What do you need today? A new job? More time? Maybe better friends, or a car that doesn’t stall at red lights? We have many needs. It’s sometimes easy to forget that our greatest need is to know God. Our relationship with him is the most important part of our lives.
Ephesians 1:17
How do you feel about prayer? Many of us often feel that prayer is a duty or a burden. But prayer is possibly our greatest privilege, because it brings us into the very presence of God. The Apostle Paul showed us how to pray with passion and joy.
Ephesians 1:15-17
Did you know that God had Christmas planned all the way back in Genesis? Before God’s judgment of sin, He promised Adam and Eve a Savior. That promise was fulfilled at Christmas through Jesus.
Genesis 3:15
Are you unsatisfied during the Christmas season? It’s often in times of celebration that we feel most left out. We look at others in the world, including non-believers, and envy them for all they’ve been blessed with.
Psalms 73
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit all play a part in salvation. The Father sent the Son and the Son died on the cross to save our sins, but what exactly does the Spirit do? The apostle Paul describes him as a “deposit” of our inheritance, but what does that mean?
Ephesians 1:13-14
What is the mark of the Christian? People may look to our acts and our words, but God looks at his people and sees the mark of the Holy Spirit. Just as the presidential seal is a symbol of authority, the Holy Spirit is God’s trademark on the Christian.
Ephesians 1:13
Did you know that you can be a part of God’s plan? The apostle Paul makes it clear that God has a grand plan for all of Creation, and believers are right in the middle of it. His whole plan is for his glory and our good. But why choose us, and what is our role in it all?
Ephesians 1:11-13
History is full of sin and its tragic consequences. Since the Fall, death, war, famine and all kinds of evil have been running rampant, but the Bible makes it clear that God has a plan to fix all that.
Ephesians 1:9-10
It is strange that the cross should serve as a symbol for Christianity. In ancient times, it was recognized as a horrific instrument of death and judgment. The apostle Paul even described it as a “stumbling block,” yet the blood of Christ is precious to believers.
Ephesians 1:7
God had a plan for salvation from the very beginning of time, but it reached its glorious climax in the work of his Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches us that it was Jesus’ blood that paid the price for our sins; he was our Ransom.
Ephesians 1:7-8
Does God choose people because of how good they are, or is it only according to his will? It’s been debated for centuries, but the Bible makes it clear that God’s choosing us has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with Him.
Ephesians 1:6
What does it mean to be predestined? We don’t like the sound of it, because if we’re predestined, we feel like we don’t have control. But if a loving and all-powerful God predestined us to be his sons and daughters, we can rest pretty comfortably in his hands!
Ephesians 1:5
What’s the root of our faith? I’m sure we’ve all heard how we’re saved by Jesus dying on the cross. That’s true, but what makes that possible? God’s plan for salvation started well before Jesus ever came to earth; even before time.
Ephesians 1:4
Does God’s goodness ever inspire you to just spontaneously praise Him? That may seem less than dignified in a quiet church, and yet that is exactly how the apostle Paul seems to respond when he reflects on God’s blessings.
Ephesians 1:3
What exactly is a Christian? Are they simply followers of Christ in some general sense, or is it something much deeper? The book of Ephesians in the New Testament talks a lot about this. Paul is very interested in letting us know who we are in Christ.
Ephesians 1:1
We could all use an encouraging word to strengthen our faith, and this was certainly true for the early church. Many such uplifting messages came in the form of letters from the apostles, including a powerful letter written by the apostle Paul to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:1-2
Jesus often spoke in parables, and the message was not always a pleasant one. In the parable of the wicked tenants, Jesus taught a pretty unsettling lesson to the Pharisees about there rejection of God.
Luke 20:9-19
Do you give God a good return on his investment? That may seem like a strange question. After all, God doesn’t expect us to earn his forgiveness. Well, we are indeed saved by grace, but Jesus has also given us a charge, and he expects us to make the best use of the time we are given before he returns.
Luke 19:11-27
| 01/11/09 | The Enlightnened Life |