Final Sunday of Lent 2020, amidst the Palms

April 5, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the day of Jesus’ return to Jerusalem. His reception was loud and colorful with waving palms, cloaks on the ground, shouting, chanting of praises and Jesus riding on a humble donkey. It was the conclusion of three years of public ministry that ended in His death on the cross on Friday. However, all was not lost as He miraculously rose from the dead and appeared on Easter morning just as He said He would. His ‘life’s ride’ on earth was a wild one filled with compassion, love, obedience and sacrifice for us. As we enter this Holy Week let us ponder anew how we personally have felt His compassion and love in our lives. How we have benefited from His obedience to the cross and the sacrifice of His life for ours. We have much to be thankful for, even in the hardest of times. Only you can answer today’s sentence, Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am or can_____________________.

Some time today read one or more of the Palm Sunday Triumphal entry passages: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-38, John 12:12-15.

Here is the summary from this weeks passages in Ephesians. We meditated on Ephesians 5:21-6:14. Think about: **Which truth have you seen in your life this week? **Which is the most meaningful to you in your life right now?

we can live lives submitted to one another in love that mirror Christ’s love for us. Ephesians 5:21-33
we (both parent and child) are able to submit to one another with love and respect. Ephesians 6:1-4
we can show God’s love and care whether we are the employer or employee bringing glory to God and blessings upon ourselves. Ephesians 6:5-9
we are able to battle against unseen forces through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6:10-12
I can be filled with His Holy Spirit and protected by His armor to face the challenges of each day. Ephesians 6:13
I can have godly character that is based on His truth and righteousness. Ephesians 6:14

Personally, the truth from Ephesians 6:10-11 reminded me of the unseen forces of evil that we face each day. This truth really resonated with me, especially during this Covid-19 Pandemic. It is something I never envisioned and pray fervently that God will cause the virus to be contained and that the evil effects would be lessened. We need to humble ourselves and pray for His mercy. The most meaningful truth this week that brings me real encouragement is from Ephesians 6:14, that I can have godly character if I am rooted and grounded in the truth of Christ and put on His righteousness. It is an eternal hope filled with promise. In Christ, I can be a new creation.

Have a Blessed Palm Sunday.

Linda

Truth and Right Living, Armor up with Christ

April 4, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlinda3 Comments

Do you suit up properly for life’s battles? Here are the first pieces of armor in Paul’s list- the belt and breastplate. Ephesians 6:14 “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness”, The first things we are to put on involve our godly character- the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. The root of the believer’s strength is the character he/she has in Christ. Godly character is based on the truth of God, who He is, and how you are bound to Him through faith in Christ. Jesus is truth and knowing Him brings truth into your life. John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” His Holy Spirit brings believers truth “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13 and His Word is truth “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17. The truth of godly character is base on Christ, the Holy Spirit and His Word and are the essential building blocks for godly character in our lives.

Another element of godly character that we are to put on that provides for our defense is His righteousness as our breastplate. The breastplate covers the heart and protects our vital organs. Since we cannot be righteous on our own because of our sin nature, we have to depend upon Christ and His righteousness. Romans 3:21-24 “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. ²²We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. ²³For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” Jesus made the way for us to be righteous before God and give us (imputes) His righteousness to us. We are renewed through this righteousness from Christ as Paul reminded us in Ephesians 4:20-24 in The Message translation, “But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” Righteousness is a key to a life filled with godly character and can only be obtained through Christ. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, only through Him can we have His character.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have godly character that is based on His truth and righteousness. These first pieces of armor are crucial to living a life for Christ. Put them on then stand firmly rooted and grounded in Christ.

Linda

What is your battle plan? Got armor?

April 3, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Ephesians 6:13 is a promise we can all claim. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” God promises that wearing His armor will enable us to stand firmly against Satan’s attacks. His armor provides us with what we need for this fight when combined with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling power. God’s armor includes truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation , the Word of God and prayer. That is a treasure trove of pieces God provides for our fight.

Here are some Lessons and Truths from this verse:

God’s armor protects me in both physical and spiritual battles.
God’s armor fully covers me.
God desire me to stand firm in my faith.
Our world contains evil that desires to defeat and destroy my faith.
God wants me to do my best and then remain standing in Him.
God is more powerful than Satan.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be filled with His Holy Spirit and protected by His armor to face the challenges of each day. May you be emboldened today as you step out in faith, knowing and trusting God to have you protected through His armor. Put it on and step out!

Linda

Battles, unseen forces vs. Christ and His Holy Spirit

April 2, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Paul reaches the conclusion of his letter to the Ephesians after exhorting them to live godly lives, to depend upon each other in the body of Christ and to live lives submitted to one another filled with love and grace. He tells them that the battle of living for Christ involves both the physical world we live in and the spiritual world we cannot see. His advice is to put on God’s armor.

Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.“

Later in the chapter Paul fully explains each piece of armor and why we desperately need them for our battles. Here he reminds us that spiritual battles are being waged in the heavens of which we are unaware, and yet we have to come up against them in our daily lives. One of my favorite Old Testament stories shows the forces of evil that surround us and how Satan would love to destroy our faith and witness is found in 2 Kings 6:15-17. Elisha, the prophet of God, was telling the king of Israel the battle secrets of the king of Syria that God was revealing to him. The king of Syria was very upset and sent horsemen to come and seize him. Elisha’s servant looked out of the house they were staying in and ran to tell Elisha that they were surrounded. Amazingly, Elisha was not afraid and asked God to reveal what he saw to his servant to explain why he was unafraid. He then asked God to confuse the enemy and He did with blindness.

¹⁵When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” ¹⁶He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” ¹⁷Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.¹⁸And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. ¹⁹And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.

What I love about this story is that the servant was unaware of the ring of fiery angels that were ready to do battle on Elisha’s behalf. We too have power of the Holy Spirit that indwells us and gives us power to thwart sin and Satan’s plans. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world,” 1 John 4:4. Paul is telling us to be ready to do battle in a serious fashion using His power and might. We are on the winning side because Jesus is greater than anyone or anything physical or spiritual that we may encounter in life!

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are able to battle against unseen forces through the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be ready and willing to walk with the Lord and be empowered by Him each day.

Linda

Employer-Employee as seen through the Cross

April 1, 2020May 26, 2026 nofearlindaLeave a comment

The overarching verse for this portion came in Ephesians 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Paul applied this principle of Christian Living in Christ to marriage, family relationships and now to master and slaves. We no longer have slaves and masters but the principle holds true for employers and employees. Read Ephesians 6:5-9 with that in mind.

Those that work for others: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. ⁶Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. ⁷Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ⁸Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

Those that employ workers: ⁹Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

If you look at these relationships and view them through the lens of faith and empowered living in Christ, we see that we are to be loyal, respectful, obedient and filled with integrity in all we do for our employer. We are to do our jobs as if we are doing them for the Lord seeking His reward for right living and not worrying about praise and accolades from our bosses. If we are in a situation where we are the employer, we are to care about our workers, treat them with respect, show no favoritism and refrain from threatening or abusing them in any way. We are to treat them as equals, as we are all equal before the Father.

Wouldn’t our workplaces be so very different if everyone adhered to these principles of right living? However, we cannot control the actions of others and make them treat us by these principles but we can treat others as Christ requires with love, respect and integrity. We can control our own actions and strive to show Christ’s love and care for those around us. Because Christ died on the cross and rose form the dead, we can show God’s love and care whether we are the employer or employee bringing glory to God and blessings upon ourselves.

Linda

The Cross = Parent-Child relationships made whole

March 31, 2020May 26, 2026 nofearlindaLeave a comment

We are about to enter one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Ephesians 6 has so much to tell us about Christ and the life He desires that we live in and through His powerful indwelling Holy Spirit. Remember Ephesians 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”? This is the driving verse for the discussion about relationships between a husband and wife and it continues in Ephesians 6 with children and parents, then employee and employer.

Ephesians 6:1-4 deals with parent-child relationships. “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. ²“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: ³If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” ⁴Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

The admonition from God to obey and honor our parents was given in the 10 Commandments. Exodus 20:12 ““Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Living a life with peace begins in the home. Rebellion, strife, anger, harsh words and discord can flourish in children both young and old (meaning even you at your age) if not curbed with honor, respect and love. We are selfish creatures and as such want our own way. This command to honor and obey our parents has a promised return- a long and full life in the Lord. Honor and obedience lead to peace and harmony that will lengthen the quality our lives just as disharmony, discord and dissent will shorten it. Paul does not end with the children but goes on to admonish all parents. He says we are not to provoke, needle, irritate our children intentionally or be unnecessarily angry with them for anger sake. We are to practice a parenthood that reflects Christ and remember His submission to the Father on our behalf. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we (both parent and child) are able to submit to one another with love and respect.

These are sobering words that call all of us to think about our parent-child relationships. Are they honoring in God’s eyes? In these last days of Lent, spend some time mediating on Paul’s words and seek God’s guidance in your relationships.

Linda

The Cross = submission in love

March 30, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

The last portion of Ephesians 5 is a difficult passage as it deals with submission and relationships in the home and in marriage that are to mirror Christ’s love for us. I think the reason these verses cause such turmoil is that they are counter-culture and go against the thinking of today and women’s rights. However, if we look at verse 5:21 and 5:32-33 we get to the heart of what Paul was saying. God is a god of order and design. Someone in the home has to make the final decision but any decisions need to be tempered and driven by love, a love like Christ has for us as believers. Ephesians 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” We submit, yield or seek the approval of one another out of our love for Christ. 5:32-33 “This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” An example of the mystery of Christ’s relationship to believers is seen in the loving, caring respectful relationship of a man and wife. Submission to each other is done because of Christ and our love for Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can live lives submitted to one another in love that mirror Christ’s love for us.

Have a blessed day as you consider how you are submitting or yielding your rights to others in Christ like love.

Linda

Here is the whole passage –Ephesians 5:21-33 ” Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. ²²Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰for we are members of his body. ³¹“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³²This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

A Call to PRAY this 5th Sunday of Lent 2020 in a virus filled world

March 29, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Here are some verses to uplift, encourage and challenge you this 5th Sunday of Lent as our world struggles with the pandemic of Covid-19:

God is Sovereign: Psalm 103:19 “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” 2 Chronicles 20:6 ““O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.” John 10:29 “My Father, who has given (my sheep- believers) to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Acts 17:26 “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” Each of these verses shows God’s Sovereign power. He is Creator God and there is none greater. Once we belong to Him, nothing and no one can take us away from Him. God is the determiner of mankind and those things He allows to come into our lives. Like the plagues of the Old Testament, pray, pray, pray for God’s mercy in these days of Covid-19. Humble yourselves and turn back to Him and seek Him and His forgiveness. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. ²³For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:22-23 God promises restoration and forgiveness if: if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Please pray.

Here are the truths we found in God’s Word from Ephesians 4:17-5:20 this last week. They are rich and bring joy and challenge to the believer as we endeavor to walk with Him each day. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead:

I can be a new creation in Jesus! Ephesians 4:17-24

We are made for righteous actions and thoughts towards ourselves and others which bring joy to God. Ephesians 4:25-32

We can be imitators of Jesus and have lives filled with love. Ephesians 5:1-2

I can choose light and life with Him. Ephesians 5:3-8

His light can be seen in me. Ephesians 5:9-14

How I live my life for Him matters. Ephesians 5:15-20

May you have a Sunday filled with His love and be able to spend time praying and mediating on His Sovereignty and His wonderful truths from Ephesians.

Linda

Back to the light, shine for Jesus

March 28, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Do you ever wake up some days and feel like you missed a day? Somehow I wrote on Ephesians 5:15-20 before writing on Ephesians 5:9-14. So today I’m going back to our discussion of light and dark and Paul’s admonition to us to be ‘Children of the Light’. In verses 9-14 Paul gives us more information about what living in the Light of Christ means and what we can expect in our lives because of the light He gives us.

“For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

¹⁰Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹²It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

Paul instructs us that right living pleases God and that we should expose, avoid and to try not to take part in anything ungodly. The light of truth in Christ will expose the things of darkness and make everything visible. He concludes with a common hymn of the day to illustrate his point. The Ephesians (us too) were dead without Christ but coming to faith in Jesus brought them (us) into His light. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, His light can be seen in me.

Strive to do what is good, right and true in the name of Jesus knowing that those behaviors, deeds and actions are pleasing to God and will shine His light into the world around you. Be that light today!

Linda

Our Lives Matter to God

March 27, 2020May 26, 2026 nofearlindaLeave a comment

In today’s passage Paul exhorts believers to be wise, make the most of every opportunity to witness for Christ, be thoughtful, temperate with our drinking, filled with the Holy Spirit and always have an attitude of thankfulness. Does that describe you?

“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. ¹⁶Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ¹⁷Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. ¹⁸Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ¹⁹singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. ²⁰And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:15-20

Do you look for opportunities to tell others about Jesus? Are you prone to overindulgence or letting addictions control your actions? Or do you rejoice with other Christians in singing, worship and studying together to bring praise and honor to God. Are you thankful in all circumstances? The pressures of life pile upon us each day, and it is how we handle those pressures that counts. Do you turn to God for help, assurance or courage? Or do you try to go it alone with an ‘I can do it attitude’? Dependence upon God is not weakness but an opportunity for His grace to abound even more. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But he (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Our weaknesses allow Him to show His strength through us. His grace, his undeserved favor, is enough to cover all situations.

Paul is serious about how we live our lives and the impact we have upon those around us for both believers and non- believers. It matters to God how we live and work in the world. It matters to Him as He desires the best for us which is only available through Christ. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, how I live my life for Him matters.