Today Our Daily Bread Eph 2 (From Rock Church's Daily Bread Reading List) plus Ro 16:19-20 & Acts 17:6

Ephesians 2:1-22
By Grace Through Faith
Salvation by Grace Through Faith in Christ
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Brought Near by His Blood
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- 12that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Christ Our Cornerstone
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
Before Adam sinned, man was spiritually and naturally alive unto God. Sin brought spiritual death and separation from (the fellowship) of God(’s great love). Because the freewill action of disobedience was the cause of this great separation which brought the severe penalty of death (which could have been eternal death, with no way of repair and the bringing of life in the created beings back to God), death had to be dealt with on the level of the freewill. The course of this world is death, because willful disobedienceinvited its rule. Sin being the ruler of our wills is the WAY of the prince of darkness (satan himself). BUT through Jesus, who through the free exercise of His will, obeyed God, we can be made (spiritually) alive unto God once more, but only if we desire to. Yet it is more than mere desire that must take us to that place and keep us in that place of life. It is the exercise of our own free wills unto God continuously. If you said, "I love you dear", to Your spouse on your wedding day, but that was the last day you ever said that, and after that you never again acted as though you were even married to that person, you wouldn’t even live in their house! Do you think they would believe you loved them? Even if you said with your mouth that day, that it was forever? NO WAY Jose! You have to prove it and a more accurate word is demonstrate your promise to them. Your words would be powerless if your life action did not back it up!
So, Do you love God? Do you believe in Him? In His Son? Do you lie in His house, forever? (starting when you were born again-or just once a year at Christmas?) How does God KNOW we mean what we say? By what we do. We live out what we really believe. It is all a matter of the will. The war and the victories are in the area of the will. This is where the first battle began, and the last battle ends, for us. Whenever we choose God’s WAY, we are saying a very loud NO to the enemy’s way. When we say No to God’s way, even by subtle non-action, non-participation, we say a loud YES to God’s enemy and the enemy of our wills. When we do that continually we are in covenant with sin, when we practice obedience to God, we have cut off our other "lover" and have "married" or become joined to His will. The more we obey God and disobey the evil sway, the ore territory we take back for the kingdom of God. Sometimes when I feel rebellion rise in me over a Godly principle that could be acted out inside of me, but my flesh is resisting. I purposely rise up and obey God anyway, even at that moment to spite the enemy. I say NO to his way on purpose, because I know he wants to think he wins in using me instead of me being used by God. I do not want God to feel alone where I’m concerned. Does my small act of obedience help God at all? Did Jesus’? Or does it have to be a big act to help God? Think about that one. (God’s plan, His way, His rule, His goals?)When we join ourselves to His will this way, we are not strangers of God, but Sons and heirs and citizens and members of His household and His family, the temple of God’s Spirit, a part of the Temple of His house.Again, this is what changes the world, yours and the one you are a part of. Everything we do has a rippling effect. Everything. God made it so, on purpose, that way, when we do righteously it effects any others. Be bold in Christ and alter your world!
Romans 16:19-20 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Acts 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.