Category Archives: Ephesians

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4

Dear God, I got to see an old friend for a few minutes yesterday and part of our conversation was about being a dad. We both expressed our joys and our disappointments. I think both of us had very, very high expectations for how things would work out and what decisions our children would make. It feels like you are shaping us into a greater understanding that we have to trust that there are things going on that we don’t see or understand. We have to pray for what we want, make the best decisions we can out of that communication with you a d then put our faith in you for the outcomes.

Thinking about Joseph and Mary, I wonder how their parents felt about them and how their lives were turning out. What? You’re (She’s) pregnant? You’re staying in Bethlehem? Your going to Egypt? I doubt the “holy family’s” lives were going the way their families had hoped.

Father, help me to truly bless my children. Now that they are out of the house, help me to be what they need, to look to you for their lives and to have faith that my prayers are making a difference regardless of what I see in the physical world. Help them to both be submitted and you and fill them each with the freedom and peace that comes from laying down their lives and following you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

Dear God, I read these verses at a wedding one time. As I read it this morning I’m noticing the real thing for which Paul is praying for the Ephesians is that they would have the power to grasp and know your love. Your love is so big that it’s not something we can casually understand. It’s also not something I can casually explain. We need your help to “grasp how long and high and wide and deep” your love is.

So how am I doing in grasping that reality? Do I have a long way to go? How about my explaining it and sharing it with others? How about receiving it? How about extending it to others?

Father, I am confident that I’m deficient in all of these areas. I don’t grasp it. I don’t explain it well. I don’t receive and experience it fully. And I don’t extend it to others at the level to which you would like me to. So please help me, I pray. Grant me the power to grasp how long and high and wide and deep your love is. When I’ve been able to fully grasp it, I’m confident that everything else will flow from that.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Ephesians 4:14-15

Dear God, is this where I am right now? Have I reached the level of Christian maturity where I am still outrageously flawed, but I am at least not tossed about by every wind of new teaching or tricked by lies that sound like truth?

The good news is that I don’t think I need to be preoccupied with answering those questions. The idea is that I am supposed to pursue you through things like spending time in prayer and scripture, go through trials holding you hand, and then I will slowly mature into the man you need me to be. Until then, your plan is sophisticated enough to allow for my weakness and failings. Your plan for the world is “John-proof.”

Father, help me to hear and speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ. Live through me. Love through me. Enter our community through all of the Christians here so that we might be a community that glorifies you, and so that my home might be one that glorifies you as well.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:1-10

Dear God, there is a disconnect between what I know your grace has done for me and the lack of sharing that news that I do. Why don’t I tell other people about it more? Why don’t I encourage them to make the same decisions I have and embrace your forgiveness and freedom?

Sometimes I’ve wondered if I would be bolder if I felt I had more of a story to tell. Having pretty much grown up in the church and not really gone through a BIG rebellious stage, embracing your love and grace and submitting to you was really more about experiencing your joy and peace than receiving forgiveness for a debaucherous or hedonistic life. Am I afraid that my lack of story doesn’t give me the right to speak into someone else’s life? Have you given me a different calling? Am I missing your desires for me in all of this, or am I doing what you have uniquely called me to do?

Father, at the end of the day I think I am doing a lot of things that are good, but I am still missing so much. I must do better. I must share your love more. I must be your ambassador to everyone I meet and not just those with whom I am more comfortable. Forgive me for being weak in this area and open my eyes so that I can see the opportunities for sharing your love that you bring to me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Ephesians 5:10-14

Dear God, I was at a meeting with several pastors yesterday. One of them got to talking about how, about every four or five years, his denomination will have someone come in and talk to their annual conference about sexual issues in the workforce. He said the first year they did it they had a lawyer come in and it was awful. His instructions were, “Don’t look at porn on your church computer. Don’t flirt with the church secretary…” They never had him back. He said that, since then, they have used a therapist to do it, and he gave a description of this year’s message. It can be summed up with this: “I’ve never known anyone who was really following through on self-care who ended up in an affair.” Self care was defined as actively paying attention to all parts of your life—mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.

Of course, that’s not always true. There are addictions that sometimes just grab us, but again, if there is self care to be done in my life then the addictions need to be addressed as part of that self care.

I know a woman who is afraid of a friend in her life whom she fears is dangerous. She is gathering this information from the things he writes and shares. She has also referenced the types of shows he watches. Some of his stuff was recently brought to light and some authorities have challenged him on them. I don’t think he faces immediate legal problems, but I am hopeful that now that some of his private thoughts are out in the open it might be an opening for healing for him.

Father, help me to be willing to shine your light on the dark areas of my life so that I might be in complete communion with you. And I’ll add this man to my prayers. Please use this situation to help him heal and use it in this woman’s life to address any lingering secrets she has. She is the victim here, but I am hopeful that you will make this pain count for her and help her to be more whole from wounds of the past, decisions in the present, and plans for the future.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Ephesians 4:2-3

Dear God, the New Testament is full of admonitions and even prayers about unity. I told some people recently that Satan has on play he’s been using since the beginning of time. From Adam and Eve, to wars, to church splits, to parents and children, his Plan A is to cause divisions between us, and he very rarely needs a Plan B because Plan A is so effective.

I suppose the thing about us that makes divisions so prevalent is pride. We all have this great sense of needing to be right or look good to others, not being able to reveal our weaknesses. When I try to look at any relationships I have right now that are strained or divided, the common denominator is that at least one person in the relationship (but usually, at least to some extent, both) has staked out a position about either their rights or protecting something in their life that needs to be turned loose but they won’t. We make Satan’s work easy.

Father, help me to legitimately examine my own life and relationships with others. Help me to recognize and repent of my own sin. Help me to make amends and help me to bring you glory in the process. And for those I love who might need to do the same thing, I ask that you please guide them and help any healing that happens between us to bring you glory.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Ephesians 5:1-4

Dear God, I do not remember verse four. I’m sure I’ve read it before, but it kind of caught me off guard to hear Paul talking about obscene stories and coarse jokes. I guess I never imagined people sitting around and laughing from vulgarity in biblical times, but it makes sense that it would happen.

With a world so riddled with sexual assaults, human trafficking, etc., I’ve said for awhile that porn is the gateway drug that leads people into these activities, but maybe it’s a step back and it’s really the obscene stories and coarse jokes. Maybe it’s what we (and I’m including myself here) enjoy in the comedy shows we watch. It’s amazing how much humor in today’s comedies is derived from sexual topics, while shows from the 50’s and 60’s like I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke show are hysterical even today without going there.

Father, I probably take in too much that is not pure. It probably plants seeds in my heart that have the potential to find fertile soil and grow into something I shouldn’t let in. Help me to be mindful of this. Help me to be what I need to be for your glory and as part of my worship of you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 6:13-18

Dear God, thinking about verse 18, I’m getting better at praying consistently for others, but I could be so much better still.

I guess there are different categories for organizing those for whom I need to pray. There’s family for whom my wife and I pray together every day. Then there are friends, but I usually focus on specific needs here instead of praying for them proactively. There’s the work you have given my wife and me to do. There’s our church and it’s leadership (this is point where I start to fail). There’s are the churches in our community. There are community issues and leaders. Then there are the leaders in our state, country and world. Then there’s just the good old, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Father, help me to truly strap on my armor every day and become better about more comprehensive prayer. Goodness knows there are enough things to pray over in our world and country. But for now, as I type this, I very earnestly pray that you Kingdom will come and your will will be done here on earth.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.Ephesians 1:9-11 

Dear God, I cam across a verse similar to this the other day–talking about how you are working everything out within your plan. While I can appreciate that, it can be hard to see what you are doing. 

I think the biggest jump for us to make is to see time and the big picture the way you see them. Several years ago I came up with a line that we measure time in days months and years while you look at it in years, decades and centuries (and even millennia). And then you factor in the free will thing and people (including me) disobeying you and it gets messy beyond all reason. 

Father, right now I’m thinking about the chaos is what happened at that church yesterday morning. For a while a little over 20 years ago, my wife and I attended a church that small. It sounds like just about every person in the room was injured or killed. Lord, I don’t know where all this is going or how it all turns out, but I ask that you please make this pain and suffering count for your glory and your plan. 

In Jesus’s name I pray,

 Amen 

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.Ephesians 1:15-18

Dear God, this isn’t about this passage per se, but it made me think of a Dennis Jernigan song I first heard about 25 years ago. Here’s the chorus:
And I wish I could take your heart into my heart

I wish I could show you just how good it feels to let go

Of the things you know are killing you 

And cling to the only one who can heal

But I know if I did then it wouldn’t be you

‘Cuz you, you’re the only one choosing for you

This is a song I want to pray over more than one person about whom I’m thinking right now. Oh, how they need your freedom and healing. How they need to just let go of the things they know are killing them (addiction, scars and sin from the past and present, pride, etc.), repent, and then submit to you. I know this seems like too much for them, but they don’t know the joy and peace on the other side.
Father, forgive me for when I fail you. I think I even missed an opportunity last night to be a light for you in a young person’s life. I’m sorry. Have mercy on me and everyone around me. Life can be so complicated that I’m amazed any of us make it through. 
In Jesus’s name I pray,
Amen