Insight and Encouragement: March 2022

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Saturday Night prayer for March 26, 2022

THE BIBLE CAN BE A DIFFICULT BOOK

Friday, March 25, 2022

PRAYER AND PRAISE FOR MARCH 25, 2022

Proverbs of Steel for March 25, 2022

March 26 – Devotion on Ephesians

Eph 4:18: They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

In Vs 18, Paul reminds the Ephesians of the four conditions that the lost face. First, they are darkened in their understanding. They have not received the light. They are heading to a lost eternity. They have not been enlightened to the truth that sets them free. How can they hear without someone telling them? The god of this world has blinded them and darkened their understanding. Next, They are separated from the life of God. They have not come into the family of God and thus they do not know or live a life that God intended for them. Thirdly, there is ignorance in them. They cannot comprehend, understand or are inexperienced. They have been blind, are deaf, spiritually demented, and hardened in their hearts. It is all due to the decision to harden their heart. Paul says in Romans 1 that they exchange the creator for the creation and decided to ignore the evidence of creation and conscience and so God gave them over to their delusion. A terrible place to be.

Thursday, March 24, 2022

VISION FOR GOD

MAN OF VISION

PAUL'S PRAYER

LOVE

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Proverbs of Steel for March 24, 2022

Quotes for March 24, 2022

March 24 – Devotion on Ephesians

Eph 4:16: From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

In Vs 16, Paul closes this thought with Christ as the one who builds the whole body. The whole body is joined together and functions together. Each part supporting and doing it part enables other parts of the body to function as they were designed by God. The whole body then grows and continues to grow. We grow in love. Love is the foundation for all we do. When we love God with every fiber of our being and in turn, we are healed and then show others the healing of Christ in the bonds of love. Maturity is working together for the common good. Paul says we support each other in love. It is the tangible evidence that we are connected with Christ and it shows the world what true love is. The fivefold ministry is essential in this process. When one gift is neglected or over-emphasized then the body will not grow, mature, or function properly. This may explain what is partially wrong with the church. We have said that apostolic ministry ended with the disciples. We say there are no more prophets and thus we focus on evangelism, teaching, and pastoring to the detriment of the whole.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Proverbs of Steel for March 22, 2022

Quotes for March 23, 2022

March 23 – Devotion on Ephesians

Eph 4:15 - Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

In Vs 15, Paul then continues saying that we will know how to speak the truth in love. The fivefold ministry teaches us to walk in truth and in love. When we speak to others we speak the truth of the gospel motivated by love. Unlike those who try to manipulate, deceive and control for their own selfish gains. That we will grow in every aspect of Him who is our head. Jesus Christ is our role model. He is the one we pattern our lives after. Peter says we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul says the fivefold ministry is essential to this process. They teach us the word, evangelism, discernment, wisdom, knowledge, understanding by directing us to the word. Christ is the head of the body and the church. He gives direction and the fivefold ministry helps us to implement what is being shared into our lives and the lives of others we met and influence.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Proverbs of Steel for March 22, 2022

Quotes for March 22, 2022

March 22, - Devotion on Ephesians

Eph 4:14: 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming

In Vs 14, Paul continues his diatribe on the function of the fivefold ministry. The goal is that we no longer be infants. We give up the milk of the word and feast on the meat. There is a time for milk but as we cut our spiritual teeth and mature we need solid food and doctrine. The problem with infants is that they can be exploited and manipulated. Paul uses the illustration of being tossed too and fro like a wave or being blown by every wind of doctrine. When you are young in the Lord you trust and believe everything you hear and read. However, it may be true. The fivefold ministry is designed to help us navigate the early stages of our Christian development. Paul makes it clear that there are people who will exploit our gullibility for their own means and advantage. They do it through cunning, clever, and deceitful scheming. These are tools of the devil. He comes to rob kill and destroys. Paul makes it clear that these people are deliberate in their approach and method. They are selfish, vain, and deceitful. They take advantage so they can gain power, prestige, disciples, and money. They are led, inspired and directed by the devil even though they would not admit it.

Monday, March 21, 2022

Prayer for March 21, 2022

BLESS THE LORD

UNITY

TRUE WISDOM

THREE GRACES

NO FEAR

Proverbs of Steel for March 21, 2022

Quotes for March 21, 2022

March 21 – Devotion on Ephesians

Eph 4:13 Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

In Vs 13, Paul continues with the reasons Christ has given us the fivefold ministry. To help us reach the unity of the faith which Paul had talked about earlier in the chapter. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism. It is the faith that we all share in Jesus Christ. His death, burial, resurrection, broken body and shed blood. That we have a knowledge of the Son of God, to know Him and be like Him. More than ever we need to know the real Jesus not a cultural, theological, or liberal view of Him. To become mature and stable. We have stability and a strong foundation in our faith. Lastly that we attain or get to the measure of the fullness of Christ. That we look, sound, and walk like Jesus. Jesus is our role model and who we pattern our lives after. The fivefold ministry helps us to get to this place. They are God’s agents for change and help the body through exhortation, edification, and comfort to make this happen. Our part is to do what they instruct and teach us to do.