Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). Submission is the essence of relationship. Not really my favorite thing, but there it is. When we put ourselves first, we aren’t really capable of loving anyone. Our own … Continue reading
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20). It’s time for a holiday. I’m thinking…Thanksgiving. Look, I know it’s … Continue reading
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19). I remember a Sci-Fi program once upon a time in which the heroes were trying to communicate with Mysterious Alien Race #5. They had a high-tech translator gadget … Continue reading
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). If I could be intoxicated by Truth… If I could let go, leave my self-consciousness behind, and be swept away… If I … Continue reading
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is (Eph. 5:17). My wife, the Lovely Catherine, tells the story of seeing a church skit once upon a time. The skit involved a group of people trying to … Continue reading
…making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16) Evil is. Make no mistake—there is evil in this world, no matter what the popular culture and the intellectual elite say. It surrounds us, and seems to … Continue reading
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise… (Ephesians 5:15). If you follow Christ, the world will not understand you. More than that, the world cannot understand you. John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the … Continue reading
But everything exposed to the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:13-14). “Everything exposed … Continue reading
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret (Ephesians 5:12). I scroll through my news feed and see the darkness masquerading as light, and I wonder… if this is what we shout to the world, … Continue reading
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (Eph. 5:11). Good things generally need light in order to grow. Sure, you can grow some things in darkness—mold, mildew, assorted fungal yuck—but not the good … Continue reading