Ephesians 2
In the past you were spiritually dead because of your sins and the things you did against God. 2 Yes, in the past you lived the way the world lives, following the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God. 3 In the past all of us lived like them, trying to please our sinful selves and doing all the things our bodies and minds wanted. We should have suffered God’s anger because we were sinful by nature. We were the same as all other people.
4 But God’s mercy is great, and he loved us very much. 5 Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God, he gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace. 6 And he raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the heavens. He did this for those in Christ Jesus 7 so that for all future time he could show the very great riches of his grace by being kind to us in Christ Jesus. 8 I mean that you have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 It was not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.
Never underestimate the power of encouragement, the need for encouragement, or the incredible honor it is to be God's vessel of encouragement to our fellow man.
Pause to appreciate, thank, and love the helpmate by your side through another year.
Does your A.D. look different your B.C.?
Before laying out plans for 2026, it's good to reflect on how 2025 went.
Our skills and talents are gifts from God best used to glorify Him.
Jesus fulfilled the promise of Immanuel, "God with Us."
The wise men came bearing gifts. What are we giving to the Lord?
Consider God's role in our classic sayings about time.
It only makes sense to invite God into all that we manage, as He successfully manages so much more every single day!
Hey, Charlie Brown, what is "Good Grief," and what does it look like during Christmas?
Decide now who you're going to be these holidays. Let peace begin with you!
God doesn't always give us what we want, but He gives us what we need.
People notice when our words and actions don't match. Let's live out the faith we proclaim.
Even when we know the truth, delivery is best received when we carefully consider the person, setting, and situation- lest we be tone deaf.
When the world loses its faith, be a Simeon and keep showing up.
God's medicine doesn't always taste good and it may not be easy to swallow, but it's the best thing for us.
Many men want to help when the need is obvious. Consideration helps us recognize those whose needs are less obvious.
We shouldn't put celebrities and influencers on a pedestal even when they say they found Jesus. Likewise, let's not allow anyone to hero worship us. Got should always get the glory!
Three lessons from the truth that our job replacement notices may get posted before our obituaries.