As Paul hadn’t physically been to Ephesus in years, the church had grown and there were many people he didn’t know. Yet even during his travels and incarceration for the Gospel, he had heard second-hand about the reputation of the church. The Ephesians were known as genuine believers with a culture of love toward others. A church without love is a church without God (John 13:34, 35; 1 John 4:7)! The DNA of a church is the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of its existence—one is seenthe other is sensed. A biblical church’s reputation should be one of truth in Jesus and love for others (1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 3:18). Your reputation greets people before you do!Just as abusing and neglecting your own body is dysfunctional, the Body of Christ—global and local—should be cared for. People know love when they know God’s love. Self-love is emotional and tied to our view of ourselves, which is distorted and broken. We don’t need a better self-image of us, we need a better Savior-image in us!

Throughout history, an inheritance from parents would often be the most significant and gracious gift a person could receive. Gaining an inheritance meant you were a special part of the family, and depending on value, could set a person up for life. An inheritance was often the highest value of a parent from their lifetime of work(Prov. 13:22; 22:1). As angels were created to be God’s messengers, God had no ‘family’ before creation. Though God was Self-satisfied in the community of the Trinity, He chose to create a ‘family’ from humanity to show His love, goodness, and graciousness. For those He predestined to be in His family through Jesus, God gave them rights to everything He owns (Luke 12:32)!

Throughout history, an inheritance from parents would often be the most significant and gracious gift a person could receive. Gaining an inheritance meant you were a special part of the family, and depending on value, could set a person up for life. An inheritance was often the highest value of a parent from their lifetime of work(Prov. 13:22; 22:1). As angels were created to be God’s messengers, God had no ‘family’ before creation. Though God was Self-satisfied in the community of the Trinity, He chose to create a ‘family’ from humanity to show His love, goodness, and graciousness. For those He predestined to be in His family through Jesus, God gave them rights to everything He owns (Luke 12:32)!

Previously in his life, Paul had been a violent man and a murderer who thought he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians (Acts 22:4; 1 Tim. 1:13). What he thought was obedience that was making him right with God was actually offending God and compiling sin against himself. Self-appointed action for God without knowledge of God leads to self-deception and condemnation. Instead of being rightly condemned for his sin, after accepting the grace of God through Jesus, Paul and all believers are spiritually blessed as they are metaphorically inChrist. Being ‘in’ or ‘of’ something gives you all the benefits of belonging!The fact God chose (Gr. eklegomai, ‘to select, pick out’) believers before creation meant He had a plan and purpose to make them holy and blameless (Gr. amōmos, ‘flawless, faultless’). God cleans up the uncleanable (1 John 1:9)!

Previously in his life, Paul had been a violent man and a murderer who thought he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians (Acts 22:4; 1 Tim. 1:13). What he thought was obedience that was making him right with God was actually offending God and compiling sin against himself. Self-appointed action for God without knowledge of God leads to self-deception and condemnation. Instead of being rightly condemned for his sin, after accepting the grace of God through Jesus, Paul and all believers are spiritually blessed as they are metaphorically inChrist. Being ‘in’ or ‘of’ something gives you all the benefits of belonging!The fact God chose (Gr. eklegomai, ‘to select, pick out’) believers before creation meant He had a plan and purpose to make them holy and blameless (Gr. amōmos, ‘flawless, faultless’). God cleans up the uncleanable (1 John 1:9)!

Paul, whose Jewish birth-name was Saul, was born to devout Jewish parents c. 5 AD in the Roman ‘free city’ of Tarsus—making him a Roman citizen (Acts 22:3, 28). He spoke multiple languages, had a genius-level IQ, was well educated, and had a passion to serve God through the religion of Judaism (Phil. 3:5, 6). Believing Jesus to be a failed Messiah, he persecuted Christians as a cult until he was miraculously transformed by the risen Jesus (Acts 8:3; 22:4-8; Gal. 1:13). Paul was a fiery man of conviction who believed he was servingGod while actually opposingGod. Blindness isn’t realized until sight sees the light!Consequently, he gave his life to spread the Gospel as an apostle (Gr. apostolos, ‘delegate, ambassador’) of Jesus. There is no past God can’t redeem for good (2 Cor. 5:17)!

Paul, whose Jewish birth-name was Saul, was born to devout Jewish parents c. 5 AD in the Roman ‘free city’ of Tarsus—making him a Roman citizen (Acts 22:3, 28). He spoke multiple languages, had a genius-level IQ, was well educated, and had a passion to serve God through the religion of Judaism (Phil. 3:5, 6). Believing Jesus to be a failed Messiah, he persecuted Christians as a cult until he was miraculously transformed by the risen Jesus (Acts 8:3; 22:4-8; Gal. 1:13). Paul was a fiery man of conviction who believed he was servingGod while actually opposingGod. Blindness isn’t realized until sight sees the light!Consequently, he gave his life to spread the Gospel as an apostle (Gr. apostolos, ‘delegate, ambassador’) of Jesus. There is no past God can’t redeem for good (2 Cor. 5:17)!

Throughout history, Shechem had been a pagan worship center in Canaan where God met Abraham hundreds of years before (Gen. 12:7). Joshua called the whole nation there for a ‘family meeting’ as this was the place they had gathered years earlier after the defeat of Ai (Josh. 8:33; 24:1). Special times of commitment call for special places of committing. During the covenant ceremony, Joshua retold the story of God’s goodness and graciousness. God had fulfilled His promise of giving Israel a home, though they had been rebellious. Believers should remember, retell, and reinforce the rule of God in their family to the younger generations (Deut. 11:19; 31:12, 13). Knowledge of God should be taught and caught!

Throughout history, Shechem had been a pagan worship center in Canaan where God met Abraham hundreds of years before (Gen. 12:7). Joshua called the whole nation there for a ‘family meeting’ as this was the place they had gathered years earlier after the defeat of Ai (Josh. 8:33; 24:1). Special times of commitment call for special places of committing. During the covenant ceremony, Joshua retold the story of God’s goodness and graciousness. God had fulfilled His promise of giving Israel a home, though they had been rebellious. Believers should remember, retell, and reinforce the rule of God in their family to the younger generations (Deut. 11:19; 31:12, 13). Knowledge of God should be taught and caught!

Hundreds of years earlier—while Abraham was living in Canaan—God promised to give that land to his offspring (Gen. 15:7-21). Over time, Abraham’s offspring—the nation of Israel—became slaves in Egypt but God delivered them from Egypt and eventually established them in Canaan through Joshua (Ex. 6:1-8; Josh. 21:43-45). A good God is always good to His word(Ps. 33:11; Is. 46:10)! After all 12 tribes were allotted their land, 2 ½ tribes (Reuben, Gad, Manasseh) stayed east of the Jordan River, outside Canaan. As the Jordan was a natural barrier, the eastern tribes built an altar to match the sacrificial altar in Canaan as a sign of unity. Nothing is greater to long-term health than unity (Ps. 133:1; John 17:23; Eph. 4:3)!