To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ (Eph 3:8) Without a doubt, the Apostle Paul was used by God to bring the gospel to more people than just about anyone in history.  His call to take the gospel to the […]

Last week we saw how the Apostle Paul understood his position and place on this earth as a prisoner and slave of Christ.  Once an arrogant Pharisee and religious dogmatist, Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) was a 180 degree turn, and he obeyed dutifully and vigorously. Today let’s look a little […]

One of the things I love most about the Apostle Paul’s writings is how he habitually emphasized the will and sovereignty of the Lord.  This is an outward sign of a Christian with a healthy, thriving faith: complete and utter submission of oneself to the will of our perfectly righteous and just Creator, even in […]

As we saw last week, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross broke down the ancient barriers between Israel and the Gentiles.  He removed the dividing walls, and by His blood adopted us into His family and the promise given to Israel through Abraham.  In this, we now share in the rich, eternal blessings of this covenant […]

Last week, in Ephesians 2:5-10, we saw how Paul defended that our salvation is by God’s grace, not by our own works, affirming a key doctrine of the Christian faith.  But he didn’t stop emphasizing this point, as we’ll see in today’s text. And to better appreciate this passage, we need to understand its audience. […]

One of the most stunning truths in Scripture is that we’re not in control.  This may cause us to pause or even raise our cackles, because humans typically like to be in control of things.  We like to set our own course in life, do the things we want, when we want, and be who […]

There are times in our walk with God that we need to stop, sit back, and in great humility just meditate on the goodness of the Lord and how incredibly awesome His love for us really is.  Opening Ephesians 2, the Apostle Paul gives us such an opportunity.  I would encourage you to contemplate this […]

It’s not hard these days to get discouraged by what we see happening around us.  Strife, division, hatred, murder, envy, lust, pain, suffering, and every kind of increasing evil and wickedness fill our screens as we scroll through social media or any news site.  It’s no wonder many people ask, “where’s God in all this?” […]

One of the greatest privileges we have as believers is the ability to petition the Lord God Almighty on behalf of ourselves and others (Heb 4:16).  Throughout Scripture we’re shown examples of God hearing the prayers of His people and changing circumstances.  Abraham petitioned God on behalf of his nephew Lot (Genesis 18:16-33), Moses pleaded […]

Did you ever wonder why God saved you?  Why He sent His son to die on the cross and bring salvation to those who believe?  Perhaps you’ve asked, “why did You save ME, God?” I think any honest Christian has asked these questions at some point in their walk, especially as we learn more about […]