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Ephesians 5:15-6:24; Colossians 1:1-23<\/strong><\/span> Ephesians:<\/strong> Ephesians chapter 5 verse 17 really stood out to me today: \u201cDon\u2019t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I am wondering how often each of acts thoughtlessly?\u00a0 I am afraid in my case it is far too often.\u00a0 I can sometimes sleep-walk through my day \u2013 or even days \u2013 or even weeks\u2026\u00a0 and miss the point of life completely when doing so!\u00a0 Paul teaches us here to try to understand what the Lord wants us to do.\u00a0 Why would we want to try to understand this?\u00a0 I think in large part so we no longer act thoughtlessly!\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid we are far too often a thoughtless people in how we live our lives & how we waste so much time in our very short lives this side of heaven\u2026\u00a0 How about you?\u00a0 Are you acting thoughtlessly at all these days?\u00a0 Will you seek to understand what God wants you to do?\u00a0 \u00a0And then will you go do it and leave your thoughtless ways behind?<\/span> Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Ephesians titled \u201cThe Meaning of Christian Marriage\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.\u00a0 Below is a nice image for Ephesians 5:21 from today\u2019s readings:<\/span> We wrap up Paul\u2019s letter to the church in Ephesus today!\u00a0 His letter to the church in Philippi begins tomorrow!\u00a0 Ephesians chapter 6 verse 7 stood out to me today \u2013 \u201cWork with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I realize the context of this verse is that Paul was writing it to slaves.\u00a0 However, I think this verse works very well today for any of us that work a full time job.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve probably seen movies or TV shows that make fun of working and basically encourage folks to work as little as possible when they are on the job.\u00a0 I think this is a horrible idea!\u00a0 I had a friend tell me once that if you are acting like a slacker at one job \u2013 perhaps a job you really don\u2019t like and are trying to get out of \u2013 you\u2019ll end up acting like a slacker at your next job, even if your next job is your dream job.\u00a0 You\u2019ll goof up that dream job because it will be hard to break habit the habit of being a slacker\u2026\u00a0 So \u2013 I think each of us would do well to take to heart Paul\u2019s words here in verse 7.\u00a0 Are you working at your job with enthusiasm?\u00a0 Are you working each and every day as though you are working for the Lord?\u00a0 As such, are you not \u201cstealing time\u201d from your employer by surfing the net, socializing excessively, doing errands, arriving late, and this list could go on\u2026\u00a0 If Jesus was your boss, would you act the same way at work that you do now?\u00a0 Well, is Jesus perhaps really your \u201cboss\u201d even if he isn\u2019t the one signing your pay checks per se\u2026?<\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Ephesians titled \u201cSpiritual Warfare\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Colossians:<\/strong> Today we begin Paul\u2019s letter to the church in Colosse!\u00a0 You can see in the map below that Colesse was about 100 miles west of Ephesus \u2013 and very close to Laodicea.\u00a0 You can also see the island of Patmos on this map below where John wrote the book of Revelation.<\/span> ~ Colossians ~<\/strong> Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 through 17 are some of the most powerful statements in all of the Bible about Who Jesus truly is!\u00a0 \u201cChrist is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.\u00a0 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can\u2019t see\u2013kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Do you believe these words of Paul\u2019s are true?\u00a0 Do you believe that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God?\u00a0 Did Jesus exist before God made the Earth?\u00a0 Do you believe that Jesus holds all of creation together?\u00a0 Does Jesus hold you together?<\/span> Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Colossians titled \u201cThe Supremacy of the Person of Christ\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link.<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video: <\/strong>Today\u2019s readings reminded me of the fantastic worship song \u201cDid You Feel the Mountains Tremble?\u201d by Delirious.\u00a0 For some reason every time I hear the lyric \u201copen up the doors and let the music play, let the streets resound with singing\u201d I am reminded of a trip to the Dominican Republic I took several years ago to work on houses with Habitat for Humanity.\u00a0 Walking down the dusty streets of a tiny village in the DR I distinctly remember the doors being open, the music playing and the streets resounding with the singing of children playing.\u00a0 God\u2019s presence was so real and tangible to me on that dusty little village in the DR.\u00a0 I pray you\u2019ve had or will have a similar experience with God walking down \u201ca street that has no name!\u201d<\/span>
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Author<\/span>: Paul the apostle
Place<\/span>: Rome
Date<\/span>: A.D. 60 or 61
Content:<\/span> Paul wrote this letter while a prisoner in Rome to a city he had never visited. He had come to know of these believers while living in Ephesus on his second missionary journey, and now he was concerned because he had heard of some strange pagan theories that were creeping into the church. The views that were troubling the Colossians were a mixture of astrology, magic, and Judaism, which downgraded Christ to being just some sort of angel. Paul wrote to correct this error by showing that Christ is none other than God and possesses the fullness of the eternal God. Instructions follow concerning Christian living.
Theme:<\/span> In this important letter of Paul\u2019s we are presented with a carefully worked-out defense of Christ\u2019s deity and glory. He is all in all and the believer has everything he needs in Christ. Paul warns that believers out not to be led astray by the foolishness and the false wisdom of men. Instructions for Christian living stress the power of God for men and the joy that believers may have by making use of all the resources that are theirs in Christ. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers \u201cThe One Year Bible Companion\u201d pp. 27-28)\u00a0 <\/em>A wonderful commentary on Colossians by J. Hampton Keathley, III, is <\/span>at this link<\/span>. <\/span>