Ephesus

My husband, John, and I were just in Ephesus. What a treat to stand in the theater where Paul preached!

The Belt of Truth

Here's the final part of my Sunday School lesson based on Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God:

Ephesians 5:8-6:9 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

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. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. 9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Christ once said, “When Satan lies he uses his native tongue.” And Satan has been deceiving us with lies since the Garden of Eden. His lies are designed to appeal to the sinful nature of man. The world values possessions more then persons, achievement more then relationships, believes a bigger house or a new car will make you happy. And the world is more attracted to beauty, then charity. Satan spins these lies. Satan and his demons don’t have to influence people individually. They influence culture and get a whole lot more bang for their buck! We need the belt of truth. Living by God’s word, wrapping His truth tightly around us like a belt, provides us with the support we need.

Paul uses “light” here for truth. God has given us a beacon of light: His Word. The truth! Jesus is also the light and the truth. If you remember John 1:1 He is also the Word. And we are not called simply to believe the truth; we are called to live the truth. And according to Jesus; that will set us free. Paul talks about how family members should treat each other. We are to live out the truth in our families.
Many ancient writers wrote about household management and Paul wrote about it in many of his other letters too. The secular writers though were all about the father as the absolute head of the family and what the wife, children and slaves owed him. The Biblical ones hold him accountable for loving his wife, nurturing his children and treating his slaves with respect. He’s not a dictator but rather God’s servant.  Where he says wives submit to your husband and husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church: husbands and wives are to care deeply for each other and be concerned with each others personal and spiritual growth.

Marriage is a partnership in the deepest sense of the word. If one partner believes he or she is more important then the other that’s allowing the door to open to demons by preying on the other spouse’s resentment or hurt. We’re to serve each other. And we’re to help each other put on the armor of God.
Ephesians 6:17-18 adds 2 important lessons to our goal of defending ourselves from the schemes of Satan. Take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Paul emphasizes prayer. Our safety depends on God’s mighty power. We must rely on Him and look to Him at all times, expressing our needs and concerns.
The author ends his book by telling Christians that we are authorized to cast demons out! He says any Christian living in fellowship with Christ can command demons in Jesus’ name and they will obey Him. First you have to deal with what’s going on in your life that’s letting them in though. Fix that and then cast them out. Then keep the door closed so they won’t come in again.

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”

The Breast Plate of Righteousness

This is the fifth part (of six) of the Sunday School lesson I did based on Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God;

Even though we have “new selves” when we are born again that want to do right, we still have our old selves that are pulled by the world. And in that old self that still loves sin, Satan has an ally. Satan directs his temptations to the old self.

Paul lists just some of the things we do when we aren’t living righteously and how we should be living. This isn’t the only list like this in the Bible so we can’t claim to know what righteous living looks like and what sin looks like!

Ephesians 4:17-5:7 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
This section tells us we are called to true righteousness not just to be “good people”.

The Roman breast plate was essential. It protected the vital organs. In the 1st century it was a metal plate worn over a leather garment. The spiritual breast plate of the Christian is righteousness and the Christian is responsible to put it on himself.

In the Bible righteousness is the idea of conformity to a standard. Old Testament saints were considered righteous when their personal and interpersonal behavior conformed to the moral and ethical norms established by God.

Deuteronomy 6:25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. But humans could only be righteous comparatively. Only God is righteous perfectly. Knowing no human could live up to the standard of God’s own righteous character demands has moved God to accept those who trust Him despite their flaws and failures.

Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

The Jews however sought to establish their own righteousness. But just like Abraham God credits righteousness to us who believe. Jesus didn’t just die to take us to heaven though. He died to free us from the dark way we were living too. The Holy Spirit in us helps us live godly lives if we follow his guidance.

So the breast plate of righteousness we are to put on is to maintain a good, holy and righteous life style. Take off the old. Put on the new.

The author, from talking to other ministers, believes that demons enter through 4 primary doors.

1. Trauma. All of the armor we’ve talked about so far helps here, but especially the shield of faithfulness. Remember the faithfulness of God who protects us and stays with us.

2. A sinful life style. And this is sin that’s usually done knowingly and habitually.

3. The occult. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  It’s pretty clear what the Bible tells us to stay away from and the reason is that supernatural beings reached through the occult are in fact demons. Playing with the occult is inviting demons into your life!

4. Authority figures and the family line. This has to do with certain cultures where parents speak curses over their children or dedicate them to pagan gods.

The best way to get rid of the old self and put on the new righteous self is to take time for self-examination. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart. What attitudes, habitual choices, habitual responses, addictions, do you have? And then acknowledge it as sin. Repent (make it right with someone if you can). Repudiate (meaning reject the sin and determine to do what is honoring to the Lord). Relate (tell 2 people close to you. Ask for their prayer support and encouragement.) And rely. (On the Holy Spirit to guide you).

The Sandals of Peace Ephesians 2:11-4:16

This is part four from my Sunday School lesson based on Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God:

The 3rd scheme is to destroy our inner peace and distort or shatter the harmony that should exist in our relationships with others. Satan wants us to respond with anger and bitterness when we are wounded. He wants us to be in turmoil, suspicious of others’ motives and quick to take offense. He wants us to remember and nurse our hurts. Anger and bitterness steal your peace! In the Bible peace is not the absence of strife. In Hebrews the word is Shalom. It’s harmony and wholeness. Colossians 3:12-15 tells us how to live as believers to experience this. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

In the Ephesian verses Paul talks about the military sandals worn by Roman Legionnaires. The heavy Roman military sandals were ½ boot and ½ sandal. They were tied on with leather thongs wrapped halfway up the shin. The sole was made with several layers of leather three quarters of an inch thick and studded with hobnails. This enabled the soldier to line up with his fellow soldiers and for all of them to dig their feet into the ground and hold their position. Paul warns us that it’s impossible for us to stand against our supernatural enemy without lining up with our fellow believers and digging our feet in.

There are several dimensions of peace in scripture. There’s the inner peace that Jesus knew and that He promises his followers. There’s the peace with God that is ours through faith in Jesus. And there is interpersonal peace which marks our relationship with others.

In this Ephesians passage it’s the “gospel of peace”. The good news of Jesus that enables us to live at peace with one another and Paul devotes a large space to this section. And he points out the powerful results of peace. When we “keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace” the spiritual gifts God has given us function and the Body of Christ is built up and we become mature and more and more like Christ. No wonder Satan doesn’t want us to have peace. Christianity is the story of chaos to peace, hostility to love. Once we were enemies of God. Now through Christ’s love we are reconciled.

Ephesians 2:14-16 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Paul was writing about Jews and Gentiles and describing them as hostile was putting it mildly! The Jews had been persecuted by non-Jews for centuries. Their homeland had been occupied by the Romans and taxed mercilessly. Their faith and customs had been ridiculed throughout the Empire. And the Jews returned the hostility. They called the Gentiles dogs and immoral worshippers of idols. They even avoided a Gentile’s shadow; believing contact with it would make them ritually unclean. They were God’s chosen people and they felt contempt for non-Jews.

Jesus came to unite the two hostile people into a single community. The church that was to be marked by peace and love. How?

What set the Jews apart from all other people was Moses’ law, prescribing a way of life that was markedly different from the way of life of non-Jews. The Jews thought that their descent from Abraham along with their observance of the law guaranteed them God’s favor. The Gospel challenged that.

In the book of Romans Paul says God sees Jews and Gentiles both as sinners. So God sent His Son to die on a cross so all humans could have their sins forgiven. Rather then relate to God through the law, Jews and Gentiles are to relate to God through faith in Jesus. With the focus on the cross the barrier of the law became irrelevant. Christ’s death abolished the law.

For peace to exist the barrier to peace must be made irrelevant. With observance of the law no longer an issue, Jewish and Gentile believers could live together in harmony.

But how does this help a person who has no peace because of bitterness and anger from broken relationships?

The cross not only removed the cause of hostility between the Jews and Gentiles (the law), it is also God’s proclamation that He forgives sin. And it demonstrates that God is totally committed to punishing sin!

Romans 3:25-26 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

God let “sins committed beforehand” (prior to Christ’s death)  go unpunished because He knew He would one day send His Son to receive the punishment those unpunished sins deserved! God is a God of justice. The fact that God punished sin in Christ is proof He will punish all sin. We, who trust Christ, are only forgiven because Jesus took the punishment we deserve. Those who don’t look to Jesus to save them will bear the punishment themselves.  Because God is committed to this Paul says in Romans 12:19 we shouldn’t take revenge, but leave it to God. He will repay. God is the only one who has the right to punish sin.

Ideally we go to the person who has hurt us and tell him or her how we feel. And ideally they accept responsibility and apologize. This will heal a relationship. If they don’t do that we still forgive. And give it over to God.

It’s ok to feel anger, but it’s not ok to nurse it.

Ephesians 4:26-27 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

We free ourselves from the burden of continuing to hold the other person responsible. And even more as Christians; Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

This closes a window where a demon might have entered. The purpose of going to the person is not confrontation, but reconciliation. We all sin. The only way to maintain harmony is to be quick to confess our faults and just as quick to forgive the faults of others.

The Shield of Faith.

This is part three from my Sunday School lesson based on Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God.

At the end of his letter Paul says in 6:16, “Take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” But he covers what this means in Ephesians 2:1-10 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

In hand to hand combat Roman soldiers were the likely winners. So their enemies would shoot flaming “darts” or “javelins” at them as they advanced. But even that didn’t work very well because the Romans had large shields two and a half feet wide and four feet tall that they held in front of them as they advanced in long rows. When the arrows came from above they moved the shields over their heads and formed a roof. This formation was called a turtle. The arrows just bounded off.

Paul likens theses arrows to demonic attacks. This is not close, personal confrontation. They were hurled from a distance. And they weren’t weapons for killing; they were just designed to break up an advancing formation. Separate the soldiers so they could do hand to hand combat.

Sometimes Satan throws obstacles at us to make us anxious and discouraged. Sarah urged Abraham to have a child with her servant Hagar rather then wait on God’s promise. And he did! And that’s what began the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews that still goes on today! They panicked under pressure instead of raising the shield that God provides all believers. The shield of faith.

What faith is Paul talking about? THE faith? The Good News that Jesus saves? Or OUR faith – the trust we exhibit in Jesus? Or is it our new self-image? Because when Paul talked about the helmet of salvation he went to great lengths to show how it was meant to shape our self-image.

When we grasped what each member of the Trinity did to provide us with salvation we realized we were not nothings or nobodies. We are special and part of God’s family. We could see ourselves as God sees us: no longer victims, but victors. We could shake off Satan’s lies and step out boldly to live the lives God created for us to live. Called to live out the victory Jesus won for us.
But in Ephesians 2:1 Paul, after just telling us we are chosen, loved, blessed and empowered, says we were dead in transgressions and sins. That we used to live in our sins when we followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Satan). And on and on. But then he says we were not totally lost. Because of His great love for us God intervened!

We cannot save ourselves! God acted. God raised us up. God gave us life in Jesus Christ! And because our salvation is entirely the work of God we will be on display for all of eternity as living expressions of “the incomparable riches of His grace.” We are special and wonderful. But only because God created us and only because God saved us.

In this section of Ephesians 2 Paul wants us to realize we are totally dependent on God, not on ourselves.

The author of this book believes that the “true faith” in these verses is not pointing to our faith, but God’s faithfulness. That when it comes to salvation God does it all. So the shield that extinguishes Satan’s flaming arrows is not the strength or measure of our faith, it’s the faithfulness of God. Our salvation is rooted in His grace and love.

Psalm 7:10 is just one verse in the Old Testament which confirms the idea of God as the believer’s shield. “My shield is God Most High.”

“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Our lives have purpose and meaning. God has a path for each of us to follow.
Satan wants to force us off that path. So he hurls his flaming arrows at us. Those difficulties and troubling circumstances that cause us fear and anxiety. He hopes we’ll panic and rush ahead of God’s timing like Sarah did. Or turn and go in the wrong direction. But God is faithful - if we listen to Him – to His promptings, He will guide us along the path He has chosen. We may not know what that path is right now, but He will show us when and how to take the next step.

Paul knows we are frail. He knows how hard it is for us to trust God for today. Isn’t it interesting we trust Him to get us to Heaven, but it’s so hard to have confidence He’ll get us through today?
So Paul reminds us. Often!

Romans 5:10 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

God knows exactly how much we can bear. And then will provide a way out.

How are we to take up this shield of faith?

First, be prepared. Satan will go after you because you believe in God. Don’t focus on your problems. Focus on God. Remember everything He has done for you and been to you. Memorize Bible verses:

Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 33:20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

The Helmet of Salvation

This is part two of the Sunday School lesson I wrote using Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God:

In the 1st century the whole Mediterranean was under Roman rule. The Roman guards/soldiers and their uniforms were well known. In Ephesians 6 Paul describes their armor and draws an analogy between it and God’s spiritual armor that we can use to stand against demonic enemies.

Ephesians 6:14-17 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Belt = truth, Breastplate = righteousness, Sandals = preparation that comes from the Gospel of peace, Shield = faith, the helmet = salvation. The sword is the Word of God. The sword is the only offensive weapon. Everything else is defensive. Each of these meanings is defined earlier in his letter.

Ephesians 1:1-23 = defines salvation. Ephesians 2:1-10 = faith. Ephesians 2:11- 4:16 = peace. Ephesians 4:17-5:7 = righteousness. Ephesians 5:8 – 6:9 = truth.

The first scheme of Satan:

The truth is we are works of God. Each one of us is God’s personal creation. Each of us is special! We may wish certain things about us were different, but we are just as God intended us to be for His purposes.

Satan hates that. He doesn’t want us to have a meaningful life. He doesn’t want us to be used for God’s purposes. His scheme is to block our development by convincing us we are worthless. He tries to convince us we are flawed, weak and inadequate. So we will never step out and become all that God intends us to be. And he uses sin that others committed against us to reach that goal. Parents who make their children feel they aren’t reaching their potential. People who shame and humiliate us. Abandon us. Bully us. We’ve all been wounded by someone’s words or actions. Satan’s strategy is to use those words and actions to convince us we are not “wonderfully made”. That our lives will never have meaning. He uses those things to corrupt our self image. He wants us to feel weak, helpless and miserable.

Our thoughts of “I’ll never change” or “nobody cares” or “nothing I do is important” can usually be traced back to something that happened in our childhood or adolescence. The feelings we have may be real, but these are Satan’s lies.

The Helmet of Salvation

The helmet of salvation is the last piece of armor a Roman soldier puts on, but Paul talks about it first in his letter. Around the time of Paul’s writing the Roman helmet not only had a metal skull cap covered with bronze, it had a piece that protected the neck and 2 pieces that protected the cheeks.

Paul uses this to show that what protects our hearts and minds is an understanding of salvation itself. Our salvation provides a perspective that protects us from Satan’s lies. When we understand what God has done to provide salvation, we begin to grasp how truly significant we are and how much we are loved. Each member of the Trinity played a part in our Salvation.

Ephesians 1:3-14 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Even before creation, God the Father had you in His thoughts. He chose you. He planned you. He determined to adopt you as His child. In Ephesians 1:3 it says God the Father “blessed us in the heavenly realms.” In Ephesians 6:12 Paul points out that “the heavenly realms are those from which “the forces of evil” launch their attacks. Blessed in these realms we are guarded against these attacks.

It also says in 1:3 God blessed us “with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Because of our relationship with Christ there isn’t a single spiritual blessing we don’t have. So Satan’s lie of “there’s no use trying” is just that – a lie!

Ephesians 1:4 says “God chose us to be holy and blameless in His sight.” Satan’s lie is “you’ll never amount to anything.” God’s truth is that throughout eternity you will reflect the very holiness of God and even now are becoming more and more like your Creator.

Ephesians 1:5 says “God predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Christ Jesus. He did this at the foundation of the world. In the 1st century adoption as a son was very special. Every tie to the old family was cut and every debt owed to the old family canceled. We are part of God’s family now. We are royalty! Destined to rule with Jesus.

1:5 also tells us why God did this. “In accordance with His pleasure and will.” He blessed, chose and adopted us because He wanted to! He loves us! And that love isn’t based on anything we have done or will do. He loves us for ourselves!

The Son’s part is He was a freely given gift.

Ephesians 1:6 Grace. Even though we didn’t deserve it and didn’t do anything for it, Jesus chose to die for us. There was a huge cost to bring us into the family of God.

Ephesians 1:7 Jesus shed His blood to redeem us. Redemption means to pay the price necessary to free someone from imminent threat or danger. His death saved us from death. And also provided forgiveness from our sins. Past, present and future.

Ephesians 1:8 In Jesus God lavished on us the riches of God’s grace. This means that in everything that happens to us, Jesus will be there, working in each situation to bless us and those we love.

Ephesians 1:9-11 Ultimately all things in heaven and on earth will be brought together in Christ. All of God’s purpose will be fulfilled and we will see where we fit in.

Ephesians 1:12 says “for the praise of His glory.” Throughout eternity we will glorify God.

The Holy Spirit’s part:

Ephesians 1:13 says the Holy Spirit marked us with a seal. The seal is the Holy Spirit Himself who came into our lives when we believed. In the 1st century a wax seal on a package or letter had several purposes. 1. It denoted security. 2. It identified ownership. 3. It certified genuineness. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our life shows we are genuine Christians. His presence is proof we belong to God and it assures us we are safe in His loving hands.

Ephesians 1:14 The Holy Spirit is “a deposit guarding our inheritance until redemption.” Jesus has redeemed us. The Holy Spirit is God’s personal guarantee that when Jesus returns the transaction will be completed and we will be free from the slightest taint of sin.

In Ephesians 1:14 Paul repeats “to the praise of His glory.”

So God: chose, blessed and adopted us as His children.
 Jesus: redeemed, forgave and granted us overflowing grace.
 And the Holy Spirit: sealed and guaranteed our ultimate salvation so that throughout eternity we will glorify God.

Paul’s prayer follows and it’s not just for the Ephesians. Because it’s in the Bible it’s for us too.

He prays that God enables us to know Him better. That God opens our eyes to understand the significance of this salvation that is ours. As God’s own we are now one of His treasurer’s. His own precious inheritance. Also, God’s resurrection power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us! The power which not only raised Him from the dead, but lifted Him to a position of total authority over the heavenly realm. Everything bows to the authority of Jesus.

Satan says we are weak and impotent. God says we have His resurrection power available to us!

How do we put on the helmet of salvation? How do we change the beliefs and feelings about ourselves that are rooted in Satan’s lies?

1.  Speak the truth. Read out loud and often: confessions. An example – Loving Father, I confess that I believed Satan’s lies about who I am. I have failed to live as the new creation Your Word says I am. For this I ask Your forgiveness. God and Father, I praise You for the gift of forgiveness won for me by Christ on the cross. I acknowledge You have forgiven me and accepted me. That I am Your child and an inheritor of Your kingdom. 

Next renunciation. Example: I reject Satan’s lie that I will never amount to anything. I have been given gifts by the Holy Spirit and am an important member of the Body of Christ. I renounce the lie I am not worthy to be loved. I am loved by You, God Almighty, and I am worthy to be loved by others also. I renounce the idea there is no use trying. I reject self-hatred and self-condemnation. And I affirm that You, Lord Jesus, will enable me to do anything You call me to do. I believe in Your promise that You give me “hope and a future.”

Then declaration: Example: I declare this day I am a dearly loved child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. I am adopted into God’s family and provided with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. I will no longer listen to Satan’s lies. I will daily put on the helmet of salvation and live as the redeemed and transformed person I truly am. To the glory of God, the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son.

2.  Besides speaking these, read Ephesians 1 regularly and let the truth of who you are in Christ fill your heart and mind.

3.  Memorize verses. Like 1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Galatians 4:6-7 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

The Full Armor of God

I wrote a Sunday School lesson from the book The Full Armor of God by Larry Richards. I thought I'd share it over the next half dozen or so posts. The book goes into much more detail and I highly recommend reading the whole thing.

The author uses Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to explain to his readers how God provides protection from every attack of Satan and his demons. He tells us how we can put on the full armor of God every day. Ephesians has been called Paul’s handbook on spiritual warfare.

In the 1st century, Ephesus was the third most prominent city in the Roman Empire. It had a quarter of a million inhabitants and it was both an economic and a religious center in Asia. Thousands of religious pilgrims came to the city every year to worship the goddess Artemis. (Also known as Diana.)

Paul went there in 53 AD as a missionary for Jesus Christ.

Ephesus wasn’t just a center of pagan religion; it was a center of demonic activity. A place where magic and sorcery were practiced in an effort to control the powerful spirits that people believed ruled their destinies. Ephesians 6:12 talks about the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Paul was going to war!

In Acts 19 Luke gives an account of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus.

Acts 19:11-12 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

Paul is described as casting out evil spirits and healing the sick. He did the miracles publicly so everyone in the city knew he was casting out demons. In Acts 19:13-16 Luke tells about the 7 sons of Scevin who were exorcists. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

And Acts 19:17 17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Because they had no relationship with Jesus they had no authority over evil spirits.

The third story is in Acts 19:18-20 and indicates how powerfully Paul’s defeat of demons influenced the Christian community. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Before Paul came a lot of the new Christians practiced sorcery to protect themselves from the demons. Now they brought out their books of spells and magic and burned them publicly. Luke says the books were worth 50,000 drachma. (50,000 days’ worth of income!)

So from Acts we know Ephesus was a center of satanic activity. This gives us a clue to understanding the purpose and value of the book of Ephesians. Ephesians has more references to demonic activity then any other New Testament letter.

We are told in the Bible that there is spiritual warfare going on. But we don’t think about it much. Except maybe as entertainment in books and movies. But in the 1st century people were well aware that the Spirit world was real. And there were all types of spirits. There were spirits of the dead. Spirits of heroes of old. Spirits who were gods and goddesses. And there were demons: evil spirits. All of these spirits were thought to interact with and have an impact on living people. So everything – success in business, in love, health, etc. depended on whether the spirits were pleased or displeased with an individual. And the spirits were capricious. They didn’t care about the person. Mostly people just made offerings to placate angry or hostile spirits. Or resort to magic to try to control them.

No one in Ephesus had ever seen a person dominate demons the way Paul did. Paul wrote the letter after he left Ephesus to reassure the young Christian church and tell them plainly how to defend themselves against the attacks of evil spirits who were armed with strategies devised by Satan himself.

Many people today are hooked on the occult. I mentioned books and movies, but Tarot cards, Ouija boards, horoscopes, witchcraft and even people who believe in reincarnation go against Christianity. And the numbers are growing every year.

One of the differences between modern belief and 1st century belief is today many people think the spirits want to help them! So they go to palm readers, psychics and mediums. And ask for help! This opens the door to demons.

Many Christians today are ignorant of demons. They don’t realize that they might be the cause of their spiritual, emotional and even physical problems. Satan works best behind the scenes.

In the Bible there were only 3 time periods when the struggle against demons broke out into the open.

1.  The Exodus. The plagues God sent were judgment on the gods of Egypt. (Who were demons presenting themselves as deities.)

2.  The time of Elijah and Elisha in the 8th century BC. Elijah and Elisha performed miracles that demonstrated that the Lord, is God.

3.  The time of Jesus and the apostles. There were a lot of demons when Jesus walked the earth wanting to do battle with Him.

Today they are still active. But hidden. So Christians discount their influence. Paul knew this would happen and left this letter so we would recognize and combat demons. To recognize them we need to realize Satan is trying to cripple believers to make them miserable and ineffective. And that they are always looking for an open door to get in.

Demons created a lot of misery in the Old Testament, but in the gospels every time they ran into Jesus the demons lost.

Paul wrote “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” And while demons are spiritual they are also personal beings. The Gospels use personal pronouns when reporting dialog with demons. They have emotions. And groups of demons have team names. Luke 8:27-30 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.

Most Bible students believe demons are angels who followed Satan when he rebelled against God. Revelation 12:4 suggests that 1/3 of the angels God created went with Satan.

Demons are hostile to God and hate humans. They can get inside our personalities. Jesus threw demons out of people. The author says though that demons do not possess people. The Greek word used in scripture means demonized. They influence us. They tempt us, twist our thinking, cloud our understanding. They lie about Christ. They tell us we are hopeless. They encourage bitterness and anger. They push us toward addictions that can ruin our lives.

The Full Armor of God by Larry Richards

I just finished reading Larry Richard’s new book, ‘The Full Armor of God’ and it changed most of what I thought about the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians has been called Paul’s book on spiritual warfare. Richards explained how Paul wrote the letter after he left Ephesus to reassure the young Christian church and tell them plainly how to defend themselves against the attacks of evil spirits who were armed with strategies devised by Satan himself. But then he brought spiritual warfare into the twenty-first century.

Many Christians today are ignorant of demons. They don’t realize that they might be the cause of their spiritual, emotional and even physical problems.

Today they are still active. But hidden. So Christians discount their influence. Paul knew this would happen and left this letter so we would recognize and combat demons. To recognize we need to realize Satan is trying to cripple believers to make them miserable and ineffective. And they are always looking for an open door to get in.

The author shows us how to recognize demons and demonic activity, how to look at our lives and see how we are “inviting them in”, how we can shut the door to them and also cast them out.

This is a fascinating and enlightening read. I was given a free copy to review, but was told my review could be good or bad so long as it was honest. I highly recommend this book.

Getting Through Trials

2 Corinthians 4: 7-18 ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^] Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

This passage is about trials. And it tells us that we get through them with God’s power. We are just jars of clay. Ordinary everyday pots! But we have a treasure in us! And that’s Jesus.

Paul had been through more trials and hardships in his life then any six people put together. Yet he can say that he’d been hard pressed, but not crushed. He had been perplexed (why is this happening kind of thing), but not in despair. Persecuted (he’d been flogged and stoned!) But he says he was not abandoned. Struck drown, but not destroyed.

Paul says one of the reasons for our trials is because if we get through them showing Christ’s patience, His faith, His calmness, it draws people who see us closer to God. It spreads the Gospel. If we get through a trial right we glorify God!

So he’s saying there are reasons for our suffering and therefore we do not lose heart. Our light and momentary troubles will be forgotten in Heaven. And Heaven is what our eyes should be fixed on. Not the trials of this life.

Sometimes our trials are caused by our own actions. But sometimes God is acting. And when He does it’s always for our good:

Seven Purposes of Our Trials

1. To inspect us. James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters^] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
2. To direct us. Proverbs 20:30 Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.
3. To correct us. Psalms 119:71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
4. To connect us. Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.
5. To protect us. Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
6. To perfect us. Romans 5:3-4 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.
7. To project us. Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

You Alone

Pastor Kurt Gebhards gave a sermon on Philippians 4:14- 19 today and while the whole thing was (as always) inspirational and great, there was one part I just loved!

In this passage Paul is writing to the Philippians, thanking them for their support. At the end of verse 15 he wrote, “you alone” or in some translations, “you only”. No other church had entered into a partnership with Paul in giving and receiving.

Pastor Kurt encouraged us to act like we were the only ones helping. Because maybe we might be! We need to be the one who gives, who has integrity, who is kind, who speaks up for Christ, who picks up after someone, who’s not selfish or lazy. We need to be generous in attitude, with our time and with our money.

He suggested three ways we can be a “you alone” type person:

1. Care from a compassionate heart. Does your heart beat for the needs around you?
2. Consider your circumstances. Be on the look out for needs around you.
3. Cultivate ministry “fast twitch”. Be on the job and immediately be the first to help and serve. Remember people’s names; showing that you care. Be a blessing to everyone you come into contact with.

Don’t wait for anyone else to act this way first. Do it, even if you do it alone!

Something all Sunday School Teachers and Pastors should read

Acts 29:17-26 17From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.
18And when they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time,
19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;
20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house,
21solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
22"And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,
23except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.
24"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.
25"And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face.
26"Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27"For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
28"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
29"I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
31"Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
32"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33"I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes.
34"You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.
35"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
36When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Paul’s prayer tells us we should serve the Lord with all humility and not shrink from declaring God’s truth. Verse 24 reminds us not to put ourselves before others or God and to put God’s work (sharing the Gospel) first.

2 Thessalonians – Part 4

In 2 Thessalonians 3 I’m only going to comment on the first 5 verses because after that it’s really a repeat from 1st Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 1Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 3But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

Again Paul asks people to pray for him. Sometimes prayer is all we can do. And we need to be doing it: for each other, for our church, for the nation and the world.

If Paul, great as he was, felt the need to ask others to pray for him, we can certainly do the same. When we put people on prayer concerns, let’s not just say a one time prayer. Let’s continue to pray for that person or those people or a situation until we see an answer. Write the prayer down. Keep a prayer journal. Pray daily. I think that’s what God is trying to teach us to do.

I read a commentary written in the 1950’s that said, “We live in a world where there are more nervous breakdowns than any time in history.” And that was 60 years ago! I think since then more and more people have the feeling that they cannot cope with life. While we may think we can’t possibly take on someone else’s burdens on top of our own, by praying for them, which focuses us on Christ, it gives us His power and endurance, which gives us strength to face our lives at the same time as we’re praying for others.

There’s power in prayer!

2 Thessalonians - Part 3

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Paul is telling the Thessalonians that they must give up their nervous, hysterical waiting for the second coming. He denied that he ever said that the Day of the Lord had come. That was a misinterpretation of his words. He told them that before that happens many other things had to take place.

First there would come an age of rebellion against God. That there was already a secret evil power working in the world. He says the lawless one will come and he will be the incarnation of evil, just as Jesus is the incarnation of good. In 1st John we see this person called the antichrist.

In time the power which is restraining him will be removed. This power is the Holy Spirit and when Christ takes His church up before the tribulation “all hell will break loose.”

This antichrist will be able to perform miracles and the people who don’t believe in God, who had already rejected Christ, will follow the lawless one. But, take comfort in the fact that this man is doomed to destruction. His fate is already sealed. God is in control and nothing can stand against Him! The great question is – whose side are you on? If you are on God’s side, verse 13 tells us how lucky we are and to thank Him!

2 Thessalonians 2:13 13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

And in verse 14 God used Paul to tell the Thessalonians His message, the Good News, so that they might share in His Glory.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has given us the same mission. To tell the world how to find salvation.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:15 he tells them to stand firm in truth: 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

2nd Thessalonians – Part 2

2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This section talks about God’s righteous judgment. Paul says that the believers were being prepared through their suffering for membership in the coming kingdom. He also leads us to believe we may never see justice in our lifetime, but we will when Christ returns. The reward for Christians will be eternal fellowship with the Lord and the punishment for the unbelievers will be eternal destruction, which is the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

Most Jews believed that problems were the result of some sin or lack of faith and occasionally they can be. And sometimes they are just a consequence of living in a fallen world. But Paul teaches us that they also may be part of God’s plan for believers. Our problems may help us look to God. Or at least beyond ourselves.

Philippians 3:13-14 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

They can build strong character.

Romans 5:3-4 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.

They can provide us with opportunities to comfort others who are also struggling.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Our troubles may also be an indication that we are taking a stand for Christ.

I’m afraid that some people may hear this, see all the trouble so many people have and say, “It’s not worth it.” Or “I think I’ll just wait till I’m old to get saved.” But Paul tells us in all his letters it will be worth it! And in fact it already is because we are storing up treasures in heaven with our attitudes and actions and our faithfulness and obedience. He also says that someday can be too late. Christ will return unexpectedly and even if it’s not in our life time, who knows when our last day on earth will be?

In verse 11 it says our calling is to become like Christ, whatever it takes. When I think of His outstanding traits I always think of His compassion and humility. It’s hard to become compassionate or humble without going through some kind of trial. I also think of His strength and courage; there’s a saying, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. Again – every time we come through a trial with the right attitude we are stronger people.

2nd Thessalonians - Part 1

This letter was probably written only a few months after the first letter and it deals with some of the same questions and problems. Read study on 1st Thessalonians Here Paul clears up a couple things they didn’t understand; mainly about the timing of Christ’s return. Because of the persecution and Paul’s first letter some thought they were in the “day of the Lord”. (A common term for end times or even judgment day.)

Some of the people were sitting around idle waiting for the end of the world. Paul says, instead, the people (and us) should be busier than ever: living purely, using our time well and working for His kingdom.

One thing we’ll notice in this second letter: 1st Thessalonians was warm in tone and filled with personal data. 2nd Thessalonians is colder, more formal and authoritarian. The first letter stresses the unpredictability and the suddenness of the coming of Christ. The second offers signs by which we can predict that coming. The second letter also gives information about the lawless one. (the anti-Christ) And there may have been a false letter circulating with Paul’s name on it, confusing things, because we’ll see at the very end of this book Paul says, “This is my handwriting.”

The first 4 verses are the introduction:
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 1Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

Remember from the first letter Paul is deliberately linking Jesus and God in his greeting to remind the young church that the church was of divine not human origin. The greetings in all of Paul’s letters show what a great encourager he was. When he wrote that he sees the love they have for each other increasing – don’t you think there were people in that church who hung their heads and thought about how they had just ignored someone, or talked about them behind their back? But, that because of the way Paul said it they squared their shoulders and determined to be that way? We should encourage each other at every opportunity.

In verse 4 he says that in their persecutions they are showing perseverance and faith. That’s the key to surviving persecution and trials. Whatever we are faced with if we have faith that God is using it somehow for good and we are patient and don’t complain then we glorify God.

God is just and His timing is perfect!

Living by Christ’s Provision and in His - Power Part 2

We need to stop living in self-deprivation. Although we live in a broken world, God wants us to look up to Him and His greatness and provision. We have a great inheritance.

Romans 6:4-5 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Two things happened with the resurrection. We died to sin and were raised in newness of life. We should live like we have new life! Our inheritance is the Lord Himself! To know and fellowship with Him throughout eternity.

Jesus inherited His position in heaven, but He shares it with all believers. Because of this we should be living a Holy (set apart) life here on earth. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Without Holiness we can’t see God.”

We can live this way because Christ’s power is now in us. And it is inexhaustible. We can be transformed. We can turn from sins. For His Glory and our benefit.

Living by Christ’s Provision and in His Power

Pastor Kurt Gebhards of Harvest Bible Chapel, Hickory, gave a two-part sermon the past two weeks on Ephesians 1:15-23:

15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

God has given us unlimited resources and unlimited, eternal riches…and we aren’t using them! First we need to understand God’s Word. We have to know Him. We have to know His promises. Then we can claim them.

Pastor Geghards pointed out that the book of Ephesians followed a pattern that Paul utilizes in his epistles. In chapters 1 – 3 he writes the Doctrine of our position in Christ. In chapters 4 – 6; the duty of our practice in Christ. Doctrine proceeds doing. What we do must be founded on what we know of Christ.

Paul’s prayer in this letter is that they know. Christianity is for those who want to know, think and understand. And verses 18 and 19 tell us what those things are:

1. To know the hope of His calling
2. To know the riches of the inheritance
3. To know what is the surpassing greatness of His greatness.

You can’t know Christ outside of His Word. To be effective for Christ you must be reflective of Christ. Christ is the wisdom that God has given us. All has been revealed.

Christianity is what God has done for us and our response in gratitude and love because of this. We rejoice in the prospect of living in Christ’s steps.

John 17:3 says, Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

1st Thessalonians 5

1st Thessalonians 5: 11-28 11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil. 23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

25Brothers, pray for us. 26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. 28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

God isn’t just the God of our spiritual self. He is our God through and through. He should be involved in everything we do.

Paul has written in 1st Thessalonians the kind of life Christians need to live. It is one that has an increasing and abounding love for one another. One that is worthy of God, one that is characterized by the kind of blamelessness that can stand the test of Christ’s judgment when He returns. It includes both attitudes and conduct: sexual purity, brotherly love, quiet minding of one’s own business, industriousness, mature theological understanding of the end times, spiritual alertness and self-control, respect of church leaders, thankfulness, prayerfulness, gratitude for and effective use of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, the ability to discriminate between right and wrong and the power to reject evil and do what is good. (!)

Christianity is NOT for weaklings!

1st Thessalonians 4 Part 3

1st Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Christ’s second coming is referred to over three hundred times in the New Testament. Let’s look at what will happen when He returns. In 4:16 and 17 it says the Lord Himself will descend from heaven and the dead in Christ (those bodies) will rise first and then everyone who is still alive on earth will rise and meet them in the air. “So we shall always be with the Lord.”

This is the Rapture which literally means “to snatch up” or to “catch up”. All believers (and only believers) will share in this event. Also in verse 16, notice that Jesus Himself is coming. He’s not sending someone or sending for us. He’s actually coming to get us!

This will be an event of majesty and honor. There will be “the cry of command” or in some translations, “a shout” which is an authoritative utterance. One commentator likened it to the battle cry of the military heralds. Jesus called Lazarus from the grave with a loud authoritative voice. He will call for His church too.

John 5:25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

Some translations say, “with a shout and an arch angel’s cry” and most commentators believe that Jesus will give the shout and the archangel will add to it. There will also be a trumpet. Trumpets are mentioned a lot in the Old Testament at times of victory and festivals. In the book of Numbers God communicated with the huge camp of Israelites by signals from 2 silver trumpets.

John Calvin thinks these three things happening are how a field marshal gathers his armies to battle. The shout, the voice and the trumpet picture one great event. It is a call to those who have been saved by grace to rise and follow the King of Kings.

When they meet in the air, both the dead in Christ and those still alive on earth will get resurrected bodies like Christ’s. It will be a body that never wears out or be subject to pain, disease or death. As John Wolvoord wrote, “it will be suited for the glorious presence of the Lord.”

Finally when we tell someone they look divine it will be true!

We get some idea of the resurrected body in the account of the transfiguration of Jesus:

Matthew 17:2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

The reunion of those who have died in Christ is very important to Paul. He stresses the fact they will be together again. He says, “We shall always be with the Lord.” There is permanence in our fellowship with Christ and each other. It’s a comforting and encouraging thought. And in fact Paul says we should comfort each other with these words.

The reason we can comfort others is because God chose to reveal this to us. He doesn’t leave us in ignorance or without hope. This is going to happen: a promise from God is the same as already done. Hope in the Bible is not the way we use hope – it’s a sure thing.

A Christian faces death not in despair, but with sureness of what will happen. And the really important thing about all of this is that we’re ready. We need to be right with God. We need to accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. We need to live each day like it might be our last because some day it will be.

Our preparation should be: repentance, renewal, diligent proclamation of the gospel and Christ-like living.

What Happens to Christians When They Die?

1st Thessalonians 4 Part 2

1st Thessalonians 4:9-12 9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Paul gives us a good way to live so that we will be respected by others. Lead a quiet life, mind your own business and work with your hands. Don’t expect people to give you everything.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

These believers knew Jesus had died and been resurrected. They knew He would come back and that He would come back unexpectedly. They wanted to know if the people who had died after they became Christians would miss out on Christ’s return.

Like most 1st century Christians they really thought Christ would come back before they died. But believers were dying.

What Paul tells them is a great comfort to them. And it’s a great comfort to anyone who has a friend or family member die. He says Christians are not without hope like the pagans. The believer has eternal life with God as soon as he believes. Death is kind of taking possession of it.

A commentator wrote “why fear an experience that simply brings us closer to our Lord and Savior?” Paul says that death is gain because death brings him into the presence of Jesus.

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

In verse 15 Paul again says that what he’s saying is by the Lord’s own word. We do not have to substitute human speculation. We have divine revelation!

It’s never been said that Christ is asleep somewhere. He sits at the right hand of God. He prays for us by name. And He’s preparing a home for us.

We won’t be asleep or in limbo either.

Genesis 49:33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Matthew 22:31-32 31But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'[a]? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

This is a clear recognition that those who died in faith are right now living in God’s presence.

John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."

John 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.

John 11:25-26 25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Their bodies are asleep in the ground until Christ comes back, but their spirits are immediately with Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"

Paul makes it clear that the soul of the believer went to be with the Lord. The spirit leaves the body at death. The body goes to sleep and no longer functions. W.E. Vine wrote that the reason the metaphor sleep is used is because sleep is temporary: as is the “death” of the body. When you sleep you don’t cease to exist, nor when you “die.” The body will “wake up” when it is resurrected. Part of the Apostles Creed is “I believe in the resurrection of the body.”

When Christ resurrects our bodies the decay, disease and weakness will be stripped away and we will have Christ-like bodies. (1 John 3:2)

Death is the consequence of sin and Jesus took all our sins and experienced the full penalty as our substitute. (Romans 6:23)

When Paul says “since we believe” and “we also believe” he means: since we believe Jesus rose from the dead we also believe that we will too. The same God that raised Jesus will raise us.

1 Corinthians 6:14 14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

2 Corinthians 4:14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.