Spiritual Warfare: Going on the Offensive
Ephesians 6:17-18
Last week we began studying the last section of Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus. Throughout Paul’s letter he has been encouraging the brothers and sisters in Ephesus by teaching them about the many, many, blessings that God has showered upon His people. Paul taught them that they have been blessed with every spiritual [...]
Spiritual Warfare: Going on the Offensive - Ephesians 6:17-18 [ 44:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadThe War Continues!
Ephesians 6:10-18
I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested [...]
Spirit Filled Work
Ephesians 6:5-9
Several weeks ago we began to take a look at a section of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus that began back in Ephesians 5:18 where Paul encouraged the folks to be filled with the Spirit instead of being filled with wine. We learned that being filled with the Spirit of God leads to [...]
Spirit Filled Homes: Parents and Children
Ephesians 6:1-4
How are families to function? Most people never really give it a thought. We get married, eventually have children, and do our best to make things work. In Paul’s day there were well established “household codes” that served to provide structure, a chain of command, and guidance for the family unit. When thinking about “household [...]
Spirit-Filled Homes
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
In our Scripture for today we have an incredible opportunity to learn about the transformative power of the Holy Spirit upon the relationships we share in our household. Paul talks about the relationships of husbands and wives, parents and children, and “slaves and masters,” or in our day, we could say, “employers and employees.” Dr. [...]
Transformed Relationships
Ephesians 5:21
There is an ever-growing awareness in our society of a general malaise that has left us feeling uneasy about our lives. We are unfulfilled with our present situation and uncertain about our future. We are not content with who we are or what we are doing. There is a gnawing feeling that there has to [...]
Under the Influence
Ephesians 5:18-20
We are living under the influence. There is no way to escape it. There is a conspiracy of influence taking place all over the world. You turn on the television and there are those peering at you through the screen that are doing their best to influence your buying habits, shape your beliefs, and change [...]
Making the Most of the Time
Ephesians 5:15-20
Our God is such a gracious and kind God. Long before we ever recognize His wonderful blessings, long before we ever recognize His involvement in our lives, long before we ever bow our knees and acknowledge His goodness and mercy…He blesses us. Jesus said, 45 …He causes his sun to rise on the evil and [...]
Behavior That Fits Our Belief
Ephesians 5:3-14
The last time we were together and taking a look at Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus we were urged to “imitate God.” If that were the only direction Paul would have given the brothers and sisters in Ephesus, and us, then we would be overwhelmed with the mere thought of imitating God. He [...]
The Imitation of God
Ephesians 5:1-2
Thomas a Kempis was born in 1380 in the village of Kempen near Düsseldorf, Germany. The period in which Thomas was born and lived was called the “Calamitous Century,” because of all of the chaos and turmoil that seemed to be pervasive. Europe was in a state of constant upheaval. The Hundred Years War was [...]
Out With the Old and In With the New: 2
Ephesians 4:25-32
The last time we were together, and studying Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, we talked about the innate need within each of us for change. Believer and unbeliever alike sense that there is something more to life than what we are experiencing. The desire for change is something that believers and unbelievers share [...]
Out With the Old and in With the New
Ephesians 4:25-32
We are in the middle of the year so the thought of New Year’s resolutions are the farthest thing from our minds. As the weeks and months rock along the thoughts of “change” will begin to creep in. It happens every year. You and I will watch the evening news and they will talk about [...]
One Subject. One Professor. One Classroom.
Ephesians 4:20-24
In our study last week we took a look at Ephesians 4:17-19 and we heard Paul tell the followers of Jesus, in Ephesus, that they “must no longer live like the Gentiles do.” He insists on it. He’s adamant. He’s uncompromising. He’s fully aware that the people who will hear his letter read are Gentiles [...]
No More…
Ephesians 4:17-19
What we were is not what we are. That is Paul’s consistent message to those who are “in Christ.” What were we before we came to know Christ? Well, we were just like everyone else who does not know Christ. That may catch some of you off guard at first glance because we live in [...]
Building Up The Body
Ephesians 4:7-16
The admiration and adulation of American athletes has risen to an all-time high. The power, grace, and athleticism demonstrated on the field of play excites and inspires both young and old alike. We would like to be able to do the things they do, but we fail to recognize the years of struggle, sweat, and [...]
What is the Church?
Ephesians 4:4-6
There is much confusion today about the Church? What is it? Why does it exist? How did it come about? What is the purpose of the Church in our modern society? I would say that if you took a poll of people from around town today you would find many different answers to these questions. [...]
Maintaining the Gift of Unity
Ephesians 4:1-3
This morning we are going to focus our time together on the first three verses of the fourth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. As I have studied these three verses this past week I have been drawn again and again to verse 3. Let’s read the first three verses, and as [...]
I Want to Walk Worthy
Ephesians 4:1-3
This morning we are turning the corner in our study of Paul’s letter to the folks in Ephesus. For the past several weeks, as we’ve been working our way through Ephesians 1-3, we’ve been seeking to learn about the great doctrines Paul has shared with the people. These great doctrines have helped us to understand [...]
More Than We Can Ask or Imagine
Ephesians 3:20-21
For the past two weeks we have taken a little break for our celebration of God’s provision of the Passover Lamb, our Savior, who came to take away the sins of the world—your sins and my sins. The past two weeks have been so wonderful. To be able to understand that the suffering, the sacrifice [...]
The Incomprehensible Love of Christ
Ephesians 3:14-19
How can we comprehend that which is incomprehensible? To “comprehend” means “to grasp mentally” or “to understand.” To know facts and to understand are really two different things. We can know that the earth is 93,000,000 miles away from the sun, but who can really understand the magnitude of that distance. If we were traveling [...]
Strengthening the Inner Man
Ephesians 3:14-19
It is one thing to “know.” It is a completely different thing to “act on what you know.” You can know everything there is to know about a subject and yet never act on what you know. Let me give you some examples of what I am talking about. You can be the world’s authority [...]
The Transcendence and Power of Prayer
Ephesians 3:14
Prison can be a lonely place. In a small prison cell the world can close in on you. Confinement is, well, it’s confining. We were born to be free, to move about, and to experience life to its fullest. It is not in our nature to be confined, to be isolated. Yet this was the [...]
Sharing the Truth Whatever the Cost
Ephesians 3:1-13
Over and over again in Scripture we are reminded that there is a cost to be paid for following Jesus. There is a price to be paid if we want to follow faithfully in our Lord’s steps. Jesus said, 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny [...]
Once Hopeless. Now Family.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Everyone loves stories about those who rise from the depths of despair and hopelessness to find meaning and purpose in life. One of my favorite movies of all-time is the movie Blindside, the story of the life of Michael Oher. You can probably count on one hand those who have not seen the movie, but [...]