ENJOYING THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD PT. 2

IT IS INTERESTING HOW PAUL GOES FROM 202 WORDS OF PRAISING GOD IN EPHESIANS 1:3-14 TO 169 WORDS OF PRAYER, IN 1:15-23. THEY BOTH COMPRISE ONE SENTENCE. PAUL GRAMMAR TEACHER WOULD NOT BE VERY FOND OF HIM. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING THAT IS GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT IS NOT ALWAYS THEOLOGICALLY POWERFUL. PAUL WRITES UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE MASTERFULLY DESCRIBES THE GREAT WORK OF OUR THRICE HOLY GOD IN SALVATION IN VERSES 3-14. WHERE WILL HE GO NOW, AFTER SUCH WEIGHTY PRAISE TO OUR SOVEREIGN GOD?

TRUE AUTHENTIC PRAISE PLACES US ON OUR KNEES. PAUL SHIFTS FROM PRAISE TO PRAYER. PAUL PRAYS FOR THE EPHESIANS SAINTS AND SAINTS THROUGHOUT TIME FOR US TO HAVE A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM. SIMPLY PUT, PAUL PRAYS THAT WE WOULD COME TO KNOW THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION BETTER.

PAUL SAYS GOD PLANNED HIS WORK AND THEN WORKED HIS PLAN. HE THAT HAS BEGAN A GOOD WORK IS FAITHFUL TO COMPLETE IT UNTIL THE DAY OF REDEMPTION. (PHIL. 1:6) WHAT A GLORIOUS PROMISE TO THOSE IN CHRIST. OUR GOD'S CONFIDENCE IS IN HIMSELF. IT IS ONLY FITTING THAT HE BE PRAISED AND KNOWN BY HIS PEOPLE. THIS SHOULD BE THE BELIEVERS LONGING TO KNOW GOD BETTER. WE SHOULD PRAISE HIM WITH ALL THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE TRULY UNDERSTAND ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST. READ OVER EPH. 1:3-14 AND REFLECT ON THE RICHES THAT ARE OURS IN CHRIST JESUS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PRESENT CONDITIONS OF OUR WORLD IT CAN BE DEPRESSIING. ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY WE ARE IN TROUBLE. IT IS EASY FOR A BELIEVER IN CHRIST TO FEEL ABANDONED. HOWEVER AFTER READING EPHESIANS WE REALIZE HOW RICH WE ARE IN CHRIST. THANK GOD FOR HIS WORD! ECONOMICALLY, THE PRICES OF GAS AND MORTGAGES ARE SOARING, BUT OUR INHERITANCE IS SECURE. POLITICALLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE, BUT OUR HOPE IN IN CHRIST AND HIS WORD IS SURE. SOCIALLY, WE SEE SINS EFFECT ON MANKIND, BUT WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN IN CHRIST TO BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM. SPIRITUALLY, WE SOMETIMES FEEL BANKRUPT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN CHRIST. SO FOCUS NOT ON YOUR PROBLEMS BUT YOUR PRIVILEGES. TO GOD BE PRAISED!!!!!

O' THAT WE MIGHT KNOW HIM (PHIL. 3:10)

ENJOYING THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

THE LORD HAS BEEN MATURING ME GREATLY AS HE INCREASES MY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF MY SALVATION. I HAVE BEEN PREACHING THROUGH THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS.
I STARTED WITH THE GREAT HYMN OF GRACE IN CHAPTER 1:3-14. PAUL IS PRAISING GOD FOR BLESSINGS THAT OR OUR IN CHRIST JESUS. IT IS AWESOME TO UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE ALL THAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST JESUS. WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING THEIR IS. WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN IN CHRIST BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. WHICH MEANS GOD'S CHOOSING IS NOT ABOUT OUR BEHAVIOR BUT GOD'S BENEVOLENCE. I SEARCH THROUGH THIS DOXOLOGY AND I COULD NOT FIND ONE SINGLE THING WE DID TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SALVATION. IT WAS THE FATHERS PLAN TO BLESS US IN CHRIST AND TO CHOOSE US IN CHRIST. AND THEN HE NOT ONLY CHOSE US AND BLESSED US IN CHRIST BUT HE ADPOTED US INTO HIS FAMILY. IT IS ONE THING TO BE INVITED INTO A KINGDOM BUT ANOTHER TO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. BLESSED, CHOSEN , ADOPTED, REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE SON AND SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE WHICH IS THE GUARANTEE OF OUR INHERITANCE. NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY PAUL USES 202 WORDS IN THESE 12 VERSES WHICH MAKE UP ONE SENTENCE. IT IS IF HE CAN'T STOP PRAISING GOD.

AND THOSE OF US IN CHRIST, OUGHT PRAISE HIM AS WELL. THANK GOD FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT ARE OURS IN CHRIST JESUS.
THE WORD TODAY IS LET'S TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF OUR PROBLEMS AND FOCUS ON OUR PRIVILEGES THAT ARE GIVEN TO US IN CHRIST JESUS. PRAISE GOD THIS DAY FOR THE GREATNESS OF HIS PLAN AND THE GREATNESS OF OUR PRIVILEGES IN CHRIST JESUS. HALLELUAH!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR THE LAMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!