Category: Ephesians

Ephesians, The Daily Word2 Comments

A Marvelous Example of Prayer (Ephesians 1.15–23)

georgepwood

SCRIPTURE READING Ephesians 1.15–23 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT How should we pray for others? In Ephesians 1.15–23, Paul describes his prayers for the Ephesians. His words offer us a marvelous example of prayer. First, we should be aware of what is going on in the lives of the people we are praying for. Paul writes, “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints” (verse 15). Even though he was not physically present with the Ephesians, Paul kept himself informed of their way of life. Why? Because the Ephesians were dear to him; he … Continue reading A Marvelous Example of Prayer (Ephesians 1.15–23)

Ephesians, The Daily Word2 Comments

Every Spiritual Blessing (Ephesians 1.3–14)

georgepwood

SCRIPTURE READING Ephesians 1.3–14 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT In Ephesians 1.3–14, Paul praises God because he has “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” What are those spiritual blessings? Paul gives several examples. First, election: “[God] chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (verse 4). When we give our testimonies, we speak of what led us to choose to follow Christ. But in reality, long before we had made a choice for God, God made a choice for us. Our salvation is the result of … Continue reading Every Spiritual Blessing (Ephesians 1.3–14)

Ephesians, The Daily Word1 Comment

Of God, By God, For God (Ephesians 1.3–14)

georgepwood

SCRIPTURE READING Ephesians 1.3–14 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT After I proposed to Tiffany, we called everyone we knew to share our good news. We couldn’t stop talking about our engagement. After we got married, we couldn’t stop talking about how enjoyable our wedding and reception were. To this day, any mention of our wedding will spark a long, excited conversation between us. And why not? Good experiences should be talked about. In Ephesians 1.3–14, Paul writes about salvation. But his words are not dry or academic. They are a Niagara Falls of praise, gushing forth excitedly and spilling over the boundaries of … Continue reading Of God, By God, For God (Ephesians 1.3–14)

Ephesians, The Daily Word1 Comment

The Christian Abundance Mentality (Ephesians 1.3)

georgepwood

SCRIPTURE READING Ephesians 1.3 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT Do you have a scarcity mentality or an abundance mentality? A scarcity mentality operates on the assumption that whatever is good in the world is rare, hard to find, and difficult to keep. Consequently, once you find a good thing, you must keep it to yourself, or others will take it from you. Darwin’s theory of evolution is an example of the scarcity mentality at work. According to Darwin, animals fight over a limited supply of food and water. Whatever physical variations—the size of finch’s beak, for example, or the color of a moth’s … Continue reading The Christian Abundance Mentality (Ephesians 1.3)

Ephesians, The Daily Word5 Comments

The Essence of Christianity (Ephesians 1.1-2)

georgepwood

SCRIPTURE READING Ephesians 1.1-2 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT What is the essence of Christianity? There are many good answers to this question, and not a few bad ones. “Jesus loves me” is an excellent example of the former; “tolerance” is an all too common example of the latter. In my opinion, Ephesians 1.2 offers one of the best answers: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” With these words, Paul summarizes the source, cause, means, effect, and recipients of the Christian message. First, God is the source of the Christian message. The essence of Christianity … Continue reading The Essence of Christianity (Ephesians 1.1-2)