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Today’s reading is Ephesians 1:1-2:22.

I love Ephesians. There are so many things that jump out at me as I read this book. These first two chapters are no exception. However, I’m only going to comment on two of them for the sake of your time.

First, I am really struck by Ephesians 1:15-16:

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…

Paul gave thanks because of their faith in Jesus and their love toward the saints. Today, I need to work on both of those. I need to increase my faith in Jesus. I don’t need to increase His faith in me. I don’t need to spend my time trying to convince Him that He can trust me to always do what is right. I need to increase my faith in Him and through that, I’ll have the righteousness He gives. I also need to work on my love toward the saints. Again, I don’t need to focus on getting them to love me. I don’t need to walk around as a people pleaser trying to get them to like me or appreciate me. Instead, I need to work on genuine love and service. I need to work on treating others the way they want to be treated because it is right, not because they’ll like me for it. 

When I work on my faith in Jesus and my love toward the saints, then I become a person others can be thankful for.

Second, I am also struck by Ephesians 1:17-19:

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might…

In Paul’s prayer, I learn what I need to be praying for me and for you. Neither of us have all wisdom and insight. Rather, I need to pray that we may be granted wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. We often wander in darkness and are so blind we don’t even know it. I need to pray that our hearts may be enlightened. Too often, we walk in despair. We get distracted by what is going on in the world and forget what Christ has done for us and what He is planning for us in the next. I need to pray that we may know the hope Christ is offering us that conquers our sadness and despair. We sometimes forget that this life isn’t really about this life. This life is not about having the best job, the biggest house, the nicest cars, the most comfortable clothes. This life is about what comes next. I need to pray that we can keep our eyes focused on the inheritance of true riches that Jesus has waiting for us. Sometimes, we begin to think it is not possible that we’ll make it. We mess up so much we just aren’t sure how God could possibly save us. I need to pray that we be kept by God’s power and also pray that we’ll know God’s power that we might have confidence in Him that we will make it, not because of our strength but because of His power. His power is so immense He raised Jesus from the dead and sat Him in the heavenly places above all things.

This needs to be my prayer today for both you and me. I hope you can join me in this prayer.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading: Luke 1:1-2:52

Probably because it is the beginning of a new year, the verse that struck me the hardest in this reading was the last.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

First of all, I must admit that I struggle with how Jesus, God in the flesh, grew in wisdom. Yet, I have to admit it says He did. If Jesus grew in wisdom and these other attributes I should work on that as well.

1. Wisdom

According to Proverbs, wisdom is crying out to me. Sadly, I’m all too often a fool. Too often, I want to do what comes naturally to me. Instead, I must grow in wisdom by growing in my understanding of God’s word. Certainly, I might increase in human wisdom this year. I may learn from the classics and devour self-help books. However, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). If I’m to grow as Jesus did in wisdom, I must get into God’s book. That’s why what we are doing here at giveattentiontoreading.com is so important.

2. Stature

First, I recognize that Jesus growing in stature here was natural because He was a child growing into a man. Certainly, I’m an adult. I’m not getting any taller and I don’t need to get any bigger (though I have been lately). What I get out of this for me presently is that while I work on my spirit, growing in wisdom, I must not forget to keep my body under control as well. It will do me well in 2009 if I work a little harder on my stature. No, I don’t have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, I can’t very well stick around and serve God’s people or glorify Him on earth if I eat my way into the grave this year. 

3. In favor with God

According to Ephesians 5:10, I need to “try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (ESV). My life is not to be about what is pleasing to me. Jesus said He always did what pleased the Father (John 8:29). Sadly, I can’t say the same. This year, I need to work on pleasing God. Not that I’m trying to earn my way into heaven by so doing. Rather, because I love God. Because God has done so much to please me in sending His Son. Therefore, I want to love Him. I want to put His desires first and grow in favor with Him.

4. In favor with man

Granted, I don’t want to put favor with man before favor with God. As the apostles pointed out in Acts 5:29, I must serve God rather than man. At the same time, I can live in favor with man. According to Acts 2:47, the first Christians had favor with the people. Yes, I know at some point all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. This is not a favor with man at all costs. However, when I’m living the godly life, I’m actually going to be one of the most likable fellows. I’ll be a peacemaker. I’ll be a servant. I’ll put others first. And so on. What’s not to like? Being a Christian doesn’t mean going out of my way to be a sour and bring sour grapes into the lives of others. I can be a Christian and have favor with man. I need to learn to serve my fellow man and put others before myself (cf. Philippians 2:3-4). Yes, I’ll repeat the caveat once again, if my fellow man will not be at peace with me, I can’t help that. I must still serve God. However, I don’t have to assume serving God means always being hated by everybody.

What a great four part plan for facing this new year. I now have four goals to work on.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Corinthians 1:18, 21-24, ESV). 

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get discouraged as I walk through the local bookstore and hit the religious or philosophy section only to notice the academics who ridicule and berate anything to do with Jesus Christ and Christianity. Sometimes, I get caught in the trap of thinking I need to become as academic as they are and then try to fight them with their own sword. (Certainly, there are some very scholarly and academic Christians who fight these battles and I’m glad for them, I’m not disparaging them at all.)

However, this passage reminds me that the answers of persuasion will not be found in the halls of academia, philosophy or worldly wisdom. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for studying everything and seeing the whole picture. I’m not talking about putting my head in the sand and ignoring proven facts out there. I’m simply pointing out that Paul says if I move the battle ground into the halls of academia and philosophy of man’s wisdom, I can’t win the battle here. No matter what I say, those who don’t want to believe in Jesus won’t. No matter what I say, those who don’t want to believe the Bible is from God won’t. If I disparage some academic argument, they will only find another. 

Further, I do not have to feel foolish just because some academic thinks he is better and smarter than I am. No doubt, there are more people smarter than I am than I can count. God hasn’t asked me to be the smartest person in the world. He has simply asked me to trust Him that His way is right and, therefore, follow His way. In the end, wisdom will be vindicated by her children. 

Here is the problem, the Jews look for a sign and the Greeks look for wisdom. Though this was in a different age, I have met both of these kinds of people. I’ve met the guy who said if God really wanted him to do something, God would have to give him some kind of sign, like a bolt of lightening from heaven. I’ve met the guy who says the whole Bible and Jesus thing just doesn’t make sense to him. We preach Christ crucified. The one seeking a sign, merely sees this as a stumbling block. The early Jews just couldn’t get their minds around a crucified Messiah. The early Greeks just couldn’t make sense out of God who sacrificed Himself for His people. Modern men looking for signs don’t think a crucifixion and resurrection is enough. They want God to personally attend to them and give them a personal sign. Modern men with earthly wisdom, can hardly get their minds around a real God, let alone one who sacrifices Himself for us. 

What I have to do is simply keep sharing my faith. Instead of being discouraged by those who are so wise in the world they can’t seem to accept the wisdom of God, I need to simply pass on God’s wisdom. It will not return to God void. I don’t have to be embarrassed or discouraged. I know the wisdom of God will eventually be vindicated.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC