Ephesians 1:4 Chosen Long Ago

Some time ago, I began a study through Ephesians on my day off (Monday) and I put up my notes and commentary on Mondays.  But, being my day off, I quickly got tired of typing it out and tossing it on the internet.  But I have decided to make those notes available to you again.  Here are my notes on Ephesians 1:1-2 and here are my notes on Ephesians 1:3.  Without further ado...


even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  -- Ephesians 1:4a

Theology Thursday: Why do bad things happen to good people? Part 3

The votes are in and we are returning to our third installment of this question.  Why do bad things happen to good people?  This is a very difficult question and if you are going through a hard time right now, this may not be very helpful.  I think we need to address this question for ourselves before the hard times come so that we have a foundation to stand on in the midst of the storms of life.  During the storm, its difficult to focus on anything other than the lightning and flooding.  So, lets ingrain these lessons now and be ready when life gets tough.

In our first look at this question, we saw that really none of us are good people.  We are all sinners who have rebelled against God and deserve Hell.  Because of that, we should be shocked by all of the good things that God blesses us with that we don't deserve.  In our second look at the question, we saw that hard and difficult times are often the only ways for us to grow in character and learn valuable lessons.  Just like we press through the pain of exercise to gain physical strength, it is vital to press through the pain of loss, conflict, and more to gain strength of character.  That brings us to our third look at the question today.  Why do bad things happen to good people?

What Goes Around Comes Around

I've been studying the life of Jacob again as I'm teaching the kids at church about him.  What has been striking me this time is the way Jacob's sins are visited back upon him.  Check this out...

Ezra: The Sovereign God Desires Holiness

                Last week, we saw that God blesses those who seek Him and obey Him.  Things have been pretty great.  The Temple is rebuilt, God’s promises are secure, and Ezra has arrived with abundance!  Today, in our final study in Ezra, things take a turn for the worse.  

Ezra: The Sovereign God Blesses in Abundance

                Last week we saw that nothing will keep God from fulfilling His promises.  The Temple has been completed and the people are filled with joy as they worship the Lord.  This week, our study on Ezra takes a new turn.  We finally meet Ezra himself!  Here we find Ezra bringing a second group of returnees to Jerusalem.  Will God bless this group as He did the first?  Is there hope for this group of God’s people?

The Sovereign God Overcomes Obstacles

                Last week, God’s people had just returned from exile.  They returned to a ruined city and a broken temple.  They returned to a land with many old enemies who would love to take advantage of the vulnerable Israelites.  Will they be able to rebuild?  Will the enemies surrounding them cause trouble?  Is there hope for God’s people?

Theology Thursday: Can Demons Hurt Us?

The votes are in and today's question is: Can demons hurt us?  Whether you're a Christian or not, you've probably been scared of demons at one point or another.  Have you seen the Exorcist?  Have you heard strange, scary, and unexplainable stories around a campfire?  The devil and demons can be a scary thing to talk about, but what is true and what is Hollywood?  What is real and what is hype?

Ezra: The Sovereign God Over the Hearts of Men

Last week, we left off in a bad spot.  The Israelites had been carried off into exile.  Their city had been burned.  Their temple was ransacked and destroyed.  Their leaders were murdered and their king was in prison.  Their freedom was taken.  For seventy years they lived as slaves.  And a question was left lingering.  Is there any hope for God’s people?  That’s the question we will be asking every week and we’ll be seeing a fuller and fuller answer every week.

The King did WHAT!?

Read Ezra 1

                Does King Cyrus not strike you as crazy?  The Israelites are his slaves.  He owes them nothing and they are in a position where they owe him everything.  What does he do with them?  He frees them!  Even if that was all he did, it would be above and beyond what anyone would expect.  He is giving up over 50,000 slaves!  What a guy!

Theology Thursday: Who is in control? Free Will vs. God's Sovereignty

Have you ever pondered this age old question?  Is everything decided?  Is the future set in stone?  Are you destined to follow a certain path?  Or, on the other hand, are you free to choose any of the many possible destinies before you?  Is the future undecided and solely up to our choices?  Are you a puppet obeying the script that God has written for you with no choice in the matter?  Or is everything up to us and God has no say in what we do?

10 Years Since 9/11

I was a freshman in high school.  I left the locker room with my gym shirt and tight gym shorts on.  Why do they always make them too small?  I lined up with the rest of my class and we were cracking jokes about something or other when Coach Murry walked in.  He seemed a little shocked about something and with a shake of his head and a half grin he said, “Did you hear what happened?”  We all shook our heads no.  “Some idiot crashed a small plane into the Pentagon.”

Well that’s strange I thought.  We finished up PE and I thought nothing of it.  But by the look on my algebra teacher’s face when I walked into my next classroom, I could tell something was really wrong.  She turned on the TV and we watched in horror as smoke poured out of the towers on live television.