mytwocents: Volume 4

By Dr. Steve Edge

Whether you are a new believer or have been a Christian for many years, mytwocents is designed to assist you in your walk with Christ. One of the indispensable keys to spiritual growth is time spent studying the Bible. Scripture gives us sound instruction on how to live our lives as well as how to enjoy the love, joy, and peace that come from a personal relationship with Jesus.
Section 1. The Christian life is the Spirit-filled life! When we are saved, we receive the Holy Spirit of God. In short, this means that the presence of God resides in the life of every born-again believer in Jesus Christ. What the world cannot boast about, Christians can, namely that we belong to God, know God, and live in the power of His presence. When we belong to Christ, this power is ours to enjoy and use for the building up of the kingdom of God.
Section 2. Proverbs is an excellent source for wisdom as it provides us with timeless principles for life. Like the entirety of God’s Word, spending time in the Proverbs opens up opportunities for God to speak to us and continue to shape our lives. Carve out some time to read an entire chapter of Proverbs daily. This will allow you to read through the book in a month. Each day, we will focus on just one portion from each chapter.
This book can be used as a personal daily devotional or a group Bible study. Whether it is the examination of one specific passage or a walk through an entire book of the Bible, these studies will bring biblical insight, allowing for a deeper understanding of God’s Word. May God richly bless you as you make the study of Scripture a priority in your life!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685700232

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mytwocents

Volume 4

Dr. Steve Edge

Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Steve Edge

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All of the scriptures used were from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Spirit-Filled Life: An Introduction

What We Have in Christ (Part 1)

What We Have in Christ (Part 2)

An Amazing Prayer

The Lordship of Christ

The Reality of Spiritual Deadness

Salvation by Grace through Faith

The Power of the Cross

Fellowship

Another Amazing Prayer

Beyond

One Body of Christ

The Purpose of Leadership

The Christian Life (Part 1)

The Christian Life (Part 2)

The Power of Words

The Christian’s Reputation

Awake!

Marriage

Family Relationships

The Armor of God (Part 1)

The Armor of God (Part 2)

Final Thoughts

Words of Wisdom: An Introduction

Learning: A Lifelong Process

What Do You Treasure?

Trust in the Lord

A Parent’s Instruction

Weighing Our Actions

Seven Things

The Value of Wisdom

When Hate Is Acceptable

Be Careful

The Power of Love

Are You Trustworthy?

A Good Word

Desire Fulfilled

Which Way Are You Traveling?

When Tempers Flare

Commit Your Way to the Lord

Rejoicing at Calamity?

The Salvation and Strength of God

Eternal Accounts

The Importance of Moderation

Divided Homes

Raising Children

Beware!

The Danger of Partiality

Self-Control

Breaking Cycles

Two Is Better than One

In Whom Do You Place Your Trust?

Vision

Contentment

A Godly Woman

Final Thoughts

For Mom and Dad

Section 1

The Spirit-Filled Life; A Look at Ephesians

A Look at Ephesians

The Spirit-Filled Life: An Introduction

The Christian life is the Spirit-filled life! When we are saved, we receive the Holy Spirit of God. In short, this means that the presence of God resides in the life of every born-again believer in Jesus Christ. What the world cannot boast about, Christians can, namely that we belong to God, know God, and live in the power of His presence. When we belong to Christ, this power is ours to enjoy and use for the building up of the kingdom of God.

Ephesians is a remarkable letter and definitely worth our time. In it, Paul provides valuable instruction for anyone desiring to live a godly life enjoying the presence of God. This letter provides succinct, powerful statements regarding the church, the individual believer, and what it means to engage in spiritual warfare. We need not live another day without investing in the knowledge and power that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians will bring. Topics in this study include the following:

What we, as believers, have in Jesus Christ

Two powerful and effective prayers

Salvation by God’s grace through our faith

Jews and Gentiles alike are invited to participate in the Gospel

There is only one body of Christ (the church)

The purpose of leadership in the church

Traits of an authentic Christian life

The power of words

Family relationships

Spiritual warfare and the armor of God

Here are my recommendations for getting the most from your study:

If possible, recruit a few others to walk through the study with you.

Print out each passage of Scripture and post it in a prominent place in your home (refrigerator, bathroom mirror, etc.).

Make discussion of each passage a priority for the group.

Our Overarching Goals

To understand our identity in Christ

To acknowledge the importance that there is only one body of Christ

To live in the power of the armor of God

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21)

May God richly bless you as you make Bible study a priority in your life!

What We Have in Christ (Part 1)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. (Ephesians 1:3–8a)

This passage declares the exciting benefits and advantages that believers enjoy in Jesus. Paul mentions no less than twelve of them in the first portion of this letter. Here is a look at the first six.

In Christ, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing

The word every conveys that God holds nothing back when it comes to blessing His own. Similar language is found in the following passages: "God’s grace is freely bestowed on us, and The riches of His grace He lavished on us. Paul goes on to say, God is able to do far more abundantly beyond anything that we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20) and that we can pray to be filled up to all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19).

These same truths are also found in other portions of Scripture. Jesus came to give us life abundantly (John 10:10). Where the sin of mankind increased, His grace super abounded (Romans 5:20). And His riches abound to anyone who calls on His name (Romans 10:12).

All of these passages demonstrate the benevolence of a loving God toward those who believe. The language is rich and full of hope. Consider the descriptive words used to describe God’s giving nature: freely, lavished, abundantly, super abounded, beyond, and fullness. We can wake up every morning knowing that we have already obtained every spiritual blessing in Christ.

In Christ, we are declared holy and blameless

When we are saved, we are declared to be holy and blameless in the sight of God. This is a position in which we remain all of the days of our life primarily because this blameless state is not based on our behavior or performance; rather, it is entirely based on the perfection and obedience of Christ on the cross. When we begin to drift into a belief that our obedience, faithfulness, or performance somehow affects or maintains our blamelessness before God, we place ourselves back under the law and bring into our lives unnecessary stress and strife. Carried out to its extreme, we can even forfeit our right standing before God because we have, in effect, traded Christ’s performance for our own (Galatians 5:2–4). But when we understand that our blameless standing before God is based entirely on faith and not works, that very faith is credited to us as righteousness (Romans 4:4–5). Our believing in Jesus from our hearts is what results in our righteousness (Romans 10:10). This holy and blameless standing before God is a spiritual reality for all who place their faith in Jesus, and it exists even on our worst days!

In Christ, we are adopted as sons and daughters

Believers are referred to in Scripture as sons and daughters of God. In Christ, we are indeed His children. The misunderstanding, often heard in the world, is that we are all God’s children. This is not entirely accurate. We are all God’s creation, but only those who are in Christ can rightfully call themselves God’s children. That is because an adoption into God’s kingdom has to take place for us to declare our rightful place in that kingdom. When we are saved, we move from alienation with God to becoming a child of God and a fellow heir of His kingdom (Romans 8:17). What belongs to God effectively belongs to us. This is a tremendous truth that we should never forget and one to always embrace. In Christ, God now calls us His children.

In Christ, God’s grace is freely bestowed on us

The mercy of God is the withholding of just punishment for sin and rebellion. The grace of God, however, is His blessing us undeservedly with good things. God demonstrated His grace when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of mankind (1 John 2:2). This grace is now extended to Jew and Gentile alike and is enjoyed by all who trust in the name of Jesus.

We are all made in the image of God, and therefore we all have intrinsic value in the eyes of God. Every time that we instruct our children about the love of God or share the Gospel with a stranger, we are demonstrating this truth. But sin has marked mankind ever since the fall; therefore, we are all equally in need of the grace of God (Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23, and James 2:10). And thankfully, although the law caused our sin to increase, the sin of mankind is no match for the amazing love and grace of God (Romans 5:20). All of us are in need of grace, and that grace is freely bestowed on all who believe!

In Christ, we are redeemed

Arguably the word redemption is one of the most powerful words found in Scripture, and redemption is only fully appreciated when our broken lives are fully restored by the power of God found in Christ.

Redemption is to buy back something that was previously lost. In the broadest sense, redemption is referring to God reversing the curse that came from the fall of mankind. This was done through the cross of Jesus Christ. And this redemption goes far beyond the redemption of one’s soul, which is essential for eternal life. God can redeem relationships. He can redeem time. He can redeem places and objects and situations. God’s redemption is not limited to the salvation of our souls; rather, it can permeate into any and every portion of our lives. Christians are to live free from the guilt and shame that accompanies sin. We are free to live our lives in service to others without any fear of judgment, and it’s all because of the cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:1).

In Christ, we are forgiven of every sin—past, present, and future

Finally, in Christ, we have forgiveness. We are all created with essential needs that go far beyond food, clothing, and shelter. Humans are in need of love and acceptance. We need to know that someone cares for us and that we have significance and value. Without these essentials in one’s life, depression, despair, and desperation become realities. Mental-health issues can often be traced back to a lack of love and acceptance in the life of an individual.

In Christ, we can be assured that we are loved and accepted by God and that all of our sins are forgiven. To forgive is to voluntarily give up on any rightful claim one has toward another due to an infraction or trespass. When we say that we are forgiven, we are saying that God, in Christ, has given up any righteous judgment that would have come as a result of our rebellion against Him. God forgives because He is a loving and benevolent God and takes pleasure in seeing us released from the accusations of the enemy. To be saved is to experience the tremendous forgiveness of God.

So why not take some time today to thank God for these wonderful benefits and advantages. Thank Him for every spiritual blessing, for our holy and blameless standing before Him, for our adoption, for His grace, and for redemption and forgiveness. If you have never called on the name of the Lord and asked Him to save you, why not do that now and experience life as a recipient of all the goodness that comes from being in Christ. And that’s not all! There are still six more spiritual realities in which to explore!

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." (John 6:35)

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’" (John 7:37–38)

What We Have in Christ (Part 2)

In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:8b–14)

In Christ, we have the riches of God’s grace lavished on us

Paul describes the grace of God twice in the opening passage of his letter. In the first mention of God’s grace, he describes it as being freely bestowed on us. In the second usage, he describes God’s grace as being lavished on us. To lavish is to give in great amounts. It can even mean that the giving is limitless. In the case of our position in Christ, God’s grace is limitless. Those outside of Christ cannot claim to be in right standing with God, but because of the grace and favor of God, we can rest in His amazing grace.

In Christ, we have wisdom and insight into the will of God

Is it possible for us to know the will of God? Scripture teaches us that we can know what it is that God wills for our lives. In the broadest sense, the Gospel describes God’s desire for mankind. But even in the smallest of details, we can know the will of God. Consider the following:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

The word prove can be defined as testing or examining something to see whether it is genuine or not. And how do we test to see if something is from God?

First, we are to reject the ways of the world and its attempt to mold us into its image. Do not be conformed to this world. The more we entangle ourselves in the world, the less likely we are going to see, hear, or correctly assess God’s will for our lives. But along with rejecting the ways of the world, we must consistently be renewing our minds, and that cannot be done without a study of God’s Word. It is quite ridiculous for us to suggest that we are sincerely pursuing the will of God yet fail to make time for Scripture. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The only way that we can know for sure that something is of God is to check and see whether it lines up with the truth of the Bible. Apart from that, we are simply stabbing in the dark.

In Christ, we understand that all things are summed up in Him

Knowing that all things are summed up in Christ is a tremendous truth because it means that we are secure in his standing with God. Consider the following:

For Christ is the end [culmination] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

When Paul tells us that Jesus is the end of the law, he means that all things are summed up in Christ, even the criteria by which a human soul goes to heaven. In Christ, we are in good standing with God. Apart from Christ, we are not. It really is that simple. Because of God’s grace, righteousness now comes by faith in Jesus. Everyone who believes is declared righteous. The problem Paul is addressing is that there are some who are still trying to be right with God through the law, meaning through their own actions. But all things (including salvation) are summed up in Christ. This should bring us spiritual security.

In Christ, we have an eternal inheritance

Perhaps the most obvious benefit and advantage we have over the world is the eternal inheritance waiting for us at the end of this life. It truly is a tragedy when someone rejects an eternal inheritance in