WALK IN LOVE

[19]
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES - Ephesians
Read Ephesians 5
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV

* * *

Paul encourages the members of the Ephesian church to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (4:32) He goes on to warn of the false teachers who were saying that it doesn’t matter how we live now that we are Christians. He urges them, “for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (5:8-11)

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” he writes, “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (5:19-20)

* * *

Lord, I am so thankful for Your kindness and compassion towards us. Help me to forgive others just as I have been forgiven. Help me to be faithful to carry the light of your gospel to those who do not know you and encouragement to those who do.

* * *

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

GROW UP INTO HIM

[18]
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES - Ephesians
Read Ephesians 4

     Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching... Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV

* * *

     In this passage, Paul is reminding the Ephesian Christians of the primary purpose of the local church. Each member of the body of Christ has been given spiritual gifts or talents to be used for a specific reason – the edifying and building up of believers.

     This was and is an ongoing process where we grow in our faith and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (4:13b) and it is not something we do by ourselves, but in fellowship with other believers. Each person has something unique to contribute to the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (4:1

* * *

     Lord, I pray that you will show each one of us what part we are to play in your plan for our church. Help me to use the talents you have given me for the purpose of building other believers up in their faith. I pray also for the unity of our local church so that we can work together to give forth the gospel and disciple new believers onto maturity.

* * *

     Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:2-3 NIV

CHOSEN IN HIM

[17]
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES - Ephesians

Read Ephesians 1–3

   …He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love… to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4, 6 NKJV

* * *

   Paul in writing to the believers in Ephesus reminds them of the wonderful gift of the gospel. “But now in Christ Jesus,” he says, “you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:13) In the fullness of time, God carried out His plan that the Gentiles would be included in His church. For both Jews and Gentiles salvation came by the grace of God as a free gift.

   "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. " (2:8-10)

* * *

   Lord, I will be eternally thankful that You offered salvation to all who would believe. I am grateful that I did not have to earn it by good works. I am also thankful that you had good works planned for me before I even knew You. Help me as I share the good news of Christ’s love with all who will be willing to receive it.

* * *

   “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.   Ephesians 3:17b-19 NKJV

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES - Galatians

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Read Galatians 5─6

     For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 NKJV

* * *

     There were those in the Galatian church who insisted that Gentile believers must become Jews and keep the ceremonial laws. Paul writes, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7)
     He then goes on to explain the role of the law in the lives of New Testament believers: “...the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” (Galatians 3:24-25) They were to defend the true gospel in a spirit of love; For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

* * *

     Lord, when I run into Christians who are influenced by false teaching, help me to be patient and kind, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in my life and attitude. Give me the wisdom to stand fast and defend the gospel in a way that will glorify You.

* * *

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a NKJV

JARS OF CLAY

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES - Corinthians

[15]

Read 2 Corinthians 4-5

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

* * *

In this letter Paul encourages the Corinthian church to endure in their trials. He said of himself and his companions, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” (2 Corinthians 1:8b-9a)

Though they themselves were “jars of clay”, he said, they endured because of the all surpassing power of God. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day...” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

In view of eternity and what Christ accomplished for us on the cross, Paul reminds them, “...he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” ( 2 Corinthians 5:15)

* * *

Lord, I will probably never face the kind of opposition that Paul and the early church had to face, but I know that there are Christians throughout the world who are being persecuted. Lord, show your all-surpassing power to them, and help me to remember that I too have access to this power in my life through your Holy Spirit.

* * *

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us... 2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV