“For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Ephesians 5:5 NKJV Reflection: how can we lose our inheritance to the kingdom of heaven?  In 2002, at around 30 years old, the princess of Norway decided to give up her royal duties, including being second in line to the throne of Norway, for love and to pursue her own path in life. She married a “commoner”, had 3 children and started up her own...

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 NKJV Reflection: what role does the Holy Spirit have in your life?  “I have been thinking about what I said yesterday. And I was wrong. I realize I was being used by the evil one. Please forgive me”, a brother told me not so long ago. The details are unimportant, as we can all relate to this. We all have hurt someone else, whether or not we fully realize it in the moment. But then later...

“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” Ephesians 4:17 ESV Reflection: who do you consider to be the “Gentiles”?  We touched previously on the topic that God’s people are to be different than those who are of the world. Again today, we are faced with a scripture that breaks the paradigm of what is often taught in the church, about whom Paul is talking to. As we think of this, keep in mind that...

“So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].” Ephesians 4:14 AMP Reflection: whom or what do you confirm your beliefs with?  Many people have what is called “confirmation bias”. They prefer to listen to sources that agree with, even confirm...

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”Ephesians 4:4-6 ESV Reflection: why has the church become a lucrative business for some?  We took a drive into the countryside over the weekend, to a poor area in the outskirts of Tulsa. Houses were run down and in need of repairs; old and broken down cars in most driveways. And then suddenly,...

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,”Ephesians 4:1 ESV Reflection: who is actually the lord of your life? In the company I spent most of my career, we received a yearly training of “standards of business conduct”. This was very important to the company, so that we as employees knew what the expectations were for proper conduct – among each other, towards customers, partners and vendors. To be properly“representing”...

“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19 ESV Reflection: how much of the fullness of God are you satisfied with?  Don’t you have a feeling that there is a lot more? That we have only scratched the surface of the knowledge of the love of Christ, as Paul prays for the believers in Ephesus that they “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to...

“To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,” Ephesians 3:8 ESV Reflection: how do we look at the work we have been given for the eternal kingdom of Christ?  It is easy to get discouraged in this world, even working for the kingdom of heaven. We see churches, and people in ministry trying different things from time to time, to get the people of the congregation more involved and engaged, increase...

“And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:17-18 ESV Reflection: if you want to get to safety, is it better to be near or far off?  As we are approaching winter in the northern hemisphere, we need a reminder of the dangers of winter storms. Because, every winter we seem to read stories of people who have died after being stranded in a winter storm. Got stuck in the car,...

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 NKJV Reflection: how can others tell that you are in Christ?  “We are different” I remember my mom tried to explain when I was growing up. The topic often came up after I came home from school, and asked why we couldn’t go to the movies, do certain activities on Sundays, or why I wasn’t able to go to school parties. To hang out with the cool kids. Different....