Read the Bible in a Year (09DEC19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, December 9’s Bible reading is Ephesians 1-3.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, December 10’s Bible reading is Ephesians 4-6. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

 

EPHESIANS Introduction

Ephesus, which is modern-day Turkey, was an important city in Asia Minor because it connected major trade routes during the Apostle Paul’s day. It was also home to the temple of the Roman pagan goddess Diana. Paul evangelized in Ephesus for approximately three years, but this letter is believed to have been written to the church during his two-year imprisonment in Rome about 60 A.D. The first three chapters in Ephesians centers around New Testament theological doctrine about Christ, and the last three chapters gives insight and focuses on appropriate Christian behavior. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians helps to remind the believer of the blessings they have received in Christ and how to ward off the enemy’s attacks by wearing the whole armor of God. A common theme in this book is that the church is a living organism comprised of both Jews and Gentiles who make up the body of Christ. 

EPHESIANS MOMENT – (09DEC19) “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:4-6). The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians while he was imprisoned in Rome to give them understanding into the work Jesus did for them and all who believe in Him. We were chosen before creation, predestined, to be His. We were adopted to be the sons and daughters of God. made possible through His son Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world. Nothing took place by accident in His predestination of us, for we were chosen before the beginning of time. Paul told the church that we were once dead in our transgressions because we followed the path of Satan by gratifying the pleasures of our flesh. Yet, although we were deserving of death, Jesus took the punishment that should have been ours so that we may be reconciled back to God.

We can never boast that it was because of our works that we are saved. Nothing we could have done nor any amount of money that could have been paid would have been enough to satisfy the debt we owed. The Bible says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10). The good works that we do are a result of the One who did a good work in us. We are unable on our own to do anything good, but it is Christ who lives on the inside of us who enables the works we do to flow to others as a testimony of His goodness. As a result of Christ’s work, He made it possible for both Jews and Gentiles to receive salvation through faith. We are equal heirs as the sons and daughters of God and where we were once two parts, circumcised and uncircumcised, we have been brought together as one in Christ.

Because Christ first chose us, we owe our love, honor, and total commitment to Him. We should always look for opportunities to bless others as a way to stand witness of what He did for us. If it had not been for the Lord, we would be without hope for a better tomorrow. The hope that we have enables us to continue the race because we know that in the end, we will see Jesus. No matter how far we have gone, or what mistakes we have made in life, Jesus had a plan from the very beginning to restore us back to the Father. Something to ponder….