👮‍♂️ Ephesians 4:1 | In Prison For The Lord

📣 If you missed Monday’s announcement…

Those of you who have been with us for a while know that Isaac and I have poured our hearts, souls, time and money into Malachi Daily since the beginning of 2023!

In order to make sure we can continue to operate for the long-term, we are starting to partner with ministries + brands to support our work financially!

Any time we have a partner, please consider supporting them by checking out their website!

When you go to their website (even if you don’t buy anything), they help us cover operating expenses, reach more people, and keep Malachi Daily free! 🙏

*Never want to see sponsorships? Subscribers who pay-it-forward will always have an ad-free experience ❤️ 

📧 In today’s email…

• 👮‍♂️ House arrest

• 🧐 What we can learn from Paul’s circumstances

• 👀 An inspirational story

• 📚️ A resource to help you connect further with Ephesians 4:1

 🧠 Memorize

_{see if you know what words go in the blanks}

I _________, _ ________ for ___ ____, urge you to ____

in a ______ ______ of ___ _____ to which ___ have been called.

Ephesians 4:1

⛓️ Paul, a prisoner…

When we hear that Paul was a prisoner at the time of writing his letter to the Ephesians, you might consider what he would have been thinking about during this time.

What would you spend your days doing if you were no longer free to do as you wished?

Despite the confinement, Paul’s focus remained on:

1. The spread of the gospel, and

2. Pastoring the early church by providing spiritual guidance

Sometimes, I wish Paul would have had the technology to communicate as we do today.

I’m sure it would have made things easier for him to share his thoughts with the church.

(Who knows…maybe he would have had a newsletter 😉)

What can we learn from Paul’s reaction to his circumstances? 🧐

We can learn several important lessons from Paul’s circumstances in light of Ephesians 4:1:

1. Perseverance in Adversity: Even without his full freedom, Paul was undeterred from ministry, showing us that challenging circumstances can heighten our awareness of what truly matters.

2. Focus on Calling: Paul urges believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling, showing that our mission and purpose in Christ must remain priority #1, regardless of external situations.

3. Faith & Encouragement: Paul’s ability to encourage others while imprisoned underscores the power of faith to provide hope and strength in difficult times.

4. Community & Support: Paul’s continued writings to the churches during his time as a prisoner highlights the importance of maintaining spiritual connections and supporting one another in the faith community.

Paul’s all-in commitment to the gospel demonstrate just how deeply Paul actually believed that Jesus was Lord.

Not just intellectually, but with his entire being.

For many of us, it’s hard to even imagine being thrown in jail because we are living out our faith so boldly.

Today, let’s remind ourselves that our faith in Jesus was costly.

It cost Jesus his life.

And it cost many in the early church their freedom and their lives.

Let’s remember this when it feels uncomfortable to share the gospel or live out the way of Jesus.

Josh’s Story 👀 

Reflecting on Paul’s time as a prisoner, I can’t help but think of Josh Summers from www.biblememorygoal.com.

We recently had a chance to meet him - he shared his story and the reasoning behind starting his Bible memorization community.

Keeping it brief, Josh was imprisoned for a short period of time while doing missions work in a country hostile to Christianity, and where access to God’s Word was not available.

He wanted to engage with Scripture but because he couldn’t have a Bible with him, he realized he didn’t have any of it memorized to meditate on.

I hope Josh’s experience encourages you to press on with Scripture memory. For us, it’s a great reminder of why we run Malachi Daily.

You can learn more about Josh’s community here.

Gaining what you cannot lose 🌅

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

- Jim Elliot

Jim Elliot was a missionary to Ecuador who was martyred by the Huaorani people in 1956.

A Prayer for Today 🙏

Heavenly Father, as I reflect on Paul’s imprisonment and his unwavering commitment to You, help me to persevere through my own challenges.

Teach me to live a life worthy of my calling, embracing humility, patience, and love.

May I find strength and encouragement in Your presence, knowing that my circumstances do not define my purpose.

Guide me to support and uplift others, maintaining unity and faith in all situations. Amen. 🙏

Recommended Video 🎉 

Check out this video to dive deeper into Ephesians 4:1 and the verses following it this week:

Answer key ✅ 

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk

in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

Ephesians 4:1