Category Archives: Ephesians

2018, Christian Living, Ephesians

Yogurt and Pouty Faces

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Approximate Reading Time: 2 minutes

Recently I stood before the dairy case at my local grocery buying establishment and for as long as I stared, I still could not find the brand of yogurt I wanted. I could feel a pout-y face barreling to the surface! I mean all I wanted was my brand of plain, Greek, full fat, no sugar added, much protein yogurt! 

I opted for another brand.

Took it home.  Mixed it with some no granulated sugar added Blackberry jam, a little stevia and, immediately, I was in some heavy, I mean heavy like! I mean leave that other brand behind like it was last year’s prom dress! 

Today I mixed it with some finely diced onions, dried basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
JT has a heavy (real heavy) like for french onion dip. When he tasted my new much healthier version, he said, “I could like that!”  :)

My point? When DADDY GOD removes what we have become accustomed to, or when He does not give us what we have begged Him for for ages, lets send our pout-y faces packing and expect Him to lead and or provide us with a different, extremely likable yogurt brand.

Ephesians 3: 20 Now to Him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, by means of His power that works in us, 21 to Him be the glory in the community of believers and in Messiah Yeshua throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen. source 

Selah ~ ~ ~
2018, Ephesians

Shoes

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 There they are. Dropped. Abandoned. 

Shoes.

One decision.

She kneels and the room becomes a sacred place. She picks them up, draws them close and whispers his name. Thanksgiving pours from her heart to the Fathers ear –  petitions for protection, wisdom, knowledge, peace, guidance, comfort, on and on she prays. 

Calls to prayer. They come in the strangest places. :)

Ephesians 6:15  (TLV)15 Strap up your feet in readiness with the Good News of shalom. source

Selah ~ ~ ~
1 John, 2018, Ephesians, Ezekiel, Genesis, Gospel of John, Jeremiah, Romans

Hearts & Minds

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Approximate reading time: 3 minutes 

Follow your heart. 

It’s often advised, especially in Hallmark movies. Now, don’t get me wrong I have watched and enjoyed more than my share of Hallmark movies. They are relatively clean entertainment, albeit predictable. I digress. 

However, reading today I was counseled that following my heart is not the ticket to successful living.  No. No. following my heart will devastate not only my life but others.  

Jeremiah 17:9 (CSB)9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it? source

Now what? If I cannot, and obviously I should not, follow my own heart, what? 

How about my intellect? That’s it. I can trust my mind and follow my thinking. Right? 

Genesis 6:5  (CSB)5 When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, source

Well, scratch that idea! 

Now what? What hope do I have to live a good life? What hope do you have?

Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;  10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. source 

That’s us!  Hell deserving sinners. Every. One. Of. Us.
Now what? 

This is what!

1 John 4:10  (TLV) 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins.  source

Ephesians 2:8  (YLT) 8 for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you — of God the gift,  source

1 John 1:9 (TLV) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. source

And now.

Ezekiel 36:26 (YLT) 26 And I have given to you a new heart, And a new spirit I give in your midst, And I have turned aside the heart of stone out of your flesh, And I have given to you a heart of flesh.  source

1 John 5:20 (YLT)  20 and we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during! source

This heart. This mind. We can. We must learn and follow. 

John 10:10(NLT) 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. source

Selah ~ ~ ~
Ephesians, Proverbs

Becoming

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We have many translations of the Bible available to us from the Biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Click HERE for an incomplete list of translations with publication dates.  I read a few translations, particularly when preparing a class lesson. Two of my favorites are Tree of Life Version published in 2014 and Young’s Literal Translation published in 1862. 

As long as I depend upon the HOLY SPIRIT to guide me as to what He said when He inspired the Original Penmen, I have confidence reading all the Translations I have explored thus far.  After all, the Scripture does say: 

Proverbs 11:14  (ESV) 14 . . . in an abundance of counselors there is safety. source 

Would you be willing to look at Ephesians 4:32 with me?

Perhaps the most familiar rendition of this verse is the KJV.

Ephesians 4:(KJV)  32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. source 

I’ve been quoting that one since primary school.  However, the older I get the more I am convinced quoting it is only the beginning of what GOD has in mind for me.  

Would you also entertain with me Ephesians 4:32 in the Young’s Literal Translation?

Ephesians 4: (YLT) 32 and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you. source

KJV is bluntly authoritative. Be ye kind! Perhaps I’m wrong, but as a child ‘be kind’ was a DO to me. It was an action I was expected to take whether I wanted to or not.
Now. For the YLT. Lets read it again: 32 and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you. 

BECOME. 

Become is more than DO, isn’t it?
Do is . . . well, something I do. 

I submit, that BECOME is not DO but ARE (or AM).
I can DO something and my heart (the real me) not be in it, you know what I mean? But when I have BECOME (Ephesians 4:32), it’s no longer something I do, it’s just who I am.
I will admit though, it does take some considerable doing to actually become.
So there is no time like the present to get started BECOMING. Right?
Like BECOME

Kind people
Tender-hearted people
Forgiving people

Other Bible verses give us more to BECOME. 

Selah ~ ~ ~ Kathie