Armed and REady
Ephesians 6:10-25
Yes, as believers we're saved through faith. Heaven awaits us — and it's a free gift we could never earn through our works. But before we get there, Satan would love nothing more than to derail our earthly lives. And that part DOES require that we labor. There is INDEED work to be done.
Taking Discipleship Beyond Sunday
Ephesians 6:5-9
This passage is an excellent guide for Christians in any kind of working relationship. Bottom line: You're working for the Lord, not for the person who pays you! Same thing for bosses or supervisors or business owners: You are running things with the Lord in mind! It's a way of living out our faith at work. And even though sometimes our efforts to put Christ first as we labor will not be noticed, we shouldn't worry or be concerned about that — because God sees what we're doing and where our hearts are!
UNLOCKING SUCCESS: THE POWER OF OBEDIENCE
Ephesians 6:1-4
Disobedience typically leads to consequences that harm us — both in the short run and in the long run. Therefore, Pastor Scott told us, we must "learn how to cultivate an obedient heart" and align ourselves with what God wants us to do.
UnLocking the Beauty of Marriage
Ephesians 5:21-33
Marriage is a profound mystery as a human reflection of our relationships with God. Indeed, marriage done right is the closest thing to heaven on earth that anyone will experience — when two people are committed to be like Jesus as they minister to each other in marriage, then beautiful things can happen.
Purposeful living: Cultivating wisdom & Embracing Mission
Ephesians 5:15-23
The commands in this passage represent small steps and small decisions — but they also add up to what our walk looks like over time. While we make small choices every day, they're HUGE when viewed collectively. So let us take great care when considering each choice we make, doing so with the Lord in mind, and seeking his guidance with each step!
5 Dynamic principles to radiate God's Light
Ephesians 5:5-14
We believers still have plenty of work to do in our own spiritual lives, especially given how pervasive sin is in our midst. Therefore, we must embrace purity, "clean house," and "get rid of junk" that drags us down. And this process isn't just some arbitrary rule the Lord has set up to deprive us of "fun" — rather our pursuit of purity benefits US as well as OTHERS, because when our light in the Lord isn't dim, others are more likely to notice it.
Smart Christians Do This
Ephesians 5:1-4
While Jesus offered himself as a once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sin, it doesn't negate the idea of offering OURSELVES as sacrifices to the Lord. Not because God needs them — but because WE DO. Like living in holiness, when we make the effort to live sacrificially toward the Lord, it's not like we're building up points for ourselves in his eyes (although that's certainly how many would see it), rather we're undergirding ourselves with the Lord's power and blessings in order to be able to live life in spiritual richness.
breaking free from the chains of anger
Ephesians 4:30-32
These verses deal with anger — which, as we know, also is an emotion God expresses. But while God shows anger perfectly appropriately all the time, we fall WAY short of that. Anger is a good and useful emotion when correctly expressed, but it can be "dangerous." Anger can be good for revealing problems — but it's definitely not good for solving problems.
Keeping our Walk Honoring
Ephesians 4:26-29
Emotions are the hardest things for us to control — and chief among them is anger. However, while there are those who incorrectly assume that living as a Christian means one never gets angry, the Lord actually tells us that anger can be a helpful communication tool ... as long as we're not sinning in the midst of it.
Off with the old and on with the new
Ephesians 4:17-25
Why do we hold on to old sins, old habits, old ways of thinking? The jail doors that previously locked us in and bound us to sin have been opened by Jesus. He freed us! All we have to do is walk through those open jail cell doors and into the freedom the Lord has already provided.
Feeding the body of christ with nutritious speech
Ephesians 4:15&16
So many of us read the phrase "speaking the truth in love" in verse 15 and assume it only means speaking critical words to others but choosing those words carefully so we do no harm with them. While that's certainly part of it, that command means so much more! Our "truth-ing" ought to also mean times when we encourage others, point out their strengths, and build them up.
unleashing the church
Ephesians 4:7-14
Each one of us as Christians are ministers and should be exercising our individual gifts through service. But what if we don't know what our gifts are? Well, Pastor Scott suggested that in such cases we should begin serving in any capacity — and soon our gifts will naturally emerge and become clear to us.
Walking 101
Ephesians 4:1-6
"Walk" is used a total of 8 times in Ephesians — how to walk and how NOT to walk! For instance, Paul in the beginning of chapter 2 tells the Ephesians that they once walked in their "trespasses and sins." Indeed, the act of walking can lead us to good things or bad things. Now, Paul says, you and I are to walk and move forward "in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called ..."
Stamina & Resilience
Ephesians 3:14-21
God is BIG. Way, way bigger than we could ever hope to understand on this side of heaven! And because the Lord is so big, he's infinitely capable of helping us with every single last one of our regrets and challenges. Whatever our despairs, disappointments, hurts, mistreatments, anxieties, pressures, and emotional damages, God's love for us goes deep to heal the bad stuff in our lives.
The Secret
Ephesians 3:1-13
Paul's "insight into the mystery of Christ" is actually a special revelation from the Lord that has no equal in all of Scripture — and coincides with the beginning of the "church age." What's more, it's a wonderful promise from the Lord: that we are "heirs" with Christ and all "members" of his body. So how could we be discouraged with that truth in our hearts and minds?
A Place Where You Belong
Ephesians 2:11-22
We all want and need to belong. It's a universal human urge, something we naturally seek and desire. Why? Well, a strong sense of belonging can help you feel supported, encouraged, and connected — and it can give you a sense of purpose and provide accountability... There's nothing quite like belonging, being part of something bigger than ourselves. How much more will we benefit by belonging to the Lord and being part of his family?
But God...
Ephesians 2:1-10
Pastor Scott shared four truths he mined from this passage: God is big ... we are small ... God cares about us ... and God has given us purpose in our lives. Interestingly, he also turned these truths upside-down to show us the contrast the world sells us on a daily basis: You are big ... God is small ... you have to earn love ... and to have any kind of purpose, you need status. That's some difference, isn't it?
do you know what happens next?
Ephesians 1:15-23
No, we surely DO NOT know what's going to happen in the future ... not even tomorrow ... or even in the next five minutes. But our God does know. And he's also empowered us with wisdom and strength to walk through those moments ... so much so that we can simply BE and let God's love and message of salvation shine through us and touch others.
Rock Solid Spiritual Identity
Ephesians 1:1-14
Our identity, our self-concept, and our self-esteem are all rooted in Jesus Christ. But that's not always the norm for Christians. Instead we can easily tend to rely on externals to boost our identity, self-concept, and self-esteem — whether that's through a new material possession, a new relationship, our job, our grade-point average, or any other pleasure-stimulating thing.
