Irritability is emotional and can have many sources—lack of sleep, hormones, stress, anxiety, worry, chemicals, etc. Shortness of emotional control can produce anger, rage, and violence. Anger can be appropriate but shouldn’t arise from irritation (Eph. 4:26). The result of irritation becomes sinful when it affects behavior or creates needless, negative issues with others. Irritability (Gr.paroxynetai, ‘to make sharp, provoke’) can expose selfishness that at other times might be hidden if something is delayed, denied, or disrupted. There are no ‘bad days’, just bad reactions to unwelcome circumstances.

When the sun set on Friday, Jesus was dead. As the Jewish leaders were afraid the disciples would steal Jesus’ body and stage a ‘resurrection’, they posted guards at the tomb and sealed the stone. Any unauthorized breaking of the seal would result in death. As the sun was rising Sunday morning, an angel descended to remove the stone and the battle-hardened guards fainted from fear. Everything God does is ‘authorized’ (Is. 45:9; Dan. 4:35)! As Mary arrived, the stone was rolled away, guards gone, and an angel told her Jesus had risen. She then saw Jesus and held onto his feet proving he wasn’t an illusion or ghost. Sometimes the greatest news is given to the most unlikely, so God gets the most glory (1 Cor. 1:26-30)!

When the sun set on Friday, Jesus was dead. As the Jewish leaders were afraid the disciples would steal Jesus’ body and stage a ‘resurrection’, they posted guards at the tomb and sealed the stone. Any unauthorized breaking of the seal would result in death. As the sun was rising Sunday morning, an angel descended to remove the stone and the battle-hardened guards fainted from fear. Everything God does is ‘authorized’ (Is. 45:9; Dan. 4:35)! As Mary arrived, the stone was rolled away, guards gone, and an angel told her Jesus had risen. She then saw Jesus and held onto his feet proving he wasn’t an illusion or ghost. Sometimes the greatest news is given to the most unlikely, so God gets the most glory (1 Cor. 1:26-30)!

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped at a little town called Bethany. At his friends’ house, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were throwing him a party. Not only does Jesus have real friends, but they actually wantto be around him! To have friends you have to be friendly and the type of friends you have is a mirror of your values(Prov. 13:20; 17:17; 18:24; 1 Cor. 15:33). About a month previous, Jesus had done a miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. At the party, Lazarus’ sister Martha must have been in awe watching him participate in the festivities knowing that without Jesus, this moment wouldn’t have been possible. No one knew better than Lazarus’ family that Jesus has power over death and life (John 11:25, 26; 38-44).Ultimate control is a human façade and a divine right!

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped at a little town called Bethany. At his friends’ house, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were throwing him a party. Not only does Jesus have real friends, but they actually wantto be around him! To have friends you have to be friendly and the type of friends you have is a mirror of your values(Prov. 13:20; 17:17; 18:24; 1 Cor. 15:33). About a month previous, Jesus had done a miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. At the party, Lazarus’ sister Martha must have been in awe watching him participate in the festivities knowing that without Jesus, this moment wouldn’t have been possible. No one knew better than Lazarus’ family that Jesus has power over death and life (John 11:25, 26; 38-44).Ultimate control is a human façade and a divine right!

            In describing the spiritual struggle to live for God, Paul used the picture of a Roman soldier’s armor (Eph. 6:13-17). To complete the picture, he finished with the most important aspect of being protected and prepared—prayer. Believers are to pray at all times ‘in/by/through’ the Spirit. This is not a special state of consciousness (or else believers couldn’t do it at ‘all times’) but rather connecting with God through God who dwells in them (Rom. 8:26, 27). Biblical prayer is not random thoughts or wishful thinking but rather a purposeful, focused, soul-conversation with God(Col. 4:2; Phil. 4:6).

            In describing the spiritual struggle to live for God, Paul used the picture of a Roman soldier’s armor (Eph. 6:13-17). To complete the picture, he finished with the most important aspect of being protected and prepared—prayer. Believers are to pray at all times ‘in/by/through’ the Spirit. This is not a special state of consciousness (or else believers couldn’t do it at ‘all times’) but rather connecting with God through God who dwells in them (Rom. 8:26, 27). Biblical prayer is not random thoughts or wishful thinking but rather a purposeful, focused, soul-conversation with God(Col. 4:2; Phil. 4:6).

The Ephesian church was in a Greco-Roman culture that promoted sexual unrestraint, slavery, idolatry, materialism, and gluttony. As a wealthy port city, distractions were everywhere—from athletics to business, to festivals and drinking parties. To live for God, believers were to be strong in the strength (Gr. kratos, ‘vigor, power’) from God, by the Holy Spirit dwelling inside (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19). Though believers passively receive the strength of God, they are to actively use it. Power without practice is purposeless. Ephesus hosted the Pan-Ionian games of which wrestling was a main sport. Wrestlers would lose if they lost their footing, were tripped, or were thrown on their back or shoulder. Paul used this close-contact event to illustrate the spiritual struggle where believers are to stand (Gr.stēnai, ‘to make firm, establish’) against the devil’s (Gr. diabolou, ‘slanderer’) schemes (Gr. methodeia, ‘deceit, trickery’; 2 Cor. 2:11). Satan can’t defeat a believer who stands in God!

The Ephesian church was in a Greco-Roman culture that promoted sexual unrestraint, slavery, idolatry, materialism, and gluttony. As a wealthy port city, distractions were everywhere—from athletics to business, to festivals and drinking parties. To live for God, believers were to be strong in the strength (Gr. kratos, ‘vigor, power’) from God, by the Holy Spirit dwelling inside (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19). Though believers passively receive the strength of God, they are to actively use it. Power without practice is purposeless. Ephesus hosted the Pan-Ionian games of which wrestling was a main sport. Wrestlers would lose if they lost their footing, were tripped, or were thrown on their back or shoulder. Paul used this close-contact event to illustrate the spiritual struggle where believers are to stand (Gr.stēnai, ‘to make firm, establish’) against the devil’s (Gr. diabolou, ‘slanderer’) schemes (Gr. methodeia, ‘deceit, trickery’; 2 Cor. 2:11). Satan can’t defeat a believer who stands in God!

In the first century, Rome imported slaves as its economic backbone from Europe, the Mediterranean, Spain, Syria, and Greece. As a Roman city, Ephesus had 50,000 slaves—the most valuable being doctors, architects, musicians, and sculptors. Those who broke the law, had financial debts, or were war captives were sold in the agora. For some it was punishment, for many it was unjust. These people would now become part of a household, temporarily or for life. The Ephesian church was just a few years old and had families that had slaves for various reasons, so Paul instructed them about Christian household behavior. Where there is Christ, there should be order and care! While the Bible recognizes the reality of slavery in a culture, it never condones it but manages it, with a goal of ending it (1 Cor. 7:21-23). Christians live by the laws of the land and work to change ungodly ones (Rom. 13:4-7). Christianity and the Gospel would be instrumental in the eventual fall of institutional slavery in Rome andAmerica! The Gospel works from the inside out!