Tag: Ephesians

Categories
Daily Post

Wacky Weekend

It was a wacky weekend for me, full of movies, parenting adventures, compassionate encounters, personal frustrations and football.  Several of those events are probably blog worthy, but just have not completely settled in my brain to become sharable.  What I do know is it has become more and more obvious how richly blessed I am, but how little I am concerned about those blessings.

Throughout the weekend, I become aware of places where I am “giving the Devil a foothold” (eph 4:27).  It was interesting that this morning, as I carved out the few minutes to jot down something before I headed off to work, that I opened up my Bible to Ephesians 4 and 5.  It’s an excellent reminder that followers of Christ are also to be imitators of Christ – kind, compassionate, and forgiven ( as He has forgiven you!!!).

Today, lets head the advice from the middle of chapter 5 of Ephesians as we imitator our leader and Savior:

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Ephesians 5:15-16 (New International Version)

Categories
Daily Post

Happy Halloween

It’s seems like it was just Easter, but here is it Halloween.  ( we know who is coming right around the bend!)

The amazing thing about Halloween to me is the growth of adult costumes.  I remember trickertreatin’ ( that’s is one word correct?) when I was a young lad and remember just one home where the adults would be in costume.  Now it seems that is so much the norm.  A few weeks back we received the costume advertisement with the Sunday paper and I was amazed that there was like 2 pages of children’s costumes and 4 pages of adult costumes.    I guess we do like to dress up and pretend to be something else.

So in the spirit of putting on costumes, I thought it might be good to remember to continually dress up your own spirit and not let it pretend to be (or become) something else.  There’s a verse in Ephesians that talks about putting on the costume of a Roman soldier ( spiritually of course).  That’s a good one to consider as we approach the dress up and eat lots of candy holiday.

13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:13-18 (New International Version)

Get out your orange and black, celebrate another year of bountiful harvest, give and get as much candy as you possibly can and make sure you have your toothbrush handy to keep those teethers from decay!  And most importantly “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”

Categories
Daily Post

Registration Day

Yesterday was school registration day.  What a mad house.  Between all the confusion and chaos and money flying around, there is a small detail that makes me love this day.  There something about seeing the children again after not seeing them for just the short months of summer.  Some of them have different hair cuts.  Some have grown 2 feet.  Some have matured in their faces and in the eight grade some of them have grown beards.

Its just a great measure of physical development and really really fun to witness.  Its a shame in some ways that we reach a maturity level with our physical stature.  The shame is that I think sometimes we apply that same ‘I’m done’ growing approach to our spiritual growth as well.  Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could witness in such a visual way our continued spiritual growth?

So, maybe as school gets starting for another year, we need to assess our spiritual situation and figure out what we need to do to move on the the next level.  Just like those children growth day by day, not all at once over the summer, we can continue to grow in our salvation day by day.  However, you do have to make sure that just like school lunch, you are providing yourself with spiritual fuel to keep that growth going.

So, start today and sign up for continued spiritual growth!

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:14-16 (New International Version)

17Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:17-18 (New International Version)

Categories
Daily Post

National Man Day

Yo Yo, Its National Man Day! Sorry ladies, it appears this is the day we can go unshaven, wear our shirts untucked, grunt, snort, brush our teeth with bacon and do all the manly stuff that, well, makes us men!

I am just not sure how to celebrate, but I can tell you I will not be reading Twilight or eating croissants. I am thinking that walking around the house in boxers and dark socks may be a good start.  Or maybe a good Chuck Norris movie, or how about unloading the fire arms in the back yard!

No matter how you spend National Man Day, here are a few things that all men should consider everyday:

25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— Ephesians 5:25-29 NIV

2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. …. 6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.  Titus 2: 2, 6-8 (NIV)

Men, you can’t argue with that!  So go out and show your manliness, and make sure you are loving your wives, and living a life with integrity!

Get r dun.

Categories
Daily Post

Easter Monday

Its Easter Monday.  Can you imagine the thoughts running through the minds of Jesus’ followers when they woke up and realized the events of the weekend?  Do you think it was hard to get to work on that Monday! Wow!  Now we take the joy of Easter and the victory of the Christ’s actions into our daily lives.  I know this morning when I was running, I felt a little lighter on my feet (and believe me that was not because of my weight!)

Anyway, enjoy the day, and as you interact with others, remember the actions of the Christ and the impact that can have on your life – if you let it!

Ephesians 2:4-6 (New International Version)

4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,