Back in the Old Testament and even in the first few centuries after Jesus walked the earth, it was not uncommon for kings to attack, or wage war against a neighboring country or town and take over. Typically the captives that survived would give their new king gifts.  But, Jesus does things differently. His followers receive gifts from him, not the other way around.   So, why would we get gifts from God?  What are these gifts and what should we be doing with these gifts?

In this episode we will answer these questions and of course discuss some "composition clues" to help us better understand how a letter written to a church over two thousand years ago, can be applied to our ordinary lives.

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The Bible is for everyone.

Chapter 4 of Ephesians is a shift in how Paul has been writing. He moves from theology and doctrine to practical instructions for his audience.  Paul focuses on walking worthily - which characterizes the walking - an important distinction from characterizing the person.  More on that in this episode.  He also emphasizes the importance of unity. In a series of seven "ones" Paul encourages his readers to live this way because of their unity in Christ.  What lessons for this first New Testament church still apply to us today? Tune in to discover why so much of what the Bible has to say is still relevant today.

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The Bible is for everyone.

How often do you pray for strength?  Far more often I find myself praying for relief, rather than strength.  In this episode we will study a prayer Paul prayed for his church in Ephesians.  His goal for them isn't necessarily relief, but rather strength.  The prayer involved actions by God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son.  It ends with a beautiful doxology - words of glory. This episode might challenge your prayer habits and inspire you to try something new in your prayer life.

http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

The Bible is for everyone.

There is a secret that has been let out and it's in Ephesians chapter 3.  Paul, interrupts himself just as he's about to write out a prayer for his audience, to talk about this secret. He calls it a mystery and for his original audience it's a really big deal.  This revealed mystery was a complete shift for the original audience.  But what does this news mean for us?  In this episode we will unravel the "interruption" Paul makes in the first 13 verses of chapter 3 in his letter to the Ephesians.

http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

The Bible is for everyone.

Whether you've always felt at home in the church or have felt like an outsider never able to access the "in-crowd", these verses are for you!  Jesus came to tear down dividing walls, both literal and figurative in the church. Let's take a close look on the teaching around unity in the church. We also take the time to imagine the impact of this on both sides - for the non-Jew, as well as the Jew.

But what does this have to do with our lives?  The division of Jews and Gentiles isn't relevant.  No, but what divisions are evident in todays church?  That is the take-away question for us to consider.  The church is being built.   It's a work in progress, but the goal is unity.

https://biblefortheordinarylife.com

The Bible is for everyone.

Many, many people believe that you can earn your way to heaven, that one day God will determine if they were a "good enough person" and open the gates of heaven or reroute them elsewhere.  But the Bible teaches something else.  Salvation is a free gift that cannot be earned and is not given based on merit. The Bible does teach us that we should do good works.  So how are the two related?

In this episode we will explore the relationship between the gift of salvation and the teachings to do good works.  We'll also use some Composition Clues to better help us understand the verses.

https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com 
The Bible is for everyone.

The Bible is for everyone.

In this episode we will use the composition clue of compare and contrast to look carefully at the contrast Paul makes between who we were and who we are after becoming followers of Jesus.  The two words "but God" are critical to understanding this contrast.

We were dead. We are alive
We used to follow the chief deceiver.  We now sit in heaven with Christ.
We were children of the wrath.  We are now saved by grace.

I hope you'll join in and examine these contrasts and the reason why we see the "but God" in these verses and in doing so you will be encouraged in your relationship with God.

The Bible is for everyone.

These verses contain a prayer that Paul specifically prays for the recipients of this letter. In this episode we'll examine what he prays for (and what he doesn't).  We'll also use a few "composition clues" to help us unpack this prayer and apply it to our own lives.

If you've never considered using scripture as words to actually pray, this episode will encourage you to do just that! And if you regularly use Scripture in your prayers, you may find some new ideas as you listen. Either way, I hope this episode encourages you in your habits of prayer.

The Bible is for everyone.

The Bible contains the story of salvation. Believers in Jesus often refer to being "saved". But is it possible to lose that salvation? Or is our salvation secure no matter what?  Scholars and theologians are divided on the answer to this question. What does the Scripture say that leads people to different conclusions on this matter?

In this episode we'll continue our study of Ephesians and explore the two viewpoints of the doctrine of eternal security. At the end we'll make sure to cover a practical application. Learning more about God is only profitable if it draws us closer to Him and transforms us to be more like Him.

The Bible is for everyone.

http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

The Bible is for everyone.

This episode continues the study of Ephesians chapter 1 focusing on the verbs in each verse. Identifying these verbs draws our attention to what God is doing and has done for us.  One of those action verbs is "redeem". What exactly does redeem mean and what should be our response to being redeemed?  Find out the root meaning of this word and how it describes exactly what God has done for us.

This episode reviews the "composition clues" repeated words and action verbs and adds one more strategy for you to use when reading the Bible.  This episode will leave you encouraged by all that God has done and challenge you with a way to apply this specifically to your life in the coming days.

http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

The Bible is for everyone.