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Today’s Reading:  Ephesians 3

As my 12 year old daughter Annika and I were driving in the car last week, she said to me, “Mom, what is the American Dream”?  I reminded her that the United States was founded by immigrants who fled their homeland in search of a better life.  Freedom from the King of England, who ruled over them without giving them a representative voice in the government, was their goal.  Our nation was founded on the principle of equal opportunity – everyone should have a chance.  The American Dream, more specifically, is the ideal that every person should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.

As we celebrate Intendance Day, the 243^rd anniversary of the United States, it is fitting that our scripture today is the 3^rd chapter of Ephesians (Galatians 5 would have been even better, but Ephesians 3 will do).  Paul’s message in this chapter was about God’s Plan.  Do you see the parallel?  God’s plan is also based on the principle of equal opportunity.

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6).

Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is about equal opportunity because it is available to EVERYONE.  It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from or what you’ve done.  By putting your faith in Jesus Christ, the blood he shed on the cross covers your sins and makes you acceptable to God.  Here’s where the parallel ends though – unlike the American Dream, salvation cannot be earned through hard work, determination, and initiative.  It is a gift of God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Every year when you watch the 4^th of July fireworks finale while listening to Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA, do you feel a strong wave of patriotism wash over you?  Sometimes it makes me passionately sing along, sometimes it makes me put my hand on my heart, but every time it makes me grateful for those who gave their lives to fight for and protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.  Did you notice a similar finale in Ephesians 3?  In verses 3:14-21, Paul was overcome with emotion as he remembered everything God had done, he passionately prayed for the church at Ephesus and closed by giving all glory and praise to God.  Does Ephesians 3:20-21 stir emotion in you?  Instead of putting our hands on our hearts this July 4^th, Paul’s finale in Ephesians 3 should bring us to our knees.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Todays reading is Ephesians 2

Paul is in a Roman jail because of his love for Jesus and he is writing a letter of encouragement to the church in Ephesus. He is encouraging them to keep believing in Jesus and do His good work in the midst of harsh persecution.  Tychichus visited Paul in jail and took the letter home to share with the church. It is a letter full of encouragement and reminders of all that God has done.

I personally thrive when I am encouraged. If I get a pat on the back or  some kind of attention for a job well done I will hang on to that moment for days.  Put me with other people who are encouraging and excited and I quickly catch the fever. I picture the big company “rah rah” seminars that get everybody pumped up to sell this or that and get excited to move up to the next level or be the best seller for the month. Everyone is excited to perform and get better and get moving. All because they hold a common belief or common goal. This letter is the “rah rah” seminar for Jesus! It reminds us of who we are and why we do what we do.

• 2:4-5 But God is so rich in his mercy , and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Jesus from the dead.
• 2:6 For He raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms.
• 2:8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed; it is a GIFT from God.
• 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

All this from a man in prison to encourage others who were free to spread the Good News of Jesus. He goes on to remind them that we are all one in Christ. This is our common core value.

• 2: 18 Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
• 2:20 We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.

The best news is that it is all a GIFT. There is nothing we can do to earn it, we just accept it and believe.

Be encouraged today! You are God’s masterpiece!

Shelly

 

 

Todays Reading Acts 27

Water.  This integral element has been an essential part of creation from the beginning of existence.

Genesis 1:2

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Through water we are borne, purified, and sanctified.  Water can be manifested in many ways: seas, lakes, rivers, dew, rain, and storms.  In these many different forms water can embody both: order and chaos. Order manifested as rivers, lakes, and seas: water is used for food, transportation, and cleansing.  Chaos manifested as rain, tempest and storms it can bring refreshment, cleaning, and clarity.

Throughout the bible, God uses storms to get our attention and bring a new revelation to our current situation.  God has many types of storms to get us to refocus and look to Him. The first storm that is mentioned is the storm with Noah. God uses this storm as a communication tool.  He used the storm and the flood to communicate His sadness of the people who wanted to turn away from Him and submit to their own desires and God offers this salvation to the world through cleansing.  Another time that God uses the storm as a communication tool is with Jonah.  During the time that Jonah is trying to escape his duties and obligations, God send a tempest to the sea where Jonah is traveling.  This allows God to communicate to Jonah, but it also is used as miracle moment where the sailors start to praise God for the awesome powers that they witnessed.

In the new testament, God through Jesus, shows the true power of Christ amid several storms.  These storms are demonstration devices.  In Matthew 8 and 14:

Matthew: 23- 27

²³ And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

 

Matthew 14:23- 27

When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴ but the boat by this time was a long way^[b] from the land,^[c]beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. ²⁵ And in the fourth watch of the night^[d] he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

These instances were demonstrations of the complete and ultimate power that Christ possess in the bible and in our lives.

In Acts 27, as Paul is coming to the closure of his mission, he is sent to Rome to be persecuted by Caesar.  In the previous chapters, Paul makes his case to Agrippa and then is sent to Rome by ship.  This trip takes several months to complete.  During this time, Paul can communicate and share the gospel with many of the crew members and the guards from Rome.  They all know this man as a decent man, but he is still considered a prisoner and not truly worthy of any grace.  But God uses this opportunity to produce some amazing miracle moments.

• Be strong in your convictions and knowledge of whose you are:
• • Acts 27: 21- 25: “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss.²² Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, ²⁴ and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ ²⁵ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told
  • We to listen to direction from God and his messengers to be delivered and saved
    • Acts 27: 30- 32: And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow,³¹ Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” ³² Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.
• When the time for deliverance is ready, we must be ready
  • Acts 27: 33-34: “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing.³⁴ Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength,^[f] for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” 

In all the storms that we have seen in the bible and in our lives, we should inquire: What is the revelation that God is presenting to me: Is it a communication tool, a demonstration device, or a miracle moment?   When we allow God to reveal this to us, then we must then be strong in our relationship with God and know that this is something that will create a deeper relationship and expand our work through Him.

 

Have you ever been to court and stood before a judge?  Have you been the one who is under investigation and waiting for judgement?  About a year ago I had my first call for jury duty.  I was selected for a certain case and got to watch first hand how the day unfolded.  The two people that were in front of the judge were fighting for their rights.  They wanted to persuade him that their words were the truth.  I was nervous for both of them as I sat and listened to the details of their testimony all day.  

In today’s reading, Acts 26, Paul stands before King Agrippa and gives his testimony.  Instead of recounting all the reasons why he is innocent, Paul tells the King of his miraculous conversion to Christianity.  He was more concerned with the King knowing Jesus than he was of his freedom. 

Paul’s main focus was Jesus.  His life focused on the message of the cross.  He focused on Jesus and the eternity He offers rather than the temporary consequences of this life.

“I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”                                                       Acts 26:29

In this moment Paul shared the Gospel instead of begging for his life.

If you were standing before a judge, what would be your focus?  Yourself and convincing the judge of your innocence or sharing Jesus?  I have to say that I would probably be overwhelmed with the immediate circumstances and the personal beliefs of the judge would be far from my concerns.

But, Paul understood that momentary trials achieve an eternal glory that far outweigh any hardship we face.

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!                                    2 Corinthians 4:17

When you are in such situations, maybe not even in front of a judge, but maybe a family member or friend,  who do you defend?  Are you all about making a case for yourself and why you are innocent and right?  Or do you make much of Jesus?  

Paul was in chains and had the chance to plead his case in front of the judge, but he instead took this opportunity to tell the person in front of him about the love and freedom found in Jesus.  Today, I challenge you to tell the person in front of you about what Jesus has done in your life, just as Paul did this day.  

Today’s reading is Romans 12.

Something I’ve noticed hearing people say more often (or at least as far as I’ve noticed) is that they feel like they “aren’t where they should be in life.” In most contexts, this pertains to people comparing their own abilities and accomplishments to those of others who have achieved great things.

A few examples: my wife begin pursuing a Master’s degree, but decided for many reasons that she was called to a different path. Now, nearly three years later, she still wonders how much money or esteem she’d be gathering in her original field.

A friend of mine works in real estate acquisition for a large company in a fairly big city. They’re very smart, hardworking, and charismatic, but a classmate of theirs recently got accepted to a senior position similar to their own in Chicago, and now expresses how dissatisfied and far behind their potential they feel they are.

Another friend with a degree in sound mastering is an incredible musician who helps work the soundboard at their church. But they recently caught up with an old classmate who worked on a team of professionals who won a Grammy for their soundtrack work, and afterwards struggled for a long time with feeling inadequate in their craft.

This feeling of not being as well-off and fulfilled is not limited to my own circle of young professional friends and family. People of all walks of life can relate to these feelings of inadequacy or misplacement, wondering where their own special talents and recognition lies. But as Christians, we know our standards are not tied to our earthly status or what position we hold among men, but our value lies in our Lord and in our identity in Him. As Paul says in Romans 12, “do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Even good Christians in Rome almost two millennium ago struggled with their worldly value and how they stacked up against mortal standards. But rather than pursuing value through the corruption and debasement of this life, Paul sees and celebrates the value instead in our position in the body of Christ: eternal and holy.

Further, he explains how “just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body.” God designs and handcrafts a special position and role for each of us, as each part of our body functions as it’s own to benefit the whole. Every body part, no matter how small compared to the bigger organs, is vital in keeping our bodies running the way they do. Likewise, as a body of believers, each act of work and service displays the glory of God in an amazing way when done generously and cheerfully. Every act of service done this way is equally important and beautiful in God’s eyes, and it brings Him great joy to see us use his gifts so lovingly.

When your lot in life seems lesser than what you’d hope for, just remember that no matter your position here on Earth, your role adds a valid and important part to the body of believers who serve our Lord God. Every single person’s gift’s and talents, no matter what they are, are pleasing and good to the Lord. He lovingly designed a spot for you in His kingdom for you to fulfill, no matter where that may be. So in all you do, do so remembering that the generosity and kindness you display build up the kingdom of Heaven for all. In all you do, do it for the Lord, and you will be rewarded eternally with Him and in Him.

• Ross B.

Rom 7

“The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”

This is one of my favorite chapters of the Bible. As I have gotten older, and my relationship with God has also grown in years, find myself more and more frustrated with the sin in my life. I truly cannot understand how I can know so positively what is best for me, and still choose something other than the best when it comes time for action. How can I know with everything in me that starting my day spending time with God is the absolute best way to begin, yet I wake up and sometimes pick up my phone, or get started on my to do list? How can I know that the best way to nurture a relationship is to love sacrificially, yet I choose to carry on with my own agenda and not make time for or share myself with those I want to love better? How can I be so appreciative and enamored by Jesus selfless gift to me, yet look out for myself instead of selflessly loving like He does? I cannot express the comfort of knowing that one of the superheroes of the Bible writes about my exact frustration with not doing what I want to do, and doing what I don’t want to do. I’m not happy that someone else was failing as miserably as I am, it is just comforting to know that the struggle is real no matter what your level of faith is.

I wish I understood the theology behind these verses in Romans. I don’t understand it enough to settle the truth in my own mind let alone articulate that truth here to anyone else, but I am simple enough to look at verse 24 and know that I am the way I am whether I understand myself fully or not. I can also see from verse 25 that God knows how I am and why I am this way. I think part of the explanation may be as simple as the fact that I am human. I was born with a sin nature and as long as I am on this earth I will have that sin nature as part of my makeup. God knows that I am a slave to sin and has provided a way out of my life dominated by death and sin. Jesus buying me back out of my death sentence with His perfect life is the only hope and help I have. I’m with Paul in vs 25…Thank God!!!

I’m thinking back to Holly’s post on Sat morning and the Frances Chan clip she included in her post. Frances illustrated so beautifully what a small portion of our lives are spent here on earth. The frustration with the sin in our lives is short lived compared with the perfection and eternity of heaven. We are limited in our understanding of “life” because we use our experience here on earth as our measure. God’s timeline and experience is so different because He knows so much more than we do. God also speaks through Paul in chapter 8 of Romans to explain more to us about the new mind He gives us after we accept His gift of salvation. He gifts us part of Him, the Holy Spirit, to help us. Rom 8:9 says that, “We are not controlled by our sinful natures. We are controlled by the Spirit.” I have to stay in tight relationship to God to hear and sense the Spirit’s nudges. When I start to think I can manage my own life, I move God from His rightful spot in my heart, and I move the Spirit’s voice far enough away from me that I can’t hear it. I can’t steal any more of Chet’s writing material for tomorrow from Rom 8, but the relationship between the sin nature and the Spirit’s control are covered beautifully in Chapter 8, and I couldn’t end today in the frustration of our sin nature without some help and hope from Chapter 8.  I’m sorry Chet!

Romans 3 is a reminder of the amazing gift of life given to us through Christ on the cross. Through our own actions, no matter how hard we try to be “good” and live as Christians, we are reminded that ALL of us are sinners. Without the blood of Christ – the gift given freely for all – heaven and eternal life would be unattainable.

My kids love to point out my flaws. I’ve never been so aware of how many mistakes I make (big, small or otherwise) as I am with four sets of eyeballs on me holding me accountable at all times. The mistakes can range from being incorrect about what time a certain restaurant closes to how closely I follow the speed limit. I realize that I am constantly in the wrong, whether intentional or not, and even over (seemingly) very insignificant things. The good in this though is that I am able to humble myself to my children and, swallowing my pride, admit to them that I am not always right, or that I do not always do the right thing. I am able to set an example for them in admitting fault. I am also then reminded about how many ways there are to fall short. Failing to remember, being wrong, getting angry, breaking the laws of our land (even if only by a few mph). If becoming perfect like God was in our own hands we would all be condemned. Be thankful for God’s willingness to fill the gap with the blood of Christ.