Bible Commentary & Daily Devotional

 Ephesians 4 - Live Well, Live Worthy This is one of those chapters in the Bible that ought to be taught at least monthly in the Church.           It reminds us that our job is to use our God-given abilities to build others up so that we grow more and more like Christ.  It is a great reminder that God’s church is growing, and that it will grow in unity in faith and knowledge of God’s Son until Jesus returns.           May you and I do our parts today.  Let’s ask God for wisdom and trust the Spirit of God to provide for us. You see, the law of Christ is similar, but much superior to the law of Moses.  To live as God’s new covenant people means coming humbly, boldly, and confidently into God’s presence daily for guidance and growth.  I trust that we will grow in maturity.  And I pray that God will show us his approval and make our efforts successful (Psalm 90:17). The Christian is marked by both what we do and what we don’t do.  Sadly the church has seen far too much greed, hypocri

 Ephesians 4:17 - Be Different, Be Christian I’m no prophet, but we do need a call to holiness in the church.  We need to take this verse seriously and be truly sorrowful for the way we’ve lived - and take heed to live no longer as the Gentiles do.           Why?  Because God says so.  We are men and women of God; we know the life He gives us, new life, and we know His standard.  There is no excuse for letting sin, rather than godliness, be our example.  Here is a trustworthy statement “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 idolator, worship the things of this world” (Ephesians 5:5).  May that verse never characterize us. Let us make no excuse for our sins.  For we know that the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him.  Lord Jesus, we are sorry.  We repent of our sins.  May we live in obedience to Jesus alone with strength and character.  And light.  And may our lives produce what is

 Ephesians 4 - It’s Time to Grow Well, I’d like to be honest with you because time is short and because I genuinely want to grow as a Christian.  Jesus calls us to mature, which I want to do.  But here it is.  I definitely fail.  I don’t do what I’m supposed to.  I am without doubt a sinner. I am supposed to lead a life worthy of my calling.  I don’t. I’m not humble.  I’m often a braggart.  My words can be harsh.  I have thoughts of rage as dangerous as a Timber Wolf.  I can let anger give the devil a foothold way too often.  I’m too often impatient and unloving. As I think about it, I seem to make little effort to bind myself together with other Christians.  Do I make a serious effort at peace?  May God work on my heart to make me more like Him. As we’ll talk about in a minute, this passage makes plain that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father who is over all and in all and living through all (4:5-6).  Thank God!             God, the generous Jes

 Ephesians 3:14-21 - Pray           When was the last time we fell to our knees and prayed for the church and our community like Paul does here?  Let’s do that today; fall on our knees and pray.  Pray like our lives depend on it. Here’s my prayer.             Lord Jesus, I repent of my pride, my selfish ambition, my wasting of time and pettiness, and my failure to obey you.  I’m sorry.             I want your people to know you and represent you well.  May we have inner strength as we fear and trust Christ the solid rock.  May our roots grow deep into God’s love and keep us strong.  May we understand and experience Christ’s love.           May we have the fullness of life and power that comes from God.           All glory to God for He can accomplish infinitely more through us than we can ask or think.           Help us to understand you and to experience your love and protection today.  Please give us wisdom.  Help your church to remove the wicked.  Help us to wait patiently for you

 Ephesians 3 - Accomplish Infinitely More Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA      Well, the good news is that God holds us to an incredibly high standard.  And He gives us all the resources that we need to accomplish infinitely more than we can imagine.  I’ve spent the week in Philadelphia where the founders of the USA trusted God and banded together their fortune, families, and future.  God's Kingdom is advancing.  This generation, like all generations, must accomplish for God what He wills us to do - infinitely more than we could plan or accomplish on our own.           There will of course come a time when God judges the nations (Psalm 82:8).  Let us praise God for all He is doing in this generation and for all He has done through all generations.           In our generation, it is time for courageous men and women of God to stand up for goodness and righteousness.  It is more than time for humble honest people to rescue the poor and the helpless and to deliver those in need fr

 Ephesians 2 - Membership The good life is the life that listens to and follows God (Psalm 81:10).  It's the Christian life.  It is daily doing what is right and just - genuinely - not some fake religiosity (Proverbs 21:3).  We are reminded in this chapter that God decides what a good life is.  Your legacy is what God says it is, for God sets the standards.           Have you ever noticed how quick people are to assert their rights, demand forgiveness, and quote seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22).  And how slow many Christians are, to be honest, accept responsibility, and honor the One to whom we will all be accountable (Probers 21:12, Romans 14:12, Hebrews 4:13, and Matthew 12, 36).           Today is a day to put faith into action - to help those in need.           I thank God that He brought us peace and that we are all members of God's family.  What a privilege.  I thank God today for my friends and family.  I am not worthy of their friendship, generosity, and love.  But

 Ephesians 1:15-23 - Pray for the Church We hear in Ephesians that prayer is effective.  Paul prays constantly for the Church.  Paul couldn't be more excited about the beautiful bride of Christ who has faith in Jesus Christ and loves God’s people everywhere.  Let's have that kind of enthusiasm for genuine Christianity.           We read later in chapter four that God gives special abilities to the Christians - each of us has special abilities given only by the Holy Spirit.  But don’t miss the point here that the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ can and will give you spiritual wisdom and insight.  Pray for that now.  And pray that the church in your community is given wisdom and insight from our Father. We hear that God wants us to grow.  Like chubby babies, some Christians think someone else will always change their diaper and fill their bottle.  Real Christians know that we have to work.  We know that faith without hard work is dead.           It takes serious effo

 Ephesians 1 - God’s Secret - His Church God is Good.  Incredibly so.  And loving.  God showers his kindness and mercy on his people.  We can’t make a big enough deal about it.  You see, God wants us to make a big deal about it.  He wants us to understand his incredible power.  And He wants us to use His power and wisdom, as intended.             God made one people out of two. The merger of all mergers.  God is a builder and a uniter.   So are His people.  God united Jews and Gentiles into one people.  He took down the wall of hostility and ended the system of the law with its commandments and regulations (2:15).  This is God’s plan, God’s purpose.  That is, God uses His church to show His wisdom.  In every generation until His final return (2 Peter 3), God will continue to show His power through His people. God wants us to understand this so that He can have our hearts, but He also wants us to get busy as He intended with the heavy responsibility that lies upon our shoulders. E

 Ephesians 1 - You Are A Masterpiece Our oldest son, Sam, at the Scottish Festival in Northern Virginia You may think you are a piece of work, but you are much more than that.  Yes, God knows your failures; He knows the human heart all too well.  A work in progress, yes, you are that indeed.  But much more.  We are God’s masterpiece.  He loves us beyond measure.   Our unity with Christ enables us to grow as Christians and to make God happy and proud of us.  Unity with Christ allows us to keep our promises, serve God, and do the good work that God provides for His blood-bought family. If you think earth, animals, weather, systems, and engineered eyeballs are something, then think about this.  Even before God created the world He loved His church and designed, nay, chose His church in Christ to be His holy people.  God made a choice to love us.  He does so no matter what.              God planned for his family in Christ before day one.  God’s church is His prized possession.  It i

  Ephesians 1 - Without Fault - In His Eyes - Holy People God sees us in a way that frankly we can’t even see ourselves.  I know all too well that I’m a sinner.  I shock myself at how fast I get full of myself, how I can hold onto bitterness, and speak with caustic cynicism rather than humble thankfulness from a heart that knows God’s grace.   Yet God chose to purchase our freedom with the blood of Christ Messiah.  And God sees us without fault in his eyes (1:4).   May we be the holy people that God wants us to be. But don’t mistake God for a pansy.  He is the author and perfector of justice.  He does and will unleash his powerful justice in His good timing (Psalm 74:11). Just like 2,000 years ago in Ephesus, God has holy people on this planet today.  Even right here in Lynchburg up in Carrot River.  It may seem hard to believe.  God’s holy people are faithful followers of Jesus Christ.  Christ’s men.  Churchmen.  Men and women of the Most High.  They have learned the truth and

 Ephesians 1 - Plan and Work the Plan The ancient words of God are astonishing.  They are not dead or irrelevant.  On the contrary, they are active - ready to push and prod, highlight, persuade, enlighten, rebuke, direct, teach, and show us who God is and what He’s promised. Two things must happen before this mysterious book of the Bible is set alive, opened, and activated before your very eyes.  Otherwise, it runs the risk of merely being an interesting, confusing, intellectual, and historical read.           Once activated, a switch is turned.  An eternal switch.  A bright light.  It is often startling, sometimes dim yet increasing in brightness the more connected to the power Source.  The power of a billion suns is at our fingertips.  Beware of this activation, for it has the power to save your soul. First, you must hear the truth, the Good News that it is the Father God alone who saves you.  Almighty God purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son to forgive our sins.   

  Ephesians 1:1-2 - Every Spiritual Gift Well, this is exciting.  I can’t wait to explore Ephesians. Just a quick note before I hit the coal mine (the workday). You are God’s holy people!  We are God’s people.  Yes, it’s worth repeating.  It’s a bold statement, but it is indeed our humble privilege.  Let us consider today how wonderful it is that God loves his people.  He gives us an inheritance in heaven.  God’s children are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.  Every means every as much as all means all.  God gives all of his spiritual resources to his Church. And God expects his people to act like the holy blessed people that we are.  God expects us to treat the poor fairly.  To defend, rescue, and protect the poor, weak, and needy (Psalm 72:2).    He expects all of us to work hard.  He expects good leaders to serve well and for the godly to flourish under their stewardship (Psalm 72:7). God is the Good Father, and He treats his people as such. 

 Galatians 6 - Good Questions We are all responsible for our own conduct.  That’s the principle of Christian responsibility.  As we pay close attention to our own work, let us ask good questions. Is there an area of my life where I am not following the Spirit’s leading?  Am I conceited?  Do I provoke?  Am I jealous? Is there anyone I can see is overcome by some sin?  Can I gently help that person onto the right path? Whose burden can I share today?  How can I pay careful attention to my own work?  What conduct am I responsible for today?  Am I mentally prepared to be disciplined all day and guided by the Spirit, directed by honesty? What good things can I share with a teacher of God’s word?  How can I live to please the Holy Spirit today? What good can I do for someone today?  Does my face show that I am loving and caring?  Do I see people with God’s love for them?  What can I do for God’s family today, for followers of Jesus?   How can I share salvation through the Cross

 Galatians 6 - The Harvest God shares the secret of life with us in this passage.  It does not matter one iota how rich we are.  How important we are.  What we accumulate.  How many men we claim as our disciples.  What matters is that we know what Jesus Christ did for us on His Cross and that we accept His gift of life.  It is on that Cross that my sins are forgiven.  Because of that ancient Cross, my interest in this world has been crucified and the world’s interest in me has also died. What counts is whether we have been born again, transformed into a new creation.  There is a harvest to look forward to indeed, a harvest of eternal life given only through the Spirit of Christ. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they, nay, we are the new people of God.  Thanks be to God for He is great. Today we live in freedom - the God-given ability to live in obedience to the law of Christ.           Share each other’s burdens, for to do so is to obey the law

  Galatians 5:18 - A Meaningful Life Alas, we near the end of Galatians.  I love this book.  In this section, we read about our ability to decline the invitations of our human nature and to follow God.  It’s good stuff.  Powerful, life-changing truths of the Christian faith. You are living a meaningful life.  You are making your mark right now.  How meaningful?  Well, that depends on what you do every day and the results God produces through you based on what you do.  That's what this passage tells us.  There are results, and then there are results.  Everyone makes an impact, but what kind of results you make and the sort of life you live is based on your decisions.  And the consequences are a big deal.  They impact this life and eternity.  I find that encouraging and exciting.  And sobering.           We have ongoing decisions each day as to whom we follow.  We can follow our sinful nature or we can follow Christ. We hear here that not everyone is enabled to follow Christ. 

 Galatians 5:16 - The Good Life Good morning!  This is a key verse for believers in Jesus Christ.  May we live by it.  The Bible says Christians can fall away from God’s grace if they try to make themselves right with God by keeping the law (5:1-4). The answer for how to live the good life is this: by the Spirit of Christ.  We have to be intentional.  Daily.  God’s hand of protection is on us if we live by the Spirit.  It is God who gives power and strength to his people (Psalm 68:35).  God cares very much about how we live; He hates every kind of deception (Proverbs 8:7).  We can trust God to keep us from believing false teachings.  God is trustworthy, a solid rock.  The Holy Spirit guiding us will keep us from craving wicked things. We are called to live in freedom.  The new covenant of Jesus Christ is better and simpler.  It says to stop sinning.  Stop biting and devouring one another.  It says to use your freedom to serve one another in love. The Holy Spirit, God, will guid