EPHESIANS: Rich in Mercy
Jesus is the Ark
Jesus is the Testimony
Jesus is the Word of God
Jesus is the Atonement and Propitiation
Jesus is the Mercy of God, full of grace and truth.
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EPHESIANS: But God
We may wonder if someone is beyond hope. We may find their attitudes and actions repulsive. What they do might turn our stomachs. It might make us furiously angry. We may be hurt by their obstinate and stubborn refusal even to hear the truth.
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EPHESIANS: Disobedience and Wrath
Scripture paints a picture of humanity as deriving from one of two sources. One source is characterized by independence, opposition, disobedience, rejection of the Love of God. The other Source is characterized by dependence, fellowship, obedience, and acceptance. All people are children of one or the other. Independence results in evil and spiritual death. Dependence results in righteousness and spiritual Life.
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EPHESIANS: The Evil Prince
Every day we see and hear things the world wants to promote. We are bombarded with ideas the world would like to foist upon us. We hear of intractable problems and dark predictions about our future. All these things should be red flags. They come from the earthy mindset of those who remain as we once were. Without hope and without God in the world.
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EPHESIANS: The Quick and the Dead
With our earthly minds we find this concept difficult to grasp. We were born, we grew, and we have clearly been alive the entire time. How is it then that scripture continually insists that we were dead? What sort of death is this?
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Poor Blind and Naked
From the outset I have urged that we notice the signs and symbols in The Revelation. This book is filled with references and echoes of the scriptures that came before. The Revelator uses the terms “poor”, “blind”, and “naked” to help us understand this message from our Lord.
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Philippians 3:10-13 – A Brief Exegesis
Paul said some very confusing things in this passage. Things like:
“If somehow I may attain to the resurrection”
“Not that I have already grasped it all or become perfect”
“I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet” -
Required Changes
As the saints of God, we can find ourselves becoming ineffective, lethargic, or distracted. We are called to change our minds and turn our focus to the Lord. We are called to cease viewing ourselves, others, and even our circumstances from a fleshly perspective and change our minds to view these things from a heavenly spiritual perspective.
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The Consequences
Many of us are fortunate to live in countries where being thrown into prison for our beliefs is not a concern. Many others live in places where imprisonment is a constant risk. If you are interested in gaining perspective on this point, I recommend that you visit The Voice of the Martyrs at https://www.persecution.com.
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REVELATION: Intermission
It’s not so much about trying to determine which of the seven churches is most like our own. Rather, it’s about hearing the way the Lord Jesus is with His Church. It’s about listening to how intimately He knows those who are His. It’s about heeding the admonitions He gives and noticing the things He considers important. It’s about finding reassurance that He loves His bride, that He is faithful, and that our reward is secure.
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The Problems Part 6
Holy Spirit has told us through the Apostle John that God is Love. While He lived on earth, Jesus was often “moved with compassion.” He also called Holy Spirit “the Comforter” and “Helper.” None of these attributes of God is consistent with Him vomiting out His children because they fail to perform at an acceptable level—whatever that would be.
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The Problems Part 5
We find this situation throughout the various institutional churches today. There are many believers in such churches, but there are also many who rely upon religious self-effort. This sort of “virtue signaling” has no life in it.
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EPHESIANS: Biblical Headship
The head is never separated from the body. The cornerstone is never displaced from the building. If either of these things were to happen, life and building would cease. The Lord Jesus is preeminent. He is the head, but not in the way of the world which makes the preeminent into dictators, tyrants, and oppressors.
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EPHESIANS: Raised and Seated
The Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly realm. This seat of power is, we are told, “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” Far above. ALL. And we are in Christ. Where He is, there we are.
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EPHESIANS: Hope Glory Power
Looking with physical eyes, we are prone to judging by appearance. This is true whether we are speaking of other people or of the Lord Jesus Himself. Seeing in this way gives us only the earthly perspective of the flesh. But there is a better way, a higher way, a more excellent way.
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EPHESIANS: Wisdom and Revelation
Paul is careful in several places to point out the faith and love of the believers in the fellowships to which he writes. This is very significant. It would seem that Holy Spirit wants to ensure that we are reminded that it is faith which pleases God. It is dependent living borne of trust that He is our Life.
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The Problems Part 4
Though man-made organized religion continues trying to force theocratic government and “conversion” from other religions, force and coercion are not the answer to immorality and idolatry.
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Code of Conduct
What Paul is doing here is helping us see the sort of conduct that best fits us as children of God. He’s telling us what kind of behavior will result in the best outcomes for us.
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Indignant or Compassionate
Thoughts on Mark 1:41
In this verse nearly all Bible translations say that Jesus was moved with compassion. The NIV, however, says that Jesus was indignant. Having reviewed over a dozen translations, NIV appears to be alone in this rendering.
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The Problems Part 3
No one can curse those whom God has blessed. The Lord Jesus gave Himself up for us to present us as His spotless bride. We are blessed of God and no curse is possible.
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The Problems Part 2
When we fall into performance patterns instead of depending on Him, our love for others is an expression of the flesh rather than of Christ.
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The Problems Part 1
We Do not have an absent, abusive, petty, or neglectful Father God is clear that He knows what is best for us. If we are honest, we know this. The Lord is faithful and trustworthy, He is Love and there is no evil in Him. Knowing all this, we can look forward to His reproof, correction, and discipline.
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He Knows Part 7
One thing will be clear in the end. The Lord Jesus wants the very best for His bride. As we read in Ephesians 5:25–27, Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
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He Knows Part 6
Sardis helps us see that the Lord sees everything as it is. He sees “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Paradoxically, because this is true, we who are in Christ by faith can take great comfort. How so? Knowing that the Lord God is not faking Himself out, but sees everything as it truly is, we can trust Him when He calls us holy, blameless, and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22, Philippians 2:15b).
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EPHESIANS: Guaranteed Inheritance
The Spirit of God, the self-same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (see Romans 8:11), has been given to us as a down-payment, or deposit in earnest, guaranteeing our inheritance.
