4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Paul an Apostle, a chosen vessel through whom God instructed His people toward a right relationship with Himself. Being endowed with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, had the capacity to have insight into the mysteries of the Scriptures. That same Spirit who empowered Paul and raised Jesus from the dead also indwells us. How well are we stewarding that awesome power? Do we seek Him for insight and understanding on behalf of others in the body of Christ or are we stuck in the zone of praying for comfort and safety and the occasional parking spot? Come on people, talk about wireless technology, we have a direct line to the throne room of God and we find it hard to make the call. What's up with that? I submit that it is the spirit of the age, apathy, lethargy and distraction, that keeps us believers ineffective, and on the sidelines. The parable of the talents is the definitive depiction of how we are to be shrewd, industrious and effective with the gifts God has given us, and the rewards that await us when we are impactful with them. Chief among the various gifts is the Holy Spirit. So in the spiritual realm if you are the janitor in a Fortune 500 company and you are the only believer on site you are God's man on the scene with the authority of heaven and the guidance of His Spirit to do His will. Walk in that calling, seek Him for the wisdom that is from on high, remember His modus operendi is to use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. So make it happen.
APPLICATION
I will seek to be bold today and be sensitive to His Spirit and accomplish great things.
Welcome
One of the most effective ways to allow the Word of God to affect your life is to study it inductively. That is what this blog is all about. Typically one verse per day will be mined for insight and then followed up with how I plan to implement that insight practically. My prayer is that in some way you find this useful in your journey and that it may impact you positively. -G
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Ephesians 3:3
3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.
One of the ways our relationship with God is made manifest is to come to Him with a question or an issue that is important to us to understand or when we need wisdom or discretion in a matter. As we seek Him in prayer and as we search the Scriptures for insight the Holy Spirit will lead us into truth. This is one of the most effective manners which we can relate to Him. He seeks worshippers who will worship Him in Spirit and truth.
God is always teaching, problem is we are not always learning. It is very important to get our hearts into the condition that we are open to learn or to be taught. By seeking Him on a matter we fulfill the following...
APPLICATION
Bring glory to the King and seek Him for His wisdom with a heart that is willing to learn.
One of the ways our relationship with God is made manifest is to come to Him with a question or an issue that is important to us to understand or when we need wisdom or discretion in a matter. As we seek Him in prayer and as we search the Scriptures for insight the Holy Spirit will lead us into truth. This is one of the most effective manners which we can relate to Him. He seeks worshippers who will worship Him in Spirit and truth.
God is always teaching, problem is we are not always learning. It is very important to get our hearts into the condition that we are open to learn or to be taught. By seeking Him on a matter we fulfill the following...
Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
APPLICATION
Bring glory to the King and seek Him for His wisdom with a heart that is willing to learn.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Ephesians 3:2 - Recognizing the Handiwork of God
2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.
It is interesting to me to see that Paul who had a deep and continuous burden for the Jewish people was not called to minister to them, but to the Gentiles instead. In God's economy it is not about what we want, it is about what God wants, that matters. It is more advantageous and profitable to get in on what God is already doing.
Seek and you will find the areas where God has been pouring out His grace and building His Kingdom in your midst. Then join Him there, add your gifts and talents to what He is already doing and you will find that you are in the center of His will for your life. For more on this subject there is a workbook called "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby
Here is a link to amazon to get this workbook .
APPLICATION
Lord help me to be sensitive to find your handiwork in my life and to join you there.
It is interesting to me to see that Paul who had a deep and continuous burden for the Jewish people was not called to minister to them, but to the Gentiles instead. In God's economy it is not about what we want, it is about what God wants, that matters. It is more advantageous and profitable to get in on what God is already doing.
Seek and you will find the areas where God has been pouring out His grace and building His Kingdom in your midst. Then join Him there, add your gifts and talents to what He is already doing and you will find that you are in the center of His will for your life. For more on this subject there is a workbook called "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby
APPLICATION
Lord help me to be sensitive to find your handiwork in my life and to join you there.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Ephesians 3:1
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
In the city of Rome there remains still the dungeon room where Paul was held captive as he wrote this letter to the Ephesian church. The Mamartine Prison is carved out of cold stone it is dark, and dank. Yet the heart of Paul is burning brightly as he put pen to paper revealing the mysteries of God. Though it was Roman centurions who physically held him there it is Christ who he is the prisoner of. Chained to a stone post his mobility curtailed, stripped of any creature comfort he is focused on the spiritual message of nurturing and encouraging the church. From this very place a significant portion of the New Testament was recorded. Paul did not let his circumstance diminish his gift or calling. I propose that if he was not in prison he would be out and about visiting these churches and enriching them verbally. Being immobilized, he continues the work with the strength he had left by writing down his sermons. So therefore through the imprisonment of Paul we have this treasure trove of Scripture, because he walked in his calling and gifts no matter what.
APPLICATION
I need to do what I can with what I have and not be deterred by circumstance.
In the city of Rome there remains still the dungeon room where Paul was held captive as he wrote this letter to the Ephesian church. The Mamartine Prison is carved out of cold stone it is dark, and dank. Yet the heart of Paul is burning brightly as he put pen to paper revealing the mysteries of God. Though it was Roman centurions who physically held him there it is Christ who he is the prisoner of. Chained to a stone post his mobility curtailed, stripped of any creature comfort he is focused on the spiritual message of nurturing and encouraging the church. From this very place a significant portion of the New Testament was recorded. Paul did not let his circumstance diminish his gift or calling. I propose that if he was not in prison he would be out and about visiting these churches and enriching them verbally. Being immobilized, he continues the work with the strength he had left by writing down his sermons. So therefore through the imprisonment of Paul we have this treasure trove of Scripture, because he walked in his calling and gifts no matter what.
APPLICATION
I need to do what I can with what I have and not be deterred by circumstance.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Ephesians 2:22
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
I find it interesting that Paul references that when we together, join ourselves, gather or create unity or a group we become a place where God is present. Indeed we have the indwelling Spirit of God in us individually but it is not until
So the power of the church is not derived from the presence of a charasmatic leader who communicates to the gathering but it is in the gathering itself that brings about the presence of a Holy God who inhabits the praises of His people. PS. 22:3
APPLICATION
So in the day and age where we can dial in our favorite pastor and go to "virtual church" we need to be careful not to forsake the gathering of the believers, for therein is power, and the presence of God. Hebrews 10:25
I find it interesting that Paul references that when we together, join ourselves, gather or create unity or a group we become a place where God is present. Indeed we have the indwelling Spirit of God in us individually but it is not until
Matthew 18:20There is something about the gathering, the group that forms something more powerful...
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 16:18bFor what is the church but a gathering of believers? Certainly it is not the building but the like minded group of people that come together in any way, building or not.
...I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.
So the power of the church is not derived from the presence of a charasmatic leader who communicates to the gathering but it is in the gathering itself that brings about the presence of a Holy God who inhabits the praises of His people. PS. 22:3
APPLICATION
So in the day and age where we can dial in our favorite pastor and go to "virtual church" we need to be careful not to forsake the gathering of the believers, for therein is power, and the presence of God. Hebrews 10:25
Friday, February 25, 2011
Ephesians 2:21
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
From the time of the liberation of the children of Israel from Egyptian captivity to the time of the great and beloved King David the tabernacle of God was in a tent, a temporary movable dwelling place, not so cool. Then King David put it into his heart to build a temple, a magnificent permanent building for God. He thought, "we all live in houses and yet God dwells in a tent...". His plans were thwarted and the task fell to his son Solomon to build. And build he did. It became the most magnificent building in the world at the time, one feature was that the wall coverings were pure gold, pretty flashy. The temple became a symbol of the greatness of the God of the Israelites. Their culture was dependent upon this symbol. So bear this in mind as we see Paul in these verses, leading an offshoot of Judaism, teaching that the practice of animal sacrifice which took place in the temple was no longer necessary for fellowship with God. He constructs this premise of a living temple made up of God's holy people...
APPLICATION
To be mindful that my body is His holy dwelling place and that I need to treat it in a way that is honoring to the King who inhabits it.
From the time of the liberation of the children of Israel from Egyptian captivity to the time of the great and beloved King David the tabernacle of God was in a tent, a temporary movable dwelling place, not so cool. Then King David put it into his heart to build a temple, a magnificent permanent building for God. He thought, "we all live in houses and yet God dwells in a tent...". His plans were thwarted and the task fell to his son Solomon to build. And build he did. It became the most magnificent building in the world at the time, one feature was that the wall coverings were pure gold, pretty flashy. The temple became a symbol of the greatness of the God of the Israelites. Their culture was dependent upon this symbol. So bear this in mind as we see Paul in these verses, leading an offshoot of Judaism, teaching that the practice of animal sacrifice which took place in the temple was no longer necessary for fellowship with God. He constructs this premise of a living temple made up of God's holy people...
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1Peter 2:5In some way Paul is saying that as Christ is the one who holds together this new spiritual temple it is more precious than pure gold as it is made up of us, the apple of God's eye the crowning glory of God's creative efforts the human being.
APPLICATION
To be mindful that my body is His holy dwelling place and that I need to treat it in a way that is honoring to the King who inhabits it.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Ephesians 2:20 - Jesus Alive in the Now
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
The whole business of God interacting with the human race begins with the patriarchal prophet Abraham with the promise of creating a nation out of his family, and then the prophet Moses and the burning bush experience. The giving of the law and then the first coming of Christ, culminating eventually with His second coming. We now live in the age of grace, the time frame where God is not counting man's sin against him and our access to Him is through faith in the redeemer He sent on our behalf. Through the apostles we have the New Testament wherein we find the new covenant, a new agreement between heaven and earth. Now in this age God is making His appeal to all of mankind to come and have fellowship with Him, for we are all His creation but until we agree with Him that we need a savior and accept His Christ, we are not His children. It began with the prophets then the apostles then finally Christ's work on the cross which enables us to do the work on His behalf as he makes his abode in our bodies. It is in light of this ancient ancestry and current indwelling Spirit that we understand the big picture of what God is doing today. He is inviting all who will come to receive His gift of fellowship with Himself, and along with that fellowship comes peace, purpose and an eternal posterity.
APPLICATION
To boldly walk in His presence today and be ready to speak and do on his behalf.
The whole business of God interacting with the human race begins with the patriarchal prophet Abraham with the promise of creating a nation out of his family, and then the prophet Moses and the burning bush experience. The giving of the law and then the first coming of Christ, culminating eventually with His second coming. We now live in the age of grace, the time frame where God is not counting man's sin against him and our access to Him is through faith in the redeemer He sent on our behalf. Through the apostles we have the New Testament wherein we find the new covenant, a new agreement between heaven and earth. Now in this age God is making His appeal to all of mankind to come and have fellowship with Him, for we are all His creation but until we agree with Him that we need a savior and accept His Christ, we are not His children. It began with the prophets then the apostles then finally Christ's work on the cross which enables us to do the work on His behalf as he makes his abode in our bodies. It is in light of this ancient ancestry and current indwelling Spirit that we understand the big picture of what God is doing today. He is inviting all who will come to receive His gift of fellowship with Himself, and along with that fellowship comes peace, purpose and an eternal posterity.
APPLICATION
To boldly walk in His presence today and be ready to speak and do on his behalf.
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