Philippians 1:3-8

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

Encouraging Words

As we continue to walk in Christ throughout or lives, we can rejoice in the truth that the work that Jesus began in us will continue until it is complete in His perfection. We are His and as the Master potter, He is forming and shaping us into His image. Glory be to God!

Philippians 1:2

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Encouraging Words

What a perfect verse to show up for today. Tomorrow, in the Orthodox church, we begin our journey of Great Lent toward Pascha (Easter). This journey can be enlightening as well as challenging. This journey is not just about giving up food. We are to be focusing on our relationship with our Lord. We observe how far from Him we have strayed and strive to close that gap. We search our lives to see how little we have loved our neighbor and strive to becomes lovers of our neighbors. We take the savings from limiting our intake, both food and any other indulgences, and give alms to those in need. This journey is a time to recognize how much God loves us and how much we need Him. We set our eyes on the cross, knowing that Jesus gave His life for us and our hope is in His resurrection on Pascha. We do all this knowing that God’s grace and peace is being poured out on us. Glory be to God!

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Personal Challenge

There is so much that can be unpacked in this passage about dealing with life in the spiritual realm. I will not write about any of the details for they can stand on their own. It is important for all of us to understand and embrace that we do not just live in a physical, temporal realm. Jesus proclaimed that His kingdom, the eternal, spiritual kingdom is amongst us. It is not some future reality that we will see and participate in after we die. It is here and it is now. Everything highlighted in this passage is going on around us every moment of every day, whether we see it or not. The sooner that we embrace that the kingdom of God is amongst us, the sooner that we can take up arms and fight for it beside our Lord. We are living in the spiritual realm. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Ephesians 6:5-8

Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

Personal Challenge

We are fortunate that we do not live in an age where slavery is the norm. Granted, we still have egregious issues of human trafficking that must be addressed and eliminated, but for the most of us, We are not around slavery. We are charged in this passage to live as bondservant to Christ. What is a bondservant? In the day of Paul, the author of this letter, people would be sold into slavery or servanthood to pay for a debt. It was a tough life. In some cases, this person would pay their debt and be able to be released back to freedom. The person that was being released would sometimes be so blessed by their master, their owner, that they would ask to stay in that position. They would become a bondservant. Jesus is our Master, our Lord. He paid a very expensive price to free us from the bondage of sin and death. He then sets us free. We have the choice to remain His bondservant and live for Him. Glory be to God!

Ephesians 6:4

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Personal Challenge

As fathers, we are instructed to not provoke our children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. It is our responsibility to set the example for them to follow by loving our God and loving others. We must be willing to admit our shortcomings and seek forgiveness if we are wrong on anything in our relationship with them. This does not end when they becomes adults but continues as long as we are alive. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Ephesians 5:25-28

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

Personal Challenge

As husbands, our first priority in life is to love our God. The next priority, which should be above all others is to love our wife. If we truly believe the teachings of our Lord that when we marry we become one flesh, then it is imperative that we love our wives as we love ourselves. It always amazes me when I meet men who proclaim to be godly, righteous men all the while leaving their wife to practice their Christian faith at a separate church. How does one separate the one flesh into two separate faith practices without harming the other. It is our responsibility as husbands to love our wives as Christ loved the church and gave up himself for her. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Ephesians 5:14-16

Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Encouraging Words

Before we know Christ, we are dark, living in the dark. Christ recreates us as light 
and brings us into His Kingdom of light. We must awake from our earthly and temporal slumbers. We must arise from the dead and live in the light. We are to walk circumspectly and as the wise, redeeming the time in these evils. And Jesus gives us the power and ability to do this. Glory be to God!

Ephesians 5:8-10

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.