Daily Bread 1-5-17

Ephesians 1:15-18

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

ref. - Col 1:9 - For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Acts 26:18 - To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

The greatest wishes of the Apostle Paul and the true Church today is not that God's children live in darkness, but live in light. Their only wish and prayer was that those who were in the faith and walking in Christ receive their own spiritual understanding. But not only wisdom in reading God's word and understanding it, as well the revelation, or internal information, given by the Holy Ghost. As we draw closer and closer to Christ we must put off the old man and put on the new. This is a man who lives by a whole new set of rules and standards. Without fully understanding this change, we will only be a temporary acting out of a set of rules. But the wishes of the Church and it's leadership is that no man go without a true internal understanding of God's will. In the teachings and writings of Paul we will find that he was very firm with the people that God had put in front of him. But that firmness came from a great love for them who wanted to press forward into Christ. Today is not so different. We have men who will push us, support us, and also correct us, a we travel down this road. Trust in this, my Brothers and Sisters; There is no one praying for you with more earnest love than those who are hardest on you in Christ. Although they may seem harsh at times and according to worldly people unjust and judgmental, just look at what they are trying to instill in us. The same deep seated love that Paul had for those who God put in front of him is the same love that is given today through men that God uses to push, and sometimes pull, us forward. The total goal of the Church is to lead those who choose to follow into their own God-given wisdom and inheritance through the teachings of Christ and understanding in the Spirit of God. So if it seems a trying time, sometimes hard to swallow, or even if it seems too easy sometimes, just know that if we are giving an honest effort to love Christ, love one another, and to live within the will of God, someone is praying for us that has been called to help us. ...........The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

Have a great day!!!