08/21          Ephesians 2:8 

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 

GIFT

Thank you Lord for the free gift of salvation-new life in Jesus Christ.  It is by your grace that I live and by your grace that I experience joy and peace.  Thank you Father for loving me, forgiving me and growing me up in the spiritual realm. 

08/20          Ephesians 2:7 

So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 

VALUE

God gives us value.  We are part of His family and He can point to us as examples of the exercise of His incredible wealth.  We belong to Him-bought with a price.  He is our Father.

08/19          Ephesians 2:6 

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 

NOW

Now in Christ we have been resurrected from the dead and are alive in the family of God.  The moment we ask Christ to forgive us of our sin and to save us we are given new life.  It is a reality guaranteed by Jesus. 

08/18          Ephesians 2:4-5
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

GIFT

His gift to us is life! Life like His life, eternal. Thank you Lord.  We desperately need life and so often don’t even realize that we do.  When we are lost everything we do is selfish.  We blind and cannot see.  We dead in our sin.  But you have offered us the gift of life.  Thank Lord.  Thank you. 

08/17          Ephesians 2:3 

All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 

LOST

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  In our natural state we are lost.  Thank you, Lord, for offering us a relationship with you through Jesus Christ. It is a grace gift giving us what we need and cannot earn. 

08/16          Ephesians 2:1-2 

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 

OBEY

He has called us to obey Him. His Word.  His Son. 

Father help us to come to grips with our sin.  We need cleansed hearts and cleansed hands so that we can move forward in our service to you. We know that doing the right things takes surrender and focus.  Help us meditate on your Word and You.  We are called to obey and it takes Jesus to guide us every day. 

08/15          Ephesians 1:23 

And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

CONFIDENT

You can be confident that your church is the place to be.  You can know this because it is the body of Christ and Jesus is there. Lord help us to be contributing members of our church.  Guide us to do what we do best and to be a helper.  Lord we want to grow in Christ likeness and the church is the best place for us to accomplish constant growth.  Help our leaders and help us to be in the right place.

08/14          Ephesians 1:22 

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 

TOGETHER

We come together in the church. This is the body of Christ.  It is the place where the Lord works in those gathered there to accomplish His work in the world.  There are no Lone Rangers in the family of God.  He created us to work together and grow in Christ so that we can successfully combat the evil schemes of the world.  Go to church.  Be in Church. Let the Lord use you in the body of Christ. 

08/13          Ephesians 1:21 

Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 

BIG

Our God is big.  His love for us all encompassing.  He loves us.  Jesus loves you.  My prayer for you is that you will experience and know this love in a way that equips you to be the person the Lord created you to be.  I am praying for your health.  I am praying for your joy and peace.  Jesus is Lord. 

08/12          Ephesians 1:19-20 

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 

HOW

How great is our God? Majestic and mighty He is the only God. He is faithful and true.  His love overflows to us His creation.  He made a plan before the foundations of the universe was set and this plan was for our salvation in Christ and Christ would live in us.  He brings us into His family.  Praise the Lord, praise His name, praise His plan.  With everything in us praise the Lord for He is worthy of all of our praise.