Bible League: Living His Word I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God's power is very great for us who believe.Ephesians 1:18-19 is a part of the prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed on a regular basis for the Ephesian church and, no doubt, for all the churches he was involved with. It's a great prayer to pray for one's own friends, family, church, school, etc. The prayer begins with a request that God would give the ability to see truth. What Paul has in mind here is the ability to see the truth of the Gospel and God's revelation in general. God's revelation may become available to people, but unless the Lord grants the faith necessary to see revelation for what it is it will be lost on them. What Paul is praying for here is that the church would have true religious or spiritual knowledge. If the Lord grants this spiritual knowledge, then we will know certain things. First, we will know "the hope He has chosen us to have." This is, of course, the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the hope of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. It is the hope of abundant life in the present and, ultimately, eternal life. Second, we will know that "the blessings God has promised His holy people are rich and glorious." This refers to all the great and mighty blessings God has promised His people throughout the Bible. Since Christians are God's holy people, all of these rich and glorious promises now belong to us. We may have faith in God to fulfill them in our lives. Finally, we will know that "God's power is very great for us who believe." As Paul goes on to say in Chapter 1, this is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the resurrection power that is already at work in our lives by healing us, strengthening us, and empowering us to do everything God wants us to do. Ultimately, it is the power that will raise us up from the dead just as Jesus was raised. Paul's prayer is a powerful and effective prayer of a righteous man (James 5:16). Why not make it the model for your own prayers today? Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJoshua 14, 15 Joshua 14 -- Land West of Jordan Divided; Caleb given Hebron NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Joshua 15 -- Territory of Judah Allotted NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 4:33-44 Luke 4 -- Jesus' Temptation; Rejection at Nazareth; Public Ministry; Healings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Those who love your instructions have great peaceand do not stumble. Insight Modern society longs for peace of mind. Here is clear-cut instruction on how to attain this: if we love God and obey his laws, we will have “great peace.” Challenge Trust in God, who alone stands above the pressures of daily life and gives us full assurance. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon John 3:13 The Son of man.How constantly our Master used the title, the "Son of man!" If he had chosen, he might always have spoken of himself as the Son of God, the Everlasting Father, the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the Prince of Peace; but behold the lowliness of Jesus! He prefers to call himself the Son of man. Let us learn a lesson of humility from our Saviour; let us never court great titles nor proud degrees. There is here, however, a far sweeter thought. Jesus loved manhood so much, that he delighted to honor it; and since it is a high honor, and indeed, the greatest dignity of manhood, that Jesus is the Son of man, he is wont to display this name, that he may as it were hang royal stars upon the breast of manhood, and show forth the love of God to Abraham's seed. Son of man--whenever he said that word, he shed a halo round the head of Adam's children. Yet there is perhaps a more precious thought still. Jesus Christ called himself the Son of man to express his oneness and sympathy with his people. He thus reminds us that he is the one whom we may approach without fear. As a man, we may take to him all our griefs and troubles, for he knows them by experience; in that he himself hath suffered as the "Son of man," he is able to succor and comfort us. All hail, thou blessed Jesus! inasmuch as thou art evermore using the sweet name which acknowledges that thou art a brother and a near kinsman, it is to us a dear token of thy grace, thy humility, thy love. "Oh see how Jesus trusts himself Unto our childish love, As though by his free ways with us Our earnestness to prove! His sacred name a common word On earth he loves to hear; There is no majesty in him Which love may not come near." Daily Light on the Daily Path Luke 5:5 Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets."Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. • "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, • teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 1 Corinthians 9:16,22 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. • To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. Galatians 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. 1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
Click for Video Devotionals     |