In Ephesians 3: 14-21, Paul prays for the Ephesians. His prayer consists of 2 main ideas:
1) He prays that they will know the size of the love of Christ.
2) He prays that they will have a sense of His power.
I need this in my own life! JD challenged me to pray for three things in response to this section in Ephesians. 1: Pray for the presence of God in my life. 2: Pray for the presence of God in my church. 3: Pray for the presence of God in my community (specifically someone I know who does not have the presence of God).
Paul lays it out clear: we need the presence of God (to experience his LOVE and POWER) to have the fullness of the Spirit. To know God should be the cry of our hearts! Thank you Lord for this reminder.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
The Church- Ephesians 2:11-3:13
The main idea for this lengthy passage is this: god has reconciled the Jews and Gentiles to become one body (the church) through which God uses to teach the world his wisdom. This is great news to the Gentile! Because, he was "formerly separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world" (2:12).
God did an amazing work and brought the two (Gentile and Jew) together and abolished their hostility so that they can comunicate the multifaceted wisdom of God (3:10). (See previous post). After listening to the sermon from JD Greear, I gained one big idea from his and this passage:
We are to be active parts of our church otherwise we cannot function as the Christians God wants us to be. What a thought! He made a statement that was pretty bold, but true nonetheless: "Do not ask for God's power and for him to work in your life if you have removed yourself from the means of that power." This makes sense! How can God work in my life when his plan is to use the church and I am not involved in the church??
I have currently just started attending a new church in which they promote life groups. These life groups are Bible studies during the week where the members discuss the sermon from the previous Sunday; an application time of sorts. I have not gotten involved in one yet, partially because I am still not sure whether God wants me at that church. I think the answer form here is to pray fervently about attending that church, wait for an answer, then get involved!
God did an amazing work and brought the two (Gentile and Jew) together and abolished their hostility so that they can comunicate the multifaceted wisdom of God (3:10). (See previous post). After listening to the sermon from JD Greear, I gained one big idea from his and this passage:
We are to be active parts of our church otherwise we cannot function as the Christians God wants us to be. What a thought! He made a statement that was pretty bold, but true nonetheless: "Do not ask for God's power and for him to work in your life if you have removed yourself from the means of that power." This makes sense! How can God work in my life when his plan is to use the church and I am not involved in the church??
I have currently just started attending a new church in which they promote life groups. These life groups are Bible studies during the week where the members discuss the sermon from the previous Sunday; an application time of sorts. I have not gotten involved in one yet, partially because I am still not sure whether God wants me at that church. I think the answer form here is to pray fervently about attending that church, wait for an answer, then get involved!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Multifaceted
So I have 3 more verses to go until I was supposed to post (I'm going through JD Greear's sermon series in order) but this verse was so amazing I had to post! I love it when God speaks to me where I am and uses things in my life to help me understand His Word.
3:10 says, "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms." At first: confusing! But after reading some notes and digging a little deeper: gold.
The word manifold means: variegated or multifaceted. The note in my Bible says, "in the way that many facets of a diamond reflect and enhance it's beauty." A DIAMOND!!! God is so funny. I just got a beautiful diamond for Christmas with MANY facets. I understand multifaceted; I think I've looked at my ring a thousand times now. And this is how God chooses to describe his wisdom. How cool!
It goes on to say (paraphrase) that the degree that Christians are united (understand his wisdom) is the degree that the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms understand God's wisdom. That's a lot of responsibility. So, our job is to understand the multiple facets of God's wisdom and be united as a church (local and global) and so communicate God's wisdom to the heavenly authorities. I pray we are doing a job worthy of our wonderful Savior!
3:10 says, "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms." At first: confusing! But after reading some notes and digging a little deeper: gold.
The word manifold means: variegated or multifaceted. The note in my Bible says, "in the way that many facets of a diamond reflect and enhance it's beauty." A DIAMOND!!! God is so funny. I just got a beautiful diamond for Christmas with MANY facets. I understand multifaceted; I think I've looked at my ring a thousand times now. And this is how God chooses to describe his wisdom. How cool!
It goes on to say (paraphrase) that the degree that Christians are united (understand his wisdom) is the degree that the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms understand God's wisdom. That's a lot of responsibility. So, our job is to understand the multiple facets of God's wisdom and be united as a church (local and global) and so communicate God's wisdom to the heavenly authorities. I pray we are doing a job worthy of our wonderful Savior!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Ephesians 2:1-10- Thank you Jesus!
This week has been one crazy week spiritually! The theme in my life lately has been fear. I am very fearful of things and God is revealing how that is a sin because I am making my fear an idol; I am not trusting Him. I listened to a podcast by J.D Greear (Fear: Homewrecker Series) which explicitly stated the negative consequences of fear. J.D and his wife helped me understand that my fear is crippling me now, and could in huge ways someday in marriage. I am so glad that God is working this out in me right now.
While Ephesians 2 does not talk about fear, it goes perfectly with this week's lesson from God. There is a very start contrast in Ephesians 2:1-10.
1) We were dead in our transgressions. Like corpses, we could not do anything to save ourselves. The ONLY thing we were capable of was living in our own sin and gratifying craving of our flesh. Then comes the beautiful transition.
2) BUT GOD. But God!!!! In his great love and mercy, God saved me. He lifted me out of my filthy sin and chose to seat me in heaven with his Son. Verses 8-9 highlights it for us: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works so that no one can boast."This is so beautiful in contrast to the rotten filth that I was before.
Verses 4-10 make it possible for overcoming fear in my life. Without God's incredible mercy, I would be stuck with my fear forever. But I am not because He loves me! This incredible truth danced in my heart this moment and I am an eternally grateful for the gift that God has given me. Merry Christmas to me!
While Ephesians 2 does not talk about fear, it goes perfectly with this week's lesson from God. There is a very start contrast in Ephesians 2:1-10.
1) We were dead in our transgressions. Like corpses, we could not do anything to save ourselves. The ONLY thing we were capable of was living in our own sin and gratifying craving of our flesh. Then comes the beautiful transition.
2) BUT GOD. But God!!!! In his great love and mercy, God saved me. He lifted me out of my filthy sin and chose to seat me in heaven with his Son. Verses 8-9 highlights it for us: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works so that no one can boast."This is so beautiful in contrast to the rotten filth that I was before.
Verses 4-10 make it possible for overcoming fear in my life. Without God's incredible mercy, I would be stuck with my fear forever. But I am not because He loves me! This incredible truth danced in my heart this moment and I am an eternally grateful for the gift that God has given me. Merry Christmas to me!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving Thanks
In Ephesians 1: 15-16 Paul says, "For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers."
How many people have we not stopped giving thanks for?
Today is a day for thankfulness; a national day where we all stop and give thanks. But isn't this not Biblical? ONE day we stop to give thanks. Paul says he has not stopped giving thanks! For at least one day today, lets see if we can go a whole day without ceasing to give thanks for all God has done for us. Happy Thanksgiving!
How many people have we not stopped giving thanks for?
Today is a day for thankfulness; a national day where we all stop and give thanks. But isn't this not Biblical? ONE day we stop to give thanks. Paul says he has not stopped giving thanks! For at least one day today, lets see if we can go a whole day without ceasing to give thanks for all God has done for us. Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Starting a Blog
Hello! A few of my dear Christian friends keep blogs about what they learn from God. I started contemplating the reason for blogging and thought that even if no one reads it, it can help organize my thoughts about what I am learning from God. I mean, really, the point of learning from God is so that I can share with others and what better way to share with others than to practice with a blog? If my thoughts are organized here, then when someone on the street asks me what I'm learning, I don't have to come up with some strained answer. So, here goes!
I will be blogging through Ephesians for a while since I am just starting to study the book.
Ephesians 1:3-14:
The part of this passage that God really threw at me was from verses 12 and 14- where Paul says we are to be "for the praise of his glory," and "to the praise of his glory." I am created FOR the praise of his glory!? That is what I was made for?
God prepared my heart to receive this yesterday when I was listening to a podcast by Matt Chandler. He was talking about how we are placed where we are by God to bring him glory. And now, today, I learn that I am FOR his praise!? How cool. This means that where I work (school teacher) is FOR His praise. Where I live (with a family) is FOR his praise. My relationship is FOR his praise. This puts my life into perspective. Am I doing anything in those areas of my life that are not for His praise? If so, then I am in direct disobedience to my purpose.
Knowing that my creation was for His praise gives me new motivation. Through sanctification, my life increasingly needs to look more like His--and TO the praise of His glory.
Thanks be to God for His Word!
I will be blogging through Ephesians for a while since I am just starting to study the book.
Ephesians 1:3-14:
The part of this passage that God really threw at me was from verses 12 and 14- where Paul says we are to be "for the praise of his glory," and "to the praise of his glory." I am created FOR the praise of his glory!? That is what I was made for?
God prepared my heart to receive this yesterday when I was listening to a podcast by Matt Chandler. He was talking about how we are placed where we are by God to bring him glory. And now, today, I learn that I am FOR his praise!? How cool. This means that where I work (school teacher) is FOR His praise. Where I live (with a family) is FOR his praise. My relationship is FOR his praise. This puts my life into perspective. Am I doing anything in those areas of my life that are not for His praise? If so, then I am in direct disobedience to my purpose.
Knowing that my creation was for His praise gives me new motivation. Through sanctification, my life increasingly needs to look more like His--and TO the praise of His glory.
Thanks be to God for His Word!
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