[Give] thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5

[Give] thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

I continue my study of Ephesians via my participation in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. For this morning, I stay in Ephesians 5, examining v15-21 in more detail. In relation to v14, v15 pivots from an exhortation to make full use of how we are (vs just doing) light (vs darkness), to - in light of being a light and the responsibility it is - be on on guard for Satan and how evil influences pervade our world (v16b). We are to be wise and careful (v15), to make the best use of our time, (v16a), to not be foolish (v17a), and to understand what the will of the Lord is (v17b).  We are urged to be filled with the Spirit (v18b), and to address one another (within the church) as members of the church all worshiping/revering God, submitting to one another (serving), and praising and giving thanks to God what who He is and what He has done.  This DesiringGod.com video describes pairs of negatives/positives in v15-18, and what the implications are for being filled with the Holy Spirit (v19, 21).  It zooms in on v20, which, if read and more fully understood, says give thanks "for everything," and in the video John Piper points out how this means the good and the bad, enabling (if filled with the Holy Spirit) us to not just understand the will of the Lord is but also to follow/submit to it.  Piper then ends the video by emphasizing how such gratitude becomes the "root" (see also Ephesians 5:4) of obedience to Christ. 

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My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome incredible God who helps me see good in all times, in all circumstances - thank You Jesus!  You are worthy of my praise and worship and I know that is why I exist.  I know I am not deserving of my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please provide energy and wisdom to Lisa and myself. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel."

 Leviticus 23

“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel." Isaiah 44:21-23

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter twenty - Celebrating Our Relationship with the Sovereign Lord of Time  - covering Leviticus 23:1-44, looking specifically at the introduction and first theme for the chapter - Look at the Old Covenant Celebrations God Established.  In the introduction, the commentary states that, upon a reading of Leviticus 23, we are to observe and understand how God is sovereign over time, "and He calls us to order our time around Him, and go into His presence to regularly worship Him, thank Him, commit to Him, and seek His forgiveness....God's Word compels us to build all of life around Him and direct all of life to Him"; this includes work, family, free time, good times and bad times - all our time should center around and revolve around Him as we demonstrate spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, service, and love of God and others.  Looking specifically at the theme for today, the commentary then describes the Old Covenant celebrations found in Leviticus 23:

• Passover v4-5: celebrates how God rescued Israelites infant boys from the final plague sent from God as He demonstrated His wrath against Egypt in preparation for delivering the Israelites from bondage
• Festival of Unleavened Bread v6-8: celebrates how the Israelites rushed out of Egypt and were rescued from bondage and in their hasted could only bring unleavened bread
• Festival of Firstfruits v8-14: celebrates the beginning of the harvest
  
• Festival of Weeks v15: celebrates the harvest
• Festival of trumpets v23-25: celebrates the coming of the new year
• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
• Festival of Booths (Tabernacles - Succoth) v33-43: celebrates how Israel survived the wilderness on their journey from Egypt to the promised land (see also Nehemiah 8:14-16)  

The commentary wraps but asking why believers should learn about these festivals.  It states that "[f]irst this information is important because it is in the Bible.  Second, the old covenant festivals are important because of what God did in salvation history during those festivals and how that salvation history relates to us." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You an amazing God who loves me and who is full of mercy and grace for me - I am not deserving of such grace.  I have sin...daily...of worry and other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility....Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Leviticus 3, 7

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility....Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ….Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Ephesians 2:14, Romans 5:1, John 14:27

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up at chapter three - Peace with God - covering Leviticus 3:1-17, looking specifically at the final themes We Express Thanksgiving to God, We Give Our Best to God, We Share Our Lives with the People of God, and We Find Peace with God. Here, my commentary describes the peace offering in Leviticus 3 and 7 (ESV) as the fellowship offering, and a quick check of the NIV translation reveals how these translations (ESV and NIV) both refer to the same offering - peace (ESV) and fellowship (NIV).

Aligning with the themes for today, my commentary urges us to see how the peace/fellowship offering:

• offers thanksgiving to God for providing a path to atonement and communion with Him
• represents how we are to give our best to God as the fat portions of the animal are seen as rare and as such a delicacy at the time of the Old Testament - an offering of fat was to be giving God our best
• describes corporate worship and fellowship both with God and with other worshipers - in the presence of God, eating of meals together from the fellowship offering; we are to share our lives not just with God but also with the people of God; the commentary urges us also to look at how we are to pray for one another (James 5:16), encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25), bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13), love one another (John 13:34), serve another (1 Peter 4:10), be kind to one another, and forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32); "[c]learly God intends for us to share our lives with His people."
  
•  in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, provides the perfect sacrifice for sin and Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14, Romans 5:1, John 14:27)

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who provides peace - with God, with others, and peace of mind - thank You Jesus!  You are truly amazing and I am not deserving how You reconciled me to Yourself...I continue to sin.  Worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.