Tag: Ephesians 1
Chosen in Him!
Scripture reading for August 25: Ephesians 1
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, . .” Ephesians 1:3-8
According to Paul, those ‘in Christ’ are beyond blessed! God, our Father, chose us before the world was formed to be ‘in Christ’ and as a result to be holy and blameless as Christ is holy and blameless. God our Father has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places! ‘In Christ’ we are adopted as sons and daughters of God in His forever family. He placed us there in His amazing foreknowledge before the earth was formed. His gracious love was given on purpose to us in His Beloved Son through the shedding of His blood on the cross, purchasing our redemption from sin and resulting death. God lavished on us forgiveness of sins and opened our eyes and hearts to His glory and wisdom through the gift of His Holy Spirit.
Our response to God’s amazing love and lavish giving is to worship Him and bless His Name. All we can do is say ‘thank You’ Lord! By faith we say ‘amen’ to each act of grace offered to us ‘in Christ’. We often struggle to understand the amazing love of God our Father and Jesus Christ our Redeemer. As we worship and invite God to reveal His plans and purposes to us, He gives us heavenly vision and revelation of who we are and Who Christ is to us and all mankind. These declarations of God’s blessings ‘in Christ’ led Paul to pray for more wisdom and understanding of our inheritance and Christ’s resurrection power. (Ephesians 1:15-20)
As you look at your life, would you say that you are living ‘in Christ Jesus?’ What emotions are present when you think about God our Father choosing us ‘before the foundation of the world?’ How does this passage speak to orphans and those who may be without family and lonely?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the many saints that You lavish Your love upon. Thank You for choosing us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in Christ Jesus. Thank You for adopting us into Your forever family! Give us vision and renewed understanding of the mystery of Your will in Christ for us. Amen.
Paul prayed for us!
Scripture reading for August 24th: Ephesians 1
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Ephesians 1: 17-19 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.”
Sin’s darkness over the souls of men hide from them the understanding of God as our Father and His great love for us as children made in His image and likeness. Paul understood our need and prayed accordingly for the Church of his time and us for an understanding of God that would grow deeper each day. He also prayed for each heart to be full of light concerning God’s plan and kingdom and the great power He has bestowed on His redeemed people to make them over-comers who will enjoy the fullest blessings of knowing God and Jesus Christ here on earth and then for eternity!
Observations for over-comers: Prayer for the Spirit of wisdom and understanding is vital for over-comers living today. Praying Scripture makes prayer simple and aligns our heart in unity with the Spirit of God. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, in Your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. . .” (Jonah 2:7-8)
Eyes of the heart!
Scripture reading for August 25th: Ephesians 1
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 1:1)
Paul opened his letter to the Ephesian church by addressing them as ‘saints’, the ‘faithful in Christ Jesus.’ Paul always tried to help believers view themselves as Christ would–new creations made holy by the blood of their Savior! He emphasized their continued faithfulness to stay in Christ and proceeded to give them a beautiful description of their standing with Christ. They had been chosen by Him “before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” (vs 4) They had also been adopted as God’s sons through Christ. (vs 5) They also had been given a knowledge of the ‘mystery of His will.’ (vs 9) They were also ‘marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.’ (vs 13)
Paul then recorded a prayer to help us to pray for continued understanding. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:17-19a)
Believers have a second set of eyes given them–the ‘eyes of your heart.’ These eyes are opened through prayer and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. As God’s Word is allowed access, the Spirit brings light to our inner man and our faith expands to give purpose and meaning to each day. We can know Christ and His provision for us!