Ephesians 6

 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 


Today I like the imagery of the NIV.  The recognition that the world we live in is a spiritual battlefield but that we can prepare ourselves to withstand anything it throws at us.  None of what will save us is from the resources we have on this earth.




knut

Ephesians 5

25-28 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. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage.


I like the Message version today.  I certainly don't do this perfectly but I really try to my best to love and show Gina my love for her in my actions and words.  I think our world would be a much better place if spouses read even just the last half of this chapter.  More marriages would be healthy, more kids would have a positive homes and role models to follow and it would just be a circularly positive impact on society.  Simple and practical instructions laid out for all to read.

knut

Ephesians 4

26-27 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

Chalked full of practical instructions of how to live.  I don't get angry too often.  But what great advice this simple statement is in all areas of life.  I think if more married couples practiced this simple instruction there would be many more happy marriages.  It it tells us its probably natural to get angry, but it also illustrates how anger is a tool of the Devil.  Staying angry is playing with fire, don't let anger smolder into something the Devil can really use to misdirect your attention away from God.

knut

Ephesians 3

20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

I didn't get anything the first time through to call out and write abut so I read second time through in the Message.  This just struck me because God can do what every he wants, but His way is to work from the inside out.  He doesn't make us do anything.  He gives us free choice but he works on our hearts.  I feel those times in my heart when I know I should be taking an action, its not my brain its not even my normal nature or thought, its God speaking to my heart hoping I will respond to him--but not making me.

thats my take anyway.
knut

Ephesians 2

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

All throughout the chapter he makes it clear it is through our faith in Christ Jesus that we have our eternal life, not by anything we do.

But that said he has given us tangible and important projects while we are here on this earth.  Am using my life to to the good woks he put in front of me to to do?  Often I feel like I'm just going through the motions each day, definitely not focused on doing good works or even looking for those opportunities.  I think I need to have my eyes open, it says I was created in Jesus to do good works so what am I doing?

knut

Ephesians 1

1 1-2 I, Paul, am under God’s plan as an apostle, a special agent of Christ Jesus, writing to you faithful believers in Ephesus.

This is WAY off in left field....not even the subject of the chapter.  But, I love how the first line goes.  Paul is living to God's perspective.  A "special agent of Jesus."  Special agents work to a higher mission than anyone else knows about.  Special agents have unique abilities that they use for their missions.  They have privileges granted to them by their leadership.  Its a cool idea of how to look at our lives as Christ followers.  It makes me feel unique and necessary.

tp

Galatians 6

6 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

This morning's chapter really talks about keeping yourself in Christ.  Don't get caught up in the crap around you....if you see others falling down, pick em up graciously.  Keep yourself humble. 

Then he ends with.....I don't want to waste time talking about this anymore!

haha

tp

Galatians 5

Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves!

OUCH!

19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This comes from The Message translation.
I think its priceless.   Once again, its the George Costanza theory of doing the opposite of what you think.  It would seem that being totally focused on myself should avoid all the things listed.  But, that obviously isn't the case.  Self-thinking leads to all the craziness that we see in the world around us.....and to be honest, when I live this way, these are the things that happen.

tp 

Galatians 4

9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

Here's the wind up and the pitch in this chapter for me.  I talked yesterday about how I know what's right and wrong.  I know what I should be doing, but don't always....but this verse describes it better than I can.  I always fall back into the same bad habits.  It's a daily struggle to keep myself from being who is natural for me to be.....that sounds weird doesn't it?  I need to choose God everyday.  Paul seems dismayed by this.  It surprises me a little bit.  Just because you know God, or are known by God, that take away all the struggles.  

What do you think?

tp

Galatians 3

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.

this is a in direct opposition to legalistic Christianity.  We can't get there by doing what's right and not what's wrong.  I have been taught this for EVER!  But, its still hard for me to wrap my head around.  I often have the feeling of frustration that I can't be more like Christ.  I can't do it.  Like Paul says....I know what's right, but I don't do it."  I need to let go of that, and focus on Jesus and trying to get my heart aligned with God.  He knows I can't do it.  I should feel guilty about it.  I need to accept it, and keep my eyes on him.

24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Galatians 2

small take today.

I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 

Even as great as Paul was in his faith.  He still felt the need to confirm his message.  It might have been one of those, "I hear the words from God, but it might just be in my head....how do I know for sure."
I don't know.  I just find it interesting that he is looking for mission confirmation, and not approaching it like he thinks he knows everything.

tp

Galatians 1

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—


I did just a little research and it talked about this being written ~49AD.  Really not very long after Jesus time.  The research talked about the broad geographical area covered by the churches Paul was writing to in this Gospel.  For me personally that is a testament to the truth of Jesus an his resurrection.  There was no Twitter, internet, 24hr news, cell phones.  Yet the news of Jesus had exploded into the area in a short amount of time.  

For those who witnessed his resurrection they must have been bursting in every waking hour to share the truth they had learned.

Then the sad reality is that even this short time later there were fractures occurring that Paul talks about in this chapter with false teaching.  But there is good news too, 2000 years later we are still reading and learning from Paul's message.  Jesus endures forever.

knut