Category: Ephesians

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20 (day seven)

With all prayer and petition pray at all times.

In English, it feels a little clunky, but Paul tells us to pray in three different ways. It almost reads like “Prayer with prayer upon prayer.” The message is loud and clear: we need to prioritize prayer!

This is a very Pauline way to tell us that there is no wrong way to pray and that we should actually pray in lots of ways. We should pray in small groups, individually, corporately, with our family, on the go, in the work place etc. We should always be looking for new ways to pray. In doing so, we will find the Armor of God much easier to put on, and in turn, we will be able to fend off the attacks of the enemy more effectively.

So today, find ways to pray. Pray as you always do, but use your Bible study and church community to explore new ways to go before the Lord. If each of us will put prayer with prayer upon prayer, our strength will rise together.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20(day six)

It’s hard to imagine Paul being intimidated by anything. Yet, in Ephesians 6:18-20, we see him asking the church to pray for boldness in the face of adversity. Paul, their spiritual father and an eyewitness to the risen Christ, seems like the last person who would struggle with fear. We might expect him to be fearlessly independent, yet here he is, humbly asking for their help.

What if this reveals that spiritual maturity and strong character aren’t about self-sufficiency—just “me and Jesus”? Instead, what if maturity involves recognizing that God calls us to deep connection and commitment to one another? Could it be that intercession isn’t merely a means to an end but the point itself?

In other words, what if Paul needed the church’s prayers as much as he needed boldness?

The ultimate goal of intercession isn’t just answered prayer—it’s connection.

 

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20(day five). So much of God’s character and even God’s will for us is unknown. That can be, at the very least intimidating, often even paralyzing. We want to wait and be patient for God to reveal His plan and will for our lives. Waiting, listening, seeking, are all very helpful and instructed. But, some wait to the point of idleness and even disobedience. Yet, there are parts and facets of God’s will we absolutely do know. Look at Paul’s words. “Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”  Paul understood that regardless of his circumstances, at least part of God’s will was to speak and share the gospel boldly and intentionally. Truth be told, that’s part of His will for all of us. What are other parts of His will that are crystal clear for all believers?  Loving God?  Loving our neighbors? Serving others? Witnessing? Worshipping?

Had a professor say something I thought was quite profound as he was teaching about God’s will. His encouragement was in order to understand and learn more about God’s will (as He reveals it) for each of us, we should participate in the facets of God’s will for all of us (found in the scriptures). Here’s the quote- “Don’t let what you don’t know keep you from doing what you do know.”

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20 (day four)

Paul had a lot to say to the church in Ephesus and to us through this letter. We learned that though we were born as outsiders, we’ve been adopted as sons and daughters of God and made blameless through the sacrifice of Christ. We learned that Jesus – his life, death, and resurrection – was the Father’s plan from the beginning. Christ stands at the center of the cosmos, and all things are through him and for him. We also learned that he is the cornerstone of the church, making us part of God’s temple. In the second half of the letter, we learned what it means to be apart of God’s temple – how to live together in unity, purity, and gentleness. We even learned that there is far more to life than the physical reality in front of us – there are spiritual realities and battles that we are often blind to, but have been outfitted for nonetheless through the Spirit.

After all this that Paul has taught us, as if he knows that we might feel overwhelmed, he gives us one simple command  – to pray.

No time spent in prayer is wasted. There is no subject that is too big, too small, or mentioned too often when it comes to prayer. We are meant to pray at all times, through the power of the Spirit, so that we might experience the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love for us.

How has our study in Ephesians caused you to pray?

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20 (day three)

“…and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth…”

Paul makes a request here that arises from a vulnerable self-awareness. Though Paul produced voluminous amounts of written material, though he trafficked in words as a vocation – preaching, debating, exhorting – he recognized the possibility that his use of words could escalate a situation. This is the man who had words with Barnabas resulting in at least a temporary break in their relationship. This is the man who called on a faction of the church at Jerusalem to castrate themselves. In his zeal for the work of the church, Paul could reach for words in ways that could threaten to upstage that good work. Paul asks the congregation to pray that his use of words honor the work God has called him to do.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20 (day two) With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, v. 18

If you have the time, start your reading a few verses earlier today and re-read the complete passage regarding the armor of God. Armor is not something you throw on. It takes time. It must fit properly, or it will not do the job it was created to do, think of the shepherd boy David when he tried on King Saul’s armor. As you put on the armor you become aware of how it fits, and where you are exposed. This should be a deliberate process, so that when you are in battle, you are ‘on alert’ as Paul concludes. Every part of this preparation is designed to slow you down, and to consider how the Lord is calling you to participate in the work he has called you to. There is not a sense of hurry or rush in this passage. As you prepare to face your day, your job, your family, or this season may you be on alert for all that will come your way. May that alertness come from a dedication to love and serve the Lord through continuous communion with him.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:10-17 (day seven)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. vs 10

We live in Military City USA. We are all well familiar with the process of Basic Training, but just for posterity, lets break it down. Basic Training, sometimes referred to as boot camp, prepares recruits for all elements of service: physical, mental and emotional. It gives service members the basic tools necessary to perform the roles that will be assigned to them for the duration of their tour. Before you are given a gun or put in charge of crucial information, you are required to test your limits and strengthen yourself.

What is the training ground for Spiritual Warfare? The Church. We gather together to learn the tools necessary to perform the roles God has assigned to us. We have a tendency to treat the training like the war. We prepare ourselves for Sunday, when Sunday is what prepares us for Monday. The reason we gather is to be trained, equipped, and deployed. Today as we gather, will you test your limits? Will you learn how to wear the Armor of God? Will you strengthen yourself so that you might be able to stand against the attacks of the enemy all week long?

As I write this I am sitting in my daughter’s apartment waiting to depart for my first Texas A&M football game. There is a sense of excitement and anticipation here; the whole town is reading itself for a battle. This is not unlike Paul’s urgent commands in Ephesians 6-“Don’t take the enemy for granted; get dressed for battle every single day!”

The difference between A&M football game day, and life of the church in the world is certainty. Whereas the A&M fan is uncertain of the day’s outcome, we are more than certain that Jesus has already won today’s battle!

Live battle ready! Live with certainty!

Oh, and super sorry for the late-in-the day post. This dad was just super excited to get his daughter in College Station.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:10-17(day five)  Is this passage humbling to you?  It is for me. We live in a culture and society that is unhealthily self sufficient and self relying. Think about how many times when people ask us if we need help, assistance, or aid we answer with the following responses- “I got this” or “I’m good”. Often times, they’re asking because they see us struggling or see the difficulty we are actually facing (sometimes we don’t even know it). We try to either make it on our own, or get by with as little help as possible.

I was struck this week by how comprehensive and well rounded the armor of God is. It is not minimal at all.  It is thorough, from top to bottom. Why?  Because we (I) really are in need of that much and those kinds of help.   We actually are that incapable. We are in fact (on our own) weak, overmatched, and unable to even just stand firm. God gives us this complete and amazing “armor” because we really do need it.  In essence, our disobedience, pride, and unfaithfulness is telling God,  “I got this” or “I’m good”.  How foolish does that seem?  May God find us willing to put on His whole armor and find the strength and assurance we so desperately need.