, those in Christ, different? We have learned Christ - we were taught about him and taught in him. And in him, we were taught to put off the old self and put on the new self created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Put off your old self corrupted through deceitful desires	Put on the new self created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness
Put away falsehood	Speak the truth
Don’t hold on to anger	Be angry and sin not
Don’t steal	Do honest work
No corrupt talk	Build up with your words
Get rid of bitterness, anger, wrath, clamor, slander and malice	Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving

Just do these things. Simple, right? Yet, if your life is anything like mine, there are many days where I don't feel like my life has much association with "true righteousness and holiness."

In part, this is because of the deceptive desires of our flesh. How many times have you decided you're not going to do that one sin? You know which one. The one you just can't seem to overcome.

I'm not going to do THAT today. Not. Going. To. Do. It. Oh dang, I did it again.

I think that's why Paul gives us the list of things to put off and to put on. This helps us change our perspective. Let me explain with an example.

Millions of people try dieting. They might say, "I'm not going to eat any sweets today." Three hours later, they've plopped an Oreo in their mouth. "Well, I've ruined my diet today, I might as well eat this whole package of Oreos. I deserve to be a big cow anyway."

That's kind of how I dieted in the past, but I learned something about my mental conversations. If I say, "No sweets for me today. No cookies. No pie or cake, like chocolate cake. No triple-layer, moist, sweet, chocolate cake. Mmm, chocolate cake. I need chocolate cake."

The more I focus on what I want to take out of my life, the more my flesh deceives me into thinking I need it. It's not really that bad anyway. It's just a little sin, and Jesus already died for it anyway. He is faithful and just - I'll just confess.

But, what happens if I focus instead on the good things I need to bring into my life. "Today, I'm going to eat a big salad." Or, "Today, I want to show kindness to everyone I meet. That's my goal." When someone comes along who makes you want to hit them in the head with a stick, you say to yourself, "Kindness, kindness, kindness," instead of "don't hit them, don't hit them, hit them."

Another way to change your thinking is to realign your motives. So often we make our lists of things we have to do and can't do if we are Christians. The pride of our flesh fights so hard against this. "You can't tell me what to do." If you have ever felt this, perhaps you need a better motivator.

One of the verses that has helped me adjust my motivation was 2 Corinthians 7:1:

 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Out of the fear of God, or some translations say, "out of reverence for God." Is the God you serve worth of all reverence? Is He worthy of you sacrificing your flesh? If not, I'd love to introduce you to the living God who spoke the world into existence. Who created humanity, and sent his own Son to take their punishment when they rebelled and sinned against him. He is worthy of any and every sacrifice we make. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.

Lately, I have also been allowing 2 Timothy 2:20-21 to motivate me towards holiness.

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Because God is so worthy, and has done so much already for me, I want to be useful to him. That can only happen if I put off the old self and put on the new. It can only happen if we walk in a new way of life.

New Perspective on Life

Missing You - greeting card idea

Get well card - idea

Do you ever feel like this on a Monday morning?

Good Friday Sacrifice

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. (Ephesians 1:7)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

And they sang a new song, saying, 

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9)

Thank you God for sacrificing your Son to forgive my rebellion against you. Thank you Jesus for giving your life, your blood to pay the penalty I deserved to pay.
Thank you Holy Spirit for making this known to me and for sealing me until the day when we meet face to face.

Missing You

Last card idea for the week. Which was your favorite?

You're Invited

Is this invitation a little creepy?

Thank You

A thank you card.

Get Well

This week, some ideas for greeting cards. Tell me what you think.

In Unity - Ephesians 4:1-16

In this passage, Paul claims he is a prisoner for the Lord. Ephesians was most likely written somewhere between 60-62 AD. His last letter, 2 Timothy, is thought to have been written between 64-66 AD, and in that letter his is still a prisoner (or a prisoner again). In 2 Timothy, Paul doesn't complain about his treatment, accommodations or food. His biggest discouragement seems to come from the separation from fellow believers.

He wrote:

You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ... Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. 

The Christian life was not meant to be lived alone. When we were placed in Christ, we were placed in unity. Jesus prayed for us, "That they may be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21"

Unfortunately, sin brings division. In the Garden, God walked with Adam, until Adam sinned. Then he hid from God. Pride in Jacobs family caused Joseph to be separated from them, until God brought them back together. That's what He does.

God brings unity. Jesus reconciled - makes friends out of enemies - us with God. We the rebels became family, and in that family we have unity.

The blood of Christ purchased that unity, but our sin still tries to destroy it, and so Paul urges the readers to walk (live) in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. He tells us to live with humility, gentleness, patience and love.

Why?

So we maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body of Christ and one Spirit that dwells there, but our sin tries to destroy that. Our arrogance says we have the truth, and you don't. Instead of one body working through doctrines, arrogance fought to win the arguments. And so, we have dissected that one body into over 33,000 different denominations. The lost world now says, "Why should we believe the Bible, you all can't even agree with each other?"

Don't get me wrong, I do believe we are to defend truth, but we are also to deal with our brothers and sisters in humility, gentleness, patience and love - even if we don't agree on every doctrinal point.

To help with this, God gave the church shepherd-teachers and evangelists to equip the body for ministry. Why? For building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the UNITY of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God - to maturity - the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. God predestined us to be conformed to the image of Christ, all of us, together.

You cannot have spiritual maturity by yourself. You cannot be like Christ all alone. You cannot be a Christian without being part of the body of Christ, because He died to save his church (Ephesians 5:25-27).

The sin in our lives tells us we are not worthy of true unity, or they are not worthy of unity with us. Love tells us none of us is worthy, but by the grace of our merciful Father, we are forgiven and placed in Christ. In him is unity, be eager to maintain it.

Who, in the body of Christ, are you truly unified with? Who are you discipling? Who is discipling you? 

Reach out. Open up. Love. 

On growing older - 4

This has always been a reality, but it seems more and more common as the years progress.

On growing older - 3

The struggle is real.

On growing older - 2

This one is becoming more and more real.

On growing older - 1

This week a few thoughts on growing older.