Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Yet sometimes keeping God's commands gets labeled as legalism. But is it? I'll give you a hint. It's not. We're in Ephesians 4:25-32 today looking at seven characteristics every believer is called to display.

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My mind can take me crazy places. As a six on the Enneagram, I’m prone to thinking things like, “Oh no, I probably need a hip replacement,” the minute my hip starts hurting and I can’t figure out why.

My saving grace is the Holy Spirit who gives me not only the capability but also the capacity to think rightly. The key is renewing my mind, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:23-24. But what does that really mean? Is it simply the power of positive thinking or something more?

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There is a trend right now, especially in Christian literature (if you can call it that), of self-focus. Do what makes you happy. Be who you want to be. Find yourself. Let yourself shine forth. Take care of yourself first and foremost. But this trend of love thyself first is not of God. Since when does the Bible say to turn inward? Since when are we to be self-focused?

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Before Christ we were in rough shape. Ephesians 4 doesn't beat around the bush. But in Christ we are a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. But when we sin, choosing to walk in our “former manner of life” (Eph. 4:22) instead of our new one, it’s like smearing mud all over the wallpaper of righteousness Christ just took the time to hang on the walls of our new heart.

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I’m good at excuses. I think most of us are. Rebuttals? They come naturally. But according to Ephesians 4 we have no excuses. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up.

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In his letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul focuses on four specific gifts that are for the equipping of the church body. And guess what? One of those gifts is your pastor. It's true your pastor is a gift from Christ to you. Do you believe it? Ephesians 4:11-16

Unity and uniformity are two very different things. Yet sometimes I think we get them confused, especially in regards to the church. Replacing the need for unity with uniformity. But which should it be? Or is it both? Ephesians 4 has a few things to say on the topic.

Rules and expectations are a good thing. Most organizations have them; most employers have them. And it's fine; it's expected. Yet for some reason when it comes to Christianity and expectations are brought up, people run for the doors.

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What if I told you the question of who God is could be answered with the Christmas story - would you believe me? I don't think God intended his identity to be complicated. We're the ones who complicate it. In fact, I think God's made it quite clear. But for starters lets just say this: He's the God who came anyway.

It's week 2 of our advent series: Life's Deepest Questions Answered by the Christmas Story. This week we're tackling a big one: Is God faithful? Listen friend, God has not left us and the story of Christ's birth is pleading with us to see it.