Ephesians- Blessings

Blessings

Question of the day:  What is your greatest blessing this week?

If you haven't heard...

I AM A GRANDMOTHER!!!!!!

What a week filled with blessings we have had.  Right now it is 6 am and I am watching Chris walk little Nolan to sleep while mom and dad try to get a few minutes of sleep.  Oh the joy, the blessings, they are too many to count.  

This morning we are going to be studying the last few verses in Ephesians 1.  Let's read verses 15-23 together and then share together. 

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray 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 his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

When I read the first two verses in this chapter I get emotional.  At the baby showers both at the Foster SDA church and at the Kings house with our UCSDA family, it was so beautiful to see how both churches were loving our kids.  There is nothing more powerful for a church to do than to love all of God's people!!!!!!! 

How have you this week, or even today loving God's people?

Paul goes on to say what he is praying for them.  I am going to list them and I would like you as a class to discuss what it will look like today when we as a church have or are filled with each of these gifts...

1. The Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better.   (KNOW Love.)
2.  The eyes of your heart may be enlightened (Read why...)
3.  His incomparably great power. (Be sure to reread what this power is.)

So the number 1 is all about knowing Him right?

I LOVE this verse because I LOVE the word for KNOW.  

We have talked about it before, but this is a great word.  A word that says so much more than just to have knowledge of....

Cognate: 1922 epígnōsis (from 1909 /epí, "on, fitting" which intensifies 1108 /gnṓsis, "knowledge gained through first-hand relationship") – properly, "contact-knowledge" that is appropriate ("apt, fitting") to first-hand, experiential knowing. This is defined by the individual context. See 1921 (epignōskō).

This is about knowing him on a very personal level.  First hand knowledge.  Experiential knowing. 

This week I became a grandma.  Everyone told me it would be great, I imagined it would be great, I dreamed about it for weeks leading up to the big day and they were vivid amazing dreams, BUT!

NOTHING!!!!! NOTHING prepared me for the real thing!!!!!  I tired to imagine it, but until I experienced it, I  really had no idea! 

We are to KNOW him with a first hand, holding the baby in your arms understanding.  This is not to know that it will be great, or that being a great parent is the best thing on earth, it is experiencing it and let me just tell you there is nothing like it!!!!!

The second one...

What are the eyes of your heart?

I love that line... What does it mean?

The word for heart I looked up and this is what is says...

2588 kardía – heart; "the affective center of our being" and the capacity of moral preference (volitional desire, choice; see P. Hughs, 2 Cor, 354); "desire-producer that makes us tick" (G. Archer), i.e our "desire-decisions" that establish who we really are.

In closing I want you to spend a few minutes on this last sentence.    

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

This chapter ends really telling us what the whole chapter has been about.  From the very beginning to the end, this chapter is about HIM!  What He has done for us and what He is doing for us and what He will do for us. 

It is very important that we get this chapter.  It is important that we see it as all that he has done!  This isn't about us, but HIM.

Why is that important?

1. We are quick to make all things about us! It is our nature.
2.  Paul is going to tackle some challenging subjects and frankly as we get into this it would be easy for us to take things in a terrible direction, but the facts are if we keep Him front and center to the entire book, His character, what He has done and what He is and will do, then it will help us better understand the rest of the book. 

If you have time, I would love it if someone would read the chapter aloud one more time from verse one to the end.  Keeping in mind, that it is all about HIM!

KNOW Love.
LIVE Love.
SHARE Love.