Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
Summary: Paul wants us to see what he sees — that there are two kinds of struggles believers engage in. One is spiritual, the other “flesh and blood.”
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:12a – Two Kinds of Struggles”… so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Summary: Understanding who the devil is helps us understand his schemes and why we need to take a stand.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:11b – Soul Wars”Put on the full armor of God …
Summary: We live in dangerous times, both physically and spiritually. Only one of these realms is eternal, and that is where the greatest danger lies.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:11a – Fear Can Be Deadly”… and in the strength of his power.*
Summary: Paul has already told us to become strong in the Lord, enabling the power of the Lord God to fill us and overflow us. In this passage he points us to the source of the power, God.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:10c – The Strength of His Power”… be strong in the Lord
Summary: It turns out that the Greek text refers to two different kinds of strength in this passage. One is a word for becoming strong in the Lord, the other refers to the might and power of God.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:10b – Finding Gnomas”Finally …
Summary: Our study of Ephesians has finally brought us to the famous passage about putting on the armor of God. As we contemplate what is to follow, it is good to consider why we need spiritual armor in the first place.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:10a – Part III, The Armor of God”… and there is no favoritism with him.
Summary: What kind of God do we serve, anyway? Does he ever show favoritism? As it turns out, the answer is, “No.”
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:9c – I’ll Take the Same”… since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven,
Summary: Living in a broken and sinful world seems like an insurmountable challenge. Yet, we all have to face our Maker and our Master at some point.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:9b – The Master”And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them,
Summary: Paul has been admonishing slaves to work, as if they were serving the Lord. Now, he turns his attention to those who have authority over others.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:9a – The Test of Authority”… because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Summary: Recasting life in terms of a prison sentence offers us the chance to see anew what Jesus did for us and what we can do for him.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:8 – And Then He Smiled”