Made New: An Ephesians Book StudyНамуна

Most of us have had a favorite superhero at one point in our lives. If not, give Marvel five minutes, and they’ll create another film with a new hero to consider. As children, we often believed we could become one or tried our best to spot one. Superheroes allowed us to dream that if we were born into the right family, bitten by a radioactive spider, or came from a different planet, we could fight crime, and the whole world would applaud our efforts.

But life happens. Our heroes and dreams change as we get older. We go from dreaming about superheroes and fighting crime to dreaming about wealth, fame, the perfect relationship, or maybe just being able to pay bills on time.

Over time, our motivation changes, too. When we’re young, we might dream of that superhero lifestyle where we courageously save the day, the whole city, and maybe even the world. Everyone is clapping and cheering. It’s glorious! As adults, our motivation can become less altruistic but still centered on applause. We might work hard for a promotion, design a deceptively extravagant life for social media influence, or try to have the perfect family to look like we have it all together on the outside.

Where is God in these things?

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 3:20-21 that everything we do is for God’s glory. This encourages us to stop looking for personal glory. Stop looking at the people on the stage or in our social media feed for motivation, and start looking to the God of the universe who lives in your heart. The power that raised Christ from the dead resides in YOU.

Did you wake up today? Thank God.

Did you meet a goal today? Thank God.

Did you get through something hard today? Thank God.

It is all for HIS glory…not ours.

We can get confused and think we are owed a particular outcome because we worked hard. This can lead us to pat ourselves on the back for a well-done job. But, it is God’s power in us that accomplishes the goal. It is His grace that we have made it to this day. And all of it is for His glory.

Response
1. How do you see God’s power at work in your life?

2. Inventory the things in your life that give you glory, applause, or accolades. How can you give glory to God for them?

3. Each morning, challenge yourself to journal five things you’re grateful to God for and why. Make them different each day.

Weekly Memory Verse
"I pray that out of His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:16-19

Written by Michelle White