To God be the Glory

Ephesians 1:15-23

Pastor Miles

1. Pray to know God better.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, (Ephesians 1:17 ESV)

How? Apart from reading the Bible, going to church, etc, we need the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.

2. Pray for spiritual insight.

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18 ESV)

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4-6 ESV)

3. Pray to know the call of God.

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might (Ephesians 1:18, 19 ESV)

His calling gives us a firm hope.

4. Pray to know the riches of God.

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might (Ephesians 1:18, 19 ESV)

Our inheritance is in heaven. We come to know his goodness and ultimate plan for us by catching a glimpse of this.

5. Pray to know the power of God.
A. The power to raise the dead to life.

and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead ..., (Ephesians 1:19, 20 ESV)

B. The power to lift you from dishonor to place of honor.

and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:19-23 ESV)

- example of how God raised up Christ.

DO: 

Reflect on areas in our lives that we need God's power.

PRAY:

Father, 

Help me to know You more. 

To know Your calling,

Your Riches,

Your Power that is mine in Christ.

Because I want to honor you,

To live for Your glory.

May You be glorified in me today.

Amen.

You Have Been Blessed

Ephesians 1:3-14

Pastor Miles

1. You have been blessed in many ways.
A. He chose you.

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. (Ephesians 1:4 ESV)

B. He adopted you.

he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:5 ESV)

C. He redeemed you.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (Ephesians 1:7 ESV)

D. He forgave our sins.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (Ephesians 1:7 ESV)

E. He made known to you His plan.

making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9, 10 ESV)

F. He has sealed you with the Holy Spirit.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13, 14 ESV)

- God has marked us. We belong to Him. His down payment is the Holy Spirit.

2. You have been blessed in Christ.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:7, 11, 13 ESV)

3. You have been blessed by His grace.

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 1:5-8 ESV)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (Ephesians 1:11 ESV)

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14 ESV)

4. You have been blessed for the praise of His glory.

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:12-14 ESV)

DAILY PRAYER

Father, thank you for your many blessings.

All this is mine through Christ, by your grance, for the praise of your glory.

Amen.