6:23
Peace – right relationship: God, others and self. This is the beginning of a 3-part benediction, blessing, for the Ephesians and for me. Benediction: good words, words meant to bring certain benefits into the recipients’ lives. Here Paul pronounces peace, love and grace into my life.
to the brothers – fellow believers
and love –words and actions that demonstrate the worth of someone else
with faith – seeing the invisible; touching the non-physical
love with faith from God – confusing phrasing. Love from God with faith? Love accompanied by faith, the latter of which comes from God? Or love and faith both coming from God? Not sure it makes much difference. We know from other Bible passages that both come from God and that all good gifts come from Him. So why does Paul specifically link faith to love? Nancy and I read a couple readings from Oswald Chambers each night. One of the sections last night dealt with loving others as God loves us. Part of his point was that God brings difficult people into my life. This gives me the opportunity to love them as God loves me. He loved me when I was hateful to Him. He loves me in spite of my struggles and weaknesses. He believes (exercises faith) that I will keep growing into the likeness of Christ.
Is that why Paul ties faith to love? Whom do I need to love today? In whom do I need to see with faith-eyes the likeness of Christ fighting to come out?
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – My world gives the impression that I can love people and believe in people all on my own. It’s just a matter of how I think, how I train my mind to process data. “We’re all one big family; so let’s all get along and be happy.” Or, “I can do anything I set my mind on; I just have to believe.”
But the love and faith demonstrated by God in Christ involved a hill and a cross, a death and a resurrection. The love and faith expected by God in Christ from me will physically look different from how it looked in Christ Himself. But at its essence it will call for ugly suffering and symbolic death and resurrection. This kind of love and faith in action cannot be manufactured by my willpower. I can only get this from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
6:24
Grace – I am on a long-term campaign to expand our understanding of this term. I am told that Calvin said grace is unmerited favor. (I am not a Calvin scholar; but many people say this.) To this I say: “True, but incomplete.” In recent years, preachers and teachers have introduced the acronym: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. To this I say: “Cute, but incomplete.” Any adequate definition of grace must take into account Paul’s statement in Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It [grace] teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age….”
In other words, any adequate explanation of grace must include its effect on my lifestyle. In addition to unmerited favor from God, grace impels me to obedience.
to all – the entire fellowship of believers. As at the beginning, this letter is meant for the group, the community of faith. While I have sought to apply it personally, it is written in the context of community—the community of faith in Jesus Christ.
who love our Lord Jesus Christ – again I find myself arrested by this word “love.” My world calls it a feeling, something I fall into. But my Bible demonstrates love as an action: An action that includes pain, death, faith and rebirth. I have asked before about whom there might be to whom I can show love today.
This phrase turns that question on end: How can I demonstrate my love for the Lord Jesus Christ today? What actions can I take that will express His worth, His importance, in my life? True, I can never adequately show His importance in my life. But I can do what I can do.
with an undying love – The love I express for Christ will never end. So after I die, I will have an eternity in which to keep showing Him my love!
08 April 2010
Ephesians 6:21-22
6:21
Tychicus, the dear brother – intimate relations within fellowship of believers
and – 2 descriptives of Tychicus
faithful – reliable, steady, through thick or thin, keep my word, dependable
servant – no need to be in charge, see to the needs of others
of the Lord – belonging to Jesus Christ the Boss; so basically, I am to heed the instructions of Jesus, and His word in the gospels tells me to serve the needs of others.
will tell you everything – fill in the gaps, inform recipients what was happening in Paul’s situation
so that – purpose
you also may know – awareness leads to more informed and therefore more effective prayer
how I am – physically, emotionally, spiritually
and what I am doing – in prison, witnessing, receiving visitors, writing other letters, encouraging other church groups. This all links back to Paul’s command/request in v 19 to pray for him. Application: I need more people to pray for me more often and more fervently. In order for them to pray effectively, I need to communicate clearly and fully.
6:22
I am sending him to you – today I don’t need a Tychicus to relay my prayer requests orally. I have so many other electronic means of doing this. But I need to communicate those needs all the same.
for this very purpose – to accomplish this goal
that you may know how we are – They cared for Paul and with little information fears could grow. But a reliable report from an eyewitness could dispel those fears and turn the fears into prayers.
and that he may encourage you – Update on Paul would encourage, lift their spirits and embolden them in their own witness opportunities. Plus, perhaps Tychicus’s primary gift was encouragement: lift the hopes, point to practical steps of action and solution, and spur into positive activity.
Tychicus, the dear brother – intimate relations within fellowship of believers
and – 2 descriptives of Tychicus
faithful – reliable, steady, through thick or thin, keep my word, dependable
servant – no need to be in charge, see to the needs of others
of the Lord – belonging to Jesus Christ the Boss; so basically, I am to heed the instructions of Jesus, and His word in the gospels tells me to serve the needs of others.
will tell you everything – fill in the gaps, inform recipients what was happening in Paul’s situation
so that – purpose
you also may know – awareness leads to more informed and therefore more effective prayer
how I am – physically, emotionally, spiritually
and what I am doing – in prison, witnessing, receiving visitors, writing other letters, encouraging other church groups. This all links back to Paul’s command/request in v 19 to pray for him. Application: I need more people to pray for me more often and more fervently. In order for them to pray effectively, I need to communicate clearly and fully.
6:22
I am sending him to you – today I don’t need a Tychicus to relay my prayer requests orally. I have so many other electronic means of doing this. But I need to communicate those needs all the same.
for this very purpose – to accomplish this goal
that you may know how we are – They cared for Paul and with little information fears could grow. But a reliable report from an eyewitness could dispel those fears and turn the fears into prayers.
and that he may encourage you – Update on Paul would encourage, lift their spirits and embolden them in their own witness opportunities. Plus, perhaps Tychicus’s primary gift was encouragement: lift the hopes, point to practical steps of action and solution, and spur into positive activity.
05 April 2010
Ephesians 6:19-20
6:19
Pray also – while Paul is telling the Ephesians whom to pray for, he includes himself. Applying that to myself can lead me in 2 directions, both of which are valid: (1) I can approach this as how to pray for my pastors, and (2) I can apply the specifics to myself. Let’s see if I can achieve both.
for me – on behalf of (1) seeking blessings for my pastors, (2) needing others to pray for God’s help in my life
that – specific prayer requests. But I notice that these requests have nothing to do with back pain, or his eyes, or financial needs. These focus on the gospel and Paul’s faithfulness to his calling.
whenever – at any time, in any context; formal teaching, preaching, or casual conversation
I open my mouth – (1) pastors speak; (2) I speak. The tongue is the most difficult body part to tame.
words may be given me – from God. How many times have I kicked myself after the fact for saying things that did not need to be said. What would it look like, sound like, if every time I opened my mouth I could anticipate the effect my words would have on the other person in relation to the Gospel and the kingdom of God? If I saw all my speech vis-à-vis the Gospel, perhaps—probably—it would have a significant impact on my speech. But the other part of the equation involves God supplying the right words at the right time. He knows what is going on in the other person’s life. He can anticipate the effect of my words on the other. So when people pray for me I need them to pray that God will give me the right words at the right time. The corollary (although Paul does not say it here) is to pray that God would be in the heart of each to whom I speak (is that part of the prayer of St. Ignatius?). I think this kind of prayer befits both my pastors as well as me.
so that – with the goal, for the purpose
I will fearlessly – boldly, confidently, in spite of dangers, aware of painful possibilities but proceeding in spite of that
make known – speak, proclaim, broadcast, witness, testify
the mystery – not previously revealed
of the gospel – Good News, essence of God’s dealings with humankind. How can I make known God’s Good News? My society holds religious attitudes very similar to those of Paul’s time. I.e., we seem to believe that anyone can believe whatever he chooses. And I admit that I accept that attitude. But along with it comes the thinking that if someone tries to convert another that is wrong. It violates the right of each person to believe his own way. Strangely, when other religions do this, society calls it enlightenment and interesting and expanding our outlook. But when Christ-followers share our beliefs it seems to me that society calls it proselyting. All of that to say, to admit that I have allowed the fear of that accusation to hold me back from speaking about Christ more openly.
6:20
for which – on behalf of this Good News
I am – present condition
an ambassador – commissioned representative, agent, speaking on behalf of the King of kings
in chains – sitting in prison at the time of dictating this letter. But even in prison, he found opportunities to speak for the King of kings to anyone he encountered
Pray – call on God to give me the help I need
that I may declare it – speak out as distinct from whispering; not a secret but openly confessed
fearlessly – how many fears hold me back?
As I should – If Jesus Christ is my King, then I have an obligation to Him to spread His kingdom, to reveal my loyalty to Him, to find others who will join me in this loyalty. This is my “ought,” my “should”
Pray also – while Paul is telling the Ephesians whom to pray for, he includes himself. Applying that to myself can lead me in 2 directions, both of which are valid: (1) I can approach this as how to pray for my pastors, and (2) I can apply the specifics to myself. Let’s see if I can achieve both.
for me – on behalf of (1) seeking blessings for my pastors, (2) needing others to pray for God’s help in my life
that – specific prayer requests. But I notice that these requests have nothing to do with back pain, or his eyes, or financial needs. These focus on the gospel and Paul’s faithfulness to his calling.
whenever – at any time, in any context; formal teaching, preaching, or casual conversation
I open my mouth – (1) pastors speak; (2) I speak. The tongue is the most difficult body part to tame.
words may be given me – from God. How many times have I kicked myself after the fact for saying things that did not need to be said. What would it look like, sound like, if every time I opened my mouth I could anticipate the effect my words would have on the other person in relation to the Gospel and the kingdom of God? If I saw all my speech vis-à-vis the Gospel, perhaps—probably—it would have a significant impact on my speech. But the other part of the equation involves God supplying the right words at the right time. He knows what is going on in the other person’s life. He can anticipate the effect of my words on the other. So when people pray for me I need them to pray that God will give me the right words at the right time. The corollary (although Paul does not say it here) is to pray that God would be in the heart of each to whom I speak (is that part of the prayer of St. Ignatius?). I think this kind of prayer befits both my pastors as well as me.
so that – with the goal, for the purpose
I will fearlessly – boldly, confidently, in spite of dangers, aware of painful possibilities but proceeding in spite of that
make known – speak, proclaim, broadcast, witness, testify
the mystery – not previously revealed
of the gospel – Good News, essence of God’s dealings with humankind. How can I make known God’s Good News? My society holds religious attitudes very similar to those of Paul’s time. I.e., we seem to believe that anyone can believe whatever he chooses. And I admit that I accept that attitude. But along with it comes the thinking that if someone tries to convert another that is wrong. It violates the right of each person to believe his own way. Strangely, when other religions do this, society calls it enlightenment and interesting and expanding our outlook. But when Christ-followers share our beliefs it seems to me that society calls it proselyting. All of that to say, to admit that I have allowed the fear of that accusation to hold me back from speaking about Christ more openly.
6:20
for which – on behalf of this Good News
I am – present condition
an ambassador – commissioned representative, agent, speaking on behalf of the King of kings
in chains – sitting in prison at the time of dictating this letter. But even in prison, he found opportunities to speak for the King of kings to anyone he encountered
Pray – call on God to give me the help I need
that I may declare it – speak out as distinct from whispering; not a secret but openly confessed
fearlessly – how many fears hold me back?
As I should – If Jesus Christ is my King, then I have an obligation to Him to spread His kingdom, to reveal my loyalty to Him, to find others who will join me in this loyalty. This is my “ought,” my “should”
04 April 2010
Ephesians 6:18
6:18
And – Paul dealt with the 3 constants of our preparedness. And he explained the 3 items to have immediately at hand for use in the moment of attack. Now he adds only one action. There is only 1 thing for me to do in the hour of attack. And until the attack passes, I have no business doing anything else. For that time, there is nothing more important, nothing that cannot wait.
pray – I used to say that prayer is talking with God. And I suppose if a young believer asked me how to pray, I would still give that simple response as a starting point. But lately God has been teaching me so much more. I’m embarrassed to say it has taken so long for me to learn this (I just passed my 46th spiritual birthday). But then, some people never get beyond the “talking to God” stage. What I’m going to say next is very preliminary and rudimentary. But it’s an attempt to look at some of the stages of growth in a believer’s prayer life.
Perhaps the beginning is very childlike: “Daddy, can I have ____?” It is self-centered in many respects. I knew I had grown when I moved beyond my wants to ponder God’s wants. Then a little more growth came when I realized that I could express my views and actually influence God’s plans (His immediate plans; not His ultimate plans). In a respectful and submitting spirit, I can argue that a certain course of action would bring glory to His name. This is what Moses did in the wilderness all those times when he interceded for the Hebrews. This is what Abraham did when God was preparing to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I can hear my friend L.A. insisting that we must submit to God’s will not ours. And I totally agree. But I enjoy telling God that I think such-and-such course of action would bring Him great glory (which I know is a key driving force for Him). But then I immediately follow that up with confessing that He sees all these things better than I and He sees the end from the beginning. So I submit to His decision (read: “Not my will, but Thine be done). Still, I tell Him, if it’s all the same to Him (yes, I actually use that phrase), if it’s all the same to Him, I would recommend such-and-such course of action.
I take no pride in saying that my prayer life has grown to that point in 46 years. First, the growth came because I kept looking for solutions to my struggles. But second, I should have learned these basics very early in my walk with Christ. This perspective is for an early believer, not brand new, but still young. Of late, God has started opening my eyes to a completely other realm of prayer.
What if mature prayer took me into the realm of spiritual warfare? What if in my prayer time I could influence the spiritual war that rages in the heavenly realms? It is an incredible thought. And I’m just starting to explore its implications. But one thing I see right off is this: It lifts prayer to a whole other realm from what most of us imagine. For most of my life prayer was that “option” that always left me feeling guilty. Guilt came because everyone told me I should pray. But no one ever taught me how or why. If prayer takes me into the inner chambers where the spiritual war is waged, then this becomes the most important thing I can do. If a weak follower of Christ like I am can influence the war between God and the rebellious hosts, I had better get to it.
This possibility also explains why the enemy helps me see so many other things that just have to be done before I pray. They are distractions. And it explains (possibly) why the enemy is not greatly bothered if my prayer shrinks to talking to God while I commute to work. Of course, he would prefer that I not think of God at all. But getting me to talk with God while I face all the distractions of my commute serves as a workable compromise from the enemy’s perspective. But when I set aside all distractions, get on my knees (it helps me focus), and enter the war room, then spirit rulers pay heed. So, I think I had better follow that suggestion right now: I will put down my pen and pray.
in the Spirit – guided by the Counselor, upheld by the Comforter, made to soar by the Wind. This is so much more than speaking in tongues or praying in a heavenly language. (At least I think so, since I have never experienced those.) My occasional experiences of praying in the Spirit have involved an intense awareness that Another had taken charge of the conversation. You know how this happens in human-to-human interactions. I might begin a conversation with someone. But sometimes the other person is more dynamic than I, or feels more passionate about the topic at hand. Suddenly, my friend has taken charge of the conversation. While I have opportunity for input, the flow of the topic will go in the direction my friend has chosen for it to go.
In a similar way, but much more loving and intimate, the Holy Spirit occasionally takes charge of my prayer time. I consistently invite Him to direct my thoughts and my spirit to pray about the things He cares about. And I ask Him to help me pray for the outcomes He wants, which generally boils down to what will bring the most glory to Christ and thereby to God the Father. But sometimes—more frequently of late—He seems to take charge more emphatically. I don’t want to suggest “forcefully,” because that is not my experience with the Holy Spirit. Still, gently yet urgently, He presses me to pray about this or that situation and to pray for this or that outcome. I don’t have a good sense yet of what this is about, because He has only started doing this with me in recent weeks (maybe 2 or 3). So I don’t know if there is more to come in His school of prayer. But to the degree I know God, I suspect there is much more to come.
on all occasions – My first thoughts from this phrase go to all the clichés I have heard connected to it over the years. And if I ever preached from this passage, I’m sure I used some of these also. But now I picture 2 polar opposite scenes: (1) the lowest point in my life. I came home to an empty house—no longer a home. I threw myself prone on the shag carpet. I stretched my arms forward. I clenched my hands as if I were grasping the feet of Jesus. I did not see Him. But suddenly I was aware that He stood at my head. In my spirit I sobbed, “What do I do now?” And His Spirit replied very clearly with a verse of Scripture. The verse applied to my situation, but I never would have expected that statement coming in that setting in response to that question.
(2) Some years later, Nancy and I were praying. I had just read about a Muslim Sheik in Egypt who had declared his faith in Christ. He was soon arrested and sentenced to indefinite imprisonment. At his age this almost certainly meant he would die there. When it came my turn to pray, I lifted this sheik by name. Quickly, my prayer shifted from my concern for this brother in Christ. In short order, it became God’s concern for His newly adopted son. As words began to fail me, I sensed the Holy Spirit assuring me that He was—at that very moment—in the prison cell with that sheik. What an incredible sense of wonder came over me. A few months later, I learned that the sheik had been released from prison—no warning, no explanation. “Here is your cab fare. Go home.”
From the depths to the pinnacles, the Holy Spirit of Christ breathes through our prayers when we allow Him. I don’t want to suggest that this happens constantly with me. It does not. The fact that I remember these events so vividly testifies that they are the exception for me. But I can attest that the sense of the Spirit’s empowering and inspiring my prayers—that is increasing in frequency.
with – accompanied by, or by means of
all kinds of prayers – Two nights ago a friend asked some of us to pray for her daughter for a certain difficulty. Yesterday, her daughter’s situation came to mind about 6 different times while I was busy with other activities. So I spoke to God about her while I was doing those other things. I think that is more than the cliché “arrow prayer.” But it is one kind of prayer. Other kinds of prayers: alone, family prayer, couple prayer, home Bible study group prayer, all church prayer time, community prayer services. Those are contexts for prayer, and the contexts influence how I pray in each respective setting.
Other means of identifying different kinds of prayer: (1) Casual on-the-go prayer that responds to a reminder from the Holy Spirit; (2) Regular, scheduled, daily prayer that is intentional and focused as I stop other activities. This would include praise, worship, confession, requests and thanksgiving. (3) Paul referred elsewhere to carrying the burdens of the churches. This is another kind of prayer that I find myself doing for a handful of people and their ministries. I just have them in/on my heart throughout the day and night. Maybe I could call this “carrying prayer.” (4) Intercession takes on myself the struggles of the other. This is far more difficult, and therefore rarer, than we are usually led to think. (5) Fasting and prayer: again difficult and rare, at least in the Western church. (6) Season of prayer, when a person gets away from distractions for a few days or a week and spends/invests that time in focused prayer, often intercession and perhaps with fasting. I’m sure there are other kinds of prayer. But I remain such a novice in this discipline that I don’t know what they might be.
and requests – What kinds of requests? Clearly the list could be exhausting. But these things come to mind from mundane to celestial, but none are trivial: Physical provision (food, clothing, etc.), health, another person’s needs, salvation for someone else, life issues (e.g. marriage, career, etc.), political issues, government leaders, nations, suffering populations, the persecuted church, demonic sway over the nations.
With this in mind – I see the word “this” reflecting back to the entire word picture painted starting at v 10. Taking into account (1) the spiritual war in which I am engaged; (2) The importance of living in truth, righteousness and peace; (3) The preparedness involved in my at-hand equipment of faith, assurance of salvation and knowing the Word of God; (4) God’s command to pray. With this picture in mind of a spiritual warrior, dressed and armed for battle, Paul has a twin command:
be alert – on guard, watchful, with physical and spiritual eyes, listening with physical and spiritual ears to clues from either God’s enemy or from God’s Holy Spirit. Mindful, careful, giving special attention to areas of vulnerability. Initially, I think of my personal issues of vulnerability. But to the degree that I mature and serve within the body of Christ, I must also guard the group’s area(s) of weakness(es). That is a completely new and other direction of thought that I cannot explore right now.
and – second part of twin command. I don’t know if it is accurate to call these twin commands. Really, he is telling me to pray, pray, pray. And in order to pray, I must stay alert to the flow of the spiritual battle around me.
always keep on praying [NLT: be persistent in your prayers] – I think I’ve said about all I have to say on the topic of prayer, for now. However, I notice this repetition, again, as a means of emphasis: All in the same verse, pray, prayers, requests, and praying. When I first saw NLT’s “persistent,” I felt uncomfortable. Granted, Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow. But that doesn’t seem to fit here. That story carries the lesson to persist with God, to keep after God, until He answers my prayer. But the sense I get here is different. Now thinking about persistence a little more I see this: persist in my fight against evil, stick to it; not an occasional flurry of prayer, but ongoing, non-stop. God’s enemies will not stop; neither should we; neither should I. I have read about great men of God who prayed for hours every day. I am still far from that, and I’ll probably never get to that point. But God is helping me grow in that area. Currently, my time of focused, on-my-knees prayer lasts about 20 minutes, moving toward 30. I know that is not very long. But it is focused and intense. And it is infinitely more than I prayed just a few months ago. In addition, it seems that my days have increasingly become an ongoing conversation with the Boss.
for – on behalf of
all the saints – I need to break this down more:
all – not just the believers in my local fellowship, or those in my denomination, or fellow evangelicals, or fellow Protestants. I need to include in my prayers all those who claim to follow Christ. How can I pray for the entire world wide church? I get hung up with the Western church and how far we have drifted. And I end up shedding tears for the Western church (cf. II Chr. 7:14). And occasionally I pray for the churches in other countries. But I have never gone full circle to pray for all the followers of Christ.
saints – no halos, no special category of believers. These are all of us called and set apart by and for God. The fact that He chose me and sanctified me makes me a saint. And I need to see those around me in the same light.
And – Paul dealt with the 3 constants of our preparedness. And he explained the 3 items to have immediately at hand for use in the moment of attack. Now he adds only one action. There is only 1 thing for me to do in the hour of attack. And until the attack passes, I have no business doing anything else. For that time, there is nothing more important, nothing that cannot wait.
pray – I used to say that prayer is talking with God. And I suppose if a young believer asked me how to pray, I would still give that simple response as a starting point. But lately God has been teaching me so much more. I’m embarrassed to say it has taken so long for me to learn this (I just passed my 46th spiritual birthday). But then, some people never get beyond the “talking to God” stage. What I’m going to say next is very preliminary and rudimentary. But it’s an attempt to look at some of the stages of growth in a believer’s prayer life.
Perhaps the beginning is very childlike: “Daddy, can I have ____?” It is self-centered in many respects. I knew I had grown when I moved beyond my wants to ponder God’s wants. Then a little more growth came when I realized that I could express my views and actually influence God’s plans (His immediate plans; not His ultimate plans). In a respectful and submitting spirit, I can argue that a certain course of action would bring glory to His name. This is what Moses did in the wilderness all those times when he interceded for the Hebrews. This is what Abraham did when God was preparing to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I can hear my friend L.A. insisting that we must submit to God’s will not ours. And I totally agree. But I enjoy telling God that I think such-and-such course of action would bring Him great glory (which I know is a key driving force for Him). But then I immediately follow that up with confessing that He sees all these things better than I and He sees the end from the beginning. So I submit to His decision (read: “Not my will, but Thine be done). Still, I tell Him, if it’s all the same to Him (yes, I actually use that phrase), if it’s all the same to Him, I would recommend such-and-such course of action.
I take no pride in saying that my prayer life has grown to that point in 46 years. First, the growth came because I kept looking for solutions to my struggles. But second, I should have learned these basics very early in my walk with Christ. This perspective is for an early believer, not brand new, but still young. Of late, God has started opening my eyes to a completely other realm of prayer.
What if mature prayer took me into the realm of spiritual warfare? What if in my prayer time I could influence the spiritual war that rages in the heavenly realms? It is an incredible thought. And I’m just starting to explore its implications. But one thing I see right off is this: It lifts prayer to a whole other realm from what most of us imagine. For most of my life prayer was that “option” that always left me feeling guilty. Guilt came because everyone told me I should pray. But no one ever taught me how or why. If prayer takes me into the inner chambers where the spiritual war is waged, then this becomes the most important thing I can do. If a weak follower of Christ like I am can influence the war between God and the rebellious hosts, I had better get to it.
This possibility also explains why the enemy helps me see so many other things that just have to be done before I pray. They are distractions. And it explains (possibly) why the enemy is not greatly bothered if my prayer shrinks to talking to God while I commute to work. Of course, he would prefer that I not think of God at all. But getting me to talk with God while I face all the distractions of my commute serves as a workable compromise from the enemy’s perspective. But when I set aside all distractions, get on my knees (it helps me focus), and enter the war room, then spirit rulers pay heed. So, I think I had better follow that suggestion right now: I will put down my pen and pray.
in the Spirit – guided by the Counselor, upheld by the Comforter, made to soar by the Wind. This is so much more than speaking in tongues or praying in a heavenly language. (At least I think so, since I have never experienced those.) My occasional experiences of praying in the Spirit have involved an intense awareness that Another had taken charge of the conversation. You know how this happens in human-to-human interactions. I might begin a conversation with someone. But sometimes the other person is more dynamic than I, or feels more passionate about the topic at hand. Suddenly, my friend has taken charge of the conversation. While I have opportunity for input, the flow of the topic will go in the direction my friend has chosen for it to go.
In a similar way, but much more loving and intimate, the Holy Spirit occasionally takes charge of my prayer time. I consistently invite Him to direct my thoughts and my spirit to pray about the things He cares about. And I ask Him to help me pray for the outcomes He wants, which generally boils down to what will bring the most glory to Christ and thereby to God the Father. But sometimes—more frequently of late—He seems to take charge more emphatically. I don’t want to suggest “forcefully,” because that is not my experience with the Holy Spirit. Still, gently yet urgently, He presses me to pray about this or that situation and to pray for this or that outcome. I don’t have a good sense yet of what this is about, because He has only started doing this with me in recent weeks (maybe 2 or 3). So I don’t know if there is more to come in His school of prayer. But to the degree I know God, I suspect there is much more to come.
on all occasions – My first thoughts from this phrase go to all the clichés I have heard connected to it over the years. And if I ever preached from this passage, I’m sure I used some of these also. But now I picture 2 polar opposite scenes: (1) the lowest point in my life. I came home to an empty house—no longer a home. I threw myself prone on the shag carpet. I stretched my arms forward. I clenched my hands as if I were grasping the feet of Jesus. I did not see Him. But suddenly I was aware that He stood at my head. In my spirit I sobbed, “What do I do now?” And His Spirit replied very clearly with a verse of Scripture. The verse applied to my situation, but I never would have expected that statement coming in that setting in response to that question.
(2) Some years later, Nancy and I were praying. I had just read about a Muslim Sheik in Egypt who had declared his faith in Christ. He was soon arrested and sentenced to indefinite imprisonment. At his age this almost certainly meant he would die there. When it came my turn to pray, I lifted this sheik by name. Quickly, my prayer shifted from my concern for this brother in Christ. In short order, it became God’s concern for His newly adopted son. As words began to fail me, I sensed the Holy Spirit assuring me that He was—at that very moment—in the prison cell with that sheik. What an incredible sense of wonder came over me. A few months later, I learned that the sheik had been released from prison—no warning, no explanation. “Here is your cab fare. Go home.”
From the depths to the pinnacles, the Holy Spirit of Christ breathes through our prayers when we allow Him. I don’t want to suggest that this happens constantly with me. It does not. The fact that I remember these events so vividly testifies that they are the exception for me. But I can attest that the sense of the Spirit’s empowering and inspiring my prayers—that is increasing in frequency.
with – accompanied by, or by means of
all kinds of prayers – Two nights ago a friend asked some of us to pray for her daughter for a certain difficulty. Yesterday, her daughter’s situation came to mind about 6 different times while I was busy with other activities. So I spoke to God about her while I was doing those other things. I think that is more than the cliché “arrow prayer.” But it is one kind of prayer. Other kinds of prayers: alone, family prayer, couple prayer, home Bible study group prayer, all church prayer time, community prayer services. Those are contexts for prayer, and the contexts influence how I pray in each respective setting.
Other means of identifying different kinds of prayer: (1) Casual on-the-go prayer that responds to a reminder from the Holy Spirit; (2) Regular, scheduled, daily prayer that is intentional and focused as I stop other activities. This would include praise, worship, confession, requests and thanksgiving. (3) Paul referred elsewhere to carrying the burdens of the churches. This is another kind of prayer that I find myself doing for a handful of people and their ministries. I just have them in/on my heart throughout the day and night. Maybe I could call this “carrying prayer.” (4) Intercession takes on myself the struggles of the other. This is far more difficult, and therefore rarer, than we are usually led to think. (5) Fasting and prayer: again difficult and rare, at least in the Western church. (6) Season of prayer, when a person gets away from distractions for a few days or a week and spends/invests that time in focused prayer, often intercession and perhaps with fasting. I’m sure there are other kinds of prayer. But I remain such a novice in this discipline that I don’t know what they might be.
and requests – What kinds of requests? Clearly the list could be exhausting. But these things come to mind from mundane to celestial, but none are trivial: Physical provision (food, clothing, etc.), health, another person’s needs, salvation for someone else, life issues (e.g. marriage, career, etc.), political issues, government leaders, nations, suffering populations, the persecuted church, demonic sway over the nations.
With this in mind – I see the word “this” reflecting back to the entire word picture painted starting at v 10. Taking into account (1) the spiritual war in which I am engaged; (2) The importance of living in truth, righteousness and peace; (3) The preparedness involved in my at-hand equipment of faith, assurance of salvation and knowing the Word of God; (4) God’s command to pray. With this picture in mind of a spiritual warrior, dressed and armed for battle, Paul has a twin command:
be alert – on guard, watchful, with physical and spiritual eyes, listening with physical and spiritual ears to clues from either God’s enemy or from God’s Holy Spirit. Mindful, careful, giving special attention to areas of vulnerability. Initially, I think of my personal issues of vulnerability. But to the degree that I mature and serve within the body of Christ, I must also guard the group’s area(s) of weakness(es). That is a completely new and other direction of thought that I cannot explore right now.
and – second part of twin command. I don’t know if it is accurate to call these twin commands. Really, he is telling me to pray, pray, pray. And in order to pray, I must stay alert to the flow of the spiritual battle around me.
always keep on praying [NLT: be persistent in your prayers] – I think I’ve said about all I have to say on the topic of prayer, for now. However, I notice this repetition, again, as a means of emphasis: All in the same verse, pray, prayers, requests, and praying. When I first saw NLT’s “persistent,” I felt uncomfortable. Granted, Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow. But that doesn’t seem to fit here. That story carries the lesson to persist with God, to keep after God, until He answers my prayer. But the sense I get here is different. Now thinking about persistence a little more I see this: persist in my fight against evil, stick to it; not an occasional flurry of prayer, but ongoing, non-stop. God’s enemies will not stop; neither should we; neither should I. I have read about great men of God who prayed for hours every day. I am still far from that, and I’ll probably never get to that point. But God is helping me grow in that area. Currently, my time of focused, on-my-knees prayer lasts about 20 minutes, moving toward 30. I know that is not very long. But it is focused and intense. And it is infinitely more than I prayed just a few months ago. In addition, it seems that my days have increasingly become an ongoing conversation with the Boss.
for – on behalf of
all the saints – I need to break this down more:
all – not just the believers in my local fellowship, or those in my denomination, or fellow evangelicals, or fellow Protestants. I need to include in my prayers all those who claim to follow Christ. How can I pray for the entire world wide church? I get hung up with the Western church and how far we have drifted. And I end up shedding tears for the Western church (cf. II Chr. 7:14). And occasionally I pray for the churches in other countries. But I have never gone full circle to pray for all the followers of Christ.
saints – no halos, no special category of believers. These are all of us called and set apart by and for God. The fact that He chose me and sanctified me makes me a saint. And I need to see those around me in the same light.
03 April 2010
Ephesians 6:16-17
6:16
In addition – I have applied the 3 essentials, things I never go without, whether in spiritual battle or not. Now there are more items needed when the battle actual flares up. As Paul sat in prison and watched the Roman soldiers, he recognized that there were 3 things that they always had in place: belt, breastplate and footwear. He paralleled these with 3 things that should characterize my life regardless of circumstances. Now he turns to the next phase of preparation. While the soldier never appeared without those 3 essentials, he also always kept near at hand 3 other items: shield, helmet and sword. In case of attack, he immediately took these up.
to all this – i.e., truth, righteousness and peace. These should characterize my life as a Christ-follower, whether or not I am immediately involved in the crisis of spiritual attack.
take up – the attack is on! Shift into action! It’s not that I don’t already have these in my life. I do. But when Satan’s slaves attack, I must immediately put these to use.
the shield – stop an attack to the body, protect against the enemy’s sword or as Paul says shortly the enemy’s flaming arrows. In hand-to-hand combat it could also be used in a semi-offensive function. But basically it is a defensive tool.
of faith – seeing the invisible; touching the intangible; requires action, not just words or reciting a creed, but doing something that demonstrates my trust in Christ
with which – the function or benefit of the faith shield is…
you can – I am able to…
extinguish – smother, dowse, quench
all – not just some or even most, but every single one
the flaming – fire, burning
arrows – through the air, coming out of nowhere, sudden onslaught of hundreds of arrows on fire, intended to spread within me like fire spreads. Somehow, by doing faith I do the possible for which I am responsible. That clears the way for God to do the impossible as He stops the arrows and puts out the fire. Lord, help my unbelief.
of the – belonging to
evil one – the accuser, the adversary, the opponent, the trickster, the father of lies
6:17
Take – Second piece of equipment always kept near at hand, immediately ready in time of attack
the helmet – protect the head, by extension: my thoughts
of salvation – Tied to ‘the helmet,’ this is not talking about getting saved. Paul addressed that in the first 3 articles: truth, righteousness, and peace. These came as constants when I accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. But in the hour/day of spiritual attack, part of the accuser’s strategy involves the lie that God is no longer with me. He tells me God gave up on me long ago. He reminds me of all the sins and crimes in my history. These are the lies that invade my thinking. The helmet of salvation protects me when those thoughts come. It reminds me of certain basic “faith facts.” Fact #1: Yes, I did those things and deserve eternal punishment, because I am a sinner. Fact #2: Jesus Christ came to earth and died as a substitute for sinners, of whom I am the worst. Fact #3: When I trusted Christ for salvation, the record of my sins and crimes was expunged, sealed and buried. Fact #4: In the years since then, He continues to forgive me when I repent of more recent disobedience. Those are the facts; the helmet of salvation fends off the lies.
and – tacit ‘take’ indicating a third item that I must always keep immediately available
the sword – an attacking, offensive tool; take the fight back to the enemy; it slashes and pierces
of the Spirit – all scripture is God-breathed; it is alive and still breathing after all this time. The same Spirit who breathed, inspired, the writers to pen the Bible now meets with me every time I open it. And in the time of attack He proves faithful.
which is – present tense, current condition after all these centuries
the word – okay, I checked the Greek. This is not logos but hrema. And I don’t know the nuances of that term. So I’m stuck with the English word “word.” If I give my word, I have promised to follow through with a given commitment. My reputation is at stake. And the person to whom I gave my word can depend on my keeping my word only to the degree to which he trusts me as a person. I.e., my reliability affects the other person’s confidence. Now, in this case, God has given His word. How far, how fully, can I trust Him? How fully am I willing to trust Him?
of God – He who is the only Perfect and Holy One gave His word. He who cannot lie promised me. He in whom there is no shadow of turning or inconsistency swore on oath for me. He is trustworthy. Will I trust Him?
What has He promised me? I will never leave you nor forsake you. Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. For as high as the heavens are above the earth; so great is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed all my transgressions. Nothing in all creation shall be able to separate me from the love of God whch is in Christ Jesus my Lord. Etc., etc., etc.
In addition – I have applied the 3 essentials, things I never go without, whether in spiritual battle or not. Now there are more items needed when the battle actual flares up. As Paul sat in prison and watched the Roman soldiers, he recognized that there were 3 things that they always had in place: belt, breastplate and footwear. He paralleled these with 3 things that should characterize my life regardless of circumstances. Now he turns to the next phase of preparation. While the soldier never appeared without those 3 essentials, he also always kept near at hand 3 other items: shield, helmet and sword. In case of attack, he immediately took these up.
to all this – i.e., truth, righteousness and peace. These should characterize my life as a Christ-follower, whether or not I am immediately involved in the crisis of spiritual attack.
take up – the attack is on! Shift into action! It’s not that I don’t already have these in my life. I do. But when Satan’s slaves attack, I must immediately put these to use.
the shield – stop an attack to the body, protect against the enemy’s sword or as Paul says shortly the enemy’s flaming arrows. In hand-to-hand combat it could also be used in a semi-offensive function. But basically it is a defensive tool.
of faith – seeing the invisible; touching the intangible; requires action, not just words or reciting a creed, but doing something that demonstrates my trust in Christ
with which – the function or benefit of the faith shield is…
you can – I am able to…
extinguish – smother, dowse, quench
all – not just some or even most, but every single one
the flaming – fire, burning
arrows – through the air, coming out of nowhere, sudden onslaught of hundreds of arrows on fire, intended to spread within me like fire spreads. Somehow, by doing faith I do the possible for which I am responsible. That clears the way for God to do the impossible as He stops the arrows and puts out the fire. Lord, help my unbelief.
of the – belonging to
evil one – the accuser, the adversary, the opponent, the trickster, the father of lies
6:17
Take – Second piece of equipment always kept near at hand, immediately ready in time of attack
the helmet – protect the head, by extension: my thoughts
of salvation – Tied to ‘the helmet,’ this is not talking about getting saved. Paul addressed that in the first 3 articles: truth, righteousness, and peace. These came as constants when I accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. But in the hour/day of spiritual attack, part of the accuser’s strategy involves the lie that God is no longer with me. He tells me God gave up on me long ago. He reminds me of all the sins and crimes in my history. These are the lies that invade my thinking. The helmet of salvation protects me when those thoughts come. It reminds me of certain basic “faith facts.” Fact #1: Yes, I did those things and deserve eternal punishment, because I am a sinner. Fact #2: Jesus Christ came to earth and died as a substitute for sinners, of whom I am the worst. Fact #3: When I trusted Christ for salvation, the record of my sins and crimes was expunged, sealed and buried. Fact #4: In the years since then, He continues to forgive me when I repent of more recent disobedience. Those are the facts; the helmet of salvation fends off the lies.
and – tacit ‘take’ indicating a third item that I must always keep immediately available
the sword – an attacking, offensive tool; take the fight back to the enemy; it slashes and pierces
of the Spirit – all scripture is God-breathed; it is alive and still breathing after all this time. The same Spirit who breathed, inspired, the writers to pen the Bible now meets with me every time I open it. And in the time of attack He proves faithful.
which is – present tense, current condition after all these centuries
the word – okay, I checked the Greek. This is not logos but hrema. And I don’t know the nuances of that term. So I’m stuck with the English word “word.” If I give my word, I have promised to follow through with a given commitment. My reputation is at stake. And the person to whom I gave my word can depend on my keeping my word only to the degree to which he trusts me as a person. I.e., my reliability affects the other person’s confidence. Now, in this case, God has given His word. How far, how fully, can I trust Him? How fully am I willing to trust Him?
of God – He who is the only Perfect and Holy One gave His word. He who cannot lie promised me. He in whom there is no shadow of turning or inconsistency swore on oath for me. He is trustworthy. Will I trust Him?
What has He promised me? I will never leave you nor forsake you. Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. For as high as the heavens are above the earth; so great is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed all my transgressions. Nothing in all creation shall be able to separate me from the love of God whch is in Christ Jesus my Lord. Etc., etc., etc.
02 April 2010
Ephesians 6:15
6:15
and with – the third “with.” I see these 3 as the bottom-line, merest of essentials. As a soldier in God’s war against Satan and his forces, I cannot go anywhere without these 3 basics securely in place, and daily refreshed.
your feet – my movements, where I go, by extension my interactions with other people. I draw this inference from the fact that walking was the primary mode of travel for the common person in that day. And certainly for the average soldier this would be true. If I sit in isolation at home, my footwear is less important. But if I go out, I need the right footwear for today’s conditions. That footwear needs to transport me safely and comfortably through the various events of the day as I interact with others.
fitted – minimal slipping as I walk; avoid blisters or chaffing but also not pinching the feet
with the readiness – preparation, on alert, available for immediate deployment, always attuned for the call-up notification from my Commander-in-Chief
that comes from – source, origin, supply
the gospel – Good News
of peace – Right relationships with God and others. A new friend pointed out
recently that this peace also includes right relations with myself. This is the Good News: Because of Christ Jesus, I can live in right relations with God, others and myself.
So this raises 2 questions: (1) What does it look like to have my feet protected and supported by right relations? As I suggested above, feet were the primary means of transportation at that time. They still represent at least one aspect of our movement through daily life. So this portion of my preparation has to do with moving through society—interacting with others. Part of what it would look like to have peace in my interactions would include not fearing whom I would meet during the day. I have sought forgiveness from those I can ask. I am prepared to ask forgiveness from others I have offended, if/when I meet them again. And I have forgiven those who have “trespassed against me.” So I have done and am doing all I can to obtain and maintain right relations with others. Prior to that and more importantly, because of Christ and my faith in Him, because of His grace in calling me, I live in right relationship with God. And finally, I continually seek to forgive myself. For years, forgiving others was the issue. No more. Now I seek to forgive myself. So the short answer to the first question is: It looks like living with confidence instead of fear: Confidence because of the right relations in all 3 directions.
That leads me to my second question: How does this help me in my struggle against the evil beings in power on earth and in the heavenly realms? How does this help me stand in the midst of a spiritual battle? First, if God is for me (because I am at peace with Him, i.e. we are reconciled in Christ), then who can be against me? Some may BE against me, but none can STAND against me. Second, since no one remains who can jump out of hiding and accuse me of some secret sin or offense (peace with others), I am not distracted by the hurts of the past. Old battles are gone. I can focus on this current battle and the efforts of the evil beings to cause me to fall. Third, by forgiving myself and living at peace with myself, I rid my life of the traitor within. So I suppose the real question—rhetorically speaking—is, how can I expect to stand in the time of battle if I am not carried along with peace?
and with – the third “with.” I see these 3 as the bottom-line, merest of essentials. As a soldier in God’s war against Satan and his forces, I cannot go anywhere without these 3 basics securely in place, and daily refreshed.
your feet – my movements, where I go, by extension my interactions with other people. I draw this inference from the fact that walking was the primary mode of travel for the common person in that day. And certainly for the average soldier this would be true. If I sit in isolation at home, my footwear is less important. But if I go out, I need the right footwear for today’s conditions. That footwear needs to transport me safely and comfortably through the various events of the day as I interact with others.
fitted – minimal slipping as I walk; avoid blisters or chaffing but also not pinching the feet
with the readiness – preparation, on alert, available for immediate deployment, always attuned for the call-up notification from my Commander-in-Chief
that comes from – source, origin, supply
the gospel – Good News
of peace – Right relationships with God and others. A new friend pointed out
recently that this peace also includes right relations with myself. This is the Good News: Because of Christ Jesus, I can live in right relations with God, others and myself.
So this raises 2 questions: (1) What does it look like to have my feet protected and supported by right relations? As I suggested above, feet were the primary means of transportation at that time. They still represent at least one aspect of our movement through daily life. So this portion of my preparation has to do with moving through society—interacting with others. Part of what it would look like to have peace in my interactions would include not fearing whom I would meet during the day. I have sought forgiveness from those I can ask. I am prepared to ask forgiveness from others I have offended, if/when I meet them again. And I have forgiven those who have “trespassed against me.” So I have done and am doing all I can to obtain and maintain right relations with others. Prior to that and more importantly, because of Christ and my faith in Him, because of His grace in calling me, I live in right relationship with God. And finally, I continually seek to forgive myself. For years, forgiving others was the issue. No more. Now I seek to forgive myself. So the short answer to the first question is: It looks like living with confidence instead of fear: Confidence because of the right relations in all 3 directions.
That leads me to my second question: How does this help me in my struggle against the evil beings in power on earth and in the heavenly realms? How does this help me stand in the midst of a spiritual battle? First, if God is for me (because I am at peace with Him, i.e. we are reconciled in Christ), then who can be against me? Some may BE against me, but none can STAND against me. Second, since no one remains who can jump out of hiding and accuse me of some secret sin or offense (peace with others), I am not distracted by the hurts of the past. Old battles are gone. I can focus on this current battle and the efforts of the evil beings to cause me to fall. Third, by forgiving myself and living at peace with myself, I rid my life of the traitor within. So I suppose the real question—rhetorically speaking—is, how can I expect to stand in the time of battle if I am not carried along with peace?
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