Read: Ephesians 5:3-14 You were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. (v. 8) After beginning chapter 5 with the broad instruction to be “imitators of God” (v. 1), Paul becomes increasingly specific for how to walk like Christ in our day-to-day lives. He begins with our sexual lives and then progresses to teachings on marriage, parenting, working, and spiritual practices that weave the fabric of a godly life. Each section lays out a stark example from the …
Walk in Love
Read: Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God . . . (v. 1) Celebrity impersonators pretend to be well-known stars, mimicking phrases and mannerisms of the famous. We laugh, but everyone knows it is an act. There is a profound difference between impersonating and imitating. Impersonating someone involves fooling others into thinking you are that person. Imitating someone involves actually doing what that person does. And what God primarily does is love. To imitate God is only possible because the command …
To God Be the Glory
Read: 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (v. 7 NIV) Around the world today, there are 4.7 billion people who have never met Jesus. As Christians, it is both our joy and our responsibility to introduce others to Christ. Each time we share God’s love, we are planting seeds of the gospel. But planting seeds can become discouraging. We want to see the …
The Reason for Hope
Read: 1 Peter 3:13-22 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (v. 15 NIV) Some news is just too good to keep to ourselves. With beaming faces, we tell complete strangers why we are happy: a new baby, a promotion, a clean bill of health after a long bout with disease. Our belief in Christ ought to be like that, too. Christians should radiate a …
Joy
Read: Psalm 63 You have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. (v. 7) In India, Vivaan and his wife were driven out of the family’s village simply for choosing to become Christians. Now, the couple must always be on the move. They carry a radio with them in order to stay connected to God’s Word by listening to Words of Hope programs. “I came to know Jesus through your [radio] programs,” …
Hope for the Day
Read: Lamentations 3:21-26 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (vv. 22-23) Agnesa, a young mother living in Albania, received her first Bible from her sister. Agnesa belongs to a Muslim family, yet over the past year she had sensed a change in her sister. Her sister seemed more joyful. More peaceful. Now she was telling Agnesa that these changes were because of …