"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." - Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)Paul says in Ephesians 1:3 that we've been blessed "in the heavenly places." "Places" is not in the Greek. It's fine to put it there, but it's just "in the heavenlies." What ...

"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!" - Psalm 68:19 (NKJV)Ray Stedman once said, "It is amazing the change that comes over us when we simply review our resources and count our blessings. That is where true encouragement is found in an honest accounting of the Father's limitless resources and blessings, made available to us in Christ."He wrote, "I once r...

"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." - Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)There was a man in South Africa who owned a small compound where he and his horse would travel daily. As they passed through his property, there was a little stream filled with shiny objects that frustrated him greatly. His horse would c...

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." - Ephesians 1:2 (NKJV)Remember the story of Mephibosheth? He was the grandson of King Saul and son of Jonathan, David's best friend (2 Samuel 4:4). Due to an accident in childhood, he was crippled and living in a wasteland called Lo Debar - literally meaning "no pasture" (2 Samuel 9:4). When King David sought to show kindness ...

"Him who knew no sin He made to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)"The me I see is the me I'll be." This simple phrase captures an important truth about human nature. Have you ever been to a house of mirrors at a carnival? Those distorted reflections show you a false version of yourself - sometimes taller, sometimes shorter, sometimes ...