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Just before Princess Margaret walked to the microphone to make her first speech as a young girl, her mother, Queen Elizabeth, leaned over and said, “You are a princess. Walk like one!” In Eph. 4:1, the apostle Paul issues a similar challenge to us as believers. He urges us to live up to the high calling we have received in Christ. Are you walking in a manner worthy of the King you represent?
Paul closes Ephesians chapter 3 with some of the most powerful words ever written. He prays that we will all come to know two critical things: 1) How much God loves us, and 2) How much God wants to do through us. If we only knew those two things and lived like they were true, what a difference it would make in our lives!
A dividing wall existed in the Temple in Jerusalem to keep the Gentiles out. Signs were posted warning them of the death penalty if they entered into the worship area. When Jesus died, He destroyed all dividing walls and allowed everyone to enter in by faith. And while churches today do not have literal dividing walls and warning signs, many “walls” still exist to keep certain people out. Are there any dividing walls you need to break down?
Paul reminds the believers in Ephesus of what they used to be before Jesus came — without hope and without God in the world. Since they were all lost without Jesus, he warns them not to discriminate against others who are lost or who are different from them. This is a healthy reminder for our churches today!
If Christ can bring us from death to life, then there is absolutely no situation we will ever face that God cannot conquer. Is there something in your life right now that is keeping you chained down? You can’t fix it, but God can!
For centuries, God’s followers were never allowed to enter His presence, except through the High Priest once a year. But when Jesus died on the cross, all believers were given full access into His presence. What an amazing thought that we have been invited into the presence of God!
In times of slavery, people would often sell all they had to buy the freedom of a family member who had been enslaved. But the highest price ever paid to buy someone’s freedom was paid when Jesus willingly died on the cross to redeem us from our sin. You are loved, because God paid the ultimate price for you!
The topic of Predestination has caused a lot of debate among Christians over the years. The truth is, we will never fully understand this matter, and we must learn to simply trust God with the unknown parts. The Bible tells us that God is God and He will always do what is right, even when we don’t understand Him.
Throughout this letter to the Ephesians, Paul repeatedly uses the phrase “in Christ”. These are two of the most important words in all of life. Whether or not we are in Christ will determine our eternal destiny, and it will also determine how we live here on earth. Are you in Christ?
Imagine living your entire life without ever realizing you were the heir to an enormous fortune! Sadly, many Christians live without ever knowing all that they have been given in Christ. Join us for this study through the book of Ephesians as we discover the incredible spiritual blessings we have in Jesus Christ.
Do followers of Jesus really need to be part of a church family? Can’t we do just fine living the Christian life by ourselves? What’s the point of the church anyway? Isn’t the church just full of hypocrites? Despite its flaws and failures over the years, the church is still the greatest and most important organism on this planet, because it is the living Body of Christ — the one and only entity that God has chosen to spread the message of salvation to all mankind! Find out today why we need the church and why the church needs us.
There are two kinds of Christians: those who serve the Lord with joy and gladness, and those who do it out of a sense of obligation and duty. The first group understands how much the Lord has done for them and they serve Him out of a heart overflowing with gratitude. The second group has forgotten the extent of love the Lord has shown them, and some of them even think God owes them something. The Bible says that each one of us has a vital role to play in the Body of Christ, and that we must each do our part. Are you doing your part with a joyful spirit or with a complaining attitude?
