SATURDAY April 20, 2024

Sealed with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13-14

This is so beautiful. After we are saved, God seals us with the Holy Spirit of promise. To give a better understanding of what this means, we can look at something very familiar to us. When we purchase an item, it has some sort of identification, usually a reference number. However, in biblical times, when contracts, letters, or official papers needed to be shipped, the owner would place his signet or special stamp into hot wax and then fasten any documents with the seal of wax bearing his mark. This was for identification, to verify ownership, and for security.

Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit. It is as if God has left His signet on your heart by His Spirit. The word sealed means “to stamp,” or “to seal up.” Not only does God place His seal––the Holy Spirit––upon your life, but the Spirit also becomes your guarantee. The word guarantee means “a pledge.” Immediately at salvation, the seal of the Holy Spirit indicates that an eternal inheritance is now guaranteed.

Jesus paid the price for our salvation; we are purchased by His blood, shed on the Cross of Calvary. In modern Greek terms, the word guarantee was used as an engagement ring. When we repented, asked forgiveness, and accepted Jesus as our Savior, the seal of the Holy Spirit was placed upon our lives as a guarantee––a seal of engagement––as a ring. This now identifies you as belonging to Christ. We have so many blessings to be thankful for in Christ.

Don’t let obstacles along the road to eternity shake your confidence in God’s promise. The Holy Spirit is God’s seal that you will arrive.
~David Jeremiah~

FRIDAY April 19, 2024

An Obtained Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11-12

Notice the next recorded blessing for the Christian in Christ is that they have obtained an inheritance. Believers are heirs together with Christ and of His Kingdom. I like that! The word inheritance means “to award by divine lot” or “the portion God assigns.” It can also refer to “the eternal blessedness in the consummated kingdom of God which is to be expected after the visible return of Christ.”

God not only has an inheritance waiting for us, but He also has a purpose and plan for our lives that is being divinely directed according to the counsel of His will. Rest in the fact that His counsel and will for our lives is best. His plans for us have been set in motion because we have first placed our trust in Him. The word trust means “to hope in advance,” “by confirmation,” or “first trust.”

Understand, the reason we have obtained an eternal inheritance is because we have first placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, we find a beautiful description of our eternal inheritance reserved for us in heaven:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Believers in Christ have an eternal inheritance to look forward to.

The confidence that heaven awaits us should fill us with a glorious hope.
~John MacArthur~

THURSDAY April 18, 2024

The Mystery of God’s Will

Ephesians 1:9-10

As believers, we have knowledge of God’s perfect will. His perfect will is for you to be saved through the knowledge of salvation found only in Christ Jesus. The mystery of salvation was once hidden, but we now see God’s plan of salvation clearly in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God has made a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him.

As a Christian, you have received God’s salvation, been delivered from sin and darkness, and become a child of the light. God’s perfect will is that your life would be used for His glory. This is when I often hear Christians say, “I do not know what the will of God is for my life.” This seems to be one of the hardest things for Christians to find. What is God’s perfect will? Well, if you want to know God’s perfect will, it is found in Romans 12:1-2:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

God desires that you would be in the center of His will. He wants to use you, bless you, and move you forward into His plan for your life. When you are in God’s perfect will, you have peace; there is no striving. In His wisdom, you will be led to see His perfect will in your education, dating, marriage, family and work. If you fail to be aligned with His perfect will, you will have confusion, strife and unhappiness. You will be unsatisfied as you search and seek for something that is not there. His will is revealed through seeking God in prayer and having confirmation through His Word.

Our duty is found in the revealed will of God in the Scriptures.
~Jerry Bridges~

WEDNESDAY April 17, 2024

Redemption Through Christ’s Blood

Ephesians 1:7-8

In these verses, we see salvation through the work of redemption. In the Old Testament, the only way for the debt of sin to be forgiven was through the shed blood of an animal sacrifice. Yet it was not a permanent forgiveness. In the Hebrew language, this was known as a kopher––only a covering for sin. The blood of animals was not sufficient to take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). When Christ’s precious blood redeemed us, it took away our sin once and for all: ...we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:10 NIV).

The word redemption means “to act,” “ransom in full,” or “deliverance.” The word is used in reference to buying back a slave or a captive by making him free through a payment or a ransom. Before Christ, we used to be slaves of sin, but now we have been bought back. We know the precious cost of our redemption was bought through Jesus Christ’s own blood. He purchased us and paid the full price to redeem us.

God manifested the richness of His grace when He sent His Son to die for the sins of the whole world. When we accept Christ, repent, and confess our sin to Him, our sin is completely erased. God has forgiven us: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God... (1 Peter 3:18 NIV).

The truth is, any person without the life of the Spirit is dead in their trespasses and sins. The Spirit of God helps them to see their position without Christ––spiritually lost. The only way to become a child of God and experience His beautiful grace and mercy is to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This happens through confession of sin and repentance. Then your position in Christ is found. You have been delivered––bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. With God’s hope, you are on your way to heaven.

There can be no thought of ‘cheap’ forgiveness when we remember that our redemption cost God the life of his beloved Son.
~Geoffrey B. Wilson~

TUESDAY April 16, 2024

A Story Already Told

Ephesians 1:5-6

Paul continued to write a list of many other blessings we have as believers in Christ. We are predestined, which means “to live in advance or to predetermine.” God already knew your whole life story––beginning, middle and end. God is from everlasting to everlasting. In the light of eternity, your life is a story already told.

God knows the past, the present and the future. He beholds the future and sees the exact moment when the world will end! The world is like a clock winding down to the final second. God already knows those on earth who will accept His Son as the way of salvation, and those who will reject Him. It is already written! Even though we live our lives in the present, God has allowed us to see into the future through the Scriptures. He has given us this privilege so we can be obedient and faithful to His calling upon our lives.

As believers, we all go through many trials and temptations, defeats and victories, but remember one thing: If God has predestined us, then He has also adopted us as His sons and daughters. He will never leave us or forsake us, as we are His children.

Although adoption has no place in Jewish law, it has a place in the Roman culture. Adoption is the legal transfer of a child from one family to another. Imagine, we are adopted by God! As a child of God, we are no longer in the darkness, but have become a son or daughter in the kingdom of light. We are accepted––highly favored––in Christ. We are so privileged to have God’s gracefulness upon our lives.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
~Colossians 1:13-14~

MONDAY April 15, 2024

Having a Holy and Blameless Life

Ephesians 1:4

God has chosen us, and in that calling as Christians, we are to have a holy and blameless character. Know this: It is only because of Jesus Christ that we stand before God, holy and without blame. Therefore, we are to give Him all the glory. The word holy means “set apart,” and the word blameless means “without blemish, free from faultiness, just as a sacrificial lamb without spot or any blemishes.” This was the Old Testament requirement for an animal to be sacrificed. It had to be without blemish according to Leviticus 22.

Christians need to have a life of blamelessness, where people cannot point their finger and accuse them of anything. When we go to school, attend a university, or work as an employer or employee, we need to be holy, without fault, without blemish. Understand, our preaching will not bring people to Christ. It is our living example as a Christian that will bring people to know Him and His love. That is how people will be influenced by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Too often our conversation does not match our walk. That is a problem among Christians today, because too many are talking about Christ, but they are not walking the true walk of a believer. The walk of a believer has to be a walk of the Spirit––a life of blamelessness.

Know this: When someone comes with a false accusation against you, and a survey is taken, those in authority should come to the conclusion that you are not guilty of anything––blameless. This is exactly what God will say about our lives in Christ––not guilty.

How blessed and favored by God are those whose way is blameless [those with personal integrity, the upright, the guileless], who walk in the law [and who are guided by the precepts and revealed will] of the LORD.
~Psalm 119:1 AMP~

SUNDAY April 14, 2024

The Doctrine of Election

Ephesians 1:4

Before the foundation of the world God chose us! He already had us in His mind and heart. However, in that choosing, God gave each one of us the privilege to respond to that election; we all have a free will.

The word chose in the Greek language means “the act of picking out” or “chosen out for oneself.” God picked or chose you for Himself. He called you by name to save you and deliver you. In His perfect time, the Holy Spirit convicted you of your sin, and you responded by faith and became a child of God. Like a potter with the clay, the Lord then began to mold and shape your life. He desires to make you usable in building His Kingdom.

Many people struggle with the doctrine of God’s election. Calvinists believe that only a few people are chosen for salvation. When we study the Scriptures, we find this is not true. What is true is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Salvation is available to anyone, not just the select few: For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). God gives everyone the opportunity to be saved, right up until the very day they die.

What I want to make clear is that you and I cannot bring anyone to Jesus Christ––brother, sister, mother or friend. No one can come to Jesus Christ unless they have been convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we remind ourselves that salvation is a work of God, then we should not worry so much about our loved ones and friends, but commit more time to praying for them. As we are faithful to pray, God will do the work.

Often those who have been thrust, forced and pushed into accepting Jesus never last in their commitment to Christ. Christians should never force the gospel down people’s throats. It is better to rest in the Lord because, in His time, He will give you an open door to share with them about salvation. Genuine salvation only happens when those chosen and called by God are convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit.

When a man is not deeply convicted of sin, it is a pretty sure sign that he has not truly repented. Experience has taught me that men who have very slight conviction of sin sooner or later lapse back into their old life.
~D.L. Moody~

SATURDAY April 13, 2024

A Choice to Make

Ephesians 1:3

Know this: Before you came to Christ, you were master of your own life and destiny. As the Holy Spirit began to work in your heart and convict you of your sin, you had a choice to make. When you decided by faith to repent and confess your sin to the Lord, your life became submitted to Him. Jesus became your Master, and now you live for Him.

As a Christian, God bestowed upon your life many spiritual blessings. These spiritual blessings outweigh any material blessings. People without Christ often find happiness in temporal, material gain, but as a Christian, you truly experience blessedness and true happiness in Christ.

In the Old Testament, God’s people had important choices to make. They could either choose to live a life of obedience and be blessed by the Lord, or choose to live in disobedience and suffer the cursed consequences: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing...” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Psalm 1 has been ascribed to David, the faithful servant of God. As a young shepherd boy, he grew to experience the blessedness––true happiness––of choosing to delight in God and His Word. He wrote:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper (Psalm 1:1-3).

It is important to make good choices in life. Why not consider the blessings of a life lived in close communion with God? If you make the choice to repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ by faith, you will receive spiritual blessings and live a blessed life.

You can't change your past but you can change your destiny by deciding for Christ.
~Billy Graham~

FRIDAY April 12, 2024

Spiritually Blessed

Ephesians 1:3

Are you struggling with who you are in Christ? Some of you are new Christians and you may have questions regarding your new identity: Who am I and what am I in Christ? As we first look to the source of our salvation and then study the blessings we have in Christ, every believer will be secure in who they are and who God has called them to be.

Again, verses 3-14 are one complete sentence, whereby Paul declared to the Church of Jesus Christ a great hymn of salvation. It is to be noted that the word places was added by the translator and should not be there. As we study these verses together, be assured you will be so blessed by what is revealed. God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the One who has blessed us with spiritual blessings in Christ.

The first word blessed in Ephesians 1:3 is a praise that is only applied to God [the] Father of Jesus Christ. The second word blessed means “to cause to prosper; to make happy; to bestow blessing upon.” Read the verse again with that in mind: All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ (Ephesians 1:3 NLT).

Those who have come to Christ praise the Father, who has sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for their sins. Believers in Christ are not only happy, but they are also blessed with an inward joy through the Spirit of God. They not only have a great hope of salvation, but they are blessed with many spiritual blessings.

People without Christ can be happy outwardly. They laugh, smile and have fun––but inwardly, they are spiritually dead. Happiness is only a temporal emotion. When you only have happiness, you have nothing else to sustain you. In Christ, we experience happiness, but nothing can take away our joy.

Learn to put your hand on all spiritual blessings in Christ and say, ‘Mine’.
~F. B. Meyer~

THURSDAY April 11, 2024

The Triune Godhead

Ephesians 1:3

Paul introduced the Godhead to the Ephesian believers. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit––the Triune God. Paul used the title, Lord Jesus Christ; but these words are not to be understood as Jesus’ first, middle and last names.

The title Lord in the Greek language is Kurios. It is a title in reference to His Lordship, His supreme authority. Jesus is our Lord, and we are to be in submission to Him. This means a believer submits every area of their life to Him because they love Him. Understand, Christians have a love relationship with their Lord; they are not merely religious.

The name Jesus in the Hebrew language is Y’shua. It means “to deliver,” “rescue,” or “God is salvation.” It is the name of the Messiah, and when it is properly used, it is Jesus the Christ––the Anointed One of God. Jesus is His human name as the incarnate, eternal Son of God. It also speaks of Jesus’ mission. He came to save souls: “...for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus is the Savior of the world! Consider Jesus’ names and all we have received from Him.

Paul used the past tense when saying, God has blessed us. He is the source of our blessings––spiritual, physical, and material––but Paul was specifically speaking of the scope of our spiritual blessings. Indwelling in our hearts is God’s Spirit: By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit (1 John 4:13).

What immense spiritual wealth is ours in Christ! Some to experience today and some tomorrow. Some which is ours because of spiritual birth as a child of God. Some to be experienced only by deliberate faith appropriation.
~A.W. Tozer~

WEDNESDAY April 10, 2024

Grace and Peace

Ephesians 1:2

In Paul’s salutation to the church of Ephesus, he did not place the word peace before grace. There is no possible way that a child of God can receive God’s peace until he has received His grace. Grace must always be first in the life of a believer. The Greek word for grace is charis and the word peace in the Hebrew language is shalom. These words were used as greetings.

In context, when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you receive God’s grace––His unmerited favor freely given. The grace of God allows His peace to fall upon your life. In the Greek language, the word peace is eirene, meaning “one, peace, quietness, rest, set at one again.”

It is the same word Jesus used when He spoke to His disciples: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). This is also described as the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God, is content with its earthly lot.

Sadly, many Christians do not have God’s peace reigning in their lives. Instead, they have constant turmoil. They worry about everything and become afraid when seeing the lawlessness and unrest in an unstable world. As you are in Jesus Christ, you have God’s peace. When you are feeling anxious and afraid, put into practice Philippians 4:6-7:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Rest in the grace and peace of God, knowing that He loves you!

Grace remits sin, and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever.
~Martin Luther~

TUESDAY April 9, 2024

The Faithful in Christ

Ephesians 1:1

Who was this epistle written to? It was a letter written by Paul to the saints who were in Ephesus. As a child, I had a false concept of who a saint was. I was taught that a saint was someone who lived their life, and when they died, they were canonized by the church. Then a statue was made of them out of wood, rock or marble, and that is a saint.

That is not the true meaning. The word saints is the Greek word hagios, which means “holy” or “separated ones.” Believers in Christ are to be “set apart”––separated to God from this evil world. It speaks of our consecration, pureness, sacredness and blamelessness. All of us are saints––separated ones––holy. That is amazing to me.

God calls us to be separate from the world: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). This means that through Jesus Christ, we can have a relationship with a holy God.

The letter was also addressed to the faithful in Christ Jesus. The word faithful in the Greek language is pistós. It means “loyalty to faith” and “worthy of trust, that can be relied on.” How can we become faithful in Christ? As we obediently exercise our faith to do what God has called us to do, we are being faithful. As you are faithful in the small things God has given you to do, He can entrust you with more. He can use your life to do even greater things (Luke 16:10).

However, our focus should not be what we can do for God; it is more about what God has done for us! That is what counts! He is the One who is faithful to bring about His purpose in our lives: being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ... (Philippians 1:6). As we place our trust in God and live to serve and love Him, He will be faithful to us.

The glory of God’s faithfulness is that no sin of ours has ever made Him unfaithful.
~C. H. Spurgeon~

MONDAY April 8, 2024

In Christ, Who Has God Called You to Be?

Ephesians 1:1

Again, Paul, [was] an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.... Place your name in this verse, but with the word that best describes who God has called you to be.

Some people believe the highest calling a person can have is to be called into the ministry––to be a pastor or an evangelist––but that is not true. As a child of God, the highest calling you can have is to be whatever the Lord has called you to be. This means, whether you are a student, a mother and housewife, an athlete, a doctor, a lawyer, a banker, a plumber, or involved in any business, this is your high calling.

My wife Sharon has ministered to thousands of women and has said:

Busy mothers who are running around getting their kids off to school, taking them to their different activities and appointments, and making sure to take them to church so they can know God for themselves have a vital call.

It is a great privilege to be a mother. While the father is away working hard to make a living, the mother is fulfilling her call by training her children in the ways of the Lord. A mother’s children are her little disciples.

Some people become dissatisfied with their lives and calling––sad. There needs to be contentment with the call of God. Think about all the great opportunities you have to be used by God as you meet different people every single day. You can be such a witness for Christ in the place He has called you to be.

Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us.
~Charles H. Spurgeon~

SUNDAY April 7, 2024

Commissioned by God

Ephesians 1:1

It was customary among the Greeks and those in the early church to always insert their name first in the beginning of the letter, not at the end as we do. This way, the reader already knew who was writing to them. The Apostle identified himself as the writer to the Ephesians by using his Gentile name, Paul. In the Greek language, Paul means “little one.”

In Paul’s salutation, he declared himself to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. The word apóstolos in the Greek language means “one to be sent out,” “a delegate,” “an ambassador,” “a commissioner,” or “one sent on a mission.” According to our English vocabulary, Paul was “a missionary of Jesus Christ.”

Paul knew he was called to be an apostle by the will of God, not by the will of man. God appointed, anointed, and ordained him to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. People attempt to appoint men, but it is God who commissions and appoints them. Again, it is God’s doing and not man’s. With the call of God there is a specific task––a commission. That is why it is important for you to know who you are in Christ before you endeavor to do His will.

I saw something else that stood out to me in this verse. Between the words “Paul, an apostle” and “by the will of God” is the phrase “of Jesus Christ.” Listen, no one can ever be in the perfect will of God unless they first come though Jesus Christ. He is the Mediator between God and man: For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). So first you have to come to Jesus for salvation, then you learn who you are in Christ, and then you can become whoever God has called you to be by the will of the Father.

What has God called and commissioned you to do individually?

If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?
~David Livingstone

SATURDAY April 6, 2024

Grateful Redemption

Ephesians 1:7

Through this six-chapter book of Ephesians, we will learn so much about your position in Christ. In Him, you have redemption, forgiveness and grace. In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul wrote continuously without any periods; this was considered a doxology––praises to God. These verses have become known as “the grateful redemption,” an indebted thanksgiving given by Christians to the Lord.

The book of Ephesians also portrays a deep expression of Paul’s love, care and fellowship. His earnest desire was to make sure the Christians in Ephesus remained steadfast in the faith. He wanted them to fully attain all their heavenly privileges they had gained in their new position in Christ. The entire epistle is written with rich Greek meaning, and it is because of this, that we will discover a great deal about ourselves and about God.

The congregation in Ephesus consisted of mostly Gentiles, with a small number of Jews (Ephesians 2:11-19; 3:1). The church in Ephesus was a light in a spiritually dark place. There were many heathens in the city, and idolatry and prostitution were rampant. Anytime Paul would encounter such sinners, he would always make sure the Gospel was proclaimed to them. As a result, the Church was growing at a fast pace.

Once saved, Paul established new believers in the Christian faith. People’s lives were dramatically changed. They began to understand biblical doctrine––redemption and their position in Christ. I think Christians who have a lack of understanding about their position in Christ become very deficient in their spiritual growth.

But of Him you [Christians] are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
~1 Corinthians 1:30-31~

FRIDAY April 5, 2024

The Goddess Diana

Acts19:23-24

In Ephesus, the citizens zealously worshiped the fertility goddess known to the Greeks as Artemis and to the Romans as Diana. Her name Diana means “luminous, perfect.” The Temple of Artemis (or Diana) was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Designed by the architect Chersiphron, the temple of Artemis was mostly made of marble and was 377 feet in length and 180 feet wide. It had 127 individual columns that stood 60 feet high and were 6 feet thick. Amazingly, 36 columns were sculptured and overlaid with gold. Croesus, the wealthy king of Lydia, financed the entire project. Historians differ on the time it took to build the temple; some say it took 120 years to build, while others believe it took as much as 200 years.

The citizens in Ephesus were very zealous worshippers of Diana. Their idolatry was joined with the practice of ritual prostitution. The Christian community needed to be careful; the men could no longer give in to the seduction of the prostitutes.

When Paul preached that idols ...are not gods which are made with hands (Acts 19:26), the craftsmen in Ephesus became very upset. They were afraid that their businesses would be destroyed. So they incited the people in the city, saying, “... the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship” (Acts 19:27).

Paul’s preaching caused a riot. So all with one voice [they] cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:34). It was a very dangerous situation. Paul’s travel companions were almost killed!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.
~D. L. Moody~

THURSDAY April 4, 2024

The City of Ephesus

Ephesians 1:1-2

Ephesus is located on the west coast of Turkey and was a Roman, provincial capital of Asia Minor. It was a busy port city located by the Aegean Sea. Ephesus was one of the most used, wealthy, commercial centers of the time. It has been said that the port was known to be “the Gate by which the West visited the East.”

The city of Ephesus was incredible. Many of its streets and temple columns were made from pure marble. The surrounding areas had fountains, monuments and statues. People went to the Great Theatre that was enlarged to seat 25,000 people and to see the architectural genius of the Celsus Library.

Interestingly, there were three main roads from Ephesus: one led south to the Meander Valley; another east toward Babylon via Laodicea; and the road north to Smyrna. At this time, the population stood at an estimated 250,000, making it the second largest city in the Roman world. It was home for Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Jews, and Gentiles.

Paul had previously visited Ephesus for a short period of time. He was there for only about three months. He had traveled to the city with two of his loyal friends, Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18-21). The planting of the church in Ephesus was attributed to Paul. He returned to the city on his third missionary journey and stayed there for almost 3½ years. The church flourished.

In the book of Acts, we see that Paul had encountered twelve men who knew only the baptism of John the Baptist. He prayed for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7). There was a great revival due to God working miracles through the Apostle. He healed the sick and cast out evil spirits. People repented and burned their books of magic. The Word of God grew mightily (Acts 19:11-20).

Pray that God would bring revival to our cities!

If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God.
~C. H. Spurgeon~

WEDNESDAY April 3, 2024

The Church

Ephesians 1:1

The book of Ephesians, as I read and study it, has become one of my greatest joys in life. I will go through the book at a snail’s pace because it is an important book that relates to the Church. Understand that you and I, as believers, constitute the Church. The Church is not a building. The term “Church” is a reference to all believers in Christ.

Again, in the first three chapters, the Apostle Paul will teach our position in Christ. Then once we know our position, he will continue to teach us what we are supposed to be doing for Christ. Many times, believe it or not, there are churches who will tell a person what they should be doing for God before they even know who they are in Christ. Believers need time to grow in Christ before they begin to serve Him in ministry.

As we study the book of Ephesians together, Paul will give us insights to help us learn practical, biblical terms. He will teach us that we are His [God’s] workmanship... (Ephesians 2:10). The word workmanship in the Greek language is poiema, meaning, “we are His poem.”

Paul will also help us to understand that believers in the body of Christ are actually constructed together: in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:10). We are the Church, and God dwells within us.

Paul will teach us a lot of doctrine in the book of Ephesians––the doctrine of God’s grace, redemption, and forgiveness. He addresses being chosen, predestination, and God’s foreknowledge.

As a student of God’s Word you will become rooted and grounded in the love of Christ.

From eternity to eternity, the beauty of God is pervasive and practical. Ask him to open the eyes of your heart (Ephesians 1:18). Give your life to this quest –seeing and savoring more and more of the happifying beauty of God.
~John Piper~

TUESDAY April 2, 2024

An Inspired Writer

Acts 28:30-31

We left the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts under house arrest. He was allowed to have visitors and the freedom to do the work of the ministry. Paul was very productive; he never wasted a minute. During the two years under house arrest, Paul wrote what is called today, “the Prison Epistles.” We usually find these books listed as: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. Full of the Holy Spirit, Paul was an inspired writer!

At Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, there are many people and entire families who have been touched by the Gospel message. God continues to add to His Church. This is why I believe with all my heart that the book of Ephesians will be an excellent epistle for us to go through. New believers need to learn who they are in Christ, and those who have walked with Christ for some time need to be reminded of how spiritually rich they are in Christ.

The book of Ephesians will be a very practical book for us to study. Interestingly, the first three chapters of the book of Ephesians will cover who we are in Christ as believers, and the next three chapters will address how we are to walk as Christians. The last chapter of the book deals with spiritual warfare. We need to learn how to use our spiritual weaponry against our adversaries.

Ruth Paxon was a Bible teacher, missionary, and author who divided the book of Ephesians this way: the wealth, the walk and the warfare of the believer. Get ready to be blessed!

God’s Word is both powerful and practical.
~Karen Ehman~

MONDAY April 1, 2024

Fools at Heart

Psalm 14:1

Today is April Fools’ Day, and although not a legal holiday, it is celebrated worldwide. It is believed to have begun in 1700 in Britain, when some young pranksters began to play tricks on each other. April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. Others believe it came from Geoffrey Chaucer’s book, The Canterbury Tales, from 1392.

Regardless of how the day came about, God’s Word has much to say about fools. There are people who call themselves atheists. They believe a philosophy that God does not exist. They think there is no valid evidence. Yet the evidence of God as Creator is right in front of their eyes! The authority of the Scriptures teaches: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork (Psalm 19:1). Oh, fool, can you not see the handiwork of God all about you?

Today, many people still live by this foolish philosophy: “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die!” Jesus often taught people by parables and warned them of this foolish thinking in The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21). A rich man hoarded all his goods. He built bigger barns to keep all his crops and goods. He thought to himself: “ ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry’ ” (Luke 12:19). How foolish! He did not take into account that he was not guaranteed tomorrow. That night, God required his soul!

Then there are those who profess themselves to be wise. They believe in all kinds of worldly thinking and philosophies. Can you believe that so- called intelligent, educated people are trying to persuade children and adults that they are not who God designed them to be? Without God, these men and women spread lies that a girl can be a boy and vice versa. Think about it; it is madness! They are extremely foolish.

Do not be led astray by foolish philosophies. Know the truth of God’s Word.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”
~1 Corinthians 3:19-20~

SUNDAY March 31, 2024

Resurrection Morning

Matthew 28:5-6

The day Jesus died on the Cross, His body was bathed, perfumed, wrapped in clean, linen cloths and placed inside a rich man’s tomb––Joseph of Arimathea. A guard was set and the tomb sealed so that the body of Christ could not be stolen away. Yet there is a question people still often ask, “Did Jesus Christ really rise from the dead?”

People try to discredit the Resurrection and give false narratives. Some believe the Resurrection of Christ was fake and that He did not really die. They think Jesus was drugged on the Cross, and later inside the tomb, He woke up, cut himself free, and removed the huge stone from the tomb Himself! Others believe the disciples stole away Jesus’ body. These are mistruths. Jesus did rise from the dead!

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is true! As the day dawned, faithful women disciples were the first to come to Jesus’ tomb. Suddenly, a miracle took place––an earthquake, as an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the tomb’s stone. The women were told, “He is risen,” and they were invited to see the place where the Lord lay. They saw for themselves that He was not there! I have been to Israel many times, and with all the other witnesses, I too testify––Jesus is not there!

This Resurrection morning, are you a true seeker of God? If you are not a true seeker, you will pursue your own misguided deceptions. Seek for the peace of God and for His salvation. Seek the One who died on the Cross for the sins of the whole world! Seek the risen Messiah, Jesus Christ. He rose from the dead and has conquered death!

“After death something new begins, over which all powers of the world of death have no more might.”
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~

SATURDAY March 30, 2024

The Garden Tomb

Matthew 27:57

Jesus suffered tremendously on the Cross. When He yielded up His spirit, the veil in the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, rocks were split, graves opened, and the bodies of some of the saints who had died were raised. The centurion and those with him saw these things, were afraid, and said: “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:51-54).

Among the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious leaders, were two secret disciples of Jesus Christ: Nicodemus, who had privately spoken to Jesus at the onset of His ministry; and Joseph of Arimathea, a very wealthy man who asked Pilate for Jesus’ body:

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus (John 19:38).

The Scriptures reveal the love and dedication of both disciples for their Lord after His death. They made sure to follow the strict rules for a Jewish burial. Jesus would be buried the same day in accordance with their Jewish customs:

...Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds ... they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury (John 19:39-40).

These bold actions revealed their Christian faith openly. Their faith was no longer a hidden secret. They knew the Jewish leaders would reject them, but as disciples, they counted the cost, and that was all that mattered. Nearby was Joseph’s own purchased garden tomb. Carefully, he placed the bruised body of Jesus there (Matthew 27:59-60).

For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked — but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
~Isaiah 53:8-9~

FRIDAY March 29, 2024

The Redeemed

John 19:30

Scripture records the final words of Jesus Christ while in agony on the Cross: “It is finished!” What was finished? The costly price for the redemption of mankind through the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the Cross: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7).

Jesus’ sole purpose for coming to earth––His incarnation, God coming in human form––was to redeem mankind. What does the word redeem mean? In the Greek language, the word redeem means “to release by paying a ransom.” Jesus paid the ransom price through His blood:

...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Some religious people believe they have earned a place in heaven on the premise of their good conduct or their church attendance. Salvation is given on the grounds of God’s grace; nothing we can do is enough. One song writer, Ellis J. Crum, helps us to understand the impossibility in the words of his praise,

I had a debt I could not pay,

He paid the debt He did not owe,

I needed someone,

To wash my sins away.

And now I sing a brand new song,

“Amazing grace” all day long,

Christ Jesus paid the debt,

That I could never pay.

Now that you understand that the redemption price for your sin has been willingly paid by Jesus Christ’s shed blood, how will you respond?

In the Cross, sin is cursed and cancelled. In the Cross, grace is victorious and available.
~G. Campbell Morgan~

THURSDAY March 28, 2024

Are You a King?

John 18:37

Jesus stood beaten and bruised before Pilate who asked Him two key questions. First, he asked: “Are You the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33). Jesus asked if this was a personal question coming from Pilate, or if he had heard this information from others. In His answer, Jesus told him an important truth about His Kingship:

“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36).

It was as if Jesus drew back a curtain so Pilate could comprehend that His kingdom was not of this earth; it was a heavenly kingdom. Pilate had no idea that Jesus had myriads of angels at His command. Secondly, Pilate pressed for a more direct answer: “Are you a king then?” Jesus put that question to rest: “You say rightly that I am a king...” (John 18:37).

Jesus straightforwardly told Pilate the truth about who He was and disclosed to Him the reality about His kingdom. Pilate was held accountable for what he now knew: “For this cause I [Jesus] was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37).

Interestingly, Pilate asked another question that has implications for us all: “What is truth?” Jesus had told Pilate the truth. Pilate felt uncomfortable with all he had heard and turned to the crowds to tell them he had found no fault in Him; however, he became easily persuaded by the crowd who shouted to crucify Him.

You are accountable for what you know or have heard about Jesus Christ. Perhaps the truth has made you feel uneasy about your sin. Make Jesus King of your life, and He will forgive you of your sin!

…Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate… He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords…
~I Timothy 6:13, 15~

WEDNESDAY March 27, 2024

Jesus’ Hour Had Come

Mark 14:41-42

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus agonized in prayer. His hour had come––the time of His suffering. The scale of what He was about to face caused Him to pray even more intensely: And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44). Through the power of prayer, Jesus was able to endure all that would soon happen to Him.

Jesus had asked His Disciples to be watchful and pray, but three times He found them sleeping. His betrayer was approaching. Jesus’ hour was at hand. He would be betrayed by Judas, one of the Twelve who was with Him in His ministry. Jesus would be handed over to sinners.

Judas’ disloyalty is written in Psalm 41:9: Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Do you think Jesus treated Judas any differently from the others? Consider the Savior’s actions:

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end (John 13:1).

Jesus loved all His Disciples, even Judas. His love has no end––it is an everlasting love. He loved all the people, but in His love, He calls all sinners to repentance: ...I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17). Those who respond to His love and repent are called His own. They belong to Him.

Judas, although he walked with Jesus, was not saved. He was not one of His own. He willfully chose to reject Jesus’ love and mercy and betrayed Him instead. His was a sad end. What will be your end?

The reason we have this inner conviction that death is not the end––and that Heaven exists––is because we were created in the image of God.
~Billy Graham~

TUESDAY March 26, 2024

The Cross on the Horizon

Mark 14:34, 36

Each day the time grew closer to Christ’s death by crucifixion. Jesus’ soul was extremely sorrowful. He knew the Cross was on the horizon––the hill of Calvary. He voiced His deep sorrow to His Disciples and agonized in prayer. He asked His Father if this cup of suffering could be taken away. Did the shedding of His blood on the Cross have to happen? Could the price for man’s redemption be paid another way?

There was no other way, so Jesus submitted His will to the Father’s and set His face as flint: “For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:7). Jesus knew He would carry the weight of man’s sin on the Cross. As our Savior, He would fulfill the words of Isaiah the prophet: But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... (Isaiah 53:5).

Knowing all things, Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, and He would stand trial before the Sanhedrin. He would suffer. They would spit on Him, beat Him, and mock Him. The next morning, before Pilate, Jesus would be falsely accused and condemned to death. He would suffer scourging––His flesh would be ripped apart––and sinners would crucify Him.

On the Cross, for a moment, Jesus would be forsaken by His Father. A holy God could not look upon sin. The pain of that one instant is prophesied in Psalm 22:1: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?

Think about the magnitude of Jesus’ suffering on the Cross. All His pain and suffering were endured because of God’s great love for you! The reason for why He died was all for you.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
~John 3:16~