Michael De Rosa, Author at Moutainside Community Church: Recent Episodes

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Come see what God can do

Ephesians 6:7

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

Goodness needs to go right to the bone of who we are for only those actions that are from a Godly-intentioned heart can ever pass as commendable service before God’s throne.

Thus, goodness has to be much more than a grin-and-bear it mentality when we do our jobs…or, looking at this another way, let me say this: our lack of good will towards our bosses is proportional to our disobedience to God

So, my Christian friend, I have some good news for you: those routine, boring days at work will be transformed when your job performance before your colleagues and bosses is seen as firstly your service to the King of Kings

In conclusion, let me leave you with this question: how would you assess your work ethic at your job and what might you need to change to be in better harmony with God’s will in rending good service to your fellow man

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Ephesians 6:6

not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Doing obedience from the heart is nothing less than a total commitment to obey the one who is in authority over us. Regardless

Yet, hear me out. Such obedience DOES NOT mean blindly following orders. So, then, how do we obey when we questions regarding what someone wants us to do?

Here are my thoughts:

remember that God has called us to respect others, so when questions or concerns arise, talk them over with that individual. Maybe there was a misunderstanding on your expectations, maybe another way could be found that wouldn’t compromise your Christian values, and…maybe if there is simply no way that you could remain a person of integrity if you were to obey, you decide to look for another job.

So be all in when submitting to authorities, while knowing that a greater authority, namely God Himself, has your back as you trust him

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Ephesians 6:5

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;

Just imagine for a moment if no one obeyed anyone.

For instance: You go to a lecture to learn and the rest of the audience is being exceedingly disruptive, not caring to listen to the speaker.

or, let’s say you have some life saving information to give to others, but they want to spurn your advice.

Yet, it is not uncommon to NOT see the bigger picture from not obeying; rather, people will rationalize why they disobeyed.

This Scripture, though, makes us aware of the higher calling in obedience, namely it is in our accountability before God Himself. Wouldn’t that cause one to become more soberly minded in obeying those in authority over us?

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Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Dads: while our children know how to push our buttons, we need to rise above our emotions that give way to unrighteous anger

And the only way to NOT succumb to those emotions is to set your mind, and your focus ,on what is God’s counsel at such a time.

It is not easy, though: many of us have failed, but success is not measured by never failing, rather, success begins when we getup one more time than we have failed.

So…let’s unpack this…

Firstly, discipline helps one be aware of heathy boundaries; and, secondly, Instruction helps lay out the consequences for transgressing those boundaries.

In other words, what this means is that it takes a whole lot of work to build, maintain, restore healthy relationships with our children, Dads .

In conclusion, think about this: instead of expending our emotional energies by pushing our kids’ buttons, let’s put our energies towards helping yur children learn the benefits of Godly living.

The post Fathers appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 6:3

so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

This is the promise for the children who honor their parents.

This very promise should be ample motivation to have conversation with our children about their need and reason to obey us; and our need to understand them so that our homes can better reflect God’s loving design for families

Now, one reason for living longer is that a child’s obedience will be a great hedge around him from the many vices that lure disobedient children.

And, yet, some have known children who have honored their parents and died prematurely.

While this appears to contradict God’s word, I think it speaks more to our desire to to understand a Sovereign God, which could be likened to trying to nail jello to the wall.

So in closing, may I suggest that we focus on what we can control, namely helping our children understand that obedience is far better than rebellion; and to, also let go of questions we will not understand.

The post Children appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 6:2

Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),

There are two concerns that parents need to deal with:

On the other hand, how can we expect our children to honor us when we are far less than perfect?

But, on the one hand, it is a command that children honor their parents…and we are called to help them do just that

So…as one imperfect parent to another, may I make two suggestions:

Pray, namely, talk with God about your concerns and listen to Him. Really listen. Seek His guidance as you read and meditate on His Word,
And secondly, walk in humility before God… and your children so that when the opportunity avails itself, be open to discussing your failures with your sons and daughters, and your hopes for them

So…remember that the only lasting legacy we really can ever leave this world will be through our children.

Let me conclude with this thought:

unless we grapple with this,

we will fail our children, and dishonor our Heavenly Father.

The post Honor appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 6:1

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

I want us to focus on these two questions:

How would Jesus have children obey parents who loved them…and those parents who showed no love towards them.
How would Jesus want parents to help their children obey them?

Unfortunately, obedience is not highly valued by some; instead more stress is laid learning independence and fostering creativity. And while, these values are important, without a child learning obedience, any other value instilled will be built on a shaky foundation

Perhaps we, parents, can cultivate a better atmosphere where our children will be more inclined to obey us if we, ourselves, would become more attentive to obeying our Heavenly Father.

In closing, let us remember that when we hear of such commands in God’s Holy Word, we can be assured that He will give us the means to carry them out.

And that means, as you may have already gathered, is Jesus.

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Ephesians 5:33

Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

A wife will only fully respect her husband’s God ordained leadership when she loves him; and… a husband can only fully love his wive when he respects her from standing in total amazement of who God created her to be.

And we can only imagine what happens as such marriages flourish. For example:

Better communication takes place
Peace becomes the foundation of the household
Joy is evident as spouses delight in each other’s gifts

Now, please listen to me on this, husbands and wives: your mate must be your number one priority… regardless of your other commitment

This is more than hard to pull off. It is impossible with our own wits and in our own strength. And this is why we are continually reminded that Christ, alone, must be the center of our homes

The post Love and Respect appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:32

This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

A mystery by definition is something that can not be explained, but only observed and -if desired- embraced.

Now, we can readily observe this mystery by noting Christians working together on projects, staying together even in the midst of conflict, and creating a healthy atmosphere for others to join.

What we may not readily observe is the reason for this type of fellowship. It is their devotion to Christ:

Namely, their trials, and joys are brought into God’s Holy Presence, who alone shows them His undying loving delight to be with them throughout this life and into the next one.

In conclusion, now think about this:

As our present day culture struggles to find any type of sustainable hope and peace, consider what God is want ing to do through His church so that others can know of His hope and His love through Christ.

The post The Church appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:31

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

Becoming one flesh means spouses are meant to readily identify with each other

And, yet -far to often- we don’t let this happen when it comes to divorce

Namely, one too many couples look to Divorce as being the solution to marital conflict, while unwittingly side stepping the counsel of God’s Word.

Friend, why are we so quick to heal an infection while thinking it preposterous to cut out the infected body part; but, too hesitant to heal a marriage, while thinking that dissolving it will solve problems?

You see, becoming one flesh has been designed by God, Himself, to enrich married couple’s life so that they can be singularly focused as they work together

In closing, what would our society look like if couples became more desirous to discover what God meant about marital harmony instead of trying to seek the perfect partner?

The post Divorce or Oneness appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:30

because we are members of His body.

What we have here is a a mystical understanding here between the church and our Lord.

My brothers and sisters What great things God has given us in calling us member of His body. We are given the means to empathize deeply with our fellow Christians and thus as we care for ourselves , we can truly care for each other in our local congregations.

For you see, our lives, the things we do, and say, have consequences far beyond what we can conceive. And why is that?

It’s because we are members of His body and what affects one of us will ultimately affect all of us.

So, how are you spending your time connecting with those in your local congregation? Have you moved beyond superficial conversations to find the opportunity to have heart to heart discussions?

In closing, I want us to consider how we can get on board with the great things God is doing in His church

The post His Church appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:29

for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

Paul continues to highlight that a husband’s love for himself is reflected in how he loves his wife.

And you would think: “what husband, would ever purposely not care of himself?” and, yet, on the basis of God’s word, we can conclude that as we witness the likes of such things as divorce, domestic abuse, and even murder, we are also acknowledging, at least to some extent, a husbands inability to love himself as God intended.

And, yet, as we are continually reminded, such love can never be given without Christ being n the center of a marriage.

So, what greater gift could we ever give our wives than becoming diligent in allowing God to radically love us so that we can unconditionally support our wives to be the women that God has designed.

The post The Power of Godly Relationships appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:28

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;

This verse is, at least, telling us that a man’s love for himself is directly reflected in how he cares for his wife?

And, may I suggest, that any lack of love towards our wives in specific areas is because we, husbands, are struggling in that very area?

So, husbands, when you want to be critical of your wife, why don’t you see the opportunity that the Lord is giving you to see the lack of self love in your own life, and use that time to pray -at least- for your own shortcomings.

And God WILL take care of our shortcomings, as we yield them to Him.

In closing, let me say this to you, Husbands: our most important task is to lead our wives to the Throne of Grace, just as Jesus does for His Church.

The post What our relationships reveal appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:27

that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Jesus’s purpose for His church is to have her set apart from worldly standards and to make her without sin.

Yet, there are many problems in His church today. Here are just a few examples:

Congregational splits over pastoral leadership;
Denominations trying to point out faults in other denominations
Churches becoming so seeker sensitive that the power of the Gospel is diluted…or, Churches becoming so rigidly legalistic that they fail to address societal problems in a redemptive way

So, in closing, let me ask you two questions:

First, what kind of societal transformation might we witness if we allowed our Lord to redeem us from our own spots and winkles?

And, secondly, how many would embrace God’s Good News, if we, the church accepted our responsibility to allow the Lord to discipline us?

The post Judgment begins with the Church appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:26

so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

As Christ lived and died to make His church holy and set apart, so we, husbands must do the same for our wives.

This is our main concern, husbands. Everything else is secondary.

So be careful to make your wife priority number otherwise the fabric of godliness in our society will continue to unravel

God has a calling on your wife, and it is your task husband to be diligent in leading and guiding her to be that woman whom God created her to be. And this is done -and our Scripture verse lays out- by the washing of water with the word.

Now this washing signifies a baptism into a new mode of living, namely attuning our affections and thoughts towards the practical and sound counsel of God’s Word instead of -for example- being swayed by society’s values

Husbands, lets daily pray for God to make us the men our wives need.

Then, our society will more readily see God’s love and His power.

The post Dying to Self appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5 :25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Do you realize, Husband, that the way you love your wife will be reflected in the manner she is subjected to you? Let me list ways to love your wife:

protect her from physical harm
provide her with a safety net so she can vent her emotions
lead her in sound spiritual practices
stimulate her intellectually, and
encourage her emotionally

Doing this will reap high dividends in the health of our marital relationships. For I don’t think I could find a wife who would NOT want to come under this kind of love

And yet we husbands can pull away from bonding with our spouses when are egos get in the way as we are made aware of our shortcomings.

Yet, when we learn to embrace our Lord’s plan during such times, we will find blessings in -at least- a more robust and loving marriage.

In closing, let me say this: The greatest gift we can give our wives is to love them unconditionally

The post Love and Subjection appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5 :24

But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything

Just as a church functions well when there is a chain of leadership, so does the home

Just as Christ exhorts us to use our gifts for the building up of the local church so that others -both inside and outside of those local congregations- will know and experience God’s abundant loving salvation, it is the role of husbands to build up their wives so that they can be all whom God has designed.

And, yet, struggle with this on so many levels.

And this is where we find ourselves in this verse: imperfectly forgiven individuals whom God loves enough to command our weak and fallible natures to submit our lives to Him

So, then, let’s own each power struggle we get involved and learn to give each other grace as we lay our burdens at the foot of the cross.

The post Submission appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5 :23

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

It is easy to recoil at such a statement as this because of the push for equality in our culture today; and, yet, the timelessness of God’s word forces us to assess its mandate in light of our society’s values

Now, this is NOT to suggest that husbands are better than wives. Rather, their role in the family needs to be heeded for this orderliness that God has prescribed fosters a unity of love. Also , let us not forget one parallel between Christ and the husband, namely Christ so loved mankind that He willingly laid his life down for us.

And, in like manner, when the husband, the head of household, protector of his family, is willing to do whatever for the sake of his family knowing God’s love and calling, I dare say that I would be hard pressed to find any wife who would not seek the shelter of such a man by submitting to him.

The post Subjecting appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5 :22

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

There is a double injustice done to this word, subject. First, our modern culture has tainted this to mean enforced slavery, or anything of the like; and, secondly, it is not uncommon to hear Christian couples lamenting that subjecting is just too hard, or that it is a lofty, unrealistic goal.

Yet, I want to remind you, Christian, of two more things: first, God’s word is our guide in all matters, not our modern culture’s values; and secondly, the Christian has not been left with Biblical ideals to live by, but he has been left with the Holy Spirit of God who can and will daily enable him to actually live out such Biblical precepts as subjecting to one another.

Lastly, my word is now specifically directed to, you, wives: if you find it hard to subject to your husband, make it a matter of prayer as you more diligently subject yourselves to the Lord. God will take care of the rest.

The post Subjecting appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:21

and subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ

Most people I know do not like this word subject because of its negative connotations of demeaning another individual

But, this word as used here conveys the attitude of thinking more highly of others than ourselves all within the context of serving Christ Jesus our Lord. In fact, the only way to subject ourselves to another individual is to love him

Yet, subjecting ourselves to one another is not the goal; rather it is the God-given means to build healthier relationships for the purpose of sharing God’s story with them.

And, therefore, in conclusion, we are reminded to do this in the fear of Christ, namely do this in the trembling awareness that we who are finite…and weak.,,,and prone to sin are continually watched by the infinite…powerful…and loving Creator who udges the affairs of all men,

Blessings on your Journey!

-Michael K. De Rosa

The post Subjecting and Love appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:20

always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Now, if you have experienced the peace that comes from giving thanks to God in all thing, don’t be surprised if people label you a simpleton when crisis comes and you confidently tell those who are worrying that your hope remains in God. Such naysayers find only a pseudo peace when situations are going smoothly for you see, this pseudo peace is theirs only when they can maintain a measure of control

But in faith, we can let go of our desire to control situations because we realize that nothing happens to us without it first passing through the hands of God, so that come what may, we know that there will always be a way to experience His love in and through the situation.

So in closing, let me leave you with this thought:

You ability to give thanks in all things is proportional to your belief in God’s sovereignty.

Thank about that.

The post Giving Thanks: the Antidote to Worrying appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:19

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord;

God has given us the gift of words and His intention is that we use these words powerfully for building others up by way of letting them know that God cares, that He provides a way through difficulties, that He is mighty to protect.

Yet, we miss this if we only consider this Scripture to mean we need to be walking around and belting out choruses of amazing grace to every person we meet.

Rather, this gift of words is formed from the foundation of God’ Word: His promises, His disciple, His warnings, His blessings, and His encouragement

And…dare we think that we can muster up this with our own wits and strength, we are reminded -from the last verse, that it is the direct result of being filled with the spirit.

In closing, consider how your words can powerfully impact our nation, where one too many people are bent on crazy.

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Ephesians 5:18

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

T

rying to understand God’s will without being born again is about as futile as trying to get jello to stick to the wall; or about as dangerous as stepping in a puddle of water and grabbing two live wires. In the first example, you will at best, waste your time, while in the second example, at worst you will end your time.

This entire section of God’s word is all about us recognizing that Christians are called to a Holy Standard because they have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And, it is on THAT foundation we are now urged to not be foolish but understand what the will of God is

In closing, let me share one thing that I am delightfully discovering: I am learning the freedom of praying, then going; AND going, while praying.

In other words, when I do my best to put God first in all my plans, He will and does guide me, and He is pretty good at correcting or fine tuning my course as I am continually dependent upon Him.

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Ephesians 5:17

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Trying to understand God’s will without being born again is about as futile as trying to get jello to stick to the wall; or about as dangerous as stepping in a puddle of water and grabbing two live wires. In the first example, you will at best, waste your time, while in the second example, at worst you will end your time.

This entire section of God’s word is all about us recognizing that Christians are called to a Holy Standard because they have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And, it is on THAT foundation we are now urged to not be foolish but understand what the will of God is

In closing, let me share one thing that I am delightfully discovering: I am learning the freedom of praying, then going; AND going, while praying.

In other words, when I do my best to put God first in all my plans, He will and does guide me, and He is pretty good at correcting or fine tuning my course as I am continually dependent upon Him.

The post Understanding God’s Will appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:16

making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

There is so much intensity here…

…Not only are we aware of the inroads that Evil is making upon us, but we are equally aware of our need to make the most out of our days so that we can be ambassadors for Christ.

Let me ask you a questions:

Are you continually aware of your need to redeeming every opportunity you have to be a ambassador for Christ?

So…let’s consider some practical ways we can access how well we are doing in making the most of our time for God’s sake:

Why not keep a journal of how you are currently spending your time to assess if there are chunks of time that are being wasted in frivilous matters
And…what about a journal to record the number of times you have talked with others about their need for salvation

In closing, I want to remind all of us, while we do not know when our Lord is returning, we can know how well we are preparing for this Day.

The post The Kairos Moment appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:15

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

Carefulness is wise counsel, my brother and sister. Too often what we know about the Bible is not lived out. Rather, we are impetuous, or lazy to grasp the significance of the moment we are in

So, we are given this command, to be careful, namely to weigh out the ramifications of our actions so that our witness for Christ in the situation we are in will have a most marked effect for everyone present…for we will not get any do-overs in this life.

Now, while we never want to make light of repentance and forgiveness, once our actions have been taken, or our words uttered: We. Can. Never. Undo. Them.

So…be careful.

Let the spirit of the Living God guide you each day.
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to do everything perfectly,
Rather, be ever mindful that your loving heavenly Father wants to see you flourish in this life so that others, also, will know Him in an intimate way.

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Ephesians 5:14

For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”

If we awake, Christian, consider how many evils in this world would be undone. It is sobering to realize that we, the church, have been rightly accused of sleeping at the wheel by not shouldering our responsibilities to be God’s witness in our society

And, yet, before going up against the evils of our nation, we must first come to grips with our own lethargy …indifference… lack of conviction…, namely our deadness in our own relationship with God Almighty,

So, therefore, while the light of Christ will expose any deadness within us, we, then, will have a part to play in deciding to allow God to free us from such shackles.

In closing, then, will you, my brother and sister, allow the Spirit of God to awaken you from the dead?

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Ephesians 5:13

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light..

God, Himself, will make all things visible. Namely, our mortality, the good and the bad will be exposed as we become aware of our great lack before God

Christ, though, God with us, is the light that exposes…and redeems…and cleanses…and purifies.

So…then… saint’s and sinner’s deeds are manifested by His light: to the former, such exposer is in the form of discipline; to the later, exposure brings judgement

Either way, God is glorified and both Saint and Sinner have the opportunity to decide what they will do with such conviction.

So, let us consider carefully how those ways within us that are broken, confused fearful, upset, angered and the like will become visible, and then how they would become a witness to others, a light to them, if we only welcome His redeeming presence.

The post Becoming Visible appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:12

for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

Some things are best left unsaid. Knowing about someone’s sin should not bring us to the point of gossiping about it, for doing so only prolongs Evil’s hold ~~on those who focus on it.~~

Speaking of such things can bring us into a place of judging the other person, of inadvertently esteeming ourselves as better than that person.

A wise man once told me that when I saw a person in sin that that was a reminder to make it a matter of prayer for God had a much bigger stake in that person’s soul than did my feeble, well-intentioned, poorly thought through attempts to address his sin

Now, I know that some of you might just still love to talk about another’s misfortune under the guise of wanting to help that person, but if you are in this camp of people, I urge you to, then, take those concerns –every last one of them –and bring them to God in desperate prayer.

What might God do with such a person then?

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Ephesians 5:11

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

We need to go out of our way and be willing to get uncomfortable in exposing the sin around us.

Yet, exposing sin, necessitates that we have first have confessed and forsaken sin on a practical level for we will never call out that sin in others which resides still in us

For that very sin that has become a habit for us and we will rationalize away the very evil we are doing in order to call it good.

Thus, the command here ‘do not participate’. Yet, outside of Christ, we simply can not.

But the very grace and mercy that saved us to start our Christian life, is the same grace and mercy we now. And that will be received when you and I have come to the place of experiencing the devastation we have allowed in us and around us because of that sin

The post Getting Rid of Sin appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 5:10

Find out what pleases the Lord.

This verse is a breath of fresh air for those who struggle with perfectionism for it opens the door to a life that is void of legalistic tendencies of carefully calculating what action or words would be just the correct ones to do or say. Rather, it paints for us a most freeing and vibrant picture of a child who is given the latitude to approach his day with a care-free spirit while intimately knowing his heart-felt desire to please his daddy.

You say that this is not easy given your circumstances?

Then I would say to you, Cheer up O Christian, and realize Our Heavenly Father knows all of these concerns and has not abandoned you. Rather, He has graciously and mercifully paved the way for you too know His love for you more fully not in spite of all your concerns but because of all those concerns. Nothing is wasted in our Father’s Economy.

Therefore, in closing, as this truth grips your heart may you experience a new found freedom in living for our Lord

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Ephesians 5:9

(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

What is the fruit of your life, Christian? Do others see goodness and righteousness and truth from your speech and actions?

As followers of Christ, we do not need to worry about whether or not we are good enough, or whether or not we are making right choices or whether or not are being absolutely truthful when people talk to us.

The reason for this is that sharing your Christian witness should be as effortlessly as breathing…because that is who Christ is in you.

We don’t flip the light switch and expect to not see the light do we? We don’t walk out in the rain and expect to remain dry, do we? For Christ is our Light and we are wired to do nothing less than to radiate His character. He simply will not lead you astray.

So, then are people seeing this fruit from your life? If not, simply ask God why not, and then follow where He is leading you.

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Ephesians 5:8

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

We need to remember that our former lives were darkened by Evil’s Presence. And, yet, it can become too easy to forget the pull that sin once had on our life when we reflect upon those days as though they were ‘not that bad’. Evil has a insidious way to blind us from focusing on God by getting us to compare ourselves with others; and, thus, the thought ‘we really weren’t that bad.

But now….things have not changed, but through God’s grace, you have changed, and your manner of doing things is to submit all to God. You are now ambassadors for Christ because you are Light in the Lord.

Therefore, hold your head up high as a King’s Kid, and with each step you take do so in faith knowing that God has your back, that He is your stronghold.

Walk, therefore, as children of Light

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Ephesians 5:7

Therefore do not be partakers with them

Do not.

We are plainly told DO NOT hang with those who flatter us with empty words; for it will become harder and harder to sever ourselves from those who are stroking our egos.

So let’s look at these two words:

Do not. Such few words. Yet we want to add to them reasons why we do not need to obey,

Do not. Such clear instructions. Yet we easily become confused as we veer away from obeying them

Do not. Seemingly confining words for we are duped to think accepting a NO is depriving us of something we are entitled to

Friend, while our loving Father warns us of the dangers we face in this life, He has in His love allowed us to decide if we want to abide by His counsel.

Will you heed the warning of DO NOT PARTAKE or will you toss it aside? While the decision in yours, you and I will both reap the consequences from that decision

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Ephesians 5:6

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Deception blindsides us because we don’t know that we have been deceived until AFTER we have been duped

But …there is a way not become blindsided… , and it will take a lot of effort on our part.

Namely, we need to be ever watchful for those who try to sweet talk us with empty promises, trying their best to paint for us an idyllic life if we only do something.

In addition to this, we need to be mindful of God’s promises, His Spirit and His Word that give our life direction and meaning.

Empty words, friend, will captivate us when our hearts are not set on seeking the Lord.

I urge you, in closing, to not let anything keep you from knowing God. For deception is always lurking to snatch us up.

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Ephesians 5:5

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Lets just look at one item on this list: idolatry

Now, idolatry is putting something or someone in our lives ahead of every thing else such that all of our decisions are filtered through seeking the approval of that thing or someone

For instance,

Consider how the having enough money can become an idol when it drives people to do whatever it takes to pay bill, instead of seeking God’s direction in this matter

Friend…we must be continually mindful of how even our thoughts can become idolatrous … when they seek to downplay God’s direction for us.

May our Heavenly Father be allowed to purge us of such tendencies.

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Ephesians 5:4

and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

We must do our best to live by the adage ‘if you have nothing good to say, say nothing’. Not easy. Not always done.

But, if we could just sit still long enough, and ponder all those dicey conversations we have had, we just might begin to see that God has never left us even in the midst of these uncomfortable times with others

And that, alone, could bring about a heart of gratitude that God really is in charge and that regardless of where we find ourselves in that present pickle of a snarly relationship, that God Himself is showing us the way through.

At present, we can never get into too much trouble where God is no longer there, for today is the day to give thanks. Tomorrow may never come, and tomorrow may just be too late. So, let’s do all we can today to hear and obey God’s leading.

This is the reason we can give thanks.

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Ephesians 5:3

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

Our daily lives are bombarded with sensations that will purposefully, or unwittingly try to pull us from God’s love.

So, if there is ever is a reason to humble ourselves before God on a moment by moment basis, it is this; for, we can be so easily undone at any time if we think -but, for a moment ;”I got this”

We need to cultivate a transparent relationship with our Heavenly Father so that our hearts would be sensitized to His leading us through this very fickle world.

Or, else, such vices as immorality, impurity and greed will become our bedfellows.

Friend, there is no easy way to avoid such evils…but maybe that is a good thing as it will force us to be more diligent in pursuing God’s ways, while knowing our utterly complete dependence on Him

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Ephesians 5:2

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

The only way that you, and I, can love others is to reflect deeply on what Christ did and does for us when he shows us His love: otherwise the stresses we daily face at our work, in our home, and in our community will gradually overwhelm us

Loving as Christ did to is more than a feeling. It is a decision to being completely there for that other person -as Christ was and is for us-…regardless of who they are,

So let’s make a decision to realize each person we come in contact with during the day is in a life and death Struggle with EVIL and it is our calling to show nothing but unfeigned concern for that person becoming all whom God has created him to be

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Ephesians 4:14

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

All this harkens back to v. 11, where we read that God gave us the apostles, and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers. And, now … as a result of their leadership, we can escape the destruction from the many enticing facades of evil around us.

Such facades can be seen in the good attempts of society, like:

standing against domestic abuse
fighting human trafficking
Helping the homeless

While we want to do good, if that goodness becomes an end to itself, we can began to ask ourselves such questions as ‘how good is good enough’, ‘can we do better’, if we went this far, why not try harder next time’?

Friend, only when our leaders impress upon us that God is our only standard for goodness, such questions will be like the waves, carrying us away to but try another man made effort

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Ephesians 4:13

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Friend, our churches are being equipped by God Himself to make a difference in our communities that are struggling on so many levels.

God’s desire is to bring us to such a place where we move in sync with our Christian brother’s and sister’s hopes and prayers and sufferings byway of graciously and mercifully supporting them just as Christ has done and is doing for us.

Basically, God’s design for His church is to see to it that each brother and sister is made fully alive in Christ.

So, while this is God’s design, we must choose this day and every day to be co-laborers with Him. And we can do that by praying for our church leadership and by staying diligently focused on those eternal and sound Biblical Truths for life

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Ephesians 4:12 His purpose was to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ This 5 fold ministry needs to work together: So consider this: Apostles show us the importance of being a community of believers Prophets stir us up as we listen Read more…

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Ephesians 4:11 He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Christ gave these ministries to the church. We would do well, then, to foster our people’s skills who have these gifts So, Let’s look at these ministries: Apostles are those who are sent to Read more…

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Ephesians 4:10. He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things. The extent of Christ’s filling has no limits: the worst of sinners, the best of mankind have been and are and will be created to fully receive Read more…

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Ephesians 4:9 Notice that it says he returned to heaven. This means that he had first come down from the heights of heaven, far down to the lowest parts of the earth One of the things this means is that He intimately identified with our short comings, with our humiliations, Read more…

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Ephesians 4:8 That’s why the Scriptures say: “When he went to the highest place, he took captive those who had captured us and gave gifts to people.” Friend, not only were we captives to sin, but now -in spite of that former condition- we have been given gifts. Remember Read more…

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Ephesians 4:7 Christ gave each one of us a special gift. Everyone received what he wanted to give them. , While we all like gifts, one gift is difficult to receive: this is the gift of whom God created us to be… the gift of uniqueness…of how God specifically designed Read more…

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Ephesians 4:6 There is one God and Father of us all, who rules over everyone. He works through all of us and in all of us. Since this is true, how are we to interact with everyone who has differing views, even opposing views than ours, as Christians The answer Read more…

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Ephesians 4:5 We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. If it is true that we only have one Lord, one Master, why are we allowing other things and people to take His place? Our dilemma, I believe, is rooted in an infatuation with our selfs. Namely, we Read more…

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Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as when you were called you were called to one hope. Without hope, we are lost because Hope inspires us to live well, to see beyond the present into a better tomorrow. Friend, we are called to one Hope, and Read more…

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Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Becoming Christian is the start of a brand new life and just as we are continually being made aware of the basics of life so that we may live in these bodies the Read more…

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Ephesians 4:2 Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Humility has been defined as NOT thinking less of ourselves but of thinking of ourselves less. In other words, you, Christian are not meant to be a doormat where others walk all over Read more…

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Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, The first thing that I am aware of in this Scripture is that our lives matter: thus, ‘walk I a manner worthy of your Read more…

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Ephesians 3:21

Glory belongs to God in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time and eternity! Amen.

What is Glory?

It is worth. Importance. Honor. Weightiness.

AndI am thankful for this…because of such times I’m going through right now…

…my inner peace is being shaken tremendously. Things are on the verge of spinning out of control. And the only thing that tethers me from falling is spending more time in His Word because in the Scriptures I rediscover God’s greatness. His Glory.

So, while this dark night of the soul rages, it is becoming my teacher in helping me learn -again- that God’s glory is not diminished by the circumstances around me.

Can you identify with me, friend?

His Glory is slowly breaking through into my darkness -my confusion- as a small yet steady beam of hope. And as the Holy Spirit steadies me to focus on His Glory, the weightiness of His presence around me is becoming more substantial than the stresses around me.

And I can and do say AMEN, Glory belongs to him

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Ephesians 3:20

God is able to do much more than we ask or think through His power working in us.

The other day, the Lord God gave me His peace as I approached a crisis situation. Oh, I was wrestling with the desire to orchestrate the circumstances so that I could speak my mind

Yet, as I approached this time, His Spirit reminded me that all the Father wants is obedience and then God will powerfully move so much beyond what I could ever imagine.

And He did.

Friend, I dare say that you have your own stories of how God showed up beyond your wildest dreams. And, I hope that you tell those stories to keep reminding you… and to encourage others that in simple -yet it is profound- obedience God’s power is evidenced.

So, friends, let’s stand o tip toes today to peer into how God’s power is working through us to display His glory in everything that we do.

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Ephesians 3:19

I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.

When we pray for others, how often do we pray like this: asking our Father to help others know the love of Christ?

Just the other day, I was more attuned to the numerous stresses that each one of us faces in any given day: situations that are unjust, that are inconsiderate, that breed anger.

So, while WE do need to pray through each one of these, and we, also, need to pray for others as well, I can only wonder what might happen if we became more intentional in asking our Father that they may know the love of Christ in those situations…

,,,because His love goes far beyond knowing a quick fix to the stress; rather, His love exposes the root of the stress and gives us the confident joy to walk through it

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Ephesians 3:18

I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is.

Understanding God’s love is akin to being swept off your feet by a Hurricane in that you will not be the same person once you encounter it.

So think of the sin furthest back you did: God’s love has already reached back and is fully able to redeem you from that.

Think of the most secret sin you have done and hope that no one ever finds out: God’s love goes infinity deep to uproot that sin in order to set you free from its torments.

And now consider your most glaring wrong, your most publicly humiliating sin and realize that God’s love goes infinitely above that to cover that shame and is ready to boldly declare that you are forgiven.

And lastly, the way that you and I get swept off our feet is to say yes to the question:

Are we ready to receive His love?

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Ephesians 3:17

I pray that Christ may live in your hearts by faith. I pray that you will be filled with love.

I want you to think about the following questions:

What would happen if this prayer were answered in your life right now?
How would your heart filled with the love of God address those troubling concerns in your life?
How would you approach confusing situations? Shocking moments? Grief-filled relationships?
And lastly, What would you give to have this prayer answered, friend?

Now, listen carefully, if Christ is in your hearts by faith, then simply allow His love for you to lead you, to protect you, to counsel you

My Christian brother and sister, as we become rooted and grounded in His love, we will be able to tackle any facet of life.

God already has a way through every single situation are in or are going to be involved in, so what is keeping us from letting go to allow His love to fill us?

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Ephesians 3:16:

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit

What are your prayers like?

Now think about this: Paul is not praying for individuals to have a good life; rather, he is asking God to strengthen His people in order to shape them into stronger Believers so that they can see that the Good Life is only from God

Praying like this takes our focus off our concerns, our problems, our hopes, even our needs in order to look squarely at God’s delight to empower us with inner strength through His Spirit so that we can live life Victoriously

But this is a hard saying: to want only God when our flesh is screaming out with needs. For how can a person take his focus off the very Concern that wants nothing less than to be served. Concern wants to be the center of attention, and in our own strength we can not move past Concern

Only crying out to Jesus to save us from Concerns will bring about His empowerment through His Spirit

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Ephesians 3:15:

All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him.

Now, just as a car will not run well without the right source of power, you and I will not live life to our fullest without connecting to our source of Power. Jesus.

We are created to experience this Life from Him on a daily basis. We can become aware that God is more vested in our well-being than we are in trying to orderly plan our days

Friend, the more that we realize that our purpose in life is, simply, to know His life, everything else in our life will fall more easily into place

In conclusion, consider this question: “When you encounter stress, why are you trying to control that which you can’t handle?” Then, give it to God. Let go of it and embrace Him.

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Ephesians 3:14:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

Paul’s response to God’s work of redemption- even in his tribulations- was to pray

What about us, though?

What is our response to the Good News when we are struggling?

Do we pray or do we resort to trying to figure out our struggle? And we may justify this action by telling ourselves that God gave us a brain and expects us to use it

However, bowing our knee before the Father, is so much more than reading through a list of prayer concerns. Rather, it takes work, it takes stamina, it takes time, it takes courage to allow God i to search us to the core, to search our motives and concerns regarding our sufferings.

Friend, no matter what we are going through, praying like this will bring us to a place of understanding how God’s work of Redemption overlays and pervades all our concerns

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Ephesians 3:13:

Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

NASB1995

There are no adequate answers for suffering. It is incomprehensible how individuals go through such trials.

And, yet, in this verse, we find that Paul sees something other than what our senses are telling us: namely, he is grounded in the reality that his sufferings have purpose.

So consider these things, my Christian friend so that you might see purpose in your own trials:

Experience the truth that you do not need to worry; but, instead pray.
Know that your pain can not diminish the faith that God has for you in this time

And, then, as God is showing us His presence during our trials, we can share this Good News with others

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Ephesians 3:12:

Now we can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust in him.

Friend, you and I are free, and the Eternal God, the Creator of the Universe smiles at us as we daily grow in our trust in His Son that no matter what is before us, that God will keep us in His shelter.

I am caught up in awe with this: Consider how the Hebrews when they heard God voice at the mountain, cried out it terror for fear they would be struck down. And, righly so, for God told them to stand back.

And, now you and I are told that we can be fearless when coming into His Holy Presence.

And why is that? Because of the magnitude of Christ’s life sacrificed for our sins. Because of the depth of God’s grace that uprooted to the microscopic root hairs connecting us to the Dark Realms of the Underworld.

Friend, step deeper into this confidence when you pray.

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Ephesians 3:11:

This was God’s plan for all of history which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let’s think about this: why do we look so hard for God’s plan for our lives/. We read books, listen to sermons, go to seminars in order to discover’s God’s plan for our lives and yet, we plainly read it in these verse that God’s plan to to save us in Christ.

Sometimes,I think that we put the cart before the horse in our faith by way of focusing on our place in the scheme of life instead of God’ overarching plan.

Now, listen, since this was God’s plan for all of history, what could happen if we spent more time reveling in the reality of His salvation for us…of His great love.

Then, when we put His plan for all of history first in our lives, when we desire it the most, then He will give us the desires of our heart.

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Ephesians 3:10:

His purpose was that all the rulers and powers in the heavenly places will now know the many different ways he shows his wisdom. They will know this because of the church.

God’s manifest wisdom is that through Christ all people will be gloriously saved from all the ravages of sin…

…and the church has been birthed to make this known throughout all creation.

Friend, we will be a Roaring Lion of a witness as all our ministries are filtered through declaring this Wisdom

So, dear friend, what might change in your churches, what might stay the same? What would Jesus do? These are questions worth pondering.

In closing let me impress upon you this truth:

God’s multifaceted wisdom is made known -at least- through people who have been joyfully saved as they live their lives recklessly in love with their Savior.

Go now into your communities with renewed purpose. You have a mission

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Ephesians 3:9,

God, who created everything, wanted me to help everyone understand the mysterious plan that had always been hidden in his mind

Friend, we can help people understand God’ plan that continues to dumbfound the nations…

Because… our God -who created everything- created us, and knows our thoughts and the intentions of our heart as we interact with our others, and He will give us the wisdom and the words to bridge the gap between Gos and man, between others’ questions, confusion and even anger… and God’s rich, all encompassing plan of salvation.

God wants us to be his mouthpiece, his ambassadors, to help everyone understand this great salvation.

So there are two things in closing that we need to be mindful of here:

We must wait for God to draw us to those individuals who need to hear the Gospel
And, when God does draw, we must be obedient to speak His words…for a party in heaven is about to break forth as another prodigal walks the journey to come home

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Ephesians 3:8,

God gave his grace to me, the least of all God’s people, to preach the good news about the immeasurable riches of Christ to the Gentiles.

God gives grace to even the least to preach the good news of the immeasurable riches of Christ.

Think about that my Christian brother and sister:

Whatever your circumstances are,

whatever you have misgivings over,

no matter what your regrets,

your life has been graced by God’s presence

regardless of any of your thoughts of

being insignificant,

too weak,

or not good enough.

Now begin to marvel that your leastness (if that is even a word) is on the opposite side of the spectrum to where Christ is.

And that distance between You and Lord is immeasurably filled with God’s graces which connects you to the King of Kings.

Those are the riches of Christ lavished upon you. And know, that you are called to to share that Good news with others.

Others are dying, literally, to hear that good news from your lips.

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Ephesians 3:7

I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.

When I consider that our Infinite Almighty God decreed us finite weak people to be His agents for change, I am awed:

I am -you are- a servant a minister of the Gospel.

Friend, stop looking around for someone else to bring the good news to your work associates, family members and friends for God created you for this purpose

And, stop telling God that you can’t do it because such words are also telling God that He made a mistake.

Instead, dive into the gift of His Grace to discover how he has uniquely equipped you with His power to work out His desires to bring the Gospel to others through you.

Don’t start sometime today, moving towards this. Start now

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Ephesians 3:6

to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

It may be easy to gloss over this mystery, namely that God loved the gentiles as much as the jews, but there was a long standing sharp divide between these two groups of people.

Avery deep hatred.

Now, while it is not easy to love those who are different from us, God tells us that they world will know hat we are his disciples WHEN WE SHOW LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER.

And God expects no less from us too.

So, do you think that God who set the world in motion would leave us lacking resources to reach across the aisle, per se, and show love to those who are different from us?

In closing, consider this question:

what might happen today if you asked God to show you how He wants you to love that person who is so different from you?

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Ephesians 3:5, which reads:

This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:

Friend, God never intends for us to live our lives having only a head knowledge that He loves ALL MEN. Such knowledge alone will confuse any theology we have on God’s love as we will desperately try to reconcile how the worst sinners could possibly be loved by God. And, how God could love even us.

BUT, God in His Grace and Mercy has revealed this to us through the apostles and prophets, so if you are grappling with God’s love open your Bibles to read and to reread and the meditate upon the stories showing God’s love for mankind

Such revelation can be likened to being drenched with a summer rainstorm.

Just as you did not manufacture the Summer rainstorm, you can not intellectualize God’s love; but, just as you CAN move into that rainstorm, you can move into God’s love

So, friend, regardless of where you are in your faith walk, move more into the revelation of God’s love

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Good morning, this is Michael De Rosa from the Mountainside Community Church in Newport, NH, and the Scripture today is Ephesians 3:4:

By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

Friend, do you understand this insight that Paul speaks of?

For Paul continues to impress upon us that it is only until we are grasped by the revelation that Christ loved us while we were yet sinners.

And I will endeavor to do the same because there is one too many people who think that their sin, their transgression, their good intentions gone awry have removed them from God’s redemption.

Do you know someone like this? Maybe it is you!

Now listen carefully to me now, friend: If that sin, that trespass could disqualify you from God’s salvation, then Christ is not who He said He way, namely the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Scripture )

So, you may feel like an utter failure, but your emotions are not the benchmark by which God in His infinite Wisdom decreed that His Son would be the Savior for all mankind.

The post Understanding appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 3:3

The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.

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The mystery is that God desired not only the Jews to be saved but the Gentiles as well.

In other words, God desires all men to be saved: from the annoyingly religious to the worst offenders of the human race.

That is the mystery: that a holy and loving God should desire the likes of you and me

Now one reason that people are offended at this is because it does not make sense.

And it never will, friend.

Only until, you and I are given a revelation that the most objectionable person we can think of is desired by God, it will. Never. Make. Sense.

But, when the revelation comes then, our lives will radically change for we will no longer recognize people for who they are but for whom they can become in Christ

So, in conclusion let me ask you these questions:

How has this revelation affected your prayer life?

How has this impacted the way you relate to others?

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Ephesians 3:2

I assume that you have heard of the work God in his grace has given me to do for your benefit,

Does not the God you serve love you enough to display His purpose to you?

Just as Paul was given grace from God for the benefit of others, God also has given you grace to help others.

You have purpose, friend, and it is far beyond any earthly pursuit you may deem more important. And, that purpose is twofold:

to let others know that there is far more to living than they know so far.

and

to realize an eternal glory that dwarfs any sufferings, and riches you have encountered or will encounter

My brothers and sisters, do you know how God has graced you so that your life would benefit others?

Is not the God you serve powerful enough to reveal His work for you?

Then, I plead with you, to grab hold of God’s plans so that others too will know God and be saved

The post Beneficial Grace appeared first on Moutainside Community Church.

Ephesians 3:1

So I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am a prisoner for you who are not Jews.

Being a prisoner is not something that most people want to see in their futures! Let alone, being a prisoner on someone else’s behalf.

So while this is strange to hear for the non Christian, for you my brothers and sisters, it should not be strange.

For the very God who became incarnate for our sake,

who willingly took the form of a servant on our behalf

in order to point the way for us to Life Eternal….

…is the very God who beckoned Paul-and who beckons us-to become servants, to become prisoners of Christ Jesus to those who do not know God

Now you know this.

We are called to give up our rights:

To give up our freedoms in doing things that way we want, of doing things when we want,

of doing things with whom we want…

…for this one purpose:

for the sake of the many prodigals in this world.

Are you willing today be so yoked to Christ in such a manner?

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Ephesians 2:22:

You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Let’s ponder this, friend:

you and I

are being fashioned

to be a home for God’s holy spirit.

And that really changes how we live!

For consider this: When the Evil One comes knocking at the door of our lives, trying to stir up trouble, we have a decision to make:

Do we answer the door, or let the Holy Spirit?

For who do you think would strike fear into the heart of the Enemy more, we or the Holy Spirit?

Now listen to this:

When we want to be in charge of our lives, we treat the Holy Spirit as a guest. When we make plans and solve problems while leaving God as an afterthought, the Evil One will not back away.

But, when the Holy Spirit is the Master of the house,

when we give Him the deed,

yield our control, then He will answer the door and deal with all of life concerns that come our way.

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Ephesians 2:21

The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord

This word Join together is that which is done by the Master Craftsman who has designed the body to fit together efficiently so that the church would effectively function in this World.

No member, friend, is dispensable. You are meant to be working together in your Church in such an harmonious manner that you are valued for your Godly gift, while seen as one part of God’s glorious holy temple.

Our society is in desperate straights to see the His church as God ordained her to be.

Now, if you don’t see that in yourself and/or in your church remember that the Eternal God, the Creator of the Ends of the Earth still needs to mold you, is prune you, discipline you as He fitly frames you into the whole.

Please pray for your fellow brothers and sister as you wait for the Lord who is shaping your church for His glory.

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Ephesians 2:20:

You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus himself is the cornerstone

Your church friend is meant to be built upon the teachings of the apostles and prophets. And when Christ is the cornerstone then , all facets of our your congregational life will be set in reference to Him, which will positively impact how your group of Christians interact within your community.

This is the church that God has declared to be His witness to this World. There is no plan B, Friend for God

Friend, you will need to know God’s word to discern where your church is in respect to this mandate from God. And, as you go about discerning your church’s spiritual health, pray to know your part in bringing your group of believers more into alignment with God’s pattern of organization.

In closing, remember this: This is not a time to point fingers, but to press together to to remove those things that have been barriers to Godly growth.

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Ephesians 2:19

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

There were many times growing up that I was like the odd duck, being on the outside of the in crowd.

It was not until I became Christian that I felt like I really belonged. The peace and joy I sensed was wonderful; and I am still caught up in it.

Friend, Christianity is not an in-group, but made up of odd ducks, radicals, strangers and foreigners. It is quite all inclusive, being centered on the redemptive work of Christ alone.

You and I are not just part of God’s family, but we are holy people and that is only because Christ became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God through him

So how are you going to live out this Good News today? Who will you tell? Who feels left out?

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Ephesians 2:18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. NLT Wanting to our Father is part of our DNA, yet, without Christ, all our efforts at praying were misguided and ineffective. Now, though, you and Read more…

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Ephesians 2:17: So Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to all—to you Gentiles, who were far away from God, and to the Jews, who were near to him. This peace does not mean the absence of conflict; rather it signifies hat all the essential parts are joined Read more…

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Ephesians 2:16: By his death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God. Let me ask you a question What would our world look like if we all got along? For Isn’t Read more…

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Ephesians 2:14 Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. Are you trying to be reconciled to a family member that you haven’t spoken to in years, and you just don’t know Read more…

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Ephesians 2:13, But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Listen carefully: it is IN CHRIST that you have been saved. One too many Christians start out this way, but end up relying on their own strengths to Read more…

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Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. Today, we learn more of why it is important for the gentile christian to continually recall that Read more…

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Ephesians 2:11: Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. God’s Word exorts us to keep recalling to our memory that at one time Read more…

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Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. My brother, my sister in Christ, do you see yourself as God’s masterpiece? Do you realize that ever struggle you have endured has only been meant to leave in Read more…

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Ephesians 2:9 : For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. Being saved through faith is meant to change the trajectory of our lives as Read more…

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Ephesians 2:8 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—. One of the gifts here is Heaven. And though this is not earned, we are wise to prepare for this. Let me explain further: If you Read more…

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Ephesians 2:7 And now God can always point to us as examples of how very, very rich his kindness is, as shown in all he has done for us through Jesus Christ. Imagine this scene in Heaven: God is walking around and pointing to us, saying ‘there is my man, Read more…

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Ephesians 2:6 God raised us up from death when He raised up Christ Jesus. He has given us a place with Christ in the heavens. This phrase -raised up from death- is much more than an intellectual knowledge that God forgives sin so that one day in the future we Read more…

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Ephesians 2:5 We were spiritually dead because of the things we did wrong against God. But God gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace. While one too many of us build our retirement portfolio’s and go the health care professionals to do our best Read more…

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Ephesians 2:4 None of us is good enough that we do not need God’s mercy. And, yet, we are too quick to think of mercy being given only to hardened criminals who have no hope of redemption, while deeming ourselves better than such individuals, even refusing to believe that we Read more…

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Ephesians 2:3 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else. It is humbling to realize that my selfish desires of my body and mind continually try to lure me Read more…

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Good day, this is Michael De Rosa, and I will be looking at Ephesians 2:2 You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God. Friend, the truth is that if you are not Read more…

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Ephesians 2:1: In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins Listen carefully now: all our struggles are the result, whether directly or indirectly, of disobedience and sin. Some of you will scoff at that statement, but let me ask you a question: do you have Read more…

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Ephesians 1:23: 23 The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere. Though society, in general, regards church as optional, God has brought her forth to be instrumental to His divine purpose. Consider with me, that God’s word tells us that the church is the Read more…

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Ephesians 1:22 God has put all things under the power of Christ, and for the good of the church he has made him the head of everything. We would have very different hierarchies set up in the many churches across our land if Christ was, indeed, given His rightful Read more…

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Ephesians 1:21: Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next Back in the 1980’s my wife and I had the supreme privilege to teach 2 and 3 year olds. And, Read more…

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Ephesians 1:20 He worked with that same power in Christ when he brought him back to life and gave him the highest position in heaven. This S A M E power I am experiencing in my own life in 2 ways. First, God has graced me with strength to care Read more…

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Good day. This is Michael De Rosa from the Mountainside Community Church in Newport, New Hampshire and my text is Ephesians 1:19: 19 You will also know the unlimited greatness of his power as it works with might and strength for us, the believers. Friend, I have met one too Read more…

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Ephesians 1:18 I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. Christian friend, God has equipped us to Read more…

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Good day. This is Michael De Rosa from Mountainside Community Church in Newport, NH, and my text is Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Read more…

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Ephesians 1:16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Continually giving thanks for one another would really enhance of relationships. Would it not? Instead of fault finding, we would be thanking God for people. But why! When we know of their faults, their sins Read more…

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Ephesians 1:15, That is why I always remember you in my prayers and thank God for you. I have done this ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. Do others pray for you, as Paul prayed for the Read more…

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Ephesians 1:14: His presence within us is God’s guarantee that he really will give us all that he promised; and the Spirit’s seal upon us means that God has already purchased us and that he guarantees to bring us to himself. This is just one more reason for us to Read more…

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Good Day, this is Michael De Rosa and today my text is Ephesians 1:13 And because of what Christ did, all you others too, who heard the Good News about how to be saved, and trusted Christ, were marked as belonging to Christ by the Holy Spirit, who long Read more…

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Good day, this is Michael De Rosa and I will be looking at Ephesians 1:12: Let us, then, who were the first to hope in Christ, praise God’s glory! Now, praise is enthusiastic acknowledgment of that which is fitting; and glory is infinite intrinsic worth. In other words, we were Read more…

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This is Michael De Rosa and I will be looking at Ephesians 1:11, 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. I got an inheritance once. It seemed Read more…

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Good day, this is Michael De Rosa and I am looking at Ephesians 1:10, today: 10 This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head. Good News Translation Have you ever imagined how Read more…

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Good day, this is Michael De Rosa from the Mountainside Community Church in Newport, NH, and my text today is Ephesians 1:9 God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ God accomplished what He Read more…

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Good day, this is Michael De Rosa, and I will be looking at Ephesians 1:8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. New Living Translation My dear friends God’s showering kindness upon us is much more than a passing drizzle. Receiving His kindness is Read more…

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa from the Mountainside Community Church in Newport, NH, and I will be looking on Ephesians 1:7 Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. Being set free from any Read more…

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Good day this is Michael De Rosa from the Mountainside Community Church in Newport, NH, and my text today is Ephesians 1:6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. Friend, there will just not be enough days Read more…

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and today I will be looking at Ephesians 1:5: 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. I am Read more…

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and I will exploring Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. Christian friend: God. Choose. You. Before you did anything of merit, or before you messed Read more…

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and I will exploring Ephesians 1:3 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, One of the biggest spiritual blessings the Christian has s forgiveness. Too Read more…

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and I will exploring Ephesians 1:2 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that grace is a gift that we don’t deserve; and peace is not the absence of strife, but the wholeness, the Read more…

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and I will exploring Ephesians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus

Now, consider that this Paul is the same man who use to kill Christians; and, now, God is appointing him to be an apostle to lead the very people he has sought to kill.

Now as you may wonder how such a person would qualify to serve God, think about this: God has called you too.

Unfortunately, I meet one too many Christians who either have watered down this call to mean ‘just be a good person, or have dismissed this from their vocabulary, concluding, something like, only full time ministers are called.

The truth of the matter is that God has big plans for you, as He did for Paul, and when you discover this, your life, like Paul’s will dramatically change.

So, in closing, if you don’t yet know God’s call for your life, pray about this and be open to seeking the counsel of a brother or sister

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Psalms 104:35:

Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!

Friend, while we know that sin is anything that comes against the will of God, we can run into a trap of wanting God to grade on a curve when it comes to our loved ones.

It can be easy to want the best for our family and friends, while discounting what God’s word is speaking out into our family’s life.

So, regardless of our deepest affections for the Sinner, that lifestyle will be consumed. It has been decreed to cease.

Yet, right in the middle of recognizing this sobering truth, we can be awakened to the reality that we, too, once were sinners, headed towards destruction; yet, now, we bless the Lord who saved us and praise Him for all His marvelous creation around us and within us

So, in closing, Christian what about that spiritually lost loved one? What might God be creating within you for the redemption of that family member and friend?

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and I will exploring Psalms 104:33:

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

The Pslamist’s heart-felt expressions erupt in a symphony of music and it lasts for AS LONG AS HE LIVES.

That, friend, is something to pine after. For how could anyone sing while noting such things as the likes of our pandemic, the upheavel’s in our political system?

Granted, the Psalmist was not living in a world like ours, but he, nevertheless was living in a world like ours, namely a world that was infected with evils, with any and all things that would attempt to pull his focus off the truth that there is a God and that He is sovereign.

Friend, if you confuse a having a positive attitude with walking in faith, then dealing with life’s relentless problems will eventually exhaust the limits of your being.

So, in closing if this type of singing in not bubbling over in your life, pray to the Lord of all creation to create in you a renewed heart

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Psalms 104:32:

He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

The contrast that is painted here is striking: God’s glance brings the earth to trembling; and His touch creates smoke

Do you think the earth is trembling now as we witness those things we hold so dear being violently shaken?

Consider how COVID-19 is upsetting our economy, how it is creating tension between political parties; consider how people’s beliefs in God are now being challenged. Consider how the mental health of our world is teetering.

Now, have you even entertained the notion that God is bringing all this about, namely that it is He who is causing this world to tremble by way of removing all of our false supports -our razor thin efforts to help ourselves…so that we would have but another opportunity to call for His help?

And, if you find such a notion disturbing to your senses, then let me leave you with this question:

what part of God’s sovereignty would disallow Him from shaking this earth through the likes of the pandemic?

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Good Day this is Michael De Rosa and I will exploring Psalms 104:31:

Let the glory of the Lord endure forever;
Let the Lord be glad in His works;

The cry of the Psalmist’s heart is for more of God. He is overwhelmed with all of God’s creation and comes to the more profound realization that even His standing in awe of all of God’s splendor pales in light of God’s pleasure in all that He has done.

So, here are some questions to consider:

How can we come to such a place where are affections and thoughts and behaviors are consumed with God’s glory?

Why do we long for justice while denying the power of God to bring forth His justice He has ordained since creation?

Why are our thoughts always towards heaven when a loved one dies, but are far removed from Heaven during the course of our days.

And, here are two more questions as we close

How would we become more attuned to the Holy Spirits decrees and declarations in and through our lives that would so aptly address our many concerns before us?

Why do we allow ourselves to be inundated with everything else, except the Lord God of Glory and Might?

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Psalms 104:30:

You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.

Without receiving His Spirit He sends forth, we are likened to Dead Man Walking: people whose habits… thoughts… lifestyle are but hollow reflections of all they were meant to be.

But, understanding all this can only begin when we realize that God has ordained us to see this world through the Cross of Christ, which happens only through faith,

Friend, when you come to that place where God’s spirit is manifesting Himself in and through your life, your habits and your thoughts and your lifestyle will reflect the creative genius of God. And, because of this, you will see how the problems in your life and in our nation are battle grounds that God is declaring victory over.

So, in closing: Where is God sending you forth into His creation so that He would bring renewal through you to others?

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Psalms 104:29

You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their spirit, they expire
And return to their dust.

Pretty much up to this point, the Psalmist has told us the wonders of God’s creation; but, here, he turns 180 degrees, leaving us with no imagination for us to even consider that without the Creator there would be no creation, that is, we would cease to exist

Friend, any sense of truth or honor or righteousness or purity or love or goodness, or excellence comes from God. And, all this would be gone, if God had not birthed creation.

The Psalmist paints a bleak picture of panic and terror of life without God.

In closing, I realize that the trials we face today with such things as the pandemic, the sagging economy, abortion concerns, and sexual identity are very concerning to all of us, but all of these problems would only represent one drop in an ocean of dismay if God were to hide His face from us,

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Psalms 104:28

You give to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

Now this word “good” is first used in Genesis 1 when we are told the wonderful story of creation with God calling it all good.

And this goodness indicates that which is in harmony with God. So think of music and how voices harmonize. They blend together in a deeper, more robust sound.

In contrast, though, our society calls many things or people good without any foundation for discrimination, such as that was a good movie, he is good friend, that meal was good. But Scripture is significantly choosier when calling something good, and that selectivity is based on one question: is it in harmony with God

And, when it is, God’s word tells us that it resonates with us through the Holy Spirit who stirs our hearts towards satisfaction.

So, Christian, is there anything that keeps you from being satisfied with the good that God is giving you?

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Psalms 104:28

They all wait for You
To give them their food in due season.

So…while this verse refers back to the previous one, regarding those sea creatures waiting for God to feed them, I think we are on theologically safe ground to pose this question:

Can you imagine what it would be like if we were to wait for our needs and wants to be provided to us by God?

So just consider…

not having anything to eat

not having a home to live in.

not having anyone to share your life with

…until God provides it to you. Waiting for Him to give you what you need in due season.

Friend, how much do you rely on your own ingenuity to make things happen?

How often have you found yourself presuming that God is giving you something because it has just come into your life

Or, how often do you surmise that if you have not received something, then God must not have wanted it to be yours?

Friend, God’s provision for you should never be equated with the status quo.

How will you wait for God today?

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Psalms 104:26:

There the ships move along,
And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.

Think of all the ships that sail the seas, and great sea creatures that thrash in the oceans as though it was child’s play. And, then, consider that the Holy Word is declaring to us, finite men and women, who are dwarfed and easily overpowered by such things: that God counts our life as vastly significant and through these created things, we can… Know. Him. More. And. Love. Him. More.

Great Ocean Liners, Immense Cruise Ships that can take our breath away when they pull up to dock and as we crane our necks to view the vessel.

Terrifying sea creatures that live in the depths of the darkest parts of the sea

And, then gasp at the reality that the seas are but one portion of God’s total creation

All this points to the Great Creator, and there simply is not enough moments in our day to finish marveling at His handiwork

Friend, why not spend more time to be awed at God’s handiwork?

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Psalm 104:25:

There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number- living things both large and small.

The sea is, indeed, vast and spacious, covering about 75% of our planet;

Just consider some of the benefits of water:

We enjoy swimming in it, and skating on its
It provides energy to create electricity
It quenches our thirst and is essential for our life

O Christian, how have you thanked God for this creation?

While it can be seemingly too easy to take all this for granted in order to center our concerns and prayers on the problems of our nation, I urge you today to consider the blessing which comes from thanking God for all His goodness to us

For God has given the seas to both the evil man and the righteous man. Consider how He is using the seas to bring the evil man to repentance and the righteous man closer to Himself.

In closing, consider what could happen when you simply take time to thank Him for a glass of water

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Psalms 104:24:

O Lord, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions.

Let me be honest: my last several weeks have been draining and it has and is difficult for me to come to grips with it all. BUT…

…in the center of all this, I have found God’s peace and this gives me stability as I wade through this time

Living with His peace comes from meditating on His goodness. As I consider all His works and what He has done for me and in me and through me, I am blessed and regain perspective that He is leading me through this draining time.

Friend, I urge you to consider all which God has made on your behalf to enjoy and celebrate with Your Lord and Savior.

So instead of dwelling on confusion or what you feel you can’t do, consider his wonderful world and how in His wisdom he made the earth overflow with delightful purpose

That will keep you centered. That will get you through your funk.

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