The Bishop’s Mind: Christian Wisdom, Daily Devotionals & Empowering Messages for Kingdom Living

  I AM Working on It (Ephesians 5:5) "You can be sure of this: no immoral, impure or greedy person who commits idolatry can have an inheritance in the Kingdom of God."   Ephesians 5:5 (KSB)    There are steps to this; there are stages to this. In the natural, we go through stages of development, in the womb, zygote, embryo, fetus, and then we come out of the womb as a newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent, young adult, and into late adulthood. Life happens in steps and stages naturally, and it’s the same way supernaturally . It is the same way spiritually. Things happen in steps and stages.  When we are in the world, and then the Word hits our heart, we become conceived in the Spirit in the womb of the church. Spiritually, we are those zygotes, embryos, and fetuses learning who God is, who Jesus is, who the Holy Spirit is, and who we are in Him. We begin learning spiritual disciplines in the womb of the church.    But there comes a ...

  What Time Is It? Waking Up to God’s Light (Ephesians 5:14) "This is why it is said: 'Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'" – Ephesians 5:14 (KSB)    What time is it? Around the world, we live in different time zones that determine the physical hour. But the question here is not about chronos time, the ticking of the clock. It’s about Kairos time, the divine moment. What time is it in your life?  In Ephesians 5:14, Paul writes to the church of Ephesus: “Wake up, sleeper.” This call is more than a physical awakening; it’s a spiritual one. Some in his day even believed that sleep resembled death and waking resembled resurrection. Paul reminds us that when we wake up, Christ’s light shines in us and through us.  So, what time is it for you? Maybe it’s time for an alarm clock moment . Trials, frustrations, and challenges in life can feel like loud, irritating alarms, but they are not meant to destroy you. They are designe...

  Words of Wisdom for Better Living (Ephesians 5:15–18) "Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise,"  Ephesians 5:15 (KSB)    The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 5, gives us timeless words of wisdom for better living . Following the model of Solomon, one of the wisest men in Scripture, and Jesus, our divine Teacher, Paul offers principles that help us live with wisdom, purpose, and balance. His message is as relevant today as it was to the church in Ephesus.  Who doesn’t desire to live a better life? Who doesn’t long to become their best self? Let us affirm together: I desire to live my best life. My life is getting better and better every day and in every way. 1. Maximize Opportunities (Ephesians 5:16)    Paul reminds us to make the most of every opportunity. God is always opening doors and creating new pathways for growth and blessing. Your gift will make room for you and bring you before great people. When you see every...

  I Believe in People, But My Faith Is in God (Ephesians 4:5) "There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism." Ephesians 4:5 (KSB)    In Ephesians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul encourages the church at Ephesus to live in unity, equality, and peace. He reminds them that there is only one body, one Spirit, and one hope . That one Spirit is the Spirit of God, that one body is the body of Christ, and that one hope is eternal and good. But Paul goes even deeper: “There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.”  When Paul says “one Lord,” he is declaring that there is only one true power and one presence in the universe, God . Every other ruler or authority ultimately draws their power from Him. Scripture reminds us that promotion does not come from the east, west, or south, but from the Lord. God alone lifts up and brings low. All authority flows from Him, and He remains the one source of power in our lives.    Paul continues by saying there is “one ...

  God is in Every Person, Every Place, and Everything "One God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in all."   Ephesians 4:6 (KSB)    The Apostle Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 4:6 that there is only one God and Father of all , who is above all, in all, and through all. This powerful truth points us toward unity, equality, peace, and oneness. God is the Father of all meaning there is one heritage, one Creator, and one source of life. From the very beginning, God formed humanity from the dust of the earth and breathed into us the breath of life. That same divine breath flows in every human being. We may look, feel, or express ourselves differently, but we all share the same divine heritage.  Paul reminds us that God is above all . He is above every title, position, and earthly authority. No government, doctor, lawyer, or judge has the final word  Jehovah has the final say . When you realize that God is above all, you can rise above ...

  There’s a Grace on You (Ephesians 4:7) "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it."   Ephesians 4:7 KSB    There’s a grace on you. Grace is God’s unmerited favor, something you did not earn or work for. Yet, it has been placed upon you, making you both a gift and a carrier of gifts. Paul reminds the church at Ephesus that each one of us has received grace in the measure Christ desired. That means you are uniquely equipped for a divine purpose.  Because of this, it’s up to you to discern and discover the gifts God has placed within you. Pay attention to your journey, the impact you make on others, and the difference you bring into the world. Once discovered, develop those gifts, study, learn, and grow. Surround yourself with people who sharpen your gifts, for iron sharpens iron. And above all, demonstrate those gifts . Don’t hide your light under a bushel; place it on a lampstand for the world to see.    There ...

  Make a Move: Descend, Transcend, and Ascend with Christ (Ephesians 4:7–10) "The one who descended is the very same one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe." Ephesians 4:10    God is calling you to make a move. But in order to move, you must first understand what true spiritual movement looks like. One of the most stressful things we can do in life is physically move, we don’t realize how much we carry until it’s time to pack and go. When moving, we must decide what to take and what to leave, who is coming with us and who is staying behind. The same is true spiritually. There is a shift happening in your life, and it’s vital to understand what God is doing in this move.  God Himself does not move, for He is the everywhere-present Spirit of absolute good. Instead, it is you who are moving, your awareness, your consciousness, your faith. That spiritual movement is reflected in your physical life.    Ma...

  The Greatest Gift You Can Give: Yourself – Living the Five-Fold Calling "And he gave some to be apostles; some to be prophets; some to be evangelists; some to be pastors and some to be teachers;"   Ephesians 4:11 KSB    The greatest gift that you can give is yourself. It’s not your time, it’s you. It’s not your money, it’s you. When you are open, honest, and willing to share your life, that is the most powerful gift you can offer. You can give things without ever giving yourself. You can be physically present, giving your time, but still be mentally and emotionally absent. True giving requires vulnerability, transparency, and a willingness to let people in.  Jesus modeled this perfectly. He didn’t just give Himself when He died on the cross, He gave Himself every day of His ministry. He poured into His apostles, discipled His followers, and touched the lives of the multitudes. When He broke the bread and said, “Take, eat; this is My body,” it was...

  Let’s Grow Together: Aligning Beliefs, Behaviors, and Love in Christ "But speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ."   Ephesians 4:15 (KSB)    The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4 that there is both an individual and a collective consciousness in the Body of Christ. Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the saints for ministry and to build up His body. This body is not a single person, it is all of us, joined together in unity, growing as one.  For us to grow together , certain principles must be in place. First, our behaviors and beliefs must be in alignment. If they are not, we will experience inner turmoil, which will spill over into the communities we are part of. Paul warns us not to be like children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, but to stand firm in what we believe and live accordingly.   If your beliefs and behaviors do not match, y...

  Those Facts Are No Longer True. I AM New (Ephesians 4:24) "And put on the new person, which is created to be like God manifesting righteousness and holiness."   Ephesians 4:24 (KSB)    In Ephesians 4:24, Paul reminds us that in Christ we can become a new person. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “If any person is in Christ, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” This is one of the greatest joys of being a Christian, your past no longer has power over you. Those facts about who you used to be are no longer true, because I AM new .  In Christ, I have embraced a new way of being, seeing, thinking, speaking, and living. I have awakened to the truth of who I AM: God’s beloved child, made in His image and likeness perfect, whole, and complete. I AM a unique, unrepeatable expression of the Divine. I AM a spiritual being living in a spiritual universe, governed by the spiritual law of love. Through God’s grace and mercy, we are given the...

  Before and After, Part 3: Seeing Life from God’s Higher Perspective (Ephesians 4:17) "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, do not live like the Gentiles who live in the vanity of their own minds."  Ephesians 4:17 (KSB)    It’s all a matter of perspective. Sometimes we strain to see God in a situation or to find the good in it because we’re looking from an eye-level view. But when we rise in our consciousness to the Christ Mind, the higher perspective we begin to see differently. As your consciousness rises, your perspective changes.  Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:6 that when Christ rose from the dead, we rose with Him; and when He ascended into the heavenly realms, we ascended with Him. Jesus did not die alone we died with Him to our old ways of thinking, speaking, and living. When He rose, we rose. When He ascended, we ascended. Wherever Jesus is, we are welcome to be. We are not limited to the earth or to physical situations. We can transce...

  Before and After, Part 4: From Lying to Truth-Telling (Ephesians 4:26)  "Wherefore putting away lying, let every person speak truth to their neighbors: for we are members one of another."   Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭26 KSB‬‬    In Ephesians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul shows us the incredible transformation Christ brings into our lives. He moves us from blindness to sight, from ignorance to understanding, from darkness to light, from unholiness to holiness, from unrighteousness to righteousness. Through metaphors and spiritual contrasts, Paul paints a vivid picture of our journey in Christ from lust to love, from greed to gratefulness.  Then, Paul gets very specific, almost as if giving us a spiritual checklist to measure our growth in Christ. One of the clearest signs of transformation is moving from lying to truth-telling . The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and when we walk in the Spirit, we are empowered to be open, honest, and transparent first with...

  Living in Alignment with the Holy Spirit  "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit who has sealed you until the Day of Redemption."   Ephesians 4:30 KSB    All of us have experienced loss, it’s part of the human experience. The feelings that come with loss are called grief, sorrow, or mourning. Mourning is the process of handling loss. It may be the loss of a person, a job, or even a cherished possession. Each type of loss carries emotions, and there’s a process we go through to navigate it.  When your life has been aligned a certain way and you experience loss, you must realign. Without that person, place, or thing, your life feels off balance like driving a car out of alignment. It pulls in a certain direction, wears you out faster, and keeps you from traveling smoothly. In grief, you need to find your balance again, regain your rhythm, and recover your “mojo.”    Give yourself permission to grieve. Feel your feelings. Give yourself permis...

  There Is Only One (Ephesians 4:4) "There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism."  Ephesians 4:5 KSB    In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul boldly declares that there is only one body , one Spirit , and we have been called into one hope of our calling. Over the next few days, I will be exploring the powerful truth that there is only one, one power, one presence, and one source of all life. That power and presence is God. It is good, it is in us, it flows through us, and it works as us. I AM one with God. I AM one with all life. I AM one with the One, because there is only one.  Paul says there is only one Spirit. Some may call alcohol “spirits,” and others may believe in many dark or negative forces, but the truth is there is only one Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. This divine breath of life is in every person. It is the breath causing our lungs to expand and contract, the one breath God breathed into humanity’s nostrils at creation.  ...

  Unity in the Spirit: How Equality Brings Peace (Ephesians 4:3) "Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."  Ephesians 4:3 KSB    Unity is not something we have to fight for or create, it already exists. In Ephesians 4:3, Paul encourages us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This unity is found in the Spirit because we are all spiritual beings. In Christ, there is no male or female, Jew or Greek, bond or free we are one in Him.  There is no separation between us and God. "I and the Father are one." There is no separation between us and good, for God withholds no good thing. There is no separation between us and each other, every man is my brother, every woman my sister, every child my child. In the Spirit, prejudice, discrimination, and divisions disappear.    God’s promise in the last days is to pour out His Spirit on all flesh, breaking gender, age, and social barriers. The unity is...

  The Vocational Advantage: Living Worthy of Your Calling  "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beg you to walk worthy of the vocation by which you are called."   Ephesians 4:1 (KSB)    The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:1 that our calling, our vocation  is something far greater than just a job or even a career. A job is something you do to earn a paycheck. A career may reflect your education, skills, and achievements, but it does not necessarily bring fulfillment. A vocation, however, is a divine calling your God-given purpose and living it out changes everything.  I know this firsthand. I once climbed the career ladder: volunteer, intern, part-time counselor, part-time teacher, full-time counselor, director of counseling, school psychologist, and eventually assistant principal of a high school. It was respectable work, but it didn’t fill my soul. At 44, I retired from my career and stepped fully into my vocation full-time ministry....

  Voluntary Imprisonment: Choosing to Be a Prisoner of the Lord (Ephesians 4:1)  "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beg you to walk worthy of the vocation by which you are called."   Ephesians 4:1 (KSB)    In Ephesians 4:1, the Apostle Paul makes a striking statement: "I AM the prisoner of the Lord." It’s a bold way to describe oneself, especially when our usual conversations about God focus on liberty and freedom. We often celebrate verses like, "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" and "Whoever the Son sets free is free indeed." Yet here, Paul embraces the language of bondage not as something forced upon him, but as something he has chosen.    In biblical times, if someone could not pay a debt, they could voluntarily become an indentured servant. Some, once their debt was repaid, loved their master so much they chose to remain as “love slaves” willingly bound in service. Paul’s declaration reflects that sa...

  The Gift of Gratitude: Living in God’s Will Every Day "In the past, we lived in lasciviousness and out of greed did all kind of unclean things."  Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭KSB‬‬    In Ephesians 4:19, Paul contrasts our lives before Christ with our lives after Christ. He invites the church at Ephesus to remember where God brought them from, stirring gratitude in their hearts. Gratitude is not just a feeling; it’s a powerful spiritual tool that keeps us anchored in God’s will.  Some people keep a gratitude journal, jotting down blessings each day. Others begin or end their day reflecting on what they are thankful for. However, you choose to do it, make gratitude a daily habit. The Bible tells us, “In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” When you are grateful, you can rest assured you are walking in God’s will.  Gratitude affirms that God is pleased with you, that you are being who He has called you to be an...

  Our Response to God’s Ability "Now to God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us."   Ephesians 3:20 (KSB)    Have you ever had a job evaluation where the outcome was “did not meet expectations,” “met expectations,” or “exceeded expectations”? Or maybe you’ve seen those same labels on a school assignment or report card. Often, it’s the ones who exceed expectations that receive the rewards, bonuses, scholarships, opportunities.  I know life is full. Your plate is overflowing, your mind is spinning, and the demands on you feel relentless. You may feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and ready to throw in the towel. But what if I told you that your responsibility is simply your response to God’s ability in you, through you, and as you?  When it comes to God, all things are possible. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that He can do far more than we could ever ask or imagine but it happens acco...

  Exploring the Four Dimensions of Love: A Deeper Look at Ephesians 3:18                                                                "May you have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep the love of Christ is."   Ephesians 3:18 (KSB)    In Ephesians chapter 3, Paul introduces love not as a vague emotion or lofty idea, but as a multidimensional reality. Love, as Paul describes it, has depth, height, length, and width, each offering a profound insight into the character of Christ and our own call to grow in Him.  The height of love is kindness. Love rises higher and higher as we learn to be kind, especially to those who aren’t kind to us. When you bless those who curse you, pray for those who misuse you, and do good to those who hurt you, you’re cl...

  Experience Is Required, But Suffering Is Optional  "I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings, which are for your growth."  Ephesians 3:13 KSB    Experience is required, but suffering is optional. No one walks through life without encountering experiences. These moments are designed to help us learn, grow, unfold, and become. However, you do not have to suffer while you're going through them. Pain is not a prerequisite for transformation.  Today, I want to help you understand the difference between having an experience and enduring suffering. It all comes down to your perception, how you view and interpret what's happening determines whether you’re just experiencing life or needlessly suffering through it.  Jesus said to John at His baptism, “Suffer it to be so now,” which simply meant, allow it to happen. Allow the experience. But He wasn't saying to suffer in pain. You can allow the process without guilt, shame, co...