UPON

I have felt filled with the Spirit, but I have never pictured it as a kingly anointing: I pictured kneeling before the heavenly king, and he poured precious oil on my head, laid his hands on my head, and said, “Go into the day infused with my Spirit. Be the person I created you to… Read More

Ephesians 3:1-3 Obedience landed him in jail

God had a plan and a mission for Paul’s life. Paul followed it, and it landed him in jail. He’s not whining, just stating facts. And he still went forward with God’s mission for him. Can we do the same?   Ephesians 3:1-3 (New Living Translation) When I think of all this, I, Paul, a… Read More

Ephesians 2:11-13 I didn’t have a clue!

Once I was on the outside. Now I’m part of the family of God. Once I had no clue about God, his promises, his love, and his grace. Now, because of his mercy, sacrifice, and victory over death, I am in on it altogether. God is love, and He loves me. I don’t take it… Read More

Are you wearing your praise habit?

God’s love–when we focus on it and what it means, we begin to change. We change from our old selves to our new. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind… Read More

Ephesians 2:4-10 We neither make nor save ourselves

There’s no way I can pull myself up by my boot straps to be good enough for God–which is the perfection in which He created us and placed it. We chose and daily choose against him–you’d think he’d be so sick of it and us that He’d throw us far away so we wouldn’t hurt… Read More

Ephesians 2:1-5 Inhale unbelief–Exhale disobedience

What am I filling my mind with? What do I take in through my five senses? What do I dwell on? What do I spend my time and money on? That’s what will come out. Inhale. Exhale.   Ephesians 2:1-5 (New Living Translation) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.… Read More

What kind of soil are you?

In their book Real Relationships: From Bad to Better and Good to Great, Lee and Leslie Parrott make the argument that a solid sense of who you are is the foundation, the critical element needed to form true and lasting relationships: “If you try to find intimacy with another person before achieving a sense of identity… Read More