October 2022

Empathy

Empathy is a trait shown by God, lived by Jesus and expected of Christians. To have empathy, it is helpful to understand the experiences of others and to be honest with ourselves about our blind spots. Who do we assume to be the hero or the villain of the stories we hear?  



Rooted in Love

Because of their new identity in Christ, Paul continues his prayer for the church at Ephesus as he closes chapter 3. He wants God to give them strength and help them be rooted in love. As a result, they will be able know God better.  



Spiritual Citizenship

Paul begins Ephesians 2 by reminding the church they used to be dead in sin but now have life because of God’s rich mercy. In the second half of the chapter, he reminds them they used to be outsiders and are now part of the family of God. God’s love and mercy can give us […]



September 2022

Merciful

We appreciate receiving mercy but are sometimes hesitant to give it. God is merciful. Jesus is an example of mercy in human form. We should follow His example to be merciful, because we have received mercy beyond anything we deserve.  



Rich In Mercy

There is nothing we could do to earn the gift of salvation. God’s rich mercy provides it to us. That gift changes how we live.  



Awareness

In scripture, we often learn about awareness using the word “watchfulness.” This week, we see the importance of being aware of ourselves in our life situations and the importance of being ready for Christ’s return.  



Clear Vision

After detailing the many blessings of being in Christ, Paul prays for the Ephesian church. He wants them to see more clearly what God is doing, so they can know more clearly who He is. They will not only know God, but they will also be known by Him.  



Cooperation

The Trinity is a community that cooperates in love. God designed us to work in cooperation with each other.  When Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to lead the effort to rebuild the wall, we witness the obstacles to cooperation and what it looks like to overcome them.  



Spiritual Blessings

Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians by reminding them of all the spiritual blessings that result from being in Christ. We continue to be blessed in the same ways by a God who loves us.  



Endurance

Endurance is a common characteristic of the heroes of faith in scripture. They knew that with God, they could stand firm in any test. Paul is a great example of endurance, and he writes about it in almost all of his New Testament letters.