Paul writing to the Ephesians, chapter 4, starts at the beginning of the gospel and shows the Ephesians are supposed to be. He talks about the gifts God gave to man for the perfecting of the saints. Paul talks about the work Jesus did on earth. But mainly, he talks about the work of the cross. Because we deserved to be the ones crucified. We don’t deserve heaven. It’s only because God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to the cross for us. Then at the cross, God gives us an example of who we are, the two thieves beside Jesus. One thief cursed his way into hell. The other thief saw Jesus for who He is and ask Him to remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom. Jesus said to him this day you will be with Me in paradise. Today is Good Friday and a time to remember Jesus on the cross and what He did for us. We deserve to die for our sins, but Jesus took them to the cross for us. Remember Jesus this day.

Crain Blanchard.

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Paul’s prayer begins by telling the Ephesians that God called the gentiles to enter into the same gospel that God gave to the Jews. He says that God gave him grace to be a minister to the gentiles. Paul says that there is one body, one Spirit, called into one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. This is that Christ may dwell in you hearts by faith. What was creeping into the church was worldliness, the want and desire to have all the things of this world. Ephesus was one of the wealthiest cities in the first century. It was on the silk road from China. That desire was corrupting the church. They would eventually lose their power and strength in the Holy Ghost. Paul prayed, now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Crain Blanchard.

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In the cajun culture, when a young man found the woman he wanted to marry, their mothers and grandmothers would ask her 3 questions. They were: Are you catholic?, Who’s your momma? and can you make a roux? In Ephesians 2, God ask 3 questions: Where did you come from?, What has God done for you? and Who are you in Christ? Where you leave home, if you don’t remember who you are and where you going,you will lose your way. So Paul writes to the Ephesians to bring them to remembrance where they are headed. There are many worldly distractions that can easily pull you from the right way. Paul wanted the Ephesians to focus their lives on Jesus. It is the same with us. We need to focus on Jesus not to lose our way in this world. This world isn’t our home and we need to keep walking through. So we need to remember, where we came from, what God has done for us and who we are in Christ.

Crain Blanchard.

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Ephesus was a free city in the Roman empire. It was a center for trade in Asia Minor. It was a weathly city. It had street lights, running water, a sewer system and Roman air conditioning. This is where Paul met Priscilla and Aquila, sellers of purple. Paul is writing from prison in Rome to the Ephesians. It was an important city because it was the center of Christianity in the first century. With riches, we have a tendency to become spiritual lazy. Paul, in his letter, reminds the Ephesians about how they were saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It was through forgiveness of sin and the grace of God that we are Christians. We are to bring this to remembrance to stay in right relationship with God. No matter what we have on this earth, all that matters is our relationship with God. Ephesians 1.

Crain Blanchard.

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Paul wrote Romans from Cotinth. He was about to go to Jerusalem. He knew that this was God’s will, but he didn’t know what would happen to him. He wanted to teach the church in Rome about justification. God leads us in a certain direction to accomplish His will in our life as well as others. Paul was about finished with his missionary trips. Now he was about to enter captivity. He was going to be brought before kings and rulers. Th only way was in captivity. In the first century, no one would be accepted into another church unless the pastor would a letter and vouched for that person. Paul vouched for more than a dozen people and sent the letter with them. He prayed for the Roman church and his fellow workers. He was hoping to see them again. He was trusting God in all things. For I Crain salute thee, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Crain Blanchard.

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Paul is writing to the church at Rome about justification to God. He explained how we can be justified and forgiven of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul used old testament scriptures to prove his point. Remember the bible is one book and not divided. Which includes the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul, in chapter 15 of Romans, says that your faith is for other people. You are to reach out and help the world, not to keep praying for yourself. He also says the God called the gentiles to the faith in Jesus. And we as believers are to go into the world and preach the gospel. So that at least some will be saved. Paul was headed to Jerusalem with a collection for the saints. He was leaving Greece headed home. He told the Roman church he was going to see them soon. Then he prayed for them. Paul wrote about reaching the world for Jesus. And that world is just outside your front door. Helping other and not yourself is the call of God.

Crain Blanchard.

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In Romans 14, Paul talked about not offending Christians who are new in the faith. He said that just because we have liberty in the Lord, we’re not to use it to cause someone else to sin or be offended. Paul would purchase meat in the market place that was offered up to idols. He knew that the idols we’re nothing. And it was a good source of cooked meat. But young Christians were being offended by it. So Paul stopped buying the meat. Because it was more important to love the young Christians than to feed his belly. We aren’t to judge those not as strong in the faith as we are. Jesus died for all of us. And they are His servants, not ours. “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. ” Romans 14:8 ( KJV).

Crain Blanchard.

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God chose the Hebrews as His people. He gave them a way to be justified. But what did God do for the rest of the world before Jesus? He gave the world the covenant of Noah. It established not only the ten commandments but it established government. God says that they are the minister’s of God. We are to give honor, customs, tribute and fear to the minister’s of God. But be afraid if you do wrong, because they don’t carry the sword in vain. Paul said that if you love your neighbor as yourself, you fulfill all the law. And have nothing to fear. God said with this covenant and faith, you will be justified before God. In bible, when you read the followers of the way, it is talking about the gentiles the followed the covenant of Noah. It also refers to the believing Jews. The way was the first court of the temple. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. He that believeth in Me through he be dead, yet shall he live. And he believeth in Me shall never die. Believeth thou this?

Crain Blanchard.

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In Romans 12, Paul discusses the church. The church isn’t the building. It’s the people who believe in Jesus. He begins to talk about each member in the body of Christ and how they are to behave to each other. Everyone has a place in the church and no one is more important than the other. Then Paul talks about dealing with people in world. Basically, we are to treat everyone, believer or not the same. If we want to help the church, we have become servants of both the church and the world. Jesus didn’t come to rule but to serve. God lifted Him up and made Him King of kings and Lord of all. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing you heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ” Romans 12:19-21. (KJV).

Crain Blanchard.

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