Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Todaywe're going to be looking at “the sacred secret” in Ephesians 3. It is what theScripture calls the mystery. The mystery of the church. A plan that God had inages past that was hidden in the Old Testament but is now being revealed in theNew Testament. How that Gentiles can be a part of the family of God. How thatthe church can have unity with both Jews, Gentiles, and anyone and everyone whoby faith receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. A sacred secret thatwas before hidden but now made known to believers to enjoy and to look forwardto. Which is the fellowship that we can have in Christ Jesus with anyone andeveryone who receives Jesus as Christ and Lord of their lives. Nowwith that in mind, I believe as you read this passage and think about it, theseverses will pop out to you. In these first 13 verses, Paul is trying to answerthe question of why he's a prisoner in Rome. He begins by actually saying, “Forthis reason I” and then it seems like he has a parenthesis here because inverse 14 He seems to pick up where he left off and again repeats, “For thisreason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, itappears He was going to say, "I'm going to pray for you to know the loveof Jesus Christ." But then He says, "I need to explain first why I'min prison and what my ministry is and this wonderful sacred secret that you asGentiles and Jews can have unity in your church." Remember chapter 2 endedon the subject of the unity that we should have in the church. Pleaseread again these first nine verses. “For this reason, I Paul the prisoner ofChrist Jesus for you Gentiles. If indeed you have heard of the dispensation ofthe grace of God which was given to me for you”. A dispensation was aspecial period of time where God did a special work amongst people. There aredifferent dispensations of times where God works and uses different methods.But His truth never changes. His principles never change. But His methods, theydo change from time to time. Hesays, "Was given to me for you, how? That by revelation He made knownto me the mystery as I have briefly written already. By which when you read youmay understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages wasnot made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit toHis holy apostles and prophets." What was that mystery? “That theGentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of His promisein Christ through the gospel of which I became a minister according to the giftof the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me,though I'm the least of all the saints, this grace was given that I shouldpreach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make allsee what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the ageshas been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.” Itwas important to Paul for people to understand and know that God had given hima special ministry, a special calling at his salvation. Remember in Acts 9, hewas told that he would be a light to the Gentiles. He'd bring the gospel to theGentiles. The Jews did not understand this initially. Paul had this calling,and he knew that he was going to be used of God for this specific purpose.Everywhere he went as he founded churches, those churches were made up of bothJews and Gentiles. The mystery was they could have fellowship in Christ. Theycould be joined together in unity because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Myfriend, this “sacred secret” was something hidden in the Old Testament,revealed in the New Testament, and today has great implications for us in ourmodern churches teaching us that we can have unity despite so many preferencesand differences. Our unity is in the fellowship of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Godbless!

Todaywe will begin our study in Ephesians 3 and learn more about who Jesus is, whatJesus has done for us, the mystery of the church, and how we serve Him out oflove. We minister to a lost world, to people around us that maybe hate us, thatmistreat us, but we can love them anyway because Jesus loves us. Aswe've looked at this book so far, chapter 1 has taught us that we need toknow Jesus. Paul wrote in In Ephesians 1:18, “The eyes of yourunderstanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope ofHis calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in thesaints and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believeaccording to the working of His mighty power.” Because we know who Jesusis, our position in Christ, we have an understanding of the exceeding greatnessof His power that works in us. Inchapter 2, it's about living Jesus. We've been saved by faith throughgrace (vv 8-9). But then in verse 10, remember: “We are His workmanshipcreated in Christ Jesus to good works which God prepared beforehand that weshould walk in them.” We see now we are to live Jesus because we know Him.We know our position in Christ. We know our calling through Him, from Him andfor Him. Now we live for Him. In a real sense it's not us living for Him, it'sChrist living in us. Paul said, "I'm crucified with Christ.Nevertheless, I live yet not I but Christ lives in me. The life that I now livein the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gaveHimself for me" (Galatians 2:20).  Whenwe realize that we know who we are in Christ, and we know our position inChrist. And we know our calling in Christ. Then we can live out the life ofChrist. He lives His life in us and through us by the power of His Holy Spirit. Now,in chapter 3, we're going to be talking about loving Christ. In verses17-19 we read, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; thatyou, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all thesaints what is the width and length and depth and height-- to know the love ofChrist which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness ofGod.” Then we can experience verse 20: “Now to Him who is able to doexceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power thatworks in us.”  SoPaul is now wanting us to know here verse 17 that we are grounded in His love.Christ loves us and we love Christ. When we truly know this then we can serveand minister and work out of love for Christ. Remember what Jesus said in Johnchapter 15? “If you love Me you will keep My commandments. We will not belike servants but we'll be like friends.” Why? Because out of love, we serveand minister because of His love for us. We have experienced His great love andnow we live for Him. Alsoin chapter 3, Paul begins to explain a great mystery. That mystery is thechurch. We're going to be talking about that over the next couple days. Today Iwant us to understand and have this desire to know Christ, to live for Christ, andto love Christ in that order. To love and be rooted and grounded in His love. Thismust be the foundation of our life in serving and ministering for Christ in awicked and evil world. Paul begins this chapter talking about being a prisoner.He's a prisoner in bonds in Rome. The church at Ephesus must be thinking, whyis Paul a prisoner? He's never committed any crimes.  ButPaul's saying, "No, I'm a prisoner and a bondservant of Jesus Christ foryour sake, for the sake of the gospel. Because I love Christ, it's not like I'min prison. Even here I have greater opportunities to serve and live forHim." When we love Christ, everything becomes an opportunity and aprivilege to share His love with the world around us that desperately needs toknow the love of God through Christ Jesus. Today,are you experiencing the love of Christ in your life and service for Him? I prayand trust that you are!

Todaywe are continuing to look at Ephesians 2:18-22. In these verses, we find thatGod's purpose for the church, God's purpose for Jew and Gentile. God's purposefor every human being is to know that you are of tremendous value to God. Itdoesn't matter whether you're a Jew, whether you're a Palestinian, whetheryou're called a Christian, whether you're called a Muslim, Hindu, a Buddhist, aRussian, an American, a Chinese, or any other nationality for that matter. Itdoesn't matter your ethnic background or your racial background. It doesn’tmatter whether you're rich or poor. You are of tremendous value to God.  Everyhuman being was created in the image of God. That means we have personality.That means we can think, we have a will, we have emotions. Every human beinghas all these things because we're created in the image of God. God's plan andpurpose is that we have peace with one another and that we get along with oneanother and that we love one another. The great commandment is to love God withall your heart, soul, and mind. Alongside of this first and great commandmentis the second commandment, which is the proof that we truly love God, that welove our neighbors as ourselves. No matter who our neighbor is.Wehave been created with and for something special. Every human being, no matteryour background and religion, no matter who you are, where you live, whereyou're from, or what you've been taught, you have been created with eternity inyour heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  In thelast verses in Ephesians 2, Paul reminds us, “For through Him we both haveaccess by one Spirit to the Father”. Yes, we can have access to the creatorGod and Father of the universe. You can have access to the God, already beingworshiped as “the unknown God” that many are still looking for.  But He can only be found “through”Jesus Christ alone.  Myfriend, only then can you enjoy personal peace and experience unity with thosearound you. Now, therefore, we're no longer strangers or foreigners, butfellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (v. 19).Verse 20 tells us that this unity is: “built on the foundation of theapostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” Paulsaid in 1 Corinthians 3:6:11, “I planted. He says Apollos watered. But Godgave the increase." He then goes on to say, "For no other foundation can anyone laythan that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus."  WhenPaul said, "I laid the foundation," he says earlier in 1Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined not to know anything among you exceptJesus Christ and Him crucified”. Christ is the foundation and He's thechief cornerstone of Psalm 118:22. This is the chief cornerstone which thebuilders rejected and is often referred to in the New Testament as in verse 20.The “cornerstone” binds a building together.  Nowwe are part of His temple, the church of Jesus Christ, the universal church,the church which is His body. Oh, how wonderful to be a part of something sospecial and that's eternal. Nations come and go, institutions come and go, butone thing will last, for eternity, and that is the body of Jesus Christ, Hischurch. Today, you can be a part of His church by placing your faith, not in areligion but in a person, Jesus Christ! A religion didn’t die for you! OnlyJesus Christ did! Thatis what this chapter is about. We're separated from God by our sin, but Jesusdied to give us eternal life. We can by faith trust Him and enter into ourunion with Him and with one another today. Would you do that? Would you trustChrist? And then if you know Christ, if you're in Christ, then as a follower ofChrist, tell others.  Today,would you tell someone about this hope, this faith you can have that changesand transforms everything and brings you peace with God and with others.   GodBless!

Today,as we are looking at the last verses of Ephesians 2, we need to remember thatPaul has been talking about separation beginning in verses 11-12. TheJews were separated from the Gentiles, the Gentiles from the Jews. They bothwere separated from God because of sin. Next, we see reconciliation inverses 13-18. How now through the blood of Jesus Christ, we've been reconciledto God. We can be reconciled and have peace with one another. In these lastverses, Paul speaks of unification.  Paulhas repeated the word "one" to emphasize the unifyingwork of Christ: "who has made both one" (Ephesians2:14); "to create in Himself one new man" (Ephesians2:15); "might reconcile them both to God in one body" (Ephesians2:16); and, "we both have access by one Spirit" (Ephesians2:18). All spiritual distance and division have been overcome by Christ. In theclosing verses of this chapter, Paul gives three pictures that illustrate theunity of believing Jews and Gentiles in the church. Weare now one new nation (v. 19a).  Israel was God'schosen nation, but they rejected their Redeemer and suffered the consequences.The kingdom was taken from them and given to "a nation bringing forththe fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). This "new nation" isthe church. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holynation, His own special people, (1 Peter 2:9-10).  Inthe Old Testament, the nations were reckoned by their descent from Shem, Ham,or Japheth (Genesis 10). In the Book of Acts, we see these three familiesunited in Christ. In Acts 8, a descendant of Ham is saved, the Ethiopiantreasurer. In Acts 9, a descendant of Shem, Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul theapostle. And in Acts 10, the descendants of Japheth, the Gentiles in thehousehold of the Roman soldier, Cornelius. Sin has divided mankind, but Christunites by His Spirit. All believers, regardless of national background, belongto that "holy nation" with citizenship in heaven (Philippians3:20-21). “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly waitfor the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ". Weare now one family(v. 19b). “But fellow citizens with the saints and members of the householdof God”.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ,we enter into God's family, and God becomes our Father. This wonderful familyof God is found in two places, "in heaven and earth" (Ephesians3:15). Living believers are on earth and believers who have died are in heaven.None of God's children are "under the earth" (Philippians2:10) or in any other place in the universe. We are all brothers and sisters inthe one family, no matter what racial, national, or physical distinctions wemay possess. Weare now one temple(vv. 20-22). In the Book of Genesis, God "walked" with His people.Enoch walked with God (Genesis. 5:22-24). And Noah walked with God (Genesis6:9). But then in the Book of Exodus, God decided to "dwell" with Hispeople:  (Exodus 25:8). God dwelt in thetabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38) until Israel's sins caused "the glory todepart" when the Philistines captured the ark in battle. (1 Samuel 4).  ThenGod dwelt in the temple Solomon built (1 Kings 8:1-11). But again Israel sinnedand the glory departed: “Then the glory of the LORD departed from thethreshold of the temple…” (Ezekiel 10:18-19). God's next dwelling place wasthe body of Christ: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and webeheld His glory " (John 1:14). But men took and nailed this body to a cross. Today,through His Spirit, God dwells in the church, the temple of God. God does notdwell in man-made temples, including church buildings (Acts 7:48-50). Goddwells in the hearts of those who have trusted Christ: (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And God dwellsin the church collectively as we see in these last verses in Ephesians 2:20-22. Ourunity is in Christ and is best displayed when we love one another despite ourdifferences! GodBless!

Ifthere's one thing everyone needs, is looking for, and desires, it is to havepeace. To have peace within themselves, peace with God, and peace with thosearound them. But it often appears that many people today are bent on havingwar, at enmity with others, with hatred, malice, anger and violence in their heartsand lives. There is no peace in their lives, and they live to destroy any peacein the world around them. The Bible describes it this way in Isaiah 57:20-21, “Butthe wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast upmire and dirt. "There is no peace," Says my God, "for thewicked."  Theirhearts are against God, so their hearts are against everyone around them, andin a sense even themselves. But I believe that deep inside every individualthere is a desire, there is a yearning for peace. The only way to make thatpeace is with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:1 tells us: “Havingtherefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our LordJesus Christ.” That's what we're talking about in these verses before ustoday in Ephesians 2:16-18.  Rememberin verses 11-15, Paul was dealing with the Gentiles basically and thereconciliation they needed and could now experience between themselves and theJews now that they were in the same church, in the same body of Christ. Now we'rein Christ (v. 13). Before we were aliens and strangers but now, we're a holynation. Colossians 1:19-22 speaks of this very thing: “For it pleased theFather that in Him all the fullness should dwell, speaking of Jesus. By Him,Jesus, to reconcile all things to Himself. By Him, whether things on earth orthings in heaven. having made peace through the blood of His cross, and you whowere once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has Hereconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy andblameless, and above reproach in His sight.” How wonderful, how powerful isthat? We'reno longer strangers because we are now in the family of God along with theJewish people. We had no hope. Now we've been called into one hope. We werewithout God, but now through Christ God is our Father. Nowin verses 16-18, Paul is talking about how both Jews and Gentiles needreconciliation as sinners with God.  Paul’sletter to the Colossians in chapter 2:13-14 says it this way: “You beingdead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alivetogether with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out thehandwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, andHe has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to His cross." Inother words, the law tells us we're sinners. The law tells us that we arecondemned. God is a holy God and He must punish sin. God also at the same timeis a God of love. He's a God who wants us to know peace and have peace.  That'swhy in Ephesians 2:17, Paul writes: “He came and He preached peace.” Didyou notice that in verse 14 it says Jesus Christ is our peace. In verse15, He made peace because of the blood of His cross between us and God.Then in verse 17, He preached peace. Remember the angels saying to theshepherds that day on the hillside, "Peace on earth and good willtoward men”, is the message of Jesus Christ to all world of sinners."(Luke 2:13-14).   Ifyou want peace, the only peace you'll ever find and the only peace the worldwill ever find is in the person and ministry and work of Jesus Christ throughHis Holy Spirit that can be in all of our hearts at the same time. “Forthrough Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (v. 18).  Whata wonderful message for us today. We have a God that can take care of theenmity, bring reconciliation, and bring us back into a place where we can havefellowship one with another. Today,I trust you're experiencing that peace and joy in yourself, and with God, andwith those around you.  

First,I want to thank you for your prayers for traveling mercies for my wife and Iyesterday as we left our home in Sneads Ferry NC around 3am to drive 6 hours upto Roanoke, Virginia for the ribbon cutting ceremony and the grand opening ofthe Go Center. Aroundnoon, we were got in the car to go to Charlottesville to visit my brother Mark atthe UVA Medical Center. We called to make sure it would be ok to visit him andwere pleasantly surprised to find out he was being discharged at that verymoment to go back home to Lynchburg. He has made an amazing recovery from hisbypass surgery. Todaywe want to look specifically at Ephesians 2:14-15, where it speaks of the factthat, “Jesus Christ Himself is our peace who has made both one and hasbroken down the middle wall of separation having abolished in His flesh theenmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances so as to createin Himself one new man from the two thus making peace.”  Myfirst big question as a brand-new Christian was how did people get saved beforethe cross? How did they get saved in the Old Testament? My friend over theyears I've concluded there's only one way of salvation. That is the way offaith. The way of faith through Christ Jesus. In the Old Testament, they lookforward to His sacrifice on the cross and now we look backwards, and by faith,both looks are taken. Everyone, both Jew and Gentile receive salvation becauseof Jesus and His sacrifice and blood shed on the cross. Verse15 reveals that the cause of the enmity was the law because the law had made adefinite distinction between Jew and Gentiles. The dietary laws reminded theJews that God had put a distance and difference between the clean and theunclean (Leviticus 11:44-47). But the Gentiles did not obey these laws.Therefore, they were unclean. Ezekiel the prophet reminded the priests thattheir task was to teach the Jews the difference between the holy and theprofane (Ezekiel 44:23). The divine ordinances given by God to Israel stood asa wall between the Jews and the other nations. In fact, there was a wall in theJewish temple separating the court of the Gentiles from the rest of the templeareas.  Archaeologistshave discovered this inscription from Herod's temple. It reads like this: “Noforeigner may enter within this barricade that surrounds the sanctuary andenclosure. Anyone who is caught doing so will himself be blamed for his ensuingdeath”. It was this wall that the Jews thought Paul and his gentile friendscrossed when the Jews attacked him in the temple and threatened to kill him inActs 21:28-31.  Inorder for Jews and Gentiles to be reconciled, this wall had to be destroyed,and this Jesus did on the cross. The cost of destroying the enmity was theblood of Christ. When He died, the veil in the temple was literally torn intwo, and the wall of separation (figuratively) was torn down. By fulfilling thedemands of the Law in His righteous life, and by bearing the curse of the Lawin His sacrificial death (Galatians 3:10-13), Jesus removed the legal barrierthat separated Jew from Gentile. For centuries, there was a difference betweenthem. But today, "there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek.For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoevershall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans10:12-13). Ohmy friend, what a wonderful Savior we have. He is our peace. We are now onewith anyone. The new creation is the church, the body of Jesus Christ. We arepart of that new creation. “Old things have passed away. Behold, all thingshave become new”. Oh, what a wonderful thing it is to have peace with God,peace with one another, and be made one in Christ, and with any and everyonewho accepts Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Godbless!

In these verses, we see that Paul isspeaking to the Gentiles, specifically telling them how by the blood of Christ thatthey have now been able to make peace not only with God, but with the Jewishbelievers also in the church. They have been brought together to be one. Veryimportant. God wants His church to be one. One in Christ. Despite our culturaland religious and other backgrounds that could cause tremendous enmity, division,and strife, God wants us to be one. Ourpreferences often divide us in the church over music, rituals, ceremonies anddifferent things that might take place. But God wants us to be one. Jesus said,"By this shall all men know that you are my disciples because you loveone another." It was the love of Christ that gave us oneness with Godthrough Christ Jesus and His blood on the cross. My friend, it's the love thatwe can have for God and for others that can help us to set aside ourpreferences and our differences and love one another in such a way that theworld sees this great reconciliation between those who are at enmity. Inever forget that in my first years of ministry, I was out visiting and stoppedalongside a country road to talk with a man from our church. While were talkingwe were accosted by a man who actually began to beat up my friend. When I sawthe drunk man coming down his driveway with a crowbar in his hand, I told myfriend we should drive down the road to get away from him. I drove down the roadbut my friend felt he had the right to stay where he was and the drunk man beganto beat up my friend. My friend went and reported it to the police, of course,and there were some issues that took place. A few years later on a Sundayevening, at a new members gathering, was a man who had gotten saved because hischildren had come to church and gotten saved. I'll never forget this because theman that got saved said, "See that man over there?" He said, "Iremember beating him up and having a terrible situation with him. Would youtell him I want to ask him to forgive me for the way I acted and what I did tohim?" It was a wonderful experience that night to watch two men who hadbeen at enmity, had been in a terrible altercation, now making reconciliationbecause of the blood of Jesus Christ and the peace that God had brought intotheir hearts. It was a great testimony to watch them over the next years they becamegood friends and worked together maintaining buses for our outreach ministry. Thiskind of peace and reconciliation is only possible through Jesus Christ. Sowe see that in this passage of scripture we're at enmity with God before oursalvation. Enmity with God began in the Garden of Eden when sin entered thepicture. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were separated from God. That's whatscripture teaches. They experienced death. Death is separation. They wereseparated from God. Their first two children, Cain and Abel, they experiencedenmity, deep-seated hatred to the point that Cain killed Abel, the first two brothersthat were ever born on planet earth.  Sincreated this enmity between human beings and only God can reconcile us. Then wefind that violence came into the earth because of the enmity between oneanother. The earth was filled with violence in Genesis chapter 6 and the floodtook place. But then even after the flood, men tried to make peace with eachother by building the Tower of Babel so that they can have unity. Yet this didnot bring unity. God scattered the nations and gives them the curse oflanguages that separated them.  Myfriend, there has always been this enmity because of sin. The only answer forsin is the blood of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 describes the ministryof reconciliation. Please take time to read these verses!God bless!

Ialso wanted to remind you of the grand opening tomorrow of the GO Center therein Bonsack, Virginia, right outside Roanoke, Virginia at 9:30am. You're morethan welcome to attend this grand ribbon cutting ceremony opening up the GOCenter. You can read more about this in my Pastor's Chat. Again, thank you somuch for your prayers and being a part of this ministry with us at Pastor MikeImpact Ministries. Today,we are continuing to look at Ephesians 2. We've been talking about how Paulhere in verse 11 begins to address specifically the Gentiles in the church. Anamazing thing took place when of course the Gentiles began to get saved. BeforeActs 11, there was no conflict in the church at Jerusalem. The conflict, strifeand contention, appears in the church when the Gentiles started getting saved inActs chapter 10. This is when Peter went to speak to Cornelius the centurionand brought him to faith in Christ. It was then in Acts 11 we begin to see thisconflict between the Jewish believers concerning circumcision and the Gentiles.Of course, even at the church at Ephesus, because there are both Jewishbelievers and Gentile believers, this conflict possibly was continuing. No doubtthat is why here in Ephesians 2 Paul is writing about the greatest peacemission that has ever taken place on planet earth. That's the peace JesusChrist came to make between us and God, and to make between us and others. Especiallybetween other believers that we might be one. AsI was reading through these verses 11-22, the word one keptcoming up. I circled it. It is important to note that God came to make us onewith Himself through Christ and make us one with one another. Rememberthat was the prayer of Jesus in John 17. Now in Ephesians 2:11. Paul had remindsthe Gentiles that before their salvation, they were without God. They werewithout hope. They were without Christ. They were alienated and strangers tothe commonwealth of Israel, separated from the Jews. Verse13 begins with: “But now”.  This“But now” parallels the “But God” in verse 4, “Whois rich in mercy with His great love”. “But now in Christ,you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ.”He goes on to write. We're going to read through verse 18. “For HeHimself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down themiddle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity,that is the law of commandments contained in the ordinances, so as to create inHimself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that Hemight reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross,thereby putting to death the enmity. He came and preached peace to youwho are far off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have accessby one Spirit to the Father.” Howpowerful is that? So, we see a key word here is enmity. The word enmitymeans a deep-seated hatred between people or groups. It's often long-lasting.We see this enmity going on in America today between the left and the right inpolitics and the hatred that the left has for our president. We see thisenmity. It's long-lasting. That there seems to be no reconciliation or peace.We see in this passage of scripture the enmity between the Jews and theGentiles, between sinners and God. But thank God we see that Jesus Christ hascome with the greatest peace mission in history, there is only reconciliationbetween Jews and Gentiles, between God and man through Jesus Christ.  Haveyou made peace with God through Jesus Christ? I trust that it will encourageyou to know only through Christ you can receive reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Godbless!

Paul talks about some definite things that have brought these twogroups together who usually were at odds with one another. In the first versesof this chapter Paul is addressing both the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul tells bothJews and Gentiles that God has made alive those who were dead in trespasses andsins. Remember that a Gentile is anyone who is not born of Jewish descent. Paulreminds them and us how before salvation in Christ we are all dead in ourtrespasses and sins because sin works against us. We're disobedient. We'redepraved, and we're doomed, and we are children of wrath. But God, but God whois rich in His mercy with a great love that He's loved us. And with that loveHe has now brought us salvation and reconciliation and redemption by His graceand through our faith in Christ (vv. 4-9). God has a plan for our life and weare His workmanship, land He has before ordained before the foundation of theworld that we should walk in these wonderful works of God, the good works thatonly He can do through us and let the light of Christ shine out of us andthrough us to a dark world. Nowwe come to verse 11. Here Paul is particularly addressing theGentiles, those who are not of Jewish descent. First, He reminds them, you'recalled uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision (the Jews) made in theflesh by the hand. The Jews look down upon the Gentiles, calling them the uncircumcision.The Gentiles were like dogs in many cases for most of the Jewish people.  Inverse 12 Paul points out that the Gentiles were without Christ being aliensfrom the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promisehaving no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you whowere once a far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The one wordthat best describes the Gentiles is without. They were “outside” in severalrespects. They were without Christ. They're without citizenship in the nationof Israel without the covenants. The covenants were given to Abraham and to hisseed.  BothJews and Gentiles were without hope. Historians tell us that a great cloud ofhopelessness covered the ancient world. Philosophies were empty; traditionswere disappearing; religions were powerless to help men face either life ordeath. People longed to pierce the veil and get some message of hope from theother side, but there was none (1 Thes. 4:13-18). Theywere without God. The heathen had gods aplenty, as Paul discovered in Athens(Acts 17:16-23). But the pagan, no matter how religious or moral he might have been,did not know the true God. The writer of Psalm 115 contrasted the true God withthe idols of the heathen. Itis worth noting that the spiritual plight of the Gentiles was caused not by Godbut by their own willful sin. Paul said the Gentiles knew the true God butdeliberately refused to honor Him (Rom. 1:18-23). Religious history is not arecord of man starting with many gods (idolatry) and gradually discovering theone true God. Rather, it is the sad story of man knowing the truth about Godand deliberately turning away from it! It is a story of devolution, notevolution! The first eleven chapters of Genesis give the story of the declineof the Gentiles; and from Genesis 12 on (the call of Abraham), it is the storyof the Jews. God separated the Jews from the Gentiles that He might be able tosave the Gentiles also. "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). Godcalled the Jews, beginning with Abraham, that through them He might revealHimself as the one true God. With the Jews He deposited His Word, and throughthe Jews He gave the world the Savior (Rom. 9:1-5). Israel was to be a light tothe Gentiles that they too might be saved. But sad to say, Israel became likethe Gentiles, and the light burned but dimly. This fact is a warning to thechurch today. When the church is least like the world, it does the most for theworld. 

Yesterday, I promised I'd give an update on my brotherMark and his triple bypass surgery at the UVA hospital in Charlottesville,Virginia. The surgery went extremely well, according to the report of thesurgeon to his family after he came out of surgery. But last night we heardthat Mark was in excruciating pain from the surgery.  Also, we were told that Mark will be inintensive care for at about five to seven days. You can continue to pray forhim. Pray for his wife Renee as sheministers to him and his family during this time and as he recovers andrecuperates from this surgery. Yesterdaywe also mentioned the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Go Center that's going totake place in the Bonsack, Roanoke area of Virginia this Saturday morning, November1st, at 9:30am. Again, if you live in that area, we invite you tocome. If you don't live in that area, I want you to pray for the Go Center. Iremember when I became a believer, I felt the Lord was calling me to missionsand that He wanted me to go overseas. I surrendered my life to ministry under amissionary thinking that that's exactly what was going to happen. But the Lordhad other plans and led me to stay in America as a pastor. Yet at the same time,the Lord gave me a tremendous burden to do all I could to facilitate missions,to encourage people to pray, to give, and to go.  Overthe last 50 some years in ministry, we've watched God do amazing things. One ofthose things is that my heart has been moved and blessed by the fact that my familyis very involved in missions. And especially my son Jonathan who is the head ofGlobal Partners in Peace and Development. The Go Center Out was born out of thishumanitarian organization by the great passion Jonathan’s and his wife Heidi hasfor missions and the unreached peoples of the world. This is the central themeof Go Center.  Ilove what others are already saying about the Go Center. The mission’s directorof the Parkway Church on the Mountain wrote after visiting it: "The GoCenter has the potential to spark the fire for a movement of young people toengage in a great commission. This incredible unique discovery experience willenable families to actively participate in learning about God's plan for thenations and the unreached people groups of the world. You'll leave the GoCenter in awe that you just made your way across the globe without setting afoot on an airplane."  JeremiahHambrick, the lead pastor of Bedrock Church Roanoke, wrote this: "I've hadthe unique privilege of witnessing the transformation of the Go Center from arundown church building into a place full of purpose and potential. It's morethan just a building. It's a launching pad for global mission right in theheart of the Roanoke Valley. The Go Center isn't just a place to visit. It's anexperience that draws you into the story of God's heart for the nations, takingyou on a journey to the world's unreached people groups and inviting you toplay a part in His global mission.” Again,I want to invite you to come this Saturday for the grand opening starting with theribbon cutting ceremony at 9:30. If you can’t attend this Saturday, at a laterdate bring your family and a group of young people. Help let them see whatmissions and really what the heart of God is all about. That's been my heartfor over 50 some years and I’m so blessed to see it now just blossom into thisgreat Go Center to continue to facilitate and to excite people about doing whatGod has called us all to do. That is to go into the world and make disciples ofall the nations. All the nations, even those who've never heard of Jesus, needthe opportunity to hear. Ireally want to encourage you to help us with the Go Center. Even if you don’t liveclose by you can pray and you can give. And if you live close you can participate by volunteering. You can visitthe Go Center website at: https://www.gpartners.org/gocenterto learn more about all these opportunities.

I'm so thankful for your prayers these past couple weeks while we'vebeen on tour in Jordan and in Egypt. It was a wonderful, wonderful tour. Everyoneon it was tremendously blessed. We met new friends. We built new relationships.We saw some exciting things that reminded us that our God is God. He is the Godof all the earth. He is the God of all the nations. Despite the fact there's somuch division, strife, hurt, pain in the Middle East, I'm telling you, God isat work there in a marvelous way in the lives of so many people. People arelooking for peace. Peace, even there in all the areas of these countries. We'reso thankful for your prayers during this trip. We're glad to be back. Also,I want to announce, if you live in the Roanoke or Lynchburg area of Virginia,we'd love to invite you to come to the GO Center this coming Saturday. Therewill be a ribbon breaking ceremony for the Grand Opening at 9:30. The GO Centerwill be open to help encourage people to go into all the world with the gospelof Jesus Christ. To go in prayer, to go on mission trips, to go with theirgiving. This facility was designed to get an experience of being on the missionfield right there in Bonsack Virginia at the GO Center. You can look up moreinformation at the www.gpartners.orgwebsite. I trust that you will plan on coming. That is this Saturday, November1st at the GO Center. I think it's going to be a great way that people aregoing to be touched to be on mission with God and for getting a new view ofwhat missions is really all about. That's what the GO Center is about, toencourage, also enlighten people about missions. That's really what the Bibleis about. It's about the heart of God who loves the world and how He preparedin eternity past a plan to bring redemption and reconciliation to every person. That'swhat Paul is talking about here in Ephesians 2:10-22 that we are presentlylooking at. We see that this chapter is telling us that God is on a great peacemission to reconcile the world to Himself through Jesus Christ. I love theseverses. We've already gone down through verse 10 talking about how we can besaved by grace. We who were dead in sins now can be made alive in Christ Jesus.We have been redeemed. We've been forgiven. We find that all through the bloodof the Lord Jesus Christ.  Inverses 11-13, Paul writes to the Gentiles in the Church at Ephesus, "Thereforeremember that you once Gentiles in the flesh." Remember he's writing tothe church at Ephesus who mainly were made up of Gentiles, non-Jews, who arecalled uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision, made in theflesh by hands. That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens fromthe commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having nohope, without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once faroff have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Actually,in these next verses through verse 22 at the end of the chapter, we see thatthree words summarize what this chapter is about: Separation, reconciliationand unification. The Gentiles were separated from God. They were separated fromthe covenant. They were separated from Christ. They were separated fromcitizenship in the holy nation. They were separated, without hope, without God.That's the condition of every sinner, both Jew and Gentile. This includes everyonethat has never accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We'reseparated from Him. My friend, only God can reconcile us to Himself through Hisson Jesus Christ.  Again,thank you for your prayers and tomorrow we will update you on my brother. Godbless!

Iam so reminded, as we think about what's going on right now in the news, thatJesus Christ is coming soon. The Bible says when everyone is saying peace andsafety, then sudden destruction will come upon them (1 Thessalonians 5:3).Before real peace comes in the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, there will bethe rapture of the church and then a terrible seven-year tribulation period, asI understand the prophetic Scriptures in the Bible. But we can still pray forpeace today. This is something that we can pray for, “that we might live godlyand quiet lives, that we might have the opportunities to share the gospel ofJesus Christ with everyone we possibly can” (1 Timothy 2:1-3).  Again,I ask for your prayers. You know that while we travel, we are not able to makeour daily pastor chats. I trust you'll just go back and look at maybe some ofthe old chats. You can do that on YouTube and even on Facebook. Just look themup and go back and listen. I trust they'll encourage you and bless you whilewe're missing our daily chats. We hope to be back by October the 26th from thistrip. Wehave been looking at Ephesians 2. In these first 10 verses we see how that sin worksagainst us and brings death into our lives. “But God”, (I love verse four), butGod, God works for us. He redeems us. He forgives us. And it's all through theblood of His son Jesus Christ. He exalts us. We sit in the heavenly places eventoday in Christ Jesus. We are to the praise of His glory. What a wonderfulchange takes place when we meet Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We talkedabout how that we are saved by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Thatfaith makes a difference because it's a faith that not only saves us, it's afaith that works in us and through us and out of us. God works in us, throughus, and for us as we trust in the blood of His son Jesus Christ. Nowas we get down to verse 11 through the end of the chapter, we're finding aboutthe peace that God can make between not only ourselves and God, but betweenourselves and others. The Gentiles and the Jews were so divided because theJews look down very much upon the Gentile people as you see in these verses.Now the Jew and Gentile can go to church together and be made one in JesusChrist. I am telling you, it doesn't matter what religion you are, what faith youare, what background you might have, what culture you were raised in. When youcome to know Jesus Christ as your savior, other believers become your brothersand sisters in Christ. They, I'm telling you, can be loved in Christ. You canhave oneness in Jesus Christ. That means you have peace. You not only havepeace with God, but you also have peace with those around you.  Thecircumcision were the Jews that was made with hands. Circumcision was a sign ofthe covenant that God had made with His people Israel. The Gentiles were theuncircumcised. Paul now addresses the Gentiles in the church at Ephesus. Theywere without Christ. They were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. Theywere strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God inthe world. But now in Christ Jesus, those “who were once afar off have beenbrought near by the blood of Christ”. What a powerful message for us today.Come to Jesus through His blood and you can be made one with those around youin Christ!  Myfriend, today you can have peace with God and peace with those around you.That's the real peace we should all be seeking today. Godbless!

Godhas a plan for your life. He has a purpose for your life. God has a will foryour life. That's what we're looking at here in Ephesians 2:10. “For we areHis workmanship”. We're His poem. We're His masterpiece, “created inChrist Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walkin them”. That we should walk in them. Walk in what? The good works thatGod has prepared for us to walk in beforehand. In eternity past, God chose thatwe should glorify Him by walking in His “good works”. Everyhuman being was made in the image of God. That's why it doesn't matter who youare, where you're from, what your ethnicity is. It doesn't matter what coloryour skin is. My friend, you are of tremendous value to God. God loves you. Godsent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you. It doesn't matter whether you're amurderer or you're the best person in the community. God loves you. God wantsyou to know His will and plan and purpose for your life. That's one of the mostamazing things in all the world. That is that we know and can know the will ofGod, God's plan, purpose for our lives.  Yousay, "How can I know that? How can that take place?" Ephesians 5:17even hints about this very same theme where the apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore,do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." God’swill for our lives is not some mystery. God has prepared it beforehand and thatwe should walk in it. I love Psalm 139 that tells how God created us withpurpose. He created us and He has us in His mind and in His heart always. Heknows everything about us and still yet He still cares for us. The Bible saysHe cares about the sparrow and notices when it falls from the sky. God feedsthe birds of the air, the fowls of the air. God is in charge. God loves Hiscreation.  Butof all of creation, He loves the human beings that He created in His own imagemore than anything else in eternity. The most famous verse in scripture, John 3:16,tells us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son”. Thatword world there is every human being that's ever been created and placed onplanet earth. God loves you.  Nowhow do we know that will for our lives? I love Romans 12:1-2, where Paulwrites: “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that youpresent your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God that's onlyyour reasonable service and do not be conformed to this world but betransformed by the renewing of your mind that you may know and prove what isthat good and acceptable and perfect will of God”.  Howdo you find and know the will of God? First, as you read in Ephesians 2:1-3, byrealizing that you're a sinner. You're condemned. You're depraved. You have nohope. Then in verses 4-7, “But God”! God is working for you. He loves you. Hecares for you. He has redeemed you by the blood of His Son. He has forgiven you!God has called you out of the grave clothes to live a changed and exchangedlife. His life living through you. God exalted you to sit in the heavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus.  Nowyou can find that will, that perfect plan and will of God for your life. As abeliever the first aspect of the will of God for your life is to live a holylife. It's God's will that we be sanctified, that we be set apart (1Thessalonians 4:3). That we live a life that pleases Him as we yield ourselvestotally to God (Romans 12:1). Then we're not conformed to this world, but welive a life that's different than the world lives because Christ is living inus. Then you will know, you'll prove, you'll understand what the will of God is(Romans 12:2).  Myfriend, when you know what that is, you have purpose in life. You have a planand a mission in life to be on mission with God! How exciting that is! Oh, I'llnever forget the day I began to find and understand God’s purpose and plan formy life and the difference it has made for me. God will do the same for youtoo, if you let Him!

Todaywe're continuing to look at Ephesians 2:10. We are talking about the good worksthat are produced after salvation in our lives through the ministry and work ofthe Holy Spirit. “God working in us both the will and to do of His goodpleasure” (Philippians 2:13). We always need to remember we are not savedby good works but we're saved unto good works and for good works for the gloryof God. James 2 makes it really clear that we're justified before God by faith,but before men, and even the assurance that we have of our own salvation, isthe fact that we have a faith that works for us and in us and through us andproduces good works because faith as he says at least three times in verses 14through 26, that “faith without works is dead”.  TheBible speaks of many different kinds of works. There are the “works of thelaw” in Galatians 2:16. There are the “works of the flesh” that arelisted in Galatians 5:19-21. There are the “works of darkness” in Romans13:12 and Ephesians 5:11. There are the “dead works” in Hebrews 6:1 thatlead to death. Then there are the “works of righteousness” in Titus 3:5that refer to religious works, or in other words, good deeds that we think cangive us our salvation and make us holy before God. But remember Isaiah declaresthat all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight (Isaiah 64:6).My friend, if our righteousnesses are filthy, oh, what must our sins look like? Theworks that Paul's talking about in Ephesians 2:10 here have two specialcharacteristics. First, they are good works in contrast to the works ofdarkness and wicked works. If you contrast Ephesians 2:10 and Ephesians 2:2,you'll see that the unbeliever has Satan working in him and therefore his worksare not good. Because the believer has God working in him, therefore, his worksare good. His works are not good because he himself is good, but because he hasa new nature from God and because the Holy Spirit works in him and through himto produce these good works. My life verse has been Philippians chapter 1:6: “Beingconfident of this very thing that He who has begun the good work in you, Hewill perform it. He will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.  Itis sad today that so many believers put a little emphasis or no emphasis on theworks of the believer because they don't want to mix it up with works andsalvation. But the Bible makes a big deal about our works in Matthew 5:16. “Letyour light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifyyour Father which is in heaven”. We don't perform good works to glorifyourselves but to glorify our Father which is in heaven. The apostle Pauldesired that Christ would be magnified in his body even if it meant death.Philippians 1:20-21. We should “abound to every good work” (2Corinthians 9:8). We should be “fruitful in every good work” (Colossians1:10). We are “equipped by God for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). Weshould be “zealous unto good works and maintain them” (Titus 2:14). Wefind also in Hebrews 13:16 that our good works are actually “spiritualsacrifices that we offer to God”. It'simportant to note that we don't manufacture these good works. They're theresult of God working in our heart. Paul said, "By the grace of God, Iam what I am" . My friend,when you truly have been born again and the Spirit of God lives in you, therewill be good works produced in your life for the glory of God and others willsee it and magnify God and many will believe. Rememberour good works are evidence that we have been born again. "Not everyonethat says unto Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but hethat does the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).Our good works are also testimonies to the lost (1 Peter 2:12). Our good worksthat are produced by the fruits of the Holy Spirit in us will also win us theright to be heard.

From thefirst verses in this chapter we have learned that sin works against us. Itcondemns us. It sends us into an eternity separated from God. “ But God” inverses 4-9, we find that God though works for us. He has provided for us agreat salvation through Jesus Christ. We have redemption and forgiveness ofsins, and God has exalted us to sit at the right hand of the Father along withJesus Christ. Oh, how blessed we are. God works for us.  Butnot only that, God works in us. That's what we're looking at in these verses.We first are told we're not saved by our works. We're saved by His grace (vv.8-9). Now, we sometimes then set works aside and forget that not only are wesaved to live for eternity with Jesus Christ, but we’re also saved to live forGod now on earth. So the next verse, verse 10, says, "For we are Hisworkmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God preparedbeforehand that we should walk in them." I wish we had time today todo a study in the New Testament on the phrase “good works”. Startingin Matthew 5:16 where Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men thatthey may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. Godraised us from the dead in Christ. Not so that we would continue to sleep andlive in our grave clothes, but to live a new life and live out the goodworks of God. It's not that we do so much for God. It's what God is able todo in us. But until we accept His work for us, we'll never know what it is forGod to work in us and through us to do His will for His glory. Oh, what ablessing when we begin to learn that lesson. It's God who works in you both towill and to do of His good pleasure. AfterLazarus was resurrected from the dead the people standing by were told to takeoff his grave clothes and set him free, let him go and be an example, atestimony. When people saw Lazarus later, it says they believed in Jesus (John12:1-11). My friend, that's what we want the lost world around us to do. Not forthem to see our good works and glorify us and give us a pat on the back, but toglorify our Father which is in heaven and believe in His Son Jesus Christ! Thesame resurrection power that saves us and took us out of the grave clothes willmake us and mold us and give us strength and wisdom and grace to live a lifedaily for the glory of God. Please take the time to meditate on Romans 6 and 8and learn about the resurrected life we have in Christ, and the Holy Spirit andHis work in us.  TheBible gives us many examples in the lives of people who experience God’s workingin them. As we let the Word of God live in us, as we begin to meditate on Histruth, and we begin to spend time with God in prayer daily we too can experienceHis awesome working in our lives. But is also means we will face suffering andit's through these means, the Word of God, through prayer, and throughsuffering that God begins to do that mighty work through us that He has “preparedbefore and ordained that we should walk in them”. Itis important to know that we could only “walk in them” when we'rewalking hand in hand with Jesus, abiding in Him, His word is abiding in us, andwe're walking in prayer (John 15:1-5).  Thenif we ask anything in prayer, He will answer those prayers and He will beglorified in our lives as we are one with Him and one with the Father. Rememberthat was Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17.  Wethen to begin to live a life where we are not doing what we want to do, butwhat He wants us to do. We're walking in His will day by day and enjoying allthe blessings of eternity right now on earth. It's a blessed life and that'swhy He gives us the Beatitudes to live by (Matthew 5:1-11). Remember theexamples in the Scriptures it was only after suffering like Moses, like Joseph,like David, and so many others in scripture, that it is when God exalted themand He used them for His glory in a wonderful and mighty way. 

Today we're looking at Ephesians chapter 2. In verses 1-3, wesee how sin works against us and brings us death and destruction and despair.Then we see in verses 4-9 how God works for us. Both these are past tense inthe sense that what God does for us has already been accomplished in ChristJesus. We're seated in the heavenly places. We are now to the praise of Hisglory. We've been redeemed by His blood. By His grace, we have been saved.That's all been accomplished because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Now,in verse 10, we're talking about what God is present tense doing in us. We are Hisworkmanship. God is working in us. The Greek word translated workmanship ispoiema, from which we derive our English word poem. It means that which ismade, a manufactured product. We are God's—someone said it thisway—masterpiece. Just as all of creation is God's poem singing His glory andHis praise, we are His creation as new creatures in Christ Jesus. We are to theglory and the praise of God the Father. We're His masterpiece. We are His poem.How wonderful is that?  God’splan and His purpose for us is to be conformed to the image of His son JesusChrist (Romans 8:29). We know that wonderful verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Forif any man be in Christ, he's a new creation…”. Oh my friend, that's theposition we have in Christ. “God is working in us even now to do His willand His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Goddoes this great and wonderful work through the ministry and power of His HolySpirit. Christ finished the work of redemption on the cross. But He rose fromthe dead, and He returned to heaven. There in heaven He carries on Hisunfinished work of perfecting His church. You can read about this in Ephesians4:7-16 and  also in Hebrews 13:20-21. “Nowmay the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that greatshepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make youcomplete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is wellpleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever.Amen.” You can't say it better than that.  Christis equipping us for our walk and for our work here on earth. To do this, He hasthree special tools. First, we have the Word of God. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13,we read these great verses. Paul said, "For this reason, we also thankGod without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God, which you heardfrom us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, theword of God which also effectively works in you who believe." Now, howawesome is that? God uses His Word. When we read it and understand it andmeditate on it and feed on it, the Word goes to work in our lives to cleanseus, to nourish us, to lead us, and to guide us in so many ways. Secondly,as we pray, God uses prayer to connect us to Himself and His great power. Ephesians3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all thatwe ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory inthe church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Aswe pray, God's Spirit works in us to release His mighty power and grace.  Finally,God uses suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-14 says it this way: “Beloved, do not thinkit strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though somestrange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake ofChrist's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad withexceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you,for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He isblasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” God says this suffering isfor the purpose of us being made more like Jesus. It draws us back to the LordGod Himself. Suffering makes us look up to Jesus and makes us depend totallyand absolutely upon Him.  

Todaywe're looking at Ephesians chapter 2:1-9. In these first three verses, we findthat sin works against us. I believe you could summarize all nine of theseverses with Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God iseternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Yes, sin works against us, butmy friend, God works for us. And, “…If God be for us, who can be against us?”(Romans 8:31). God has great love. He's rich in His mercy! (v.4).  In verse five, we see He's made us alivetogether with Christ. And also in verse 6, He has raised us up to sit together withChrist in the heavenly places. He's exalted us in Christ.  Everything'sin Christ. I've underlined it in my notes, in Christ and throughChrist. It's all because of Jesus. The gift of God is eternal life throughJesus Christ our Lord. So, not only has He loved us, but He’s also made usalive. He's exalted us. He keeps us, we see this in verses 7-9. Yes,God also keeps us. We believe the Scripture definitely teaches we have eternallife. And when we have eternal life in Christ Jesus, it's a life that willnever leave us. He is eternal. Because of that, His life lives within us. It'snot our life. We didn't save ourselves. We're not saved by works of our ownrighteousness, but according to His mercy, His grace, He saved us. Grace issomething we did not merit. We deserve death. And I love that verse in Romans5:8. “But God commended, He manifested His love toward us. And that while wewere yet sinners, Christ died for us”.  That'sthe riches of His grace in Christ Jesus. He died for us. The church at Ephesuswas a persecuted church. That's why Paul wrote chapter six of this letter tothe church there, reminding them that we don't wrestle with flesh and blood butwith principalities and powers”. Remember, as you read Acts 19, there waspersecution going on even as Paul was in process of leaving the city. And theysought to beat him and to destroy him and to kill him. And yet God protectedhim as he left the city with a great group of believers loving the Lord, livingfor Christ.  Jesuspromised His believers, "You will suffer persecution." He said,"They hated me, they'll hate you." Just because now the Christians inAmerica are facing ridicule and persecution and trials and we're seeing ithappen, we forget that was the norm of the church through the centuries. Matterof fact, in many countries today, we're finding that the persecuted church andthose who are dying for the name of Jesus Christ is the greatest it's ever beenin Christian history. We were just in Egypt and there we were with the CopticChristians in several locations, and we remember just a few years ago 21 ofthese believers had their heads cut off because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Myfriend, today God wants to encourage us. You might be lonely today. You mightbe tired today. You might be weary today. You might feel opposition today. Youmight not feel like trying to take another step as a believer and living forJesus today. You need to remember God works for you. He cares for you. He lovesyou. He has mercy and grace for you today. He will make you alive in Christ. Hehas exalted you and you should remember you're seated in the heavenly places inChrist. And our citizenship is not on earth. Philippians chapter 3, but it's inheaven with Him. We're just pilgrims passing through and oh, we have somethinggreat and awesome to look forward to.  Butwe can enjoy heaven on earth right now in Jesus Christ. And that's what Godwants us to know. We are not trying to work for our salvation. It's a donedeal. Jesus did the work already for us on the cross of Calvary. All we can dois receive. Oh, today make sure that you believe, you receive, you trust, andyou take these words to heart.  Godwants you to be encouraged today with these words, and I trust that you are,too.  Godbless!

We just had a very busy weekend this weekend in Lynchburg and Roanoke,Virginia. Many of you have been praying for Luke who had his 31st brainsurgery. This is now over 40-some surgeries as a result of the brain leakage offluids that's having to be taken care of off his brain. We are so thankful foryour prayer. Luke had the surgery late Sunday afternoon. It was a 4-hoursurgery. Edith spent the whole day at the hospital, and I was also able tospend the afternoon with Kimberly and Chris. Luke came back to the room in lotsof pain but was finally given medication which gave him some relief and calmedhim down. Monday morning, he was doing much better and was able to go home inthe afternoon. We had a FaceTime with him as he was leaving the hospital and aswe were driving back here to NC. He was laughing and chuckling. Wow!!!! What amiracle. God is so good. And it looks like what needed to be taken care of wastaken care of. We thank God for the doctors, the surgeons, and all the hospitalhelp that took care of that for him. But most of all, for God’s grace and helpand all your prayers. Thank you.  OnSaturday, I participated in the Global Partners Peace and Development GolfTournament to benefit the work in Haiti with Amber Hassen. Over 100 golfersparticipated there in Daleville at Ashley Plantation Golf Course and over$10,000 was raised. We're so thankful for your prayers for that. And Isurvived. I don't know if I played golf. I hit the golf balls. But did the bestI could. And I set a record for myself. I finished with the same golf ball thatI started with. That's the first time that's ever happened in any time I playedgolf or hit around on the golf course.  OnSunday morning I preached at Thomas Terrace Baptist Church in Lynchburg. It wasan awesome service, and a great crowd. There was awesome excitement and for themission’s conference there and after the message over 46 people signed up topray for a pastor in India. If you're still interested or God is speaking toyour heart about joining the pastor's prayer team for the India pastors, pleaseemail me, text me, call me, let me know, and I'll be glad to line you up with apastor there in India. You can specifically pray for an India pastor on aregular basis.  Ihad a board meeting with Treasure Path Soulwinning on Monday morning. And itwas a wonderful meeting with our board and just preparing for this next yearwith encouraging people to memorize scripture, to pray, and to be a part ofwinning a world to Jesus Christ. Well, it's been a great time these past coupleweeks. Sorry I've been away from our pastor chats.  Rememberhere in Ephesians 2, we find out how sin is against us, how sin works againstus. We are born into this world dead in trespasses and sins. And because we'redead in trespasses and sins, we're also disobedient, sons of disobedience. Welive disobedient lives. Then we go on to depravity. The lust of the fleshdrives us. And then we also see we're doomed because we're children of wrath.We're under the condemnation of the law.   ButGod, (In verse four where we basically left off), But God who is rich in Hismercy and because of the great love with which He has loved us, He hasquickened us. He has made us alive, He has given us a new life. And not onlythat, we find in verse six, and has raised us up together to sit together inthe heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We weren't just made alive and left in thegrave. Because we are united to Christ, we have been exalted with Him and weare sharing His throne in the heavenlies. Our physical position may be onearth, but our spiritual position is "in heavenly places in ChristJesus." Like Lazarus, we have been called from the grave to sit withChrist and enjoy His fellowship (John 12:1-2). Myfriend, that's what God does for us. Godbless!

First,let me thank you for your many, many prayers as we traveled this past week anda half to Egypt, to Jordan, and to Slovakia. And because of your prayers, wefelt like we had a prosperous journey. That's what Paul would ask the churchesto pray for him. He often asks prayer for safety, for deliverance from evilpeople, and also for the opportunity to share the gospel. Read the epistleswith Paul asking for prayers. My friend, prayers are answered when we believeGod for wonderful things that are according to His will. And so, I thank you somuch. It was a wonderful trip.  Someof you might remember I started a story, and I said, "You'll get the restof the story when I get back." So today, let me just finish the story ofJanet, the Egyptian lady that sat next to us in the airport at Istanbul on a three-hourlayover there. It appeared to us that just randomly, she sits next to us.  She didn't speak any English. We didn't speakany Arabic. And she sat for a while, and as we said, she asked for help withgetting a connection to her iPhone that was dead. We were able to help her withthat. Then a little later we noticed she was reading an Arabic Bible.  Sowe struck up a conversation and immediately the first thing she did was show usthe passage of scripture that she was reading and that was Colossians 1:15-18where she was reading: “He is the image of the invisible God, speaking ofJesus the firstborn over all creation for by Him all things were created thatare in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible whether thrones ordominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him andfor Him. And He is before all things. And in Him all things consist. And He isthe head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from thedead, that in all things He may have the preeminence”. And she just keptsaying, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." Like Jesus is everything.  Itwas difficult to understand exactly what she was saying, but my nephew Jasonbegan using his iPhone app translator with AI and we were able to then recordwhat she was saying, and it would translate it to us. And the first thing she mentioned,and was translated was: “The first time I saw him, God told me to go sit besidehim safely.” So that just amazed us that she's sharing with us is that she satthere because God told her to. And then when we asked about whether she was afollower of Jesus Christ, she replied with these words.  “Myname is Janet. I married this man when I was miles from God. Didn't even know him.(She was apparently speaking of her husband that she had married). He wouldhurt me. He was harsh, cruel stuff. Slap me, drag me by my hair, once even useda knife. And me, I wasn't blameless: cursing, lying, living rotten through andthrough. His cruelty isn't an excuse. But God helped me find a pastor, put himin my path, and I poured out everything to him, everything. And today, I thankChrist because He picked up someone like me anyway.”  Aswe began to go back and forth with her with a translator and she shared more ofher story, she said, "I need you to pray for me, my sons Tamous and Daniel,that they would know Christ." Tamius, he's been all alone since his daddied three years now. Haven't seen him. He's down with a wrong crowd. Hash anddrugs and always wanting cash. I don't live anymore without him coming back. Ijust want him to repent and turn to Jesus.” Itrust you'll put this young man Tamous in your prayers and also her son Daniel.Janet actually lives in the States in Richmond, Virginia and works in a Walmartthere. And I'm still just amazed that without any knowledge of the Englishlanguage, but thank God she's a born-again follower of Jesus Christ. What awonderful story. In Cairo we had another amazing experience at the Monastery ofSt. Simon. Our guide there told us of a miracle that took place where an entiremountain was moved by prayer alone!!!!

Welcometo Pastor's Chat today. Well, this morning I have a special prayer request foryou. Today I am leaving along with my son Jonathan and a nephew Jason Rigginsfor Egypt, Jordan, and Slovakia. I'll be driving this morning to Raleigh tocatch my first flight up to Dulles. And there we'll meet with Jonathan andJason. And then from there, this evening, we'll be flying to Egypt where we'llland on Sunday evening. We will have a couple days in Egypt to tour with someEgyptian ministry friends. We will also be preparing for our tour that we're doingOctober the 14th with a wonderful group of people, who are very excited aboutthe upcoming trip. I'msaying all that to tell you that I might not be able to do a pastor's chat eachday as we'll be spending many hours in flight and also in foreign countries andmight not always have good internet connections. I'll do what I can to keep youupdated on our trip and if possible, post some Pastor Chats. On Tuesdayafternoon, we'll be leaving Egypt to go to Jordan where we'll spend at least a coupledays and there visit with some of our ministry partners. We hope to spend sometime encouraging some of the leaders there that we work with in the refugeeministry in Amman, Jordan.  FromAmman we'll be flying to Slovakia to spend a few days with my sister Janet and herhusband Charles Baldis. They have been faithful missionaries for over 30 years.The occasion that really prompted this whole trip is a wedding I have been askedto speak at by my niece Tina Baldis. She has also served faithfully with herparents over all these years. We are very excited that on Saturday, Tina isgetting married to a wonderful young man named Jozef Ličko. Iam looking forward to this trip with my nephew and my son. And we're excitedabout the divine appointments that we're going to have along the way. We askfor your special prayers for traveling mercies and for these divineappointments. Pray that God gives us open doors of opportunities to share withthe people that we will providentially meet along the way. We always have thatgreat privilege and see miraculous things that the Lord does and we're lookingforward to that. We need your prayers. Your prayers will help us have thoseopen doors. They will give us boldness to speak and give us wisdom to know whatto say, how to say it and when to say it.  Itis a volatile world in the Middle East. And we are there to help bring thepeace of God into those different locations and places in people's lives byshowing them the way through Jesus Christ. Just the fact that we're there,there will be more light in the spiritual darkness there because Christ livesin us.  Andthat's what we're talking about today in Ephesians 2:5. We talked yesterday inverse 4 about how “God because of His great love with which He loved us”,has provided mercy and grace that saves us through the blood of the cross ofJesus Christ. Now we find here in verse 5, even when we were dead in our trespassesand sins, God made us alive together with Christ. Not only did the Lord JesusChrist love us, He has made us alive. The King James version says that “Hequickened us”, which means the same thing. He made us alive.  Theway He makes us alive is through the gospel, through the Word of God. In the Gospels,it's recorded that Jesus raised at least three people from the dead. Rememberthe widow's son in Luke 7:11-17, Jairus's daughter in Luke 8:49-56, and Lazarusin John 11. In each case, Jesus spoke the Word and His Word brought forth life.The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:12 that “the Word of God is quick” which meansit is alive. It's living and it's powerful.  Whata glorious truth!!!! “God made us alive together with Christ”!!!  We are so grateful and excited about all that God is doing here inAmerica and around the world. Keep on praying!!!!