Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers …
Summary: Understanding who these people are requires us to understand our relationship with Jesus, the body of Christ, and those who do not yet know our Lord.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:11b – Circles of Faith”So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers …
Summary: The one thing all of the people Paul mentions have in common is leadership. Leaders, regardless of their specialty, share certain traits. Our meditation today is all about leadership.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:11 – Roadmap to Success”So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Summary: Sometimes it helps to restate what Paul has said in simpler terms. Here we look at a simplified version of this passage to get a better picture of what Paul is trying to say.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:11-13 – The Goal of Faith”He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.
Summary: Deciphering Paul’s thinking can be a challenge, but it can also be very rewarding. In this passage, Paul gives us a clue as to the details of God’s plan for the redemption of humankind.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:10 – Things, No-Things, and All Things”What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
Summary: Looking at today’s passage tells us as much about Paul as it tells us about Jesus.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:9 – Finding Heaven”This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
Summary: Sometimes, the Word of God can seem puzzling. Yet when we come before God in prayer and humility, he is faithful to open our minds to understand his Word.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:8 – Puzzle Pieces”He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
Summary: Happy Father’s Day is more than just a few words on a card. It is a way of living.
Continue reading “Psalm 89:26 – Father’s Day”But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Summary: Words are important. The wrong word can lead us to the wrong understanding. In this mediation, we look at the word “apportioned” and examine how this word can affect our happiness in God.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:7 – The Key to Happiness”There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Summary: This was not an easy meditation to write. I will warn you right now that you might not like it. If you don’t like it, I hope you will be patient until the end and gently correct my thinking in the comments.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:4-6 – Oneness”Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Summary: The bond of peace is not to be taken for granted. We were given the gift of peace at great cost to our Creator. To keep it requires effort.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:3 – Unity & Peace”