Tag: Ephesians

Leaders are Readers: Repetition (Saturday Edition)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Reading Christians are growing Christians. When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow.

—John Wesley

On Saturdays, I’m going to do something a little different. I’ll be giving you a peek behind the curtain on how I read the bible. I’ll share some of the tips and tricks I’ve used throughout the years that have helped me perceive what a passage is saying and how to apply it to my life. I hope it is a help and encouragement to you as you seek to read and study God’s word. 

The Second tip to reading the bible is simple… repetition. Read a passage of scripture. Then read it again the next day. Then read it again the day after that. Keep reading the same passage every day for a week, a month, or even for 90 days. The more you go down a trail in the woods, the more you notice things along the way. In the same way, reading the same passage day after day will help you understand and glean things from the passage you would not grasp otherwise. You’ll realize how different parts of scripture fit together. You’ll notice verses in their context and grasp the truest sense of meaning. 

For example, I am going to preach on Ephesians in the next few months so I’ve been reading Ephesians almost every day as part of my daily reading time (It takes about 10-15 minutes depending on our reading speed). I carry a small Gideon New Testament and make it a point to read through Ephesians at some point in my day. I like to especially read in the morning and at night because these moments are high retention times for me.

Sometimes I’ll listen to it instead of reading it myself. I’ve got my phone set up to read text out loud and have had it read Ephesians to me. I’ve also got access to audio bibles through the bible app and other similar apps on my phone. 

You may think, “Doesn’t it get boring, reading the same thing?” Maybe for a day or two, but the more you get into it, the more fascinating what you are reading becomes. One time I challenged a group of young men to read the book of James every day for a week and we’d meet back up and discuss what they had learned. When I met back up with these guys I was blown away at how excited they were to read the same book every day! God was showing them things they had never seen before and our conversations were lively and filled with practical application. 

If you really want to know God through His word then read it. 

Father, Your word is true and good. I thank you for all the tools and resources available to help me understand and read your word. I am grateful for the small Gideon bible that allows me to always have a physical copy of your word as close to me as my phone. I am grateful for the apps and devices where I can hear your word read. Most of all I am grateful that you reveal yourself to your people through your word! May you bless us to know you more and grow in our relationship with you! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Don’t Drift (Hebrews 2:1- Daily Devotional)

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Drifting naturally happens without an anchor to something solid. If we are not securely set in the superiority of Jesus, we will drift with the currents of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

David Guzik

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Hebrews 2:1

Drift is inevitable. Life is not stationary. It is constantly moving. No matter how badly we want things to stay the same they are always changing. Even the mailbox post changes over time. Iron posts rust. Painted posts fade. Wood posts begin to rot. The post that sticks out of the ground to hold up your mailbox may never be changed out, but you can count on the fact that it’s constantly changing.  

While there are things in life that must change over time, there are things that must never change. We have to fight against drift and decay to keep them where they need to be. It is tempting to ride the current and “go with the flow.” We often don’t realize how much ground we’ve given up when we drift. 

The author of Hebrews challenges all who will read chapter two that we must not drift! Drift from where? Drift from the things we have heard. We must guard our doctrine, our understanding of God as has been delivered to us by the apostles in the scripture. We must hold these doctrines not as mere words on paper or formalities, but as truths to be believed to the core of our being. 

The truths we believe will determine how we live. If you want to weaken someone’s faith, weaken their doctrine. Isn’t this the easily discernable tactic of the devil, to second guess God? Isn’t this what he said to Adam and Eve, “Did God really say?” And in doing so introduced a lesser view of God into their minds. They began to think of God as petty, they thought of him as smaller than he was, they supposed he had ulterior motives, and they imagined God was more like them than He was. 

It’s always the holiness of God that is diminished when we drift. We begin to imagine God in our image rather than appreciating that we were made in His. We must fight this tendency to drift by holding on to the truths given to us by the Apostles. 

Father, Your word is true and good. Keep me from drifting. Help me to see areas of my life where I am tempted to be laid back and unfocused. Help me to be discerning in my doctrine and focused on your word. I am so grateful for your word and the grace I find in knowing Christ.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Revive Us (John 15:4 / Psalm 80 Daily Devotional)

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Revival, above everything else, is a glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is the restoration of him to the centre of the life of the Church.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones

 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

John 15:4 (also Read Psalm 80)

We have a few trees and plants in our yard that have run wild. When we moved in we didn’t know anything about them nor about how to care for them. They have had a few years to run in their own direction. They were a mess with branches running every which way, bugs, and blight. Our trees and plants needed some sort of revival. Leaving them to themselves didn’t provide an abundant carefree existence. It caused them to become eye sores, sickly, and overgrown. The sort of revival these trees/plants needed wouldn’t happen unless someone stepped in to care for them.

A few years ago I did a little research on our trees/ plants, bought a few sharp instruments for cutting, and watched a few pruning masters at work. I stepped in and applied my newfound skills on our trees and soon enough they all came roaring back to life in all the right places. (It was interesting to note that at first it looked like I had killed the trees because they were in such a drastic need of pruning, but later in the spring/ summer they all came to full blossom/fruit!)

In the same way, the nation of Israel needed revival. It had run too long in its own direction! They need the Lord to step in if they were to ever flourish again. In Psalm 80, Asaph calls out to God to send a man who will be that instrument of flourishing. One whom God will use to revive dying people and bring them back to a place of brilliance and worship.

We know that the Son of Man (Psalm 80:17) is Jesus! He is the only one who can bring flourishing back to floundering souls. He is the only one who can restore the hope of a broken-down nation. He is the only one who can cause hope to shine in the darkest of nights. He reminded us that He is the Vine and we are the branched, apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:4)! 

Have you run too long in your own direction? Find yourself in need of revival? Come to Jesus today and ask him for revival in your life! Invite him to prune the things that distract you from following Him (Hebrews 12:1), immerse yourself in His word (Psalm 1:2-3), and draw near to God (James 4:8). Go back and do the things you did when you first fell in love with Jesus (Revelation 2:5).

Father, Your word is true and good. How simple and profound is this word today. All my living comes from you, apart from you I can do nothing. When left to my own will I’ll run all over the place but won’t produce fruit. I know I need to remain in you and your word in me so that I might reach my full potential. You have free reign in my life today. Please remove the things in my life that keep me from knowing and loving you. Help me to grow in my relationship with you and be nourished in you today.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

When Did Church Become About You and Your Preferences? (Revelation 2:4-5)

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We are never nearer Christ than when we find ourselves lost in a holy amazement at His unspeakable love. – John Owen

Nevertheless I have [this] against you, that you have left your first love. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place–unless you repent.

Revelation 2:4-5, NKJV

I don’t think that anything is sadder than when two people who used to be so in love can’t seem to agree on anything anymore. I’ve worked with people to save their marriages. I’ve been on my face before God praying for couples who couldn’t seem to make things work out. I’ve interviewed numerous husbands and wives who seem like they aren’t “in love” anymore. It’s heartbreaking.

A common thread that runs through couples in this condition is simply this. They stopped worrying about what would make their spouse happy and started complaining that their spouse seldom did anything to make them happy. They had stopped delighting in delighting their spouse.

How sad is this commentary on a prestigious first-century church? Ephesus had been a hotbed of activity. The church had turned the city upside down. The first converts burned all their magic books, the silversmith idol trade was about to collapse, and the gospel was going out to the surrounding countryside! This church boasted that it had the Apostle Paul as a pastor, and later his young protege, Timothy. They also possibly had the Apostle Peter as a pastor for a while, and then of course the Apostle John. This church seemed to have it all. Their doctrine was in order… but their heart wasn’t.

Before we are too hard on the church at Ephesus, we have to note that many churches today have left their first love. They have forgotten what it is to serve Jesus and so they end up serving themselves. They turn on each other and split hairs over meeting times, what to wear to church, music preferences, the version of the bible to read, and even decorations… When a church loses sight of loving and serving Jesus it won’t be long before it’s in decline.

Churches are made up of people. When a whole church heads this way it’s often not the work of one individual. This lack of fervor/ love is noted by the lack of desire to do the things that a church in love with Jesus does. If we want to see revival, we must examine our own hearts. “Dear Jesus, have I let my love of you grow cold? Am I more worried about my will that I’ve stopped looking for your will? Am I more interested in complaining than coming to you?” Let’s examine our hearts today. We don’t want to be those who have all the right things but harbor the wrong loves.

Father, Your word is true and good. I am grateful for how you love me. I am grateful for all the influences you have placed in my life. I am blessed to have so many resources and people to help me understand and apply your word. These study bibles, devotionals, sermons, and podcasts are all helpful in getting to know you, but help me not to lose sight of you in all the fray of things. Let my heart and motives always be pure. Let my heart be satisfied in you alone today. May you be glorified in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Readers are Leaders: Where to Start (Saturday Edition)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

It cannot be that the people should grow in grace, unless they give themselves to reading. A reading people will always be a knowing people. A people who talk much will know little. – John Wesley

On Saturdays, I’m going to do something a little different. I’ll be giving you a peek behind the curtain on how I read the bible. I’ll share some of the tips and tricks I’ve used throughout the years that have helped me perceive what a passage is saying and how to apply it to my life. I hope it is a help and encouragement to you as you seek to read and study God’s word on your own. 

The first tip to reading the bible is simple… just read it! Read a passage of scripture. Then read the next passage of scripture and then the next.  Start one book of the bible. Read it chapter by chapter verse by verse until you get to the end of the book. Then read the next book of the bible and read it the same way. 

You will be amazed at how much you learn when you read through your bible. I have a Gideon New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs in it and I read through it about every 3 months. This helps keep all of God’s word fresh on my mind. Often when I am pressed for time, I will find a way to read more than I usually do. One time at youth camp, I read the entire New Testament (minus the gospels) in 5 days of an intense camp schedule. 

Write in your bible as you read. I’ve made several of my bibles into my own personal study bible. As I read one passage it will remind me of a different passage and so I will write in corresponding passages as I go along. Reading like this helps you get a big picture of what is going on. It provides context for understanding what may be going on in a given passage. 

For example, I am going to preach on Ephesians in the next few months so reading the New Testament this time around I was reminded of how the church at Ephesus had started under the Apostle Paul’s ministry recorded in the book of Acts. I was encouraged to see the link to his young protege Timothy. I noted that Jesus spoke to this church in Revelation. Knowledge of these other passages has helped me unpack and understand the book of Ephesians in a broader context.  When you read the bible like this you see how interconnected everything really is. I’ve been reading the bible for years and I still make connections I never have before. (Just this week I linked Psalm 80 with Jesus’ statement in John 15, “I am the vine, you are the branches, etc.”)

If you are scared to attempt reading the bible through… try just reading the New Testament. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to read the Old Testament, but if you are just starting out, the New Testament is smaller and is explicitly about Jesus, whereas the Old Testament is larger and foreshadows Jesus. 

Father, Your word is true and good. Give me great grace and wisdom in understanding your word as I read today. Help me to know you better through your word. Please reveal yourself to me as I read today. May you be glorified in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Here are few resources to help you out in your reading”

(Ephesians 1-3)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 2:20-22 ESV built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Paul uses three different metaphors for the church in the book of Ephesians (the Body of Christ, the Building/temple of God, and the Bride of Christ). He uses two here in just the first few chapters. He is demonstrating who the church is and how it relates to the Lord.

In the first metaphor the church is the body of Christ. This understanding is fleshed out further some of Paul’s other writings. They key takeaway is that the head of the church/ body of Christ is Christ himself. The whole church answers to Jesus Christ as the head.

The second metaphor relates the church as a living building/temple. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. The cornerstone was the most important stone in the building. Every other stone would line up in relation to the cornerstone.

The point of both of these metaphors is that Jesus Christ is a big deal. The church exist by him and for him. We all line up together according to His purpose and will. We are united in our relationship to Him.

If we aren’t careful we’ll get off track. We’ll anticipate that the church is something else entirely. We need to be reminded that Jesus, not the pastor, not the deacons, not the Sunday school teachers, is the head of the church. It’s not my church or your church as much as we are His church.

Father, thank you for the grace of one another day. Thank you for your church and how you use us to minister to one another. Thank you that we don’t line up to each other, but that we all line up to you. Show us what You would have us to do today. May we all be humbly submitted before you this day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

RESOURCES:

Last Year’s Post

Join us in reading though the New Testament in 90 Days! You can find the plan and previous posts here.

Day 61: Ephesians 4-6 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

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Today’s reading comes from Ephesians 4-6 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

Paul charges the Ephesian church to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (4:3). Unity is one of those things that you need to fight to keep. Division is easy. We can drift into division. We can let small differences become big differences. Unity takes effort. Unity is what we are called too.

However, this unity, isn’t unity for unity sake. It is unity in Christ. It’s coming together with the same faith (4:13). It’s maturing in that knowledge of the faith as looked at yesterday. It’s working together. It’s “speaking the truth in love” (4:15, 25).

SIDE NOTE: To have this kind of unity. We have to be willing to tell one another the truth and we have to not be quick to let our feelings get hurt. I’m afraid that our culture, even in the church, is drifting so that we are more afraid of hurting feelings than we are of warning someone away from serious error. We must speak the truth in love.

Paul lays out in chapters five and six how this unity is to work. We are all to submit to one another (5:21). This pertains to marriage (5:22-33), children and parents (6:1-4), and workers and their bosses (6:5-9).  These are all places where it can be difficult to maintain unity of Spirit. In the flesh, we like to grumble about our boss, children love to rebel against their parents and marital strife abounds. Yet, if we are submitted to Christ, we will submit to one another to that God is glorified.

To strive for unity is spiritual warfare. Paul charges us to put on the whole armor of God Satan love to bring division and if we aren’t wearing our armor, we will fall for his attack every time (6:10-20).

SIDE NOTE: We like to think the battle is out there, but notice how much of this submission to one another is to take place in our everyday lives and especially at home. The questions I asked myself today from Ephesians 5 in the fight for unity are these: Do I love my wife like Christ loved the church? Am I raising my children in the fear and admonition of the Lord? Am I treating those above me or below me at work with respect and honor as people made in the image of God?

FATHER, Thank you for calling us to unity. We rejoice in our salvation and ask to continue to grow in the knowledge of our faith. We are grateful that you have given us all gifts and called us to be part of one body, unified but not uniform. We thank you for our spouses, families, and jobs. We pray that we would honor you in every aspect of our lives. We ask for grace to grow submitting to one another in a holy fear of you. Thank you for the grace to lead as a husband, a father, and a pastor. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

 

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

Find out about New Testament 90 – Here

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7 Steps of a Unified Group

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional, Ministry3 Comments

My aim in writing this post is to point you in the right direction on unity.  Most often the discussion on unity is centered on how a group of people are not unified and how they should be.  The problem with this kind of discussion is that it tends to lead the group to become even more fractured as those discussing the issue of unity become frustrated with the behaviors of others (all the while missing thier own missbehavior along the way).  Supporting the following seven steps is one underlying principle: We find unity in common purpose.  For the Christian and hence the church (youth group, etc.) unity is found in Glorifying God through Jesus Christ.

Puzzling

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!– assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

(Ephesians 4:15-32 ESV)

Step One: Speak the Truth (In Love)

In Ephesians 4:15 and again in verse 25 we are told to “Speak the Truth.”  Truth speaking should always come from a heart of  love and a desire to grow and see others grow in the likeness of Christ (Ephesians 4:15).  We are not to be deceptive.  We are not to lie, manipulate or pretend in front of others about what is going on in our lives.  Speaking the truth about our selves makes us vulnerable and accountable for the sake of the larger vision (seeing more of Jesus in our lives).  Speaking the truth to others shows genuine concern and accountability.

Step Two: Be Angry, but don’t sin

People are not perfect and the truth is that sometimes you will get angry with others.  Anger is a natural emotion.  However, many people use anger as an excuse to sin against others. They justify small and petty acts of retalliation like gossiping about someone, being mean or hostile to people, or defriending them.  However, these expressons of anger rarely solve the problem, they usually create more problems like bitterness, division, and hatred.  A better expression of anger is to address the issue that has stired the anger (in an non-sinful way).

We are  told to not to let anger go beyond a day (Ephesians 4:26).  Letting anger grow and fester becomes a foothold for the devil to create more issues in our life and keep us side tracked from the greater vision of Glorifying God.  If you find yourself handeling your anger in the wrong way you need to repent and ask God for healthier ways to evaluate and express your anger.  Don’t let anger cause you to lose focus.

Step Three: Be Generous…Work to Share with Others

Ephesians 4:28 reminds us that we are not to steal, but rather work hard so we will have something to share with everyone else.  Too often people come looking for what they can get, rather than what they can give.  In nature parasites are identified as creatures that take from thier host, but never offer anything in return.  If we all come to the group as parasites looking for what we can get, but never offering to others we have missed the point of growing in Christ likeness.  We are to work hard to so we have something to offer everyone else who is there.  You will find the more you serve and meet the needs of others, the more your needs are met.

Step Four: Watch what you Say

Paul says in Ephesians 4:29-30 that we should guard out mouths.  You do not glorify God by using your words to teardown, belittle, and destroy the efforts of others.  You grieve the Holy Spirit of God when your words are designed to tear down.  You may have a different preference than others on certain side issues, but you do not have  to verbally assault everyone who holds a different opinion than you.  When you talk about or too your group it should be to build it up, not to tear it down.  (By the way, this includes talking about all those people who are “in the way” of your group being unified).

Step Five: Put Away Bitterness

Bitterness is a disease that is rampant in our churches and congregations today.  Bitterness happens when you disagree with someone (rightly or wrongly) and you hold  a grudge.  The grudge grows and festers to effect the way you see that person.  What started out as a small dissagreement between two people is all the sudden blown up into a larger scale drama where the person you are holding a grudge against can’t do anything right (in your eyes).  Bitterness causes us to lose focus on Glorifying God and growing in Christlikeness and focus on small and petty disputes.

Step Six: Be Kind

The goal of a group is to work to gether to glorify God.  Kindness goes a long way in helping others to feel accepted, invited, and part of the project.  Kindness can disarm the wepons of the enemy.  Deal with others kindly (they way you would want to be treated).  When you deal withpeople who are not  on task with the goals or mission of the group treat them kindly.

Step Seven: Forgive

This is probably the hardest step to take.  If you have been wronged it can be difficult to forgive a person for what they have done.  I’ve written more on forgiveness here.