7 day plan

I Love the House of the Lord

Day 6 of 7

NIV

Ephesians 2:20-22

20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Reflection: My Connections Influence My Direction

Our real and personal relationship with God through our faith in Jesus is a profound privilege that should lead us forward in every area of our lives. While belonging to a church or smaller connect groups will never replace our individual access to God, God has also grafted us into his family, the Body of Christ, where we gain invaluable support and growth through fellowship with other believers.

Godly connections have the power to:

Pull Me Up: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9, ESV). This verse reminds us of our need for mutual support, especially within a faith community, to help lift and pull us up. We all journey from strength to strength but inevitably face challenges and may not always feel strong in our faith. I’m grateful for the strength and encouragement I receive from my connection with others in God’s family during difficult times.

Build Me Up: “… holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” (Colossians 2:19b, ESV). This verse reminds us that when we are connected, we are mutually blessed! We receive from God through each other, nourishing both the recipient and the giver. These relationships shift our focus onto more than just ourselves. They position us to serve others and draw strength from that service.

Pull Me Forward: My connection with others allows me to be impacted by God’s momentum in their lives. If I were riding a bike, I would have the ability to generate some momentum on my own. However, like a cyclist pulled by a car, through my connection with others, I benefit from the momentum of greater power than just my own. While God leads each of us personally, connection with devoted men and women of God accelerates my journey by drawing me along in their pursuit of him.

Keep Me Grounded: Strong connections ground us, not by restricting movement, but by preventing us from being swayed by circumstances. Like guy-ropes, tight-knit relationships brace us, strengthening our resilience against life’s storms. The apostle Paul talks about the importance of unity in the body of Christ: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” (Ephesians 4:11-13a, ESV) . Just as Christ is our anchor, these relationships serve as outriggers and buoys, providing stability amidst the turmoil.

Past experiences can challenge our faith. During these times, remember we’re not meant to navigate faith alone. Build strong connections in the house of God through small groups, service, and active involvement. Let these connections brace you and strengthen you.

 

 

Prayer:

God, thank you for the gift of community and the strength we find in our connections with one another. Help me to recognise the value of the relationships you’ve placed in my life and guide me to be a source of encouragement and growth for others. May I continue to be built up in faith and support those around me as we journey together toward maturity in Christ. Keep us grounded in your love and remind us that we are never alone. Amen.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Days

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7

Ephesians 2:1-22

Made Alive in Christ

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.