Ephesians 1
A letter to the church in Ephesians. Not just a letter to a church but rather a form of communication to teach and instruct all christians. Most of the letters written in the New Testimate are problem solving letters. Letters that address sin and problems in the church.
Ephesians is the broadest of all the letters and does not address any person specifically or any problems specifically. The letter was written and meant for everyone to read and apply to their life.
Ephesians is a great book to study as an introductory book for someone learning about God for the first time. It is also a very deep and profound book. No matter who you are or what stage of life you are in, the book of Ephesians will help you focus your attention on the glory of God!
Paul describes himself as an apostle of Christ, a servant of Christ, and an ambassador in chains. He asserts his authority and then humble acknowledges his true role in Christ.
Ephesians 1:1-10
God chose us before the world was even created! God had us in mind as he created everything we see today! His love for us is unmeasurable! He blesses us with grace and mercy through Jesus. He gives us redemption through Jesus blood.
We are in debt with sin and bound for death and God redeems (purchases) us with the blood of Jesus!
God laves us with grace! He gives us more than we need and guarantees that it will never run out!
Ephesians 1:11-22
Paul charges us to beg God in prayer. To fall on our knees and cry out to God! If we believe that God has all authority and power. That he actually rose Jesus from the dead, then how would my prayer life reflect that? God listens to us and want to grant us everything through Jesus.
We are no longer foreigners to God. We have been reconciled through Jesus and are now legitimate children of God. Through Jesus God has adopted us a true sons!
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2
Perspective is a very important thing and you need to have the right perspective when studying out any passage of scripture. Paul writes this letter from jail. In prisoned and while sitting in a jail cell, Paul writes a passionate letter of how strong and powerful God is. Paul does not allow his circumstance to sway his faith and convictions!
After explaining how powerful God is, Paul starts chapter two with "as for you". In comparison to Gods great power and strength, Paul confirms how powerless mankind is. We are powerless!
"Dead in your sins" can become a religious saying that looses meaning. With out God we are dead in our sins! Death is final -- there is no coming back. Death is inevitable. Death = powerless. We cannot influence or affect our world, self, love ones...etc. No one can help you either. Nothing can be done to change death!
Part of the power of God is being able to remember who we are and from where we have come from!
Am I dead in sin today? Powerless and trapped in this world unable to break free? Either you are dead in sin or alive in christ. Either you are in death or have been in death!
What God did for us is change the rules. Death was final and then it was not. We were destined to perish and then he provided a savior. Life to death has all was been the natural progression. By grace God changed the rules so that we have the opportunity to go from death to life!
Death was final and then God said it wasn't!
Jesus went first. He took the punishment for sin. He conquered death for us so that we would know that we have nothing to fear! Death Jesus showed us that death can be conquered, that death has no sting!
Because of the cross God is now able to live inside of us. God has made what is unholy -- holy and can now rest in us! I am being built into the temple of God! Everyday I should become more and more like Jesus!
Through the power of the cross we are now united with God in a way that we never could have been! Praise God for his endless grace and mercy!!!
Perspective is a very important thing and you need to have the right perspective when studying out any passage of scripture. Paul writes this letter from jail. In prisoned and while sitting in a jail cell, Paul writes a passionate letter of how strong and powerful God is. Paul does not allow his circumstance to sway his faith and convictions!
After explaining how powerful God is, Paul starts chapter two with "as for you". In comparison to Gods great power and strength, Paul confirms how powerless mankind is. We are powerless!
"Dead in your sins" can become a religious saying that looses meaning. With out God we are dead in our sins! Death is final -- there is no coming back. Death is inevitable. Death = powerless. We cannot influence or affect our world, self, love ones...etc. No one can help you either. Nothing can be done to change death!
Part of the power of God is being able to remember who we are and from where we have come from!
Am I dead in sin today? Powerless and trapped in this world unable to break free? Either you are dead in sin or alive in christ. Either you are in death or have been in death!
What God did for us is change the rules. Death was final and then it was not. We were destined to perish and then he provided a savior. Life to death has all was been the natural progression. By grace God changed the rules so that we have the opportunity to go from death to life!
Death was final and then God said it wasn't!
Jesus went first. He took the punishment for sin. He conquered death for us so that we would know that we have nothing to fear! Death Jesus showed us that death can be conquered, that death has no sting!
Because of the cross God is now able to live inside of us. God has made what is unholy -- holy and can now rest in us! I am being built into the temple of God! Everyday I should become more and more like Jesus!
Through the power of the cross we are now united with God in a way that we never could have been! Praise God for his endless grace and mercy!!!
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Is God enough?
Is God enough?
Is God really enough? Do you need God plus _________blank to be satisfied or happy? Do you really want to go to enough-ness in your life?
Example: American Idol
Mark 4:1-12
This scriptures is about the kingdom of God and the struggle Israel had with idolatry. Exodus 20:3-6, God equates idolatry here to hatred. Idolatry = hatred towards God.Psalm 135:15-18, When we create idols we put our trust in them. Isaiah 46:7, Things that we rely on can be considered idols. Deuteronomy 32:17-18, Idolatry is also forget about who God really is in our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:14, we need to run from idolatry! Idolatry is a spiritual danger that we need to flee from.
Idolatry has always been a struggle for man since the beginning of time. Even today the lure of material wealth and what the world has to offer is a great temptation that leads to idolatry!
Mark 4:13-20
The first soil, shows the idol of distraction or sin. The second soil, is the idol of self gratification and sin. When things get tough they walk away because God is not pleasing anymore. The third soil, is the idol of worrying. We worry about the things that matter the most to us which can be an idol. Do i worry about my relationship with God? Yet we worry about so many other things that we are concerned about or care about!
Matthew 6 shows us that needing clothing is not bad but is the worrying about clothes, food and shelter as being bad. When we worry about these things we are saying that you have to be the provider and take control when God should be our provider!
We are constantly being dragged away from God to something when we give into idols! If we trust in anything other than God it is idolatry!
The idol of wealth: Money can buy a bed but not rest, can buy a house but not a home, can buy a clock but not time, can buy treasures on earth but not treasures in heaven. Money can buy a lot of things but it is deceitful. Money promises us less worry.
Is God really enough? Do you need God plus _________blank to be satisfied or happy? Do you really want to go to enough-ness in your life?
Example: American Idol
Mark 4:1-12
This scriptures is about the kingdom of God and the struggle Israel had with idolatry. Exodus 20:3-6, God equates idolatry here to hatred. Idolatry = hatred towards God.Psalm 135:15-18, When we create idols we put our trust in them. Isaiah 46:7, Things that we rely on can be considered idols. Deuteronomy 32:17-18, Idolatry is also forget about who God really is in our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:14, we need to run from idolatry! Idolatry is a spiritual danger that we need to flee from.
Idolatry has always been a struggle for man since the beginning of time. Even today the lure of material wealth and what the world has to offer is a great temptation that leads to idolatry!
Mark 4:13-20
The first soil, shows the idol of distraction or sin. The second soil, is the idol of self gratification and sin. When things get tough they walk away because God is not pleasing anymore. The third soil, is the idol of worrying. We worry about the things that matter the most to us which can be an idol. Do i worry about my relationship with God? Yet we worry about so many other things that we are concerned about or care about!
Matthew 6 shows us that needing clothing is not bad but is the worrying about clothes, food and shelter as being bad. When we worry about these things we are saying that you have to be the provider and take control when God should be our provider!
We are constantly being dragged away from God to something when we give into idols! If we trust in anything other than God it is idolatry!
The idol of wealth: Money can buy a bed but not rest, can buy a house but not a home, can buy a clock but not time, can buy treasures on earth but not treasures in heaven. Money can buy a lot of things but it is deceitful. Money promises us less worry.
It's Not About Me
It's Not About Me
There is more to loving God than saying "I love God". There has to be a life style of love and God has giving us a model for what this life style should look like in Jesus!
Philippians 2:1-8
Paul is basically telling the Philippians church that "it is not about you". This phrase is what I need to adopt in order to be more like Jesus. "It's not about me"! Self denial is so important to please God and truly love Him!
Gods wisdom is completely opposite of the worlds wisdom! The world tells you to look out for number one. To look out for you because no one else will! Self centeredness and selfishness has no place in a relationship worth God!
Everything that God has done for me in my life has been for a reason. God has blessed me so that I can bless other people. In return I need to lay down my life for the people around me! "it's not about me"!
That's what Jesus did. He said "if it is for him/her I will lay down my life!" When we lay down our lives for each other we created brotherhood!
John 13:34-35
Jesus shared this with his disciples right after he washed the disciples feet and before he ultimately went to the cross and died for them!
I can live a quote un quote right life but Jesus says that the one thing that will set me apart and make me know as a disciple is my love for my brothers. My love for the people around me.
There is more to loving God than saying "I love God". There has to be a life style of love and God has giving us a model for what this life style should look like in Jesus!
Philippians 2:1-8
Paul is basically telling the Philippians church that "it is not about you". This phrase is what I need to adopt in order to be more like Jesus. "It's not about me"! Self denial is so important to please God and truly love Him!
Gods wisdom is completely opposite of the worlds wisdom! The world tells you to look out for number one. To look out for you because no one else will! Self centeredness and selfishness has no place in a relationship worth God!
Everything that God has done for me in my life has been for a reason. God has blessed me so that I can bless other people. In return I need to lay down my life for the people around me! "it's not about me"!
That's what Jesus did. He said "if it is for him/her I will lay down my life!" When we lay down our lives for each other we created brotherhood!
John 13:34-35
Jesus shared this with his disciples right after he washed the disciples feet and before he ultimately went to the cross and died for them!
I can live a quote un quote right life but Jesus says that the one thing that will set me apart and make me know as a disciple is my love for my brothers. My love for the people around me.
Independent or In Dependence
Independent or In Dependence
John 8:31-36
Worldly freedom vs Godly freedom!
July 4 our nation celebrates independence. America is founded on freedom. But with all this "freedom" are we truly free. In America we mistake freedom with independence. Jesus came to redefine freedom! Not independence but in dependence on God is true freedom!!
True freedom leads to life, liberty and true joy and in the pursuit of happiness!
Galatians 5:1
John 15:11
Warnings about freedom:
1 Corinthians 8:9
Galatians 5:13
1 Peter 2:16
Freedom is not really free. Freedom comes at a cost. The world uses freedom to cover sin and do what ever they desire!!
2 Corinthians 3:17
I'm a more concerned about independence or righteousness?
Luke 4:14-21 Jesus's deceleration outlined three things that Jesus came to do!
-Proclaim freedom!
What am I still enslaved to? Jesus came to set me free.
-Recovery of site to the blind!
Jesus came to help heal spiritual blindness! What sins in my life am I blind to?
-Release! This is not the same as freedom. This is the moment when sin no longer oppresses us! What sins am I allowing to oppress me in my life?!
Galatians 3:22-29
John 8:31-32
If we do not add obedience to your faith then you are still in bondage and not set free!!
"IF" you hold to my teachings!" "IF" is conditional. We don't receive freedom until we hold to Jesus teachings. I must seek true freedom and not just for independence!
We have to hold to Jesus teachings and not mans teaching! No matter what laws are passed or what the religious world caves to we need to hold to Jesus teachings!
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered the Pharisees with the real answer to our issue! We're in bondage because we are in sin!! When the son sets you free....Jesus has the power to set us free!!
Further instructions on gaining true freedom!! James 1:21-25
Throw out the garbage in your life! Stop just listened my to the world but take action and do what it says!!
God's love language is obedience!
John 8:31-36
Worldly freedom vs Godly freedom!
July 4 our nation celebrates independence. America is founded on freedom. But with all this "freedom" are we truly free. In America we mistake freedom with independence. Jesus came to redefine freedom! Not independence but in dependence on God is true freedom!!
True freedom leads to life, liberty and true joy and in the pursuit of happiness!
Galatians 5:1
John 15:11
Warnings about freedom:
1 Corinthians 8:9
Galatians 5:13
1 Peter 2:16
Freedom is not really free. Freedom comes at a cost. The world uses freedom to cover sin and do what ever they desire!!
2 Corinthians 3:17
I'm a more concerned about independence or righteousness?
Luke 4:14-21 Jesus's deceleration outlined three things that Jesus came to do!
-Proclaim freedom!
What am I still enslaved to? Jesus came to set me free.
-Recovery of site to the blind!
Jesus came to help heal spiritual blindness! What sins in my life am I blind to?
-Release! This is not the same as freedom. This is the moment when sin no longer oppresses us! What sins am I allowing to oppress me in my life?!
Galatians 3:22-29
John 8:31-32
If we do not add obedience to your faith then you are still in bondage and not set free!!
"IF" you hold to my teachings!" "IF" is conditional. We don't receive freedom until we hold to Jesus teachings. I must seek true freedom and not just for independence!
We have to hold to Jesus teachings and not mans teaching! No matter what laws are passed or what the religious world caves to we need to hold to Jesus teachings!
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered the Pharisees with the real answer to our issue! We're in bondage because we are in sin!! When the son sets you free....Jesus has the power to set us free!!
Further instructions on gaining true freedom!! James 1:21-25
Throw out the garbage in your life! Stop just listened my to the world but take action and do what it says!!
God's love language is obedience!
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