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Ephesians 6:1-9

18 Jun

6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

4 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.

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

9 Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

Ephesians 6:1-9

Dear God, as a man with two grown children and also with both parents still living, this is one of those tricky passages because I want to read verses 1-4 as a parent and not as a child. But at this point in my life, I’m both. I have adult children who currently own me no fealty (verses 1-3). They technically don’t owe me love or attention. It’s totally up to them. At the same time, verse 4 is something that, as a father, I know I did at times when my children were younger and still at home. I know I did things that made them angry. Some of them I regret. Some of them I don’t. And there are some that I’m not aware of, but I know they fester. So it’s up to them to decide if they want to embrace this passage. The commandment in Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16 about honoring your parent is purely there now to give them guidance, but the choice is theirs.

Then I double back and read verses 1-3 as an adult child. My parents are aging. They need me. They need my siblings. Whatever they did to provoke us to anger–whatever mistakes they have made, both as a child and as an adult–are immaterial right now. They are my parents, and you have called me to love them and care for them. Paul’s words are for me. I owe my parents honor, and, at this stage in life, that means caregiving and love.

I included the slave verses here because they are pretty similar, and I have people who work for me who, while not slaves, I do need to make sure I’m treating well. I had a situation yesterday that got very hard at work. I tried to respond well. I’ll admit that my temper initially flared, but I was able to get it under control within a few seconds. I tried to treat them well. After a few minutes, I even remembered to pray that the Holy Spirit would help me. And the final outcome was, I think (hope) one that de-escalated and gave us some acceptable actionable items for the future.

Father, help me. Help me to be the man you need me to be. Help me to love well. Help me to worship well today. Help me to comfort the man whose wife’s funeral I’m attending today. Make me an instrument of your peace. With my coworkers, with my wife and children, and with my friends.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 18, 2026 in Ephesians

 

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Ezekiel, the Old West Preacher

17 Jun

Dear God, my wife does a Substack called Poetry for Life. Today, she did a post about Ezekiel as a character in Lonesome Dove. I was struck by the poem she has in it so I thought I’d spend some time with it this morning. It also helps me feel closer to her since she’s out of town right now.

Here is what she wrote. Both the introduction and the poem:

You know what Lonesome Dove needs? A priest. And not just any ol’ reverend. It needs an Ezekiel. Someone who’s lost everything — homeland, vocation, wife — and still serves.

A man of vision. Even if it’s a “hell of a vision.”

A man who could do a funeral for an enemy as easily as for a friend, even when those two people are the same person.

A man to bury the dead and who would know what to say over a dead horse.

A man who’d hold out impossible hope for a wedding.

A man who’d always tells the truth but tell it slant, often with performance art.

A man who cries beside water.

A man who appreciates sky and fire.

A man who can take direction.

A man who prophecies to mountains.

A man who knows how to pack.

A man who can share allegories with Gus, out-silence Call.

A man who can write a lament and sing it as a lullaby.

A man comfortable speaking with other nations.

A man who can eat anything, even his words.

A man who, no matter how far he travels across space and time, can recognize the presence of his God and declare, “The LORD is there.”

The pastor she describes in this poem would be an interesting character to get to know. I’m not sure if they would be a “good hang” or not. I’m having dinner with a pastor friend tonight. He has terrific qualities and a great temperament. He’s one of my closest friends. And he has some of these qualities, but not all.

I wonder if I should have more of these qualities in me. There is something about the man she describes that is very attractive to me. A good ol’ boy who loves and worships you, but who can be comfortablewith anyone.

Father, I’m not sure I’m going anywhere with this. Frankly, I’m kind of lamenting this morning. ICE was in our community yesterday, and I know of families who were directly impacted by this change in policy. Help me mto be like this fictionalized modern version of the real Ezekiel. Help me to know truth . Help me to speak truth. Help me to be what you need me to be in the small world in which I live.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 17, 2026 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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Psalm 103

16 Jun

Psalm 103

A psalm of David.

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

6 The Lord gives righteousness
    and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

7 He revealed his character to Moses
    and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
    nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
    he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
    tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
    he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
    like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
    as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
    with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
18     of those who are faithful to his covenant,
    of those who obey his commandments!

19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
    from there he rules over everything.

20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
    you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
    listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
    who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
    everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Dear God, what a beautiful psalm. It’s the kind that needs to be read out loud. I like how David is exhorting the angels to praise you, as if they don’t all of the time. I wonder what David’s understanding of angels was at the time. Honestly, I don’t have too much of an understanding of angels, but it seems like a lot of the angel visits are either in Genesis with Abraham and Jacob or in the gospels with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. I know Raphael also shows up in Tobit.

But I digress. It is so great to just stop and worship you. To praise you. To proclaim verbally who you are. I also like the part of this that refers to the vaporous quality of our earthly lives. Like the wildflowers, we are here and then we are gone. But we do make an impact while we are here.

I don’t want to forget that, while this is a psalm of orientation, there are plenty of people I know today who are living in disorientation at this moment. You know who is on my heart and who I’m talking about. And there are several of them. I pray that you would find them in their trouble and sorrow. That you would draw them close to you through these hard times. That you would make this pain count.

Father, you are my God. I am your servant. You have work for me to do today. Help me to do it well and for your glory. Help me to carr you into my day.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 16, 2026 in Psalms

 

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Philippians 3:17-21

14 Jun

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Philippians 3:17-21

Dear God, it’s scary how much we can deceive ourselves. I look at this passage, and I see Paul referring to his own frustration with people refusing to love you and follow the teachings of Jesus. He is so passionate about it that he has tears in his eyes. I think I’m more numb to it than that. I don’t get tears in my eyes when I think about the people who frustrate me because they have made themselves your enemy. Whose god is their appetite. Who brag about shameful things. Who think only about this life here on earth. I’m angry about them–especially when they are in leadership or claim to be your followers. But I’m not driven to tears over them.

But there are some people I really care about. I really care about the men in the Christian Men’s Life Skills class I’m helping teach. They are seeking. Some of them are closer to you than others. I care about the people I work with who are good people but who aren’t quite ready to turn their hearts and lives over to you. They are lost in the fog of their lives. So I do care. But I’m not nearly at Paul’s level, and it feels like I really should be. But, at the same time, maybe you’ve just put different calls on our lives. Maybe my life is supposed to knock over a domino in the life of one man in the group who becomes a Paul-type person. Or maybe you’ve given me one word for one man who will then use that new information or thought to be the father he needs to be for the next Paul-type person. My point is, maybe I’m being a little hard on myself. Maybe I should just do my best to listen to you today and love others in my path as well as I can, representing you and calling them to you.

Father, I have a busy 40 or so hours ahead of me. Help me to do it well. Help me to accomplish what you need me to accomplish. Help me to worship you how you’ve called me to worship you. to quote the casting crowns song, “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody all about somebody who saved my soul.” And to quote the Brandon Heath song, “Give me your eyes for just one second. Give me your eyes so I can see everything that I keep missing. Give me your love for humanity. Give me your arms for the brokenhearted. The ones that are far beyond my reach. Give me your love for the ones forgotten. Give me your eyes so I can see.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 14, 2026 in Philippians

 

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Luke 11:11-13

13 Jun

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Luke 11:11-13

Dear God, the Luke telling of Jesus’s words are the verse of the day for Bible Gateway. I noticed an interesting thing in verse 13, so I wanted to compare it with the similar passage in Matthew 7:

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

This morning, I noticed that Luke 11:13 specifies the Holy Spirit as the gift you gift while Matthew 7:11 says “good gifts” rather generically. It feels like Luke was being more intentionally specific. Which did Jesus say? Well, I’m sure he said all of this Sermon on the Mount stump speech more than once and the words might have changed from time to time, but I think I’m going to sit with the idea that the good gift you gift is the Holy Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit that guide my other requests. My desires. My wants. Honestly, the closer I get to you through communion with the Holy Spirit and through Jesus the less I need. The less I want. The more I see things are not about me.

Now that’s easy to day for an American with a new car and a garage in a nice home to put it in. But there’s always more I could covet. There’s always more I could want. Honestly, Father, I want for nothing because of your presence. My life is really quite something. Something to be envied. Not necessarily from a material possessions standpoint, but in the areas of peace. Man, it sounds like I’m bragging here. I don’t mean to be. I’m just grateful.

Father, please continue to hone my selfishness and wants down to nothing. Help me to focus more on my desires for others and their provision than I focus on my own. Help me to love others today. Help me to embrace the Holy Spirit’s presence. Oh, Holy Spirit, follow me today. Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, forgive me of my sins, and help me to recognize my unforgiveness of others and to turn it into forgiveness. Do all of this for your glory.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 13, 2026 in Luke, Matthew

 

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Psalm 46

11 Jun

Psalm 46

For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

Dear God, I would classify this as a psalm of orientation (as opposed to Brueggemann’s classification of psalms of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation). You are in charge and I trust you. I trust in you. I have no idols. I know who you are. I worship you. My head is clear. I will be still and know that you are God. I will honor you. I will worship you. Thank yo for being here with me. Selah

It’s too bad these moments of orientation can be so fleeting. I can get afraid and look to my idols to save me. My own intellect. Money. Government. My wife. I look to them to orient me, but they are all as dependable as shifting sand. And that’s not a slam on my wife. She’s amazing. But she’s human and her life is fragile. Things could change in a moment. She can’t be my idol. And it’s not fair to her to make her my idol. She doesn’t need that kind of pressure from me.

Father, you are my refuge and strength. You are always ready to help me in times of trouble. You might not solve the problem the way I want it solved, but you will be there to love, support, and comfort me through it. You will also be there to teach me through it, not allowing the pain to be wasted. So what is the worst that can happen in earthquakes come or the mountains crash into the sea? Maybe it will simply expedite my journey to seeing you without this veil beween us. I pray for peace on this earth. End the wars. End the suffering. End the death. Help me to know what my role is in yourplan for all of that.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 11, 2026 in Psalms

 

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Colossians 3:12-17

10 Jun

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:12-17

Dear God, I was in the Christian Men’s Life Skills class at the opening last night when the guy that does the ice breaker asked the question, “Would you rather be feared by everyone or loved by everyone?” No, I’ll say that it’s not a good dichotomy. One, I think you can be both feared and loved. Some guys wanted to say respected by everyone. Then there’s being liked. Hated. Some might find us annoying or charming. But given the question, just about everyone said loved. I said loved. Then when it was said and done, he said, “You guys say you want to be loved and not feared, but how many of your children or wives at home would say they fear you?” That was a sobering question. Then one of the leaders pointed out that there is no relationship in fear. There’s only relationship in love. I thought that was really good too. It was a great discussion.

I bring all of this up because I think it aligns with this passage really well. Clothing myself in tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience is important. The Bible study teacher last night was talking about humility. I have to say, I was wondering how really important it is that I be respected, and what do I mean by respect? Do I mean the kind where people respect my integrity or do I mean the kind where it’s really another word for feared. I’ll take the integrity one. I don’t want to be feared.

I also like the part of this passage that talks about remembering how much you have forgiven me so that I can forgive others. When I have difficulty forgiving others, it’s usually because I’ve forgotten just how much you’ve forgiven me and how grateful I am for you.

Father, I want to let the message about Jesus and everything he was and is fill my life, and then I want to communicate this to others. When they respect me, I want it to be a respect that appreciates authenticity, consistency, integrity, and love for others. I’m going to be interviewing someone for a position today. Selfishly, I really want this to work out. But I don’t want to be foolish and do this in my own wisdom and without you. Help me to understand who this person is and whether or not this will be a good fit for us and for them. Bless and encourage my wife. Help her to feel loved by me and I hope she never fears me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 10, 2026 in Colossians

 

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Matthew 7:13-14

09 Jun

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell [the road that leads to destruction] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Dear God, I was with a group of men last night who are dealing with legal issues of one sort or another. All of differing degrees of seriousness. The meeting always starts with an icebreaker, and the question last night was, “Talk about a pivotal moment in your life.” About a third of the room talked about getting sober and the events (usually terrible) that led up to it. About a third of the room talked about a child being born and the realization that they needed to be a father for this child. I was actually both excited and embarrassed to tell them mine. It was back in July 1987 when I went to a Leadership Conference put on by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. It was there that I broke the cycle of just accepting you as savior and was actually taught to walk through the narrow gate.

The hardest part about having found the narrow gate is trying to describe it to others and encouraging them to find it too. I want for these men to discipline themselves into discipleship. I want my friends who haven’t found the narrow path to find it. Some young people look at my wife and me as “goals,” but they aren’t willing to do the work it takes to be who we are. And who we are isn’t perfect. We have our problems, sorrows, and laments. But we also have a sense of peace in you. I feel so loved and cared for by you even though everything isn’t perfect. My life could be, however, so much worse.

Father, help me show these men the narrow gate and know how to invite them to it. Help me to show them the narrow path and invite them to it. Help me to find the path today. Help me to die to myself, give up my agenda for this day, and embrace the activities you have for me. Help me to love others well. Help me to love you well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 9, 2026 in Matthew

 

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Habakkuk 3:19a

08 Jun

19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer’s;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:19a

Dear God, this book starts with Habakkuk complaining to you about how you do things and the struggles he and Israel are having. Why did you allow them to stray so far from you? Why are you allowing infidels to be your hand of punishment? In other words, you’re doing your job wrong and I don’t like it.

There are all kinds of times when I wish things were being done differently. I’m watching the happenings in my own nation now, and I get discouraged. Politically. Socially. Economically. Spiritually. And then I realize that self-pity is a huge trap. I’m reminded how I get myself into the most trouble when I’m feeling sorry for myself.

I read a Facebook post this morning from one of my wife’s longtime friends from high school. She was promoting a new dynamic nonprofit in Seattle that isn’t feeling sorry for itself, but building itself to reach the needs they see. Here’s her post:

I can’t attest to “Dan’s” faith. I’ve never met him. But I’m impressed by Dan’s tenacity and vision. I’m impressed by his love and compassion. I’m impressed that he saw a problem and didn’t just complain about why someone isn’t doing more. I have another friend right now who is frustrating me because she is feeling sorry for herself and lashing out at others instead of experiencing some introspection on how she might have contributed to the problem she’s now facing and finding a productive way forward.

Father, I pray your blessings on Dan’s work. I don’t know where anyone is in their faith, but I pray that you will use all of that work to introduce everyone involved to you. Make the pain that everyone is experiencing count. I pray for my other friends who is going through a lot of self-pity and anger. Guide her. Show her your path to forgiveness, reconciliation, and love. Help her to teach that to her children as well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 8, 2026 in Habakkuk

 

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Ephesians 3:10-19

06 Jun

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Ephesians 3:10-19

Dear God, there are two things in this passage that struck me this morning.

  1. Verses 10-11: 10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. This is kind of a lament or me because I don’t think the modern American church “displays [your] wisdom in its rich variety” very well. I’ve prayed about this before, but the TV show Ted Lasso is unique because the main character is completely a-religious, but he remarkably displays almost all of the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. The one he is missing is peace. And I still don’t think he’s found it over the course of the entire series. But for the others, he displays those and then they spread to the rest of the characters. What would it be like if the Church, your Church, displayed the fruits of your Spirit like that (including peace).
  2. Verses 16-19: 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Speaking of the fruits of the Spirit, this is how they grow. Us dwelling with you and your dwelling in us. But we have to give the soil of our hearts continuous weeding, watering, and fertilizer so that our branch will grow deep into your vine. So our roots will graft into you. So that we will become one. Then it will be your love that keeps us strong.

Father, live and love through me today. Help me to keep my soil weeded and fed. Help me to spurn what is of this world and pursue you. Help me to give you all of the glory for everything good in my life. You and I both know my limitations–you know them better than me. I offer all of it and all of me to you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 6, 2026 in Ephesians

 

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