Micah 1:1

Micah 1:1 says, The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.  Micah identifies himself and where he is from.  Then he declares that the word of the Lord came to him.  He didn't just come to an understanding of what was to happen on his own, but God revealed it to him.  When someone comes proclaiming God's word today, we need to know who they are, but more importantly we must know that what they proclaim really does come from God.  Micah prophesied during the reign of three kings, from one of the worst, Ahaz, to one of the best, Hezekiah.  Verse two adds, Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.  When Micah was proclaiming God's word, he could not demand that they listen but could only ask that they listen.  We cannot demand that people listen to the gospel, but we can only ask that they do so.  Verse three continues, For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.  God was coming in judgment against those who were called His people, and nothing could spare them.  If we, who are called God's people today rebel against Him, then instead of having peace with God we can be certain of His judgment against us.  Israel and Judah were God's people in name only.  Verse four states, And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.  Micah warned that there was no place where the people could go to escape the judgment of God.  Verse five adds, For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?  Through Micah God told the people that they were guilty of idolatry.  They may have questioned why they were to be punished, but deep down I believe they had to know.  As followers of Christ, we today know when we are outside the will of God.  Verse six continues, Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.  Instead of being under the protection of God, the nations of Israel and Judah were to be under His punishment.  Sin, especially idolatry, brings judgment and punishment from God, and we can only avoid it by God's grace in providing the only way to salvation, which is through faith in Christ.  Verse seven concludes, And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.  Micah told the people that all their idols would be destroyed.  When we stand before God, we can be certain that all those things that we put our faith in other than Christ will be destroyed.

We will now review some of the things that we learned from Paul's letter to the church, that group of believers, at Ephesus.  The first thing is that Paul was writing to those who had accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. His letter would have no real meaning to any who was not a follower of Christ.  Paul tells us that salvation through Christ was not some secondary salvation plan, but that from the beginning God knew that it would be the only way for people to be redeemed.  Like the Christians in Ephesus, we can be restored to God only through faith in Christ.  Paul told them that they were the adopted children of God.  The Christians at Ephesus, and anyone before or since, can only be adopted into God's family because of His action.  We can never earn nor force our way into God's family.  We will never be adopted because of our own worthiness, but can only be adopted by admitting our own unworthiness and accepting salvation, or adoption, by faith in Christ.  Paul stated that everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, had the same access to salvation through Christ.  The Jewish people were in no way superior to the Gentiles based on the fact of their physical birth.  Christ died for all people equally.  We today are in no way superior to other Christians based on where we were born nor what family we were born into.  All remain equal in Christ.  Paul called for unity in the church.  Since all had been saved by Christ's victory over death, then His followers were to be united by their faith in Him.  This always was and always will be true.  God gives us different gifts, but all are to be used for the spreading of the gospel and the edification of the church.  We are to grow and be rooted in our faith, and not be drawn away by any teachings of any person who would change the gospel.  Paul taught that husbands and wives were to be committed to each other as they are to Christ.  When both are following the leadership of the Holy Spirit, then there will be unity in purpose and the good of the other partner will always come first.  Paul told those at Ephesus and tells us today that we should put on the armor of God when we encounter opposition.  God will protect us, head to toe, in our everlasting, spiritual nature.  Since this is true, we can live without worry even in the evil world in which we live.

Ephesians 6:18

Ephesians 6:18 says, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  After speaking of putting on the whole armor of God, Paul then instructs us to always be in prayer and supplication to the Spirit.  Even if we feel that we are properly clothed in the armor of God, we still need to be continually in prayer, not only for ourselves but for those around us.  This includes our enemies.  When we do, the Holy Spirit will preserve and protect us, and all who are followers of Christ.  Verse nineteen adds, And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,  Paul asked for a specific prayer for himself.  Notice that he did not pray for any material thing but prayed that he might be faithful in boldly presenting the gospel.  Paul also said that the gospel was a mystery to those who had not accepted Christ into their lives.  The gospel of Christ will never make logical sense.  We have to ask why God would send His only begotten Son to redeem mankind, His rebellious creation.  From a human perspective, God would have sent Christ to punish us and not redeem us.  This is indeed the great mystery of the gospel.  Verse twenty continues, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.  Paul said that even if he were in bonds that he was still an ambassador for Christ and asked that even in bonds that he would continue to boldly speak of salvation through Christ.  We, like Paul, must pray for the strength to boldly speak the gospel of Christ, no matter what may happen to us in this world.  Verse twenty-one states, But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:  Paul wanted those Christians in Ephesus to know that he was okay, so he sent Tychicus to them.  Paul called Tychicus a beloved brother and faithful minister.  I believe that Paul was sending him, not as someone who had to do what Paul demanded, but as one who willingly went for him.  Verse twenty-two adds, Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.  Tychicus was not only to bring word about Paul, but in doing so he was to bring comfort to their hearts.  The Christians at Ephesus were evidently concerned about Paul.  We today may have the same concern about those who minister in dangerous places, but we need to trust that God will be with them, no matter what happens in this life.  Verse twenty-three continues, Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Again, this is not two Gods, but only One manifested in two different ways.  Paul asked that they be at peace, then told them how to find peace.  Peace comes through faith in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we live by faith we can know peace in an evil, corrupt world.  Verse twenty-four concludes, Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. Written from Rome unto the Ephesians by Tychicus.  Though God's grace extends to everyone, it only has effect for those who love the Lord Jesus Christ sincerely.  It is not enough to just proclaim to accept Christ without a sincere faith in Him as our Savior and Lord.

Ephesians 6:10

Ephesians 6:10 says, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Paul now begins to discuss preparing for the spiritual warfare that we will encounter in life.  First, Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord, relying on His power and might.  We cannot live successfully for Christ by our own abilities or power.  Verse eleven adds, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Paul tells us that God gives us all the armor that we need to live successfully in the battle against the wiles of the devil.  We should never go into the battle without being totally prepared.  Verse twelve continues, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Paul tells us that we are not just in battle against flesh and blood, but we are in battle against the rulers of darkness and spiritual evil in high places.   Verse thirteen states, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Paul again tells us to put on the whole armor of God so that we may stand against all the evil that comes to us each day.  We cannot wait until the attack is under way to attempt to be armored by God, but must be continually ready.  Verse fourteen adds, Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  Paul begins to specify what the armor of God is in the next few verses.  We are to be girded with the truth of God, which has to begin with accepting Christ as Savior and Lord.  We are to have the breastplate of righteousness, not ours, but God's.  If we attempt to defend ourselves by our own righteousness we will fail.  Verse fifteen continues, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Paul tells us that our feet should be shod with the carrying forth of the gospel of peace.  We are not to just stand protected, but we are to go forward with the gospel of peace through Christ.  Verse sixteen declares, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  The first priority is the shield of faith that enables us to withstand all the attacks of Satan.  Verse seventeen adds, And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Paul tells us our heads are to be protected by the helmet of salvation.  He also tells us of our one offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  If we are not going into battle with the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit, then we will fail.  All that we do must be consistent with the word of God.

Ephesians 6:1

Ephesians 6:1 says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  Paul tells children to obey their parents in the Lord.  This is the key.  If the child has reached the age where they can have a personal relationship with Christ, then they should do what is right for the glory of God.  This begins by the simple act of obeying their parents.  Verse two adds, Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)  When God commanded children to honor their father and mother, this act came with a promise.  Verse three continues, That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.  Learning to obey parents leads to a better life and a longer life.  We cannot say that every child who obeys his or her parents will live a long and prosperous life here on earth, but if they do obey their parents their live will be better.  Remember also that Paul was writing this to the church, those who followed Christ in their lives.  Verse four states, And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  When telling the children to be obedient to parents, Paul here states that parents are to be obedient to God.  If parents are bringing children up in the nurturing and admonition to the Lord, then they will always want what is best for the child.  Paul does not say that parents are to treat their children as though they are unworthy of love and respect themselves.  When the family operates under the leadership of God, then every member of the family will love and respect the others.  Verse five adds, Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;  After instructing family members about how to relate to each other, Paul now instructs servants about how they should relate to their masters.  Servants are to be obedient to their masters as they are to Christ.  It is easy to hope that those who are over us, in whatever capacity, will fail, and it is even easy to attempt to cause them to fail, but as followers of Christ we are called to a higher standard.  We are to obey those who are over and us do our jobs with complete dedication, because we do represent Christ in the world.  Verse six continues, Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;  Paul expands on this requirement in this verse.  As Christians, we are not just to do our job to the best of our ability when those who are over us are watching, but we are to do it at all times because we represent Christ.  Verse seven states, With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:  We are to serve with good will, doing whatever we do as if we are doing it directly for Christ.  Verse eight adds, Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.  Paul tells us that no matter our status in life, whether bond or free, that God will give everyone their ultimate reward.  We cannot allow our status in life to affect our attitude toward our work.  As followers of Christ, we must always do everything for God's glory.  Verse nine continues, And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.  Paul tells the masters that they are not to treat their servants badly, because their Master in heaven does not respect persons.  Now, we could say that respecting those over us only applies to those who are Christian leaders, but I believe it applies to all those who are over us.  Even though this verse seems to address Christian masters, we are called to base our actions on who we are in Christ, and not on the actions of those over us.

Ephesians 5:22

Ephesians 5:22 says, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  Paul in the next few verses addresses the relationship between husband and wife.  He first calls on wives to submit themselves to their husbands as to the Lord.  This would imply that he was speaking to a wife who was a follower of Christ, otherwise she would not submit to Him.  Verse twenty-three adds, For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Paul based this all on both husband and wife following Christ.  As head of the church, Christ lived to benefit others and died to redeem them. If a husband loves his wife the same way, and they are both committed to following God's will, the there should never be a problem.  Verse twenty-four continues, Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  If the church, the followers of Christ, is subject to Him as it should be, then those believers should never have a reason to question the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  When a wife is married to a fellow believer, then she should never doubt that he has her best interest at heart.  Verse twenty-five declares, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  If a husband wants to fulfill his calling as the head of the household, then he must put the welfare of his wife first, just as Christ did for the church.  Verse twenty-six adds, That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Paul was referring to Christ and the church in this verse.  Christ sanctifies and cleanses the church by washing its members by the word of God.  God's word points us to salvation through Christ's blood shed for us on the cross.  Christ washes the church, His followers, clean and they do not cleanse themselves.   Verse twenty-seven continues, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  When we as believers in Christ truly follow the will of God as revealed by His word, we will be holy and without blemish.  This is due to the sacrifice of Christ and through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-eight states, So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  I do not believe that Paul was implying that a husband can be saved for his wife, nor can he make her perfect before God.  I believe Paul was saying that the husband should love with a love that wants all the best for his wife before God.  Husbands are called on to love their wives as they love themselves.  Verse twenty-nine adds, For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:  Paul was speaking of normal, rational people who are following God's direction in life.  We may be able to cite examples of people who have hated and harmed themselves, but it is never under the leadership of God.  Verse thirty continues, For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  This is another reminder that Paul was writing to those who had accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Those who believe are members of the body of Christ.  Verse thirty-one states, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  Paul tells us that when a man is grown that he should leave his parents and get married.  This is not a command for everyone to be married but is a statement of what should normally occur.  Paul tells us that the husband and wife become one flesh.  Verse thirty-two says, This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  Paul said that what he had been saying might be a great mystery, but that he was speaking of Christ and the church, and I believe relating that to the relationship between a husband and wife.  Verse thirty-three adds, Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  Paul calls on husbands and wives to love each other with a God like love.  Nothing less is going to bring happiness and satisfaction in marriage.

Ephesians 5:13

Ephesians 5:13 says, But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.  Paul tells us that the light of Christ makes manifest all things.  We see that all things are made manifest by the light of Christ and that those actions that are not consistent with God's will shall be reproved.  Verse fourteen adds, Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  Paul says that we are to wake from our spiritual slumber when we are followers of Christ.  We are to rise from the dead, not physically but spiritually.  Verse fifteen continues, See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  Paul advises us to walk circumspectly.  I believe he is simply warning us to walk in the light of the Lord.  Our actions are to bring the light of Christ to the world, and we cannot do this by proclaiming the gospel and living by the dictates of the world.  We are to walk in the wisdom of God and not the foolishness of the world.  Verse sixteen states, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  We are to use our time wisely, witnessing for Christ, because the days are filled with evil.  This is nothing new but was true in Paul's day as well.  We may believe that the world is worse today than it has ever been, but a look back in history will tell us this isn't true.  We just have a greater ability to hear about it.  Verse seventeen adds, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  When Paul advises us to not be unwise he tells us how to avoid being so.  Paul tells us that by understanding what God's will is we can avoid living lives that lack wisdom.  We may be wise in all the ways of the world, but if we do not follow the will of God for our lives we are without true wisdom.  Verse eighteen continues, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  We can debate the drinking of wine and whether it is morally wrong or not, but we cannot debate that getting drunk is wrong.  Paul tells us instead of looking to wine to bring us pleasure, or maybe relief from the stress of the world, that we are to look to the Holy Spirit.  I do not believe that we can ever overindulge in the Holy Spirit.  Verse nineteen says, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  Paul states some of the outcomes of being filled with the Holy Spirit.  We will sing praises to God and have a melody in our hearts to the Lord.  The heart was seen as the source of emotions in Paul's day, so I believe that he was saying that we should have all our emotions focused on worshipping God.  Verse twenty adds, Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  Paul tells us to always give thanks to God, and not to just thank Him when things are going well.  When we are truly always giving thanks to God there can be no room for doubt, fear, or anger to name a few emotions.  Verse twenty-one continues, Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  I believe that Paul is telling us that when we submit to God's will that we each individually will want what is best for others.