Paul was not married, but God still chose to inspire him to share what it takes to have a marriage that reflects the relationship between Christ and the church. When a husband and wife both give of themselves to the other, they experience what it truly means to live as one.

As believers, we are commanded to imitate God and love in the same way that Jesus loved us and gave himself for us. When our actions and words are consistent with this, we will shine the light of God's love into the lives of others ... and we will truly be people of light.

Put off the old and put on the new ... is living out our faith really that simple? Like most things related to faith, it might be simple but not necessarily easy for us, because of our human nature. The good news is, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and the community of believers God has provided through the local church.

If you have placed your faith in Christ, then God has given you a spiritual gift to be used in service to Him! Don't play the comparison game and long for the gifts you see in others. Instead, discover your gifts and seek how the Lord wants you to use them to build up His kingdom!

Those of us who believe in Christ have been given the privilege of displaying the wisdom of God to this world. It's amazing that God has chosen to use us in this way, and it's part of His mysterious plan of redemption that has now been revealed. We must highly value one another as vessels of His presence, because the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us!

Through his completed work on the cross, Jesus tore down the walls of hostility between Jews and Gentiles, and between all who believe. Any walls that still exist are of our own making, and we need to do what's necessary to tear them down so we can be joined together into a dwelling place for God in this world.

All of us are born into this world with a selfish nature, and as a result we stand against God. But God, who is rich in mercy, has loved us by sending Jesus to die so that we could experience new life both now and forever. When we place our faith in Christ, we become God's masterpiece as that faith leads to a life of good works.

Our lives should be characterized by faith in Christ and love for one another. As we grow in these relationships, we fulfill God's purpose for us as the full expression of Christ in the world.

As our church begins a new journey through the New Testament letter of Ephesians, we discover that God's purpose for mankind is redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote that we who believe are chosen by God from the foundation of the world, and this truth is meant to encourage us rather than confuse us.

We cannot follow Jesus alone, though our human nature is to try. He created the church so we could live life in community. We need to be "all in" – meaning we need prioritize life within this community so we can develop Christ-centered relationships that help us grow. It's through these relationships that we can instruct one another in the ways of God.