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
We need to feel loved
The need to feel loved is a primary human emotional need. To get it, we’ll climb mountains, ford streams, sail across seas, traverse deserts, and endure incredible hardships. Without it, we tire out in the foothills, hate to get our feet wet, get seasick, make it only as far as the first oasis, and bail… 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
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
