ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 24

Embracing God’s love for me

24. How can my words build someone up?  

Ephesians 4:29. “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (NLT)

ESV – let your speech be “such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

NIV – speak “only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

When this passage is taught, we often stress the importance of avoiding foul language, as indeed we should. But this time going through Ephesians I am struck by the potential of positive communication.

My conversation can have a significantly positive effect on others! What a lofty goal! I am to speak to others in a way which could “give grace to them.” O’Brien puts it this way: “Having put on the new man, we will want to develop new standards of conversation so that our words will be a blessing, perhaps even the means by which God’s grace comes to those who hear.” * I have heard and read a lot about the power of words and the encouragement that can come from one person to another based on what is said. But I’ve never before understood how powerful this could be. That God would dispense grace to another person through my conversation with them?

This raises a conversation from a pleasant feel-good encouragement to a supernatural level in which the Holy Spirit can communicate to another person through what I say, sometimes through my words and sometimes in spite of the words I use. I believe that the Spirit can communicate directly to people by causing them to understand more than what the speaker has actually said. Sometimes the Spirit helps the listener to “connect the dots” between the current conversation and multiple messages a listener has heard in the past and come up with a deeper understanding than he/she had previously. 

How can I speak in a way that builds others up and blesses them? What can I say that is more than just a culturally acceptable pleasantry? The context gives me some general direction: 

1) I can choose to speak words that “build up” the hearer. One commentary describes using “any words that build the confidence of one’s sisters and brothers, encourage them in their tasks, and create goodwill.” **

2) I can choose words that “fit the occasion” and are “according to their needs.” What are the needs of the person I’m talking to? Does she need encouragement? Has he accomplished something to be celebrated? Are they new to our church and perhaps need welcoming words? These questions point out the need for me to get to know my brothers and sisters on a deeper level, so I know what their needs are.

3) This passage implies that God will work through some conversations to give grace to the hearer. The possibility of supernatural benefit for another person motivates me to prayerfully consider how I can talk with others, and to ask the Holy Spirit for sensitivity to know what and when to speak.

One way to start is to ask myself, how would I like a spiritual sister or brother to speak to me? What kind of comment would encourage me? How would I like to be celebrated? What kind of response from a friend refreshes and energizes me? When I am going through a difficult time, what kind of conversation would help me trust God more?

Father, please help me to develop the ability to build up others through my speech. I want to be a conduit of Your love and grace to others. Thank You for those who have given me Your message through their words. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*O’Brien, Peter T (1999). The Letter to the Ephesians. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, p 345. Emphasis added.

**Andrew T. Lincoln (1990). Word Biblical Commentary: Ephesians. Dallas: Word Books, p 306.   

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 25

Embracing God’s love for me

25. Is God my role model?

Ephesians 5:1-2. 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. (NLT)

I love to watch children imitate their fathers, little boys “shaving” their chins, children trying to dunk a basketball into a three-foot-high hoop, pushing a plastic mower behind Dad as he cuts the lawn. As a human father can be a role model for his children, so our Father God is a role model for His children. The more time I watch my Father and spend with Him, the more I will know Him and want to be like Him. And the more I will know how to be like Him. This knowledge comes mostly through the Bible, but also through watching God’s interactions with the world He created. He is kind even to those who do not acknowledge Him. He still loves me even when I am avoiding Him, when I know what I should do but I’m slow to do it. He does not reject me for my flaws but instead sees me as being perfect, complete, and whole in Christ because He sees Jesus, and Jesus is interceding for me. The more I recognize how God reveals Himself the more I will be able to imitate Him.

Verse two gives specifics on how to imitate God: love others as Christ did during His life and by His sacrificial death for us. If I follow the example of Christ, I will love and act gracefully even to those who don’t reciprocate. I will see others as creations of God and treat them with respect, compassion, and patience. I will sacrifice my “rights” for others –- the whole concept of “consider others as more important than yourselves” in Philippians 2:3.

How can I imitate God today? I would love to do this spontaneously, without pre-planning, and I do pray for God to make me naturally more like Himself. But I also know that I need to take intentional steps to imitate Him. So today I will look for one person or situation in which I can intentionally give up what I would prefer in order to demonstrate God’s love. It’s a little step but moves me in the right direction. 

Father, I know I can never be entirely like You, but today my desire is to be loving like You. Please change my core attitude to be more loving toward others; then may that attitude shape my actions into expressions of Your love. Holy Spirit, today make me aware of an opportunity to imitate God. And may it be “a pleasing aroma” to You. Amen

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 26

Embracing God’s love for me

26. When gratitude is more than an attitude. 

Ephesians 5:3-4. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes — these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. (NLT)

In this passage Paul strongly denounces sexual sins and greed, described first in general terms and then referring to sexually inappropriate speech. As an antidote to these sins, he advises thankfulness. At first this didn’t make sense to me. How was thanksgiving the opposite of or the cure for sexual sin, especially since Paul’s emphasis is on sinful sexual language? 

Once again, O’Brien’s commentary was very helpful for me. He points out that thanksgiving “is the distinctive mark of Christian speech;” giving thanks verbally reflects a completely different attitude from the sins just described. Sexual sins and greed are self-centered and arise from a desire to please myself; thanksgiving is the opposite and focuses on God’s generosity. “Thanksgiving is almost a synonym for the Christian life. It is the response of gratitude to God’s saving activity in creation and redemption, and thus a recognition that he is the ultimate source of every blessing.” *

The emphasis here is on how to talk. The positive message of this passage is to be thankful to God. I usually think of this as an attitude, but in this passage verbally giving thanks is a concrete action which is the opposite of crude speech. 

How can my conversation be full of gratitude today? I will look for opportunities: 

  • to tell others about a blessing God has given me, 
  • to let someone know how grateful I am for him or her,
  • to pray my thanks to God each time I recognize a gift.

Father, please help me remember to be thankful and to develop the habit of rehearsing your gracious blessings to me, our family, our church, our country… Amen.

*O’Brien, Peter T (1999). The Letter to the Ephesians. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, p 361.

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart. You are invited to contact Peggy through ChurchHealthMinistries.com.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 27

Embracing God’s love for me

27. What are my idols?

Ephesians 5:5. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. (NLT)

What idols do I worship? I’ve heard I can determine this by looking at how I spend my time, my money, and my energy (emotional, physical, and thought energy). I recognize that sometimes there are things in my life that are a higher priority or more alluring to me than God, that fill my mind and stir my emotions and could almost be obsessions. When I initially fell in love with Allan, he was nearly all I could think about. When my “perfect” job started it crowded out most other thoughts for a while. My ongoing thrill of having grandchildren brings me enjoyment that rivals other interests in my life. The enjoyment and refreshment of a new hobby takes up my thoughts, time, and money. Are these idols?

When recognized as gifts from God, and received with gratitude to Him, I don’t think these experiences and responses are sinful. But I am aware that they each have the potential of distancing me from God, as when they crowd my daily quiet time. But they also have the potential of drawing me closer to God when I thank Him for His gifts and use them to serve others and bring glory to Him. In these situations, I need to monitor the impact of the gifts by being aware of how they might distract me from other priorities and responsibilities. Focusing on thanking God for these blessings will help me keep appropriate boundaries and priorities.

Was Paul referring to these types of distractions as idols? I don’t think so. Some commentators, because of the obvious context of the passage, believe that Paul is referring here to unrestrained sexual greed as being idolatry. “All the important idolatries have always centered on those forces which have enough specious [deceptive] power to be truly counterfeit, and therefore truly dangerous: sexuality (fertility), riches, and power (glory). All idolatry is a form of covetousness,” wanting to get personal gain without acknowledging that the gifts and/or power are from God.*   

So what are clearly the real idols in my life, which I put ahead of my relationship with God? I asked a wise man today what he thought was the most common idol among American Christians. He said, “independence.” I can identify with that idol. Isn’t wanting to be self-sufficient, in control of my circumstances, and the solver of all my (and everyone else’s) problems exactly how I naturally respond to life? Why do I first try to control life with my plans and abilities and only remember to trust God with my cares when my own plans fail? In those situations, I want to “do it my way” without acknowledging that I need God’s help. My progress in exercising faith is slow, but I am learning.

Father I am aware of my tendency to run after the things that bring me the most immediate gratification. Please help me to love You more than them all. Turn my affections and attention back toward you as a response of gratitude. Please convict me when I am neglecting you for the things of the world, no matter how bright and shiny they are. My desire is to love you with all that I am and all that I have. And please help me to trust You quickly when I am in need. I want to live in truth, recognizing that I am completely dependent on You. Amen

* L. T. Johnson, as quoted in Andrew T. Lincoln (1990). Word Biblical Commentary: Ephesians. Dallas: Word Books, p 324.

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart. You are invited to contact Peggy through ChurchHealthMinistries.com.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 29

Embracing God’s love for me

29. How can I figure out what pleases the Lord? 

Ephesians 5:10. “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” (NLT)

“…try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” (ESV)

“…test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord” (CEB)

When I read this passage this morning, my primary question was “How can I ‘carefully determine what pleases the Lord’ today?” Would He be pleased as He watches me doing my chores, going to work, interacting with people, checking off each item on my to-do list? The conclusion I came to was – yes and no. I think that my Father would be pleased that I was serving and loving other people. But I think He would also be sad that I let myself get stressed by having to rush to work; that I didn’t ask for His help when I had that problem at work that I could not solve; that I filled all my “alone” commuting time entertaining myself rather than spending any of that time listening to Him. These responses would not be terrible, but they would demonstrate that I was living unintentionally. Although I periodically examine my life to see that I am heading toward goals I think God has planned for me, I too often drift through my days without specific thought about what would please God that day. 

I recognize that in this passage Paul is instructing the readers to be careful to determine what pleases God in the context of the darkness surrounding them, with immoral sexual practices and temptations present. Those are not my primary temptations, but rather the comfortable pattern of being busy doing tasks without a deliberate purpose in view. There are days when checking off items on my to-do list is my highest priority. The things I am doing are good and many are necessary, but I want to live a higher goal than that.

The verses surrounding verse 10 expand on this topic. In verse 11 the “deeds of evil and darkness” are characterized as “worthless” or “unfruitful” (ESV). They are the opposite of deeds that are purposeful and valuable. Verses 15 through 17 encourage me to “be careful how [I] live,” “make the most of every opportunity,” and act thoughtfully.  There is no room here for drifting through life. I want to live purposefully, intentionally doing what I know is pleasing to God. 

For me, that starts with actively exercising faith by trusting God in each situation, each day. What does that look like?

  • Meeting with God during my morning quiet time, not just reading a passage in order to complete that task, but taking time to listen to what the Holy Spirit may be saying to me through the Bible and prayer.
  • Making time for undistracted prayer before I leave for work, not just counting on praying while I drive to work.
  • Asking God for help with each challenge, big or small, that arises during the day.
  • (And giving myself grace when I forget each of the above. My goal is to increase in these areas. I know it will be a gradual process.)

Father, please help me to be intentional in how I follow You. Remind me during this day to be purposeful in my thoughts and actions. Show me how my experiences throughout the day fit together to help me grow and to bring glory and pleasure to You. Amen

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart. You are invited to contact Peggy through ChurchHealthMinistries.com.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 30

Embracing God’s love for me

30. God, my role model, is intentional.

Ephesians 5:10, 15-20. “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord…. So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)

To continue the thoughts about intentional living from yesterday: What I am beginning to see is that God is consistently intentional in how He deals with us. Earlier in Ephesians I saw that before any of us were born God had a plan for each of His followers. Recognizing His intentionality at least partially answers the question raised in 5:10, What pleases God? Ephesians 1:5 tells me that God’s plan for our salvation was His decision “and it gave him great pleasure” (NLT). God’s intentions are also seen in 1:11, “he makes everything work out according to his plan” and in 2:10, “the good things that he planned for us long ago.” His intentional, purposeful plans for His children bring Him great pleasure. That leads me to believe that when I live deliberately, it pleases Him. 

My recent readings in the Psalms demonstrate that God’s plans and purposes for His people are seen throughout Old and New Testaments, as seen in Psalms 138 and 139: “The Lord will work out his plans for my life” (138:8) and “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (139:16).

My take-away: Reinforcement of the concept that living my life purposefully will honor God and bring Him pleasure, along with the reminder that it is God’s work in me (not primarily my effort) that fulfills His plans. I live within the biblical tension between His great power that accomplishes His plans, and my efforts to live intentionally by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank You, Father, for showing me not only Your consistency over the ages, but also Your intimate interaction in our lives. This is probably what amazes me the most about You. That the creator of the universe has inter-woven plans that include all of Your creations. I cannot begin to understand how that can be done, but I praise You for Your sovereignty over all of Your creation. Amen

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart. You are invited to contact Peggy through ChurchHealthMinistries.com.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 35

Embracing God’s love for me

35. Armor of God, Part I

Ephesians 6:10-12. A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (NLT)

I am going to take my time going through this passage about the armor of God. It is too easy for me to read it quickly and simply acknowledge the figures of speech but not apply the words to my life. This time, rather than considering each piece of physical armor, I’m going to focus on two aspects: 1) what are the truths behind the figurative language of this passage? and 2) how can these truths be applied to one specific issue in my life that has been a challenge to me? I have been praying about this specific issue and feel that it could be a form of spiritual warfare. I have had occasional, specific negative thoughts that, if entertained, can lead me to doubt God. I have been learning how to stop the thought as soon as I recognize it and I feel that God has been helping me to control my thoughts to be pleasing to Him. I am hoping that studying the armor of God with this approach will take me beyond each metaphoric weapon to a more practical and specific application to my life. [For readers of this post, I encourage you to identify an issue in your own life for application of these principles.]

There are ten principles that I have identified from the armor passage that I can apply to my life, particularly applying them to a specific issue in my life that needs to change. There is a lot of overlap in these principles, but they build on each other and strengthen each other. Each principle adds another layer of effectiveness in living the way God has planned for me as the Holy Spirit gives me “the desire and the power to do what pleases” God (Phil. 2:13). 

This passage directs me: 

 1. Fight this issue in God’s power, not my own power. I must be strong in Him. I am no match for the evil one, but God is. I need to recognize that I am entirely dependent on God for this battle and victory. I have tried and failed numerous times, proving to myself that I cannot change myself or win against this evil. But if I use the spiritual resources God has provided, “[I]  will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

Focusing just on verse 10 – “Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.” How do I get strong? By exercising. This requires action on my part, including changing my mindset, clarifying my beliefs, and taking action.  Today’s English Version translates verse 13 as “So put on God’s armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy’s attacks…” I want to be strong for the difficult days that I know are coming. Right now, my life is relatively easy; but either age or external circumstances or both will challenge me sooner rather than later. This passage is a reminder of the spiritual warfare going on in the world today. I am naive if I ignore this fact. 

I know many people today think it is strange to believe that evil spirits exist. But I remind myself that I believe in good spirits (God, angels). Why is it any stranger to realize that there are also evil spirits? I am naturally more comfortable attributing the evil I see in the world to certain “bad people” rather than seeing it as the demonstration of invisible evil forces. But I know that’s not the whole of reality. And I don’t know if my negative thoughts are coming from the evil one or from my own self-centered brain, but I know at least that when I dwell on negative thoughts that are not true, I am stepping into the devil’s trap and not trusting God. 

Is this recurrent negative thought like Paul’s thorn in the flesh (II Cor. 12)? Possibly. Whatever Paul’s thorn was, it was used by the evil one, yet God’s grace is able to overcome what Satan intends for evil. Here is a good reminder for me: Why didn’t God take away Paul’s thorn? 

A. to keep Paul from being proud

B. to demonstrate God’s power 

C. Possibly, to keep him dependent on God 

D. To demonstrate that joy can exist even in weakness. Paul said “I am glad… I take pleasure in my weaknesses” because God’s “power works best in weakness.”

I would like to develop the same characteristics in my life, even if they must come through a difficult experience.

Father, I don’t particularly want to think about evil spirits. It’s much more pleasant to close my eyes to evil and focus on love, peace, etc. Please help me to see the world the way it really is, and to be prepared for that realization and interaction by putting on the armor that you have provided for me. I am starting this morning by being alert and prayerful. Please make me aware of reality and sensitive to Your Spirit. And please make me strong in Your power, trusting You to do what is best in my life. Bring glory to Your name by Your power shown through my weakness.   Amen.

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart. You are invited to contact Peggy through ChurchHealthMinistries.com.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 36

Embracing God’s love for me

36. Armor of God, Part II

Ephesians 6:13-18. “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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (NLT) 

Continuing the ten principles derived from this passage, which began in post #35: 

2. The second principle from this passage is that I must protect myself by preparing to avoid or defeat the plan of the evil one. His objective is to get me to distrust and disobey my heavenly Father, the One who loves me and made me His own. I protect myself by putting on or using each of the weapons Paul lists. The verb forms in this passage indicate that the believer is to have prepared ahead of time for the attack that will be coming. I do this by embracing the following “weapons:”

  • Truth
  • God’s righteousness
  • Peace that comes from Jesus’ Good News
  • Faith
  • Salvation
  • God’s Word
  • Prayer 

3. Truth – I am to focus on and depend on what I know is true about God and about myself. First, I need to know what is true, and I learn that primarily through Bible study. The Holy Spirit opens my eyes and mind to what God is communicating to me through the Bible. It is also helpful for me to learn truth from those who have greater skills in understanding the Word through their scholarship, such as commentators, teachers, and preachers, so that I don’t twist the meaning of the passage to what I want it to say. 

I also learn truth through recognizing what God has done and is doing in the world and in my life. God has brought other people into my life to speak truth to me, often in small group relationships or discipleship/mentoring opportunities.

Once I identify truth, I need to apply that truth to my experiences and continue to remind myself of what is true. For instance, the evil one may try to convince me that I am not worthy of being loved, but the truth about God’s love is overwhelmingly demonstrated in His Word and my experiences. When I focus on the truth, I recognize that my negative thoughts are based on untruths and need to be rejected immediately. 

4. Righteousness – Part of the needed preparation to stand firm in the face of temptations is to receive God’s righteousness by accepting Christ as my Savior and imitating His righteousness by doing what I know is right. Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and responding to Him immediately is an essential part of having a clear conscience, able to hear from God when He is instructing me on how to react to temptations. 

5. Peace – The good news that Jesus brought can bring peace to those who believe it. I no longer need to be worried about my eternal future or my direction in life. I can experience peace by fully trusting in God, not worrying about anything but asking God for what I need and thanking Him for what He has done. Then He will send me His peace. (Philippians 4:6-9). I know I am more likely to ignore Satan’s temptations when I am feeling peaceful, not anxious, so this is especially important for me to remember and practice. 

Father, please help me to practice these qualities and actions that You have provided for my protection from the temptations that would lead me away from experiencing Your love and peace. I need to walk with You every day, depending on You to help me stand firm against everything that pulls me away from You.  Amen.

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart. You are invited to contact Peggy through ChurchHealthMinistries.com.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 37

Embracing God’s love for me

37. Armor of God, Part III

Ephesians 6:13-18. “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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (NLT) 

Continuing the principles related to using the armor of God:

6. Faith – Exercise faith when attacks come. This is probably the “weapon” I need most when fighting against negative thoughts. I have been trying to avoid the figurative language used by Paul to describe how we resist the devil’s strategies, but in this case, his metaphoric description brings the meaning home to me. Paul writes that I can “stop the fiery arrows of the devil” from hitting me when I hold up the shield of faith.  When I experience a negative, untrue thought, it feels very much as if I have been struck by a fiery dart or arrow. The most effective strategy I have found to fend off those thoughts is to repeat to myself that the thought is untrue, and that God loves me and is sovereign over all things that affect me. He has my back! I choose to place my faith in Him. I have to break the thought process that would naturally lead me to continue rehearsing the negative thought, by thinking truthful thoughts about God. I have found this “shield” to be very effective in “bouncing” the thoughts away from me. 

Exercising faith when attacks come takes some practice. Having an intentional plan is helpful. Ephesians 6:11 states that Satan has a strategy to harm us; therefore, I need to have my own strategy of dependence on God and use of His armor. In addition to the strategy above, I find that a physical response can be helpful; sometimes when an unwanted thought comes, I will say “no!” out loud (if I am alone).  Just vocalizing that rejection of the thought makes it easier for me to put the thought out of my mind. And then in my mind I think “I choose to trust / believe God, not this lie.”

There are other ways I can exercise faith. When we want to exercise our physical bodies, we look for hills to climb or weights to lift. To exercise my faith, I can look for opportunities to stretch my faith in prayer, believing God will hear and answer. I would like to keep better track of answered prayers; the more times I rehearse how God has demonstrated His power and faithfulness in answered prayer, the more my confidence and faith in Him will grow. Many times, God has answered my prayers and I haven’t recognized the answer or thanked Him for it. Perhaps I need to enlist another person to hold me accountable to grow my faith in this way. 

To think about: What is the most effective way for me to strengthen my faith?

Thank You, Father, for providing a way to protect myself from attacks from the evil one. Please help me grow stronger and quicker in my responses. Help me to recognize Your answers to prayer so that I can thank You, praise You in front of others, and build up our faith. Amen.

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart.

ohnpcoach Ephesians Devotional

A Very Personal Walk through Ephesians – 38

Embracing God’s love for me

38. Armor of God, Part IV.

Ephesians 6:13-18. “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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (NLT) 

Concluding the 10 principles I found in the passage on the armor of God: 

7. Let God protect your mind by receiving the gift of salvation that God wants to give you. God has promised to make me a new creation in Him and to live in me. As I let Him transform my mind, I will know Him better and be able to distinguish between truth and lies.

8. Receive the Word of God and use it to defeat the evil one’s lies and temptations. The Spirit will give me God’s words when I need them if I am familiar with what the Bible says. My challenge: restart a memorization plan so that I can recall verses accurately, not just their general meaning, with their references, so I can easily look them up when needed. This will help when I am rehearsing God’s truth.

9. Stay alert. Mindful in the moment, reminding myself of these truths.

10. Pray at all times for yourself and for all believers everywhere. This is an important reminder to me…the purpose of God’s armor is not just to protect me, in my attempt to walk worthy of my calling. All followers of Christ are in this battle with evil; I need to be praying for protection and strength for all my brothers and sisters around the world. Paul specifically asks his readers to pray for him and his ministry, reminding me of the part I can play in supporting those who minister in my local church and beyond. 

In a recent conversation with my sister about the tragedy of so many well-known ministers falling into sexual sin, I found out that for years she has been praying daily for her pastor and his wife. She doesn’t just pray that God will help her pastor to remain faithful, but that he and his wife will have a deepening, satisfying love relationship. That’s the kind of pray-er I want to be. Helping to build others up and protect them by praying for them.

Father, once again I am aware of how much I need Your work in my life to survive the attempts of Satan to destroy what You want to accomplish in and through me, my family, and our church. For Your glory, give me Your strength to use the weapons You have provided and the grace to encourage others in their battles. Amen.

From the personal devotional notes of Peggy McKechnie, certified life coach and follower after God’s own heart.