Standing Strong

Rick Hull

Description

“Standing Strong…” is the practical application of hope and help from Paul’s Ephesian Letter – a blessing in the first century and a must-read today.

The virus attack was relentless. The culture was fraying. Relationships, once civil, were stressed to the breaking point. And echoes of the mantra that somehow we were “all in this together” grew more faint by the day. Yet just under the surface there pulsed a heartbeat of hope. It whispered through the scriptures, and gently demanded to be heard.

And in Paul’s magnificent letter to the Ephesian church, the words rose with a reassuring, redeeming love that could reach into broken places to lift and transform needing hearts.

Here was the guidance of a divine determination that refused to give up on us -- offering a way of living that could heal old wounds, reconcile painful separations, and face down life’s destructive forces with spiritual courage and strength.

These short focused reflections immerse readers in seven life-lifting themes that are as ancient as the love of God, and as contemporary as the news of the day.

Sujets

• Biblical Meditations
• Philosophie et théologie
• Religion

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 28 juillet 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664273412
• Langue: English

Extrait

Standing Strong
 
Grace Notes from the Ephesian Letter
 
 
 
Rick Hull
 
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Rick Hull.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7342-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7343-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7341-2 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022913600
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 7/27/2022
-- what readers are saying --
Through his easy-to-read writing style, Pastor Rick uses life experiences and stories to bring Bible Scripture to life. He had me thinking about relatability to my own life circumstances and how God is always present and will never abandon me.
K.N. Newquist – Bible Study Leader
An informative series of reflections for real people, for real life, from a real pastor, in a real relationship with Christ. Using Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Rick walks us through the everyday questions we each have in our faith walk.
Jack McNary — Pastor
All through Covid, and cancer treatment, Rick’s words “the Lord… has allowed us the storms… in order to partner with us and grow us toward a strength that sustains, overcomes, and blesses with spiritual blessings,” gave me hope in dark times…my lifeline!
Gayle Withnell – Bible Study Leader
If you want encouragement in these challenging times, through Scripture, then Rick Hull’s “Grace Notes” are for you. With the Gift of the Spirit, his words kept me grounded in God’s love for us. A must for your library.
Tanya Anderson – Elder, Bible Study Leader
Rick not only writes about grace, his life exudes it. That may be important to you as you consider reading this book. Personally, I’d like to know that the one writing about grace knows something about the subject.
Jeff Chapman — Pastor
STANDING STRONG
Grace Notes from the Ephesian Letter
Seven Themes of Strength and Hope
Standing with Ch rist
Chosen for a purpose
1:1-14
That you may know
1:15-23
Alive forever
2:1-10
 
Stronger Toge ther
No longer strangers
2:11-22
The hope we share
3:1-10
 
Standing Firm
The Calling
3:10-14
The Prayer
3:14-21
 
Standing with Pur pose
Living it out
4:1-6
Called & equipped
4:7-16
 
Strong for Life
Re-set
4:17-5:2
Out of the darkness
5:3-20
 
Strong for Li ving
After you say “I do”
5:21-33
In the Lord
6:1-9
 
Standing through the Stru ggle
Strength for the day
6:10-12
Equipment for the struggle
6:13-18
Heart to heart
6:18-24
 
-- A Personal Note --
We were still in the days of Covid – maybe we always would be. The virus attack was relentless. The culture was fraying. Relationships, once civil, were stressed to the breaking point. And echoes of the mantra — that somehow we were “all in this together” grew more faint by the day.
Yet just under the surface there pulsed a heartbeat of hope. It whispered through the scriptures, and gently demanded to be heard.
I had written over 480 “Grace Notes from Scripture” to friends, family, even strangers on my e-mail lists — and then found myself once again immersed in the pinnacle of Paul’s writing – the matchless Letter to the Ephesians.
Here was the amazing, reassuring, redeeming love of a Lord who would look beyond the sin to see the repentant heart.
Here was the guidance of a divine determination that would not give up on us, but offered a way of living that could heal old wounds, reconcile painful separations, and face down life’s destructive forces with spiritual courage and strength.
What it needed now was a banner that could describe the love, accessibility, and blessings of this sovereign Lord. And an old tune began to quietly hum in the back of my head.
“Great is Thy Faithfulness!” The lyric captured it all. This is the testimony to the grace of our Lord – and the assurance of promises made so long ago — that could lift and transform in every generation.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endu reth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to g uide,
Strength for today, and bright hope for tomo rrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand be side.
Life would bring its challenges and demands. This would be the strength to stand. That’s what I found in the pages of Ephesians. And I hope that, day by day, you’ll find it, too.
Throughout the book there are blank spaces, suitable for jotting notes and adding personal reflections. Perhaps in these spaces new divine conversations will begin, new grace notes will be shared, and other hearts will be lifted as the ancient letter becomes these short modern “post cards” of strength and hope.
Wishing you blessings as you read,
Rick Hull
Ephesians 3:16-19
-- foreword --
A thought before reading:
I’m not a scholar. I have friends who are, and they write the most amazing and inspiring commentaries. When you dig deeper, dig into them!
This is not a classical thesis, with academic footnotes. Rather it contains a series of reflections, written first-person, and catalogued in seven themes. As the Ephesian Letter unfolds, it speaks personal encouragement, and challenges personal applications. I hope it will prove helpful.
You may enjoy reading this as a daily devotional – just one “grace note” at a time. They are designed to be short, thought-provoking reassurances for readers on the go.
A question before rea ding:
So – why a book of reflections on a two-millennia-old letter, dispatched to people in a very different setting?
While the era certainly was different, the original readers were not. Here is a letter written to ordinary folks who are beginning to learn what it means to trust their Lord, live together in faith, and look forward with hope.
They are real people, in a real place, in real life situations that are as ancient as life itself — and as contemporary as the evening news. For them, and for us, these will be scriptures of enduring wisdom, instruction and assurance.
And, there is a good reason for that. In a note Paul wrote to young Timothy at the Ephesian Church, he explained it: “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that [we] may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [Revised Standard Version used throughout]
Scripture is the speech of God – the work of the timeless Holy Spirit. He spoke then – and is still speaking now. And what he has said – divine thoughts put in human languages – is still the same now, simply because he is the same now.
In the first century, it was a letter to a church. Today it is Holy Scripture. And in each case, it marks an invitation into a divine conversation – a communication between souls. Here will be the word of God and the response of the heart – the cry of the heart and the guiding, encouraging response of God.
And, if we listen – if we respond – the conversation will continue, deepen, and transform life today, as it has done in ancient Ephesus, and through the centuries that followed.
Standi