All the glory

          And the winner is….These will be the words that we will be flooded with over the course of the next few weeks. We are surrounded as a people with the applause of men. Who will win the Super Bowl? (Please, Lord not the Patriots!!) And the Oscar goes to… (You have got to be kidding me. Hugo, has to win. The story is great. The direction is fantastic and it is beyond what 3D should be in a movie. It is artistry at its finest.)Well, anyway you get the picture. We are driven as a people in our desire to please men. There is nothing wrong with praise but the praise of men should never be our driving force.

Ephesians 6:5-7 ( ESV )

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⁵Slaves,^£ obey your earthly masters^£ with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

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⁶not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants^£ of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

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⁷rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,

     In all that we say and do as Colossians states, it should be done for the glory of the Lord. Here in Ephesians 6, Paul makes that kind of a statement again. All our service and whatever we do should be treated as our gifts to God.

     In the book, “A serious call to a devout and holy life,” Brother Lawrence wrote that even when he did the dishes he saw it as a gift to God. He wanted to give of his best for the Lord and for His glory.

     I was thinking about this even this last week. For those of you who know me, my life has always been about preaching in one form or another. I have no greater joy in this life than to share the Word with others. It has been my life’s blood and greatest desire and purpose.

     So this week has been about counting, doing inventory and trying to deal with the details of the work that I do. Sometimes, I get confused, overwhelmed and in all honesty asking myself what is the purpose. I do appreciate those who are over me and I do want to do a good job for them. They have been more than kind in working with me and my situation as we are in this holding pattern.

     Yet, the beauty of God is that He reminds me that the job that I do is to be used for His glory!! No matter what I do it can be used for Him. My counts need to be accurate so that I can make the work of others easier. My attitude at work needs to be consistent so that I can give others hope in the midst of a dark and often difficult world. All that I do, say and breathe is to bring Him glory.

     I want to do my job with respect for those who are over me and to do it with a SINCIRE HEART. Note how Paul uses the word heart twice in these verses. God wants my motives to be pure and clean as I serve others and Him. How I pray that He will keep me from whatever I do so that I can hear the applause. I want to render my service with a good will as a gift to Him.

     So while I am counting, let it be done for His glory!! So that while I am working with those around me, let it be done for His glory!! Guard my heart Lord in all that I say or do to bring honor and glory to you.

     I would just like to close my thoughts with these words from one of my favorite Cathedral Quartet songs. How I pray that these words will be the sincere prayer of my heart.

All the glory belongs to Jesus,

All the praise belongs to Him,

All that I am, or ever hope to be,

All the glory belongs to Him.

So busy chasing windmills

So caught up in a hurry and in the rush of all things,

She runs as the baby cries and then the phone begins to ring,

Just to find a little rest she gets caught up with her show,

She wonders how it all happened and why she is always on the go.

The hours fly like minutes like a fleeting dream,

You can’t find time for Jesus its nothing but a devil’s scheme,

So caught up in things non-eternal we don’t find time for God,

We are so busy chasing windmills instead of following the path He has trod.

He is always looking for a pot of gold at the journey’s end,

So busy with the trivial he hopes the answers are around the bend,

His work has become his whole life as his family falls apart,

Devoted to worthless dreams rather than the ruler of his heart,

The hours fly like minutes like a fleeting dream,

You can’t find time for Jesus its nothing but a devil’s scheme,

So caught up in things non-eternal we don’t find time for God,

We are so busy chasing windmills instead of following the path He has trod.

He cries out to us as a groom does towards His bride,

Let me lead you on this journey let me be your guide,

The things of this earth will just simply slip like sinking sand,

Cast it all behind you and let me take your hand.

The hours fly like minutes like a fleeting dream,

You can’t find time for Jesus its nothing but a devil’s scheme,

So caught up in things non-eternal we don’t find time for God,

We are so busy chasing windmills instead of following the path that He has trod.

For those who might lose heart.

Ephesians 3:13 ( ESV )

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¹³So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

     Going through the book of Ephesians has been such a blessing to my heart this time around. What a true blessing it has been to see God’s amazing grace. As I read this passage I am reminded though of how at times I am tempted or that I do lose heart in my journey. Yet, what a true joy I had today in reading this passage and others that deal with this very issue.

     What are some things that I should do in light of possibly losing heart? Well for one in this passage and its immediate context I should pray as Paul does in Ephesians 3:16

Ephesians 3:16 ( ESV )

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¹⁶that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

     Many are the time that I grow weary, even in well doing. The real issue quite often is that I get caught up with doing things in my flesh and relying upon my own inadequate power. Father, help me to rely upon your Spirit and His power alone. For only you can strengthen my inner man. This is my prayer daily, that I will rely upon the Spirit of God and His power. What can I offer of my own abilities? He alone wishes to give to me the very riches of His glory.

     He wants to pour out from the abundance of Heaven his mercy upon us. What an incredible concept. I need to submit to Him in all things dying to self and being raised by His power to continue on through the day.

     The first thing I need to do in not losing heart is to be strengthened by the power of the Spirit of God. Now as I went through my quiet time I saw a second thing that I should do to not lose heart.

Luke 18:1 ( ESV )

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¹And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

     One of the huge keys to not losing heart is to be constant in prayer. As Jesus told this parable he brought up how a widow came to a judge who did not fear God or man. He was not one who was easily moved but hardened to the cries of his people. Yet, when this woman kept coming to him with her need he finally gave in to her request.

     Jesus is far from this type of man. He is concerned about the cries of his children. He has heard me before I have even uttered a word to Him.  I must keep in mind that my God will deal justly. He will deal with me as one of His dear children. This is a promise He has made in the passage. He will be good on His word.

     In the midst of the battle He wants me to cry out constantly to His throne. Isn’t that unusual, one of the things to keep us from losing heart is to keep on keeping on in prayer.  By being constant in prayer it also helps us to keep our focus on Him and not the trial before us.

Philippians 4:6-7 ( ESV )

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⁶do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

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⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

     When we keep our focus upon Him in prayer we stop being so worried. In my prayers I cry out to Him with a heavy heart. Yet, while I am praying to Him, He reminds me of all the things that I should be thankful for. My worries though still real and still there become smaller when I reflect on His goodness towards me and those whom He loves.

     I can make my request known to Him and it is never a dreary thing to Him. He wants me to communicate to Him and share my fears and desires. When I do this I can reflect upon how He has brought me safe thus far and how He will lead me home.

     Sometimes it doesn’t even make any sense at all but that is when despite all the odds His peace will surpass all of these things. His plan and desires for me will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

     You do not grow weary of my persistent prayers Father as you have said in your Word. “Call unto me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you know not of.”

Joshua 1:9 ( ESV )

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⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

     Lastly we can be strong and courageous as He will be with us wherever we go. Like the Israelites of old God had promised them their land and He went before them. They did not know what to expect or what might happen next. They put their feet out into the vast unknown knowing this fact; God would be with them wherever they went.

     Lastly, when I am about to lose heart I know that I have a Father that will go with me and even before me. He would tell His disciples these same words as He left them, “And behold I am with you always even to the end of the age.”

     So remember when we are about to lose heart…1. Cry out to Him for the fullness of His Spirit’s power.  2. Be constant in prayer. 3. Remember that He will always be with us no matter what. Don’t lose heart.

The house of faith

Ephesians 2:11-16 ( ESV )

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¹¹Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—

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¹²remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

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¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

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¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

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¹⁵by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

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¹⁶and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

     Racist, or bigot just the sound of those two words should send shivers down our spines as believers. The idea of race should never have anything to do with how we view one another. Yet, I have even known pastors and their wives teach such values to their children. Some white parents who would not even let their children play with dolls that were of different colors lest they start intermingling and maybe even get married.  “Garbage!!” They were not all southerners either; I have seen just as much prejudice in the north. What even sickens me more is how some will repeat this filth and try to defend it as Christianity. Now that may sound harsh to some. This is one time that I hope that it does.

     As Paul writes this part of Ephesians he notices a problem with how the Israelites as well as how the Gentiles looked upon one another. This passage though deals with how God wanted to break these barriers on an even more important level.

     He reminds his Gentile readers that at one time they were separated from Christ himself. Like John chapter one the Gentiles are not born again because of their race. No one is born a believer no matter their status in life, church membership or even their race. By the way even those who are born as Jews are not allowed entrance into heaven because of their race as well.

     We are also told by Paul here in Eph. 2:12 that we were alienated or cut off from Israel and the promises God had given to them. Paul brings up in Romans that the advantage that the Jews had for so long was that the law and the covenants were given to them. We were a people with no hope and without God in the world. The Jews in the Old Testament were to share this good news of who God was to the Gentile world. Yet after a while many had forgotten to do so and many would even refuse to do so later on.

     How mean and terrible that they would not share might be the cry of some. Yet, as any student of history will tell you their race was despised and hated. Their circumcision was laughed at by the world and their beliefs were mocked. They were treated so badly in such a way by the Gentiles that they after a while responded back in disdain and hatred as well. By the time Rome had taken over, as far as all parties were concerned they could even barely tolerate each other.

     All of this would change in the personhood of Jesus Christ. He would the WRECKING BALL. I mean have you ever seen one of those things at work? There is nothing cooler to a man than the sound of walls or buildings falling down by the power of one of these machines. (I for one would just love to have one.) Note in verse 14 how Paul says, “He has broken down in His flesh, the dividing wall of hostility.” This is not just some chant to be sung at a meeting. This is a reality of what Christ has done for us no matter what race we come from. The Laws and ordinances that showed us both as Jews as Gentiles as being condemned is now forgiven through Christ alone who can give us peace. He did this so that we could have peace with God but not only that He did this so that we no matter what race we are from can be one with His body. 

     Listen brothers and sisters the Gospel’s main and most important purpose is to bring us to peace with our God. We as a people can only have peace with God through what was done on the cross. One of the other things though as believers is that it should draw us together as one no matter what our race might be. We of all people are to be known as those who show love one to another. How senseless it must be to our Father when we as His children refuse to get along or try to come together. We as believers are called to be one.

Ephesians 2:17-22 ( ESV )

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¹⁷And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

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¹⁸For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

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¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,^£ but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

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²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

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²¹in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

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²²In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by^£ the Spirit.

     Now Paul wants to share with that not has Jesus only acted like a wrecking ball to bring down the walls He also is working on a building. He wants us to know that we have access to the master builder who is our Father through the Spirit of God.

     We are no longer strangers or aliens. We are not outside of God’s grace or kindness. As saints of God no matter who you are we are citizens and members of the household of God.

     In building a house I want to know how and with what it is built upon. What kind of flooring does it have? What kind of shape are the walls in? The most important question I want to know, Is the foundation solid? Jesus brought this up in Matthew when He talked about those who would build their house upon sand or upon the Rock. The foundation for our house of faith is that of the apostles and the prophets themselves. What is even more incredible is that Jesus is the cornerstone of the building.

     One last thing that I want to bring up is how that this building is a growing building. The body of Christ is alive. It is a breathing and living temple. You and I are walking around in this world as part of this body. We are able to share about a hope that can bring peace to all of mankind. Indwelt by the Spirit of God His church is alive. May we live this truth out before all men.

Disobedient Children

Ephesians 2:2-4 ( ESV )

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²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

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³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^£ and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

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⁴But^£ God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

     One of the things that I can’t handle is the screaming kid who does not get his way in a store. Now I knew what would happen to me when I acted in such a way. BANG, right then and there the law of Vera Moore hurled down upon us like an asteroid impacting the earth. We learned the important issues in life from the speedy hand of a woman who in her own words said, “I will not put up with that!”  “I will not have children who are brats!”

     Some parents get in their heads that I will let my child find his own way in life. I will never spank them if they do wrong. Trust me after years of ministry I know of the abuses of ungodly parents who beat their children. This is an obscenity against the very nature of God.  Yet, God in His wisdom has several verses that tell us that we are to discipline our children and sometimes even with a rod. According to the book of Hebrews God disciplines his children to conform them to His image. If we are not disciplined by the hand of God we are called bastards and not his own.

     Spiritually speaking we were all the children of another Father. We walked according to his very nature because it was our nature as well. It was like we were playing a profane game of Follow the Leader. We listened to a pied piper who pretended to play for our pleasure but instead he was only playing a funeral dirge for the walking dead.

     We cried out in the night looking out only for our own passions and desires. Screaming and clawing with our nails to grasp the poisons that we longed to fill our stomachs emptiness. We never knew that the very things that tasted so sweet in the end were only rotting us away. The candy of this world and all of its allure shouted out taste and see. Taste and see.

     Once again it was only natural that we would want these things not only because we had an evil Father who let us do whatever we wanted. We also did it because like verse three states, we were like the rest of mankind. We wanted to be just like the rest of the world. We wanted to fit in. We wanted whatever we desired and like disobedient children in a supermarket we never even saw our own selfishness and ugliness of sin. All we knew is that we had to have our own way.

     Please do not miss the import of these few verses. Not only were we once sons of disobedience we are also called in these verses children of wrath. Now hold on a minute, we can’t all be that bad. Really, I wasn’t that evil. Yet, this is not what the Bible says. The Bible tells us that we deserved the very wrath of God to be placed upon us. Wrath is not a comfortable word but then again it was not supposed to be. The problem that we have with a God who will act in wrath is because we refuse to see how terrible our sin is within us.

     Ephesians is trying to wake us up to the reality that because we are sons of disobedience we rightly deserve the wrath of God. Paul had earlier stated in Romans that the wages of our sin would be death. It’s a shock to the system to be told that we are sinners and deserve the judgment of God. This is truly the bad news. Many will try to bury their head in the sand when it comes to this point. I believe that Paul in all of his compassion is trying to warn us it’s time to wake up. Sin will take your further than you want to go and its end is that of death.

     Here is where the words for hope come into play. Look at verse four with just these two words, “But God.” This God who will destroy the children of disobedience cries out to them, for He is by his very nature a God who is rich in mercy and still loves us. He wants to adopt us into His family. He stretched out His hand in love through His Son, Jesus Christ. His arm became flesh to offer us salvation and deliverance from His wrath. His Son became our substitute for us upon a cross and He incurred the Father’s wrath for us. Every stripe, every mark upon the blameless one was for us. Why? The Father wants to adopt us into His family.

     Children of God, what an amazing concept. We need to no longer be called children of disobedience or children of wrath but the children of God. Screaming, kicking and left alone on the side of the road he wants to pick us up in His arms and take us to a new home. He wants to lavish upon us the riches of His eternal glory and say, “Welcome Home. My Son, welcome Home.”

Blood Brothers

But the stars are burning bright like some mystery uncovered,

I’ll keep moving through the dark with you in my heart

My blood brother.

Bruce Springsteen

     He is only eighteen months younger than I am, so if my math is right….he should turn fifty this March. Now that is when you know that time is flying by. The, “baby” brother will soon be a half a century old. That’s just nuts.

     It may sound weird but he truly was a cute kid. I saw how his baby blues could turn heads with just a little grin. It also got him into trouble more than once. His laugh has always been infectious and many have been the times that we have laughed till the tears came flowing down.

     When he was a young kid he would do anything to please me just to be with me. Seriously, he really did do just about anything. He ate a June Bugs bottom end and jumped out of the back of a moving truck because I told him he would be like John Wayne. I still see him as a young boy jumping over a ravine with our bicycle off a shaky ramp. While flying through the air, he was smiling, that was until the front tire fell off in mid-flight. Then it became just a face of well, SHOCK.

     We shared the same bedroom for years. Late at night we would talk and sing to the songs that were on the radio. Our taste changed from old country standards to rock. We would talk about our dreams of what we wanted to be and many times watch the darkness break into an early morning dawn.

     As the years went on I wish that I could say that it was always like the above. It did not. Before I came to know the Lord I mostly made his life into a living Hell. He would often become the brunt of my anger and sheer sinfulness in so many areas. One of the things that stood out to me the most was how that in the midst of one of these fights he refused to hit me back. I still remember asking him, “Why won’t you hit me?” He simply stated back to me, “Because I love you.” Believe it or not that was one of the things that would bring me to my knees on seeing my sinfulness and my need for Christ. Even though he was not saved at this time through this incident it would make me question my relationship with Christ.

     Going to Bible College just shortly after I got saved my heart became burdened for Him to come to know Christ as well. I didn’t mean to but in my misguided zeal at times I would play the part of the Holy Spirit. I wanted his life to change but that was impossible for He needed Jesus to be the author of his faith.

     Like me, after following the siren’s songs of sin and death he would finally come to know Christ. It has become one of my greatest joys to see both him and his wife grow in the Lord through the years. He has not only been a brother but a friend.

     Now don’t get me wrong we often are far from getting it right. You only need to ask our wives Renita and Julie. They are quite often the true sufferers of our foolishness. Yet, to see what the Lord has brought him out of and where he is now is one of my greatest blessings.

     He has more than a million times over sacrificed himself for me. He has helped me with two of my major moves from one part of the United States to another part. He has loaded up the vans, drove through snow storms, helped with the insane amount of driving and quite often at his own expenses. He and his wife have given of their time and resources to help us in ways that I could never repay. He is not only my physical brother but a true blood brother.

     This is how it should be among us as believers as well. We should be looking out for each other when, “there ain’t much cover.”  (Thanks, Bruce for allowing me to use the word ain’t in one of my blogs. Wait a second, I got to use it now twice.) We are a family that is to be known by their love for one another.

     One of my favorite memories was about three or four years ago when my brother and his wife Renita came up for a visit. The family had all went to bed except for Bill and me. It was a beautiful night in Louisiana and we went outside and sat on the porch. We talked, laughed, dreamed and looked at the stars just like we did when we were kids.

The blessings of God

Ephesians 1:3-6 ( ESV )

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³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

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⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

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⁵he predestined us^£ for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

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⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

   

     As Paul starts out the book of Ephesians it is like he can’t contain the joy that he has about the spiritual blessings in our lives. He wants to parade these blessings before all men to see the glory of God. If you are like me we get our eyes focused way too much on just our physical blessings. We miss out on the spiritual blessings that the Lord pours out on us every day. Here are just some of the things that stand out to me in the next few verses.

1.     1:4-5 He has chosen us and predestined us.  He did this even before the foundation of the world. I know as soon as these types of words are brought up some will question them. Listen brothers and sisters, I do not plan to know or to be able to explain the free will of man and God’s sovereign moves. This I do know, that while we have choice, we still love God because He first chose to love us. He knows what we do and what we will do or He could not be God. He would simply be a being who has no control and is led about by the whims of men.

This is a beautiful thing to know that the God who created this universe and all that is in it chose me. Note what Paul says at the end of verse 4 he did this in love. He could have given us no choice. He could have sent all of us to Hell. No mercy is what we deserve, but He loved us as His special treasures.

He did this according to the purpose of His will. We whose father was that of the evil one have been adopted into the family of God through what Jesus Christ alone could do. We are now a part of the beloved.

Why would God do this? Well for two purposes and the first purpose fulfills the second one which is the greater of the two. One, He chose us so that we would be holy and blameless. He did not save us just so that we could live anyway that we wanted too. He wants us to walk as those who are separated to Him and to Him alone. Secondly, He chose us so that His glorious grace would be praised. We as trophies of His grace can proclaim to our world that He is the lover of our souls. He alone deserves all praise and glory.

Ephesians 1:7-10 ( ESV )

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⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

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⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

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⁹making known^£ to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

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¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

2.     1:7 We have redemption. We have been bought out of bondage and sin. We have been bought out of the very flames of Hell itself. He did this not because of our goodness but because of the shedding of blood. The Lamb that was without blemish or spot shed His blood for us.

3.     1:7-8 We are forgiven of our trespasses. We were the violators of His law. We missed the mark and instead aimed our lives at those things that only brought Him shame. How has He forgiven me? There can be no other word than what Paul says, “Lavishly.” Through the abundance of all the riches of His grace. A treasure of grace that no human being could ever match. His grace has been and is still being poured out upon us daily.

4.     1:8-9 We can have wisdom and insight from Him. We who at one time were filled with darkness can now understand the things of God. We will never know them fully till we are home but He wants to open our eyes so that we can understand Him better now. He wants to be known by His creation and at the new birth eyes that once were darkened can now see.

5.     1:10 He will unite all things. One day our Father will gather us all as believers in the fullness of His time. At the end of this world’s history He will usher us into His presence for all of eternity. Once again we will be united with those who are our brothers and sisters who have gone on before us. Those who have fallen asleep in Him will arise and so shall we and we will forever be with the Lord.

Ephesians 1:11-14 ( ESV )

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¹¹In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

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¹²so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

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¹³In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

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¹⁴who is the guarantee^£ of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,^£ to the praise of his glory.

6.     1:11-12 We will obtain an inheritance. What are the riches of this world? What good is it if a man gains the whole world and yet loses his own soul? As believers, this world offers us nothing in comparison to the inheritance that we will receive, that is incorruptible and not defiled. Our hope is not like the hope of this world. Our hope as believers is fixed and settled on the very foundation of Christ Himself. We can bring Him praise and glory.

7.     1:13-14 We have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Here is an astonishing thought. He who began the good work will finish it. It is not up to our abilities but rather He has sealed our salvation. In words that could never be truer, our salvation is a Done Deal. The Spirit of God has sealed the letters of our lives. He has put His stamp upon us and no man will be able to tear that stamp off our heart. He is the one who will guarantee our delivery before the very throne room of God. The Father will take possession of us and claim us as His own.

He has done all of these things for the praise of His glory. May we be those who bring glory to His name.

New Years Eve 

A Blank sheet of Paper

     I know that the following statement may sound strange to you but I love paper. I love going to Office Depot and buying the stuff. The blankness of the pages as I turn them has always fascinated me. (O.K., this really does sound weird now that I look back at what I just wrote.)

     The only greater joy is when I pick up my Waterman pen and begin to write on those blank pages.  Think about it, when we write we are putting ourselves on paper. Our thoughts, fears, dreams and present day realities are now made visible. We are able to express ourselves to the world that surrounds us, warts and all.

     When I read an author I am taken to another world. Worlds in which the author wants us to walk around and become a part of. We see the buildings, the trees and even see the bend of the river before us. We can hear the sounds of the birds in the air. We can smell the freshness of a Sunday morning on a crisp Nebraska morning. In just four minutes of listening to the lyrics of a song we feel the passion of a young man and woman named Jack and Dianne who know that life will go on.

     The blankness of a page being filled by an author’s words is a beautiful thing. The blankness of a page being filled by an author’s pen can also be a nightmare. One written word can cause wars and rumors of wars. Incredible as it may sound just one word can change the world as we know it.

     When I pick up my Bible I am reminded of words that have changed my whole being and countless others. Hebrews tells me that this Word that I hold in my hands is more powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. This Word that I hold in my hands can pierce into the inner most part of my soul cutting and changing me like nothing else can.

     The Word though is also a person who is the very Son of God. When the Word came onto this canvas called earth men were able to see His glory. Men were also able to see the very embodiment of grace and truth.

John 1:1 ( ESV )

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¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 ( ESV )

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¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

   

    When Eden was created it was like a blank page. It was filled with the beauty and freshness of hope. Adam and Eve walked with their creator in the cool of the morning.  When they allowed sin in their lives the canvas became darkened forever. Innocence lost, only grey could be seen upon the landscape. This was our lot in life.

     This is where the beauty comes in; the Word has come and brought light.  When He spoke lives were changed. Hearts that were once dead were now given new life. He was not satisfied with just staying in the heavens. No, the Word became flesh and of all the wildest things He would dwell among us.

     The Word took the hands of the cripples and made them whole. Just by His voice He was able to calm the raging seas, cast out the demon and give sight to the blind. The Word had the authority to do all of these things and even more. He spoke in parables, talked with leaders and held children in His arms. Yet, the most incredible words that he would ever speak was, “Father, Forgive them.”

     He takes the pages of our lives and makes them clean again. He wants to write His very image upon us. He wants to turn the blank and empty pages of our lives into something for His glory. How I pray that I will be willing to say to Him, “Then write away on the pages of my life and may I bring you glory when others read.”