GRACE WORK But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. —Ephesians 4:7 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather,…

GOD DOES FAR MORE THAN WE CAN EVER ASK OR THINK! Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. —Ephesians 3             Do you limit God? Are you expectant of what He will do and is doing in and through your life? Do you ponder His greatness? Are you considering the work He is doing on this planet? Do you think about what He does every day to sustain life and keep the universe in…

THE CROSS IS TO KILL HOSTILITY! …reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. —Ephesians 2:16             What can kill the hostility between individuals, people groups, tribes and even nations? It is the cross and all that was done there by King Jesus. If there is hostility between parties, then is the cross understood?   Is it being applied? I think not.             We need the understanding of what Jesus did at the cross to reconcile people from “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).  Are you being hostile toward a tribal group, a language group, a people group…

TRUST HIM! In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will… —Ephesians 1:11 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. —Romans 8:28              God “who works all things according to the counsel of his will” and “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” All things mean just that— “all things.” So take heart! Whatever is happening in your life God is working it…

WE HARVEST WHAT WE SOW!  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. —Galatians 6:7-10             What is your harvest looking like? What are you sowing? Whatever it is you…

I AM FREE! For freedom Christ has set us free… —Galatians 5:1  For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” —Galatians 5:13-14              I am free! Jesus has set me free! He has set me free with purpose! He has set me free to serve others. He has set me free to love others. I am not to use this “freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.”             So how am I doing with my freedom? How am I…

WHERE MY FAITH IS PLACED The righteous shall live by faith. —Galatians 3:11             “For we live by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7).  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).   “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because…

READY FOR THE COMING JUDGMENT For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low. — Isaiah 2:12 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. —Isaiah 2:19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_gBpvihKcQ&list=UUf1NPIFOBwzTLVQiEDnq4Cw               God is a God of love— “God is love” (I John 4:8).   But God is a God of wrath and judgment as well to all who are against Him— “But those enemies of mine who…

BY GOD’S GRACE YOU ARE! But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone. —Galatians 1:15-16             God had a plan for Saul in His timing as He does for us (Acts 17:26).   He drew him to Jesus as He did us (John 6:44). And so it is with others who have not responded to Jesus yet but will. They will respond by our taking the message to them as our Father works in us…

DO A SELF TEST! Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. —II Corinthians 13:5-8             This is a test… but it is a self test. Is…