Author: David Worcester

Lead Pastor of Compass Church http://CompassChurchSD.com #Jesus, #Family #ChurchPlanting #CollegeMinistry. #Missions http://GospelAppointments.com @collegiatecoll

6 Weapons You Need For Spiritual Battle – Ephesians 6

Tagged , , 2 Comments

From my reading in Ephesians 6 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Life is a battle.  Stand Firm!

Like it or not, you’re life is a battle ground. There is an enemy who wants to take you down. God has given us everything we need in order to fight the spiritual battles we face. It is important to realize that we need to have ALL these weapons working together in order to be ready for battle. Paul said,

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil… Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ” Ephesians 6:11…13

1. The Belt of Truth

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth… Ephesians 6:14a

The belt is the part of the armor that holds everything together, being grounded in truth is what holds our lives together.

2. Body Armor of God’s Righteousness

“…and the body armor of God’s righteousness.” Ephesians 6:14b

The body armor protects the vital organs. God’s body armor is what makes us secure. We can be safe because we rely on God’s righteousness. Also our pursuit of righteousness protect us by helping us avoid sin.

3. Peace That Comes From The Good News

“For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” Ephesians 6:15

Shoes are helpful for two things.

  • Shoes are made for standing solidly. When we have an adequate understanding of the good news it will give us great peace knowing we are safe in Christ. We can stand firm in the peace he gives us.
  • Shoes are also made for going places. Jesus gave us the command to go make disciples of all nations. It is possible that this verse could also be implying that we should be ready to go out and share the good news!

4. The Shield of Faith

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Ephesians 6:16

The shield is effective for blocking attacks. Faith helps us block the devil’s attempts to bring us down. Having solid faith keeps us from doubt, worry, and fear. Faith allows us to have a good perspective when the battle is raging around us.

5. The Helmet of Salvation

Put on salvation as your helmet… Ephesians 6:17

The helmet protects the head, and without the head you are dead! The Salvation is our source of life. Understanding and trusting in the security of our salvation will give you great confidence and protection against attacks.

6. The Sword Of The Spirit, God’s Word

…and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

God’s Word is your sword. The more of God’s Word you have in your life the more ready you will be for spiritual battle. The Bible is your only offensive weapon in this list. Jesus used scripture to fight the temptation of the devil in the desert.

Bonus Weapon… PRAYER!

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18

Prayer protects us, because it keeps us connected to God. We should not only pray for ourselves but pray for believers everywhere. Prayer is also one way to pick up these other weapons.

Which of these weapons do you need to pick up today? 

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

Don’t Get Drunk, Be Filled With The Spirit – Ephesians 5:17-33

Tagged , Leave a comment

From my reading in Ephesians 5:17-33 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18

The Bible is clear that it is a sin to get drunk.

When you are drunk you lose control of yourself and do things you will regret. It leads to the wasting of your life.

Instead we are instructed to be filled with the Spirit.

When we are filled with alcohol we lose control. When we are filled with the Spirit we have self control. The phrase “Be filled” literally means to  continually be filled. This means that it is not a one time event in the life of a Christian.

The Holy Spirit already lives inside of all Christians, but many are not living in His fullness.

It is possible to quench the Spirit and grieve the Spirit through our sin.

Because of that, many Christians are not filled with the Spirit. Like a kink in a hose, our sin blocks the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

Being filled with the Spirit is necessary to live in a way that pleases God.

It is how we grow. It is how we relate to people lovingly. It is how we can effectively share our faith. Being filled with the Spirit is when we see God using us for his purposes.

Are you currently filled with the Spirit or do you have sin that you need to confess?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

To Live Like Jesus Is To Love Like Jesus – Ephesians 5:1-16

Tagged 1 Comment

From my reading in Ephesians 5:1-16 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

The purpose statement of our ministry is “To help students discover Jesus, learn to live like him, and change the world the way he did.”

Learning to live like Jesus is the process of discipleship.

The true measure of a Christian’s growth is weather or not they are growing in love. If you are not increasing in love then you may be getting more knowledgeable about God but you are not truly growing. Paul instructed us to imitate God by living lives of love.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1–2

Just as a child imitates his father, so we are to imitate God.

Jesus set the example for us by living a life overflowing with love. The way he lived and died showed us his love. His sacrificial death on the cross was the ultimate sign of true love. This type of love is what we are to imitate.

To evaluate you spiritual growth you need to ask yourself…

Am I becoming a more loving person?

Because, to live like Christ is the love like Christ.

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

8 Ways To Promote Unity In Your Church – Ephesians 4

Tagged 9 Comments

From my reading in Ephesians 4 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

1. Be humble.

Always be humble… Ephesians 4:2

Unity requires humility. A humble person is willing to sacrifice their ego and desires for the sake of the group.

2. Be Gentle.

… and gentle… Ephesians 4:2

A gentle person as a way of calming those around them. They have the ability to deal with hard situations in a graceful way. Inevitably there will be conflict within the Church. A gentle person will know the right way to deal with it.

3. Be Patient.

…Be patient with each other… Ephesians 4:2

A patient person keeps calm even when those around them are being irritating.

4. Be understanding.

…making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2

People are sinful and will let you down. Knowing that fact will help your be understanding when they do. Don’t expect perfection from your church family because you will be disappointed.

5. Work hard for peace.

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Ephesians 4:3

Unity and peace take hard work. You must be willing to put in the effort to make unity really happen.

6. Celebrate each other’s unique gifts.

However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. Ephesians 4:7

Each person should faithfully use the gifts they have been given, while at the same time celebrating the gifts of others. Problems come when a person with one gift looks down on others who do not exhibit the same gift they have.

7. Follow those with leadership gifts.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11–12

God has given people with leadership gifts to the Church in order to equip the members to do the work of the ministry. Someone who is promoting unity in the church will follow spiritual leadership within the limits of scripture.

8. Speak the truth in love.

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15

There will be times that you will need to say hard things to someone. It is important to do this in a loving way. As you do this with one another God will help you grow and will unite you as a group.

Which of these things do you need to apply today?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

You Are Loved – Ephesians 3

Leave a comment

From my reading in Ephesians 3 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

I am loved.

Those are three of the most powerful words in the world. They change everything. Paul was praying that the Ephesians would experience God’s love deeply.

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Eph 3:17-19

Root yourself in God’s love.

God’s love is the source of strength for our faith. It is what we can rely on. God’s love allows us to trust him.  As we respond to this love, Christ will make his home in our hearts.

God’s love is impossible to fully grasp.

Paul prays that the Ephesians would know how vast the love of God is. By using the ideas of length, hight, depth, and width he is saying God’s love is infinite and unmeasurable.

God’s love can be experienced.

You can experience God’s love personally. We won’t be able to fully grasp it until heaven, but you can have a taste here and now.

It is only when you experience God’s love that you are made complete with the power and life that God intended for you to have. When you has a real experience with God’s love you are never the same!

My prayer is that I would experience more and more of God’s love and trust in it for my life.

Have you experienced God’s love for yourself?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

You Are God’s Masterpiece – Ephesians 2

Tagged , , Leave a comment

From my reading in Ephesians 2 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Before the creation of the world God knew he was going to create you.

And God created you with a  special purpose in mind. Paul said,

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

You are God’s masterpiece.

A masterpiece is an artist’s prized piece of art. When God created you he didn’t mess up. Not only that, but he made you the way you are for a purpose.

You are incomplete without Jesus.

God designed you to function best with a relationship with Jesus. You won’t realize your potential in life on your own. You won’t be fulfilling your purpose in life unless you give your life to Jesus and let him use you for his purposes.

God has given many people natural abilities, but until they are using them to serve God they won’t reach their maximum capacity.

God has good works in mind for you do to.

God has planned in advance what good works he wants you to do. When we are obeying Jesus and serving others with our gifts we are fulfilling our purpose!  There is not greater joy that to know that we are doing what we have been created for.

I want to encourage you, that if you have received Christ then you have been saved to serve others. You have a unique contribution to make!

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

10 Identity Shaping Truths About Who You Really Are In Christ – Ephesians 1

Tagged , Leave a comment

From my reading in Ephesians 1 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Paul gives us 10 truths to remind us who we are in Christ.

1. I am blessed.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

2. I am loved.

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4

3. I am chosen.

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4

4. I am holy.

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4

5. I am adopted.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5

6. I am redeemed.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7 NIV

7. I am forgiven.

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7 

8. I am included.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:13 NIV

9. I am marked.

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13–14 NIV

10. I am called.

“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” Ephesians 1:18

Which of these truths encourages you most?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

6 Principles For Those Tempted To Give Up On Their Ministry – Galatians 6

Tagged Leave a comment

From my reading in Galatians 6 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

If you are tired of serving or just tempted to be lazy in your ministry here are some good principles to think about from Paul.

1. You are commanded to help others.

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

If you are so focused on your own problems it is not likely you will share in someone else’s burden. The body of Christ is designed to pick up each other’s slack.

2. You are not too important to serve others.

“If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”Galatians 6:3

You may have a higher “position” but we all have a responsibility to serve. My pastor Kyle Walters is a good example of someone who is willing to serve.  He is at Church early almost every Sunday helping set up before he speaks!

3. Don’t worry about what others are doing, work hard!

“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” Galatians 6:4–5

We are each responsible for our own work. If you see someone else slacking off, they are not your standard. We are to work hard even if everyone around us is not.

4. You can’t fool God, you will get out what you put in.

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” Galatians 6:7

You will harvest what you plant. If live to please the Spirit then you will see positive fruit. If you are giving in to your sinful nature you will get death and decay. Laziness is a symptom of the sinful nature. On the other hand, if you work hard you will be rewarded.

5. You will reap a harvest if you don’t give up.

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9

This verse is a great reminder not to give up. If you are not seeing fruit right now then remember that you will be rewarded with a blessing if you don’t give up.

This is a great reminder for me when the hard days of ministry come. Even if you are not seeing the fruit you want to see in your ministry, don’t give up. You will eventually reap a harvest if you don’t give up.

6. Seize opportunities to serve.

“Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” Galatians 6:10

We should see chances to serve as opportunities, not annoyances. I know for me sometimes I just want to relax at home or go surfing. But there are times where we need to give up what we want in order to seize opportunities to serve.

One important thing to remember here is that Jesus didn’t serve at EVERY opportunity he got. He even withdrew when the crowds were looking for him. It is not wrong to rest for the right reasons. But if we are not serving just because we are selfish then we have a problem.

Which of these principles do you want to apply to your life today?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

How To Know If You Are Walking In The Holy Spirit Or Not – Galatians 5

Tagged , , Leave a comment

From my reading in Galatians 5 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

If you are a Christian then you have the Holy Spirit living inside you!

Unfortunately you still have your sinful nature to deal with. There is a battle raging. Here’s how Paul described it.

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” Galatians 5:16–17

We are instructed to let the Holy Spirit guide us and follow the desires that he gives us!

Paul gives us some ways to recognize if we are walking in the spirit or the flesh. Let’s start by looking at the effects of giving in to your sinful nature.

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19–21

Whenever you see yourself giving in to lust, anger, envy and the other sins listed you can know that you are not walking in the Holy Spirit.

When we follow the desires of the sinful nature it leads to things that destroy our lives. If you catch yourself doing these things ask God to forgive you and stop! On the other hand when we follow the Holy Spirit we get the totally opposite results.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22–23

The Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace and these other good qualities.

By Jesus’ power we can say no to our sinful desires and yes to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:24–25

Have you recently been walking in the sinful nature or the Holy Spirit?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.

The Privileges Of Being A Child Of God – Galatians 4

Tagged , , , , , 1 Comment

From my reading in Galatians 4 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

God loves us so much he wanted to adopt us as his own children.

In a very powerful passage Paul shares how Jesus bought our freedom through his death so that he could have us as his kids!

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4–7

God sent Jesus to buy our freedom!

Our freedom was not free. Jesus had to die in order for us to be set free from our sin and our slavery to the law. Through Christ’s death he made it possible for us to have a Father-child relationship with God. His sacrifice was the only way to make that possible.

We are no longer slaves to the Old testament law. Instead we are children of God. If we have received Christ then the Holy Spirit lives inside of our hearts and connects us with the heart of the Father.

As children of God we are heirs of God.

A “heir” is “the person who inherits possessions.” As God’s children we inherit all the good things that come with being a follower of Christ. We receive peace, joy, and purpose here on earth. But we also receive eternal life and unhindered fellowship with God for eternity!

As God’s kids we have the most privileged position in the world. We can come to him in prayer with our every need and he will hear us. God doesn’t promise to make our lives perfect, but as his children we are safe in his love.

How does it make you feel to know that you are God’s child?

If you like this article share it on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe by Email.