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Showing posts from July, 2014

More Than I can Ask or Think

More than I can Ask or Think In the greatest benediction ever, Apostle Paul reminds us of who God is. It will do us well to rehearse and understand that the One we call heavenly Father is the creator of heaven and earth. He works from nothing to something. He does not need any materials to build, he calls things into existence. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. He reports to no one and answers to no one. He is God and you cannot change that. He is the God that told Virgin Mary, “With God all things are possible”. Is not this the beginning of God being made flesh and dwelling among us? Who can comprehend a virgin birth? It has never happened before and will not happen again. Apostle Paul concluded the prayers for the Ephesians in chapter 3 as follows: 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to b...

Love Too Hard to Understand

Love Too Hard to Understand There was a game changer in my relationship with my nephew. He had been the typical almost teenager who knows everything and hard to reach. He would argue his points when you try to correct him. There came a day when he committed a big offense. He broke our drying machine for clothes while bouncing balls in the basement. He knew he was in big trouble and there is no explanation for this. His mother asked him to speak to me and apologize but he was reluctant; and I guess for not knowing how to start such a conversation. A day passed, so I approached him. Instead of reading the riot act to him, I explained the offense and why playing ball in the basement would cause such damages and more. At the end, I put my arms around and hugged him. From that the day forward, our relationship changed. He understood at that time that I loved him and wanted the best for him. Prior to that he would do all he can to avoid me. Since that incident, he no longer avoided me....

May Christ Dwell in your Heart

May Christ Dwell in your Heart We continue to study Paul’s prayer in chapter 3 for the Ephesian Church. Paul has prayed two significant prayers in the Epistle to the Ephesians. The first was in chapter 1 as follows: 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease 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 to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might...

Do Not Lose Heart

Do Not Lose Heart What a difference a few words of encouragement can make in our lives and any life. Everyone from time to time gets discouraged; that is why God has given some the gift of encouragement to encourage others. To the Ephesians, “13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory”. Paul was writing from prison – Ephesians 3: 1, “I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you”. Here he is telling those free and not in prison not to lose heart. Perspective is everything. How are you seeing your current state? What lens are you wearing to see the things you are going through? If you do not see with the eyes of faith as we are urged to do you will have a distorted vision and your assessment of your self will be wrong. The just shall live by faith in God. Paul saw himself as a prisoner of Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles. P...

The Wisdom of God Made Known

The Wisdom of God Made Known What do you say to someone after the following exchange? “Good morning Sir. I have something to tell you. God loves you”. The man replies, “I also have something to tell you. There is no God”. This was the beginning of an encounter with a PhD Chemist I met at the park on Sunday morning. I was prompted to go to the park on Sunday morning and share the gospel instead of sitting in church just to soak. I thank God I obeyed. I met a lot of people who were glad to see that someone cared to tell them the good news of the gospel. I also met some who were very furiously angered to see that God will even pursue them to the park on Sunday morning to tell them about Jesus. Along the way, I met two atheists and one of them is the PhD Chemist. I had a good cordial conversation with the atheist Chemist. His main argument is that there is no proof that there is God. He said Science is everything because it has evidence. He said that the Bible is a fairy tale and that ...

You are too Rich in Christ

You are too Rich in Christ Last week we studied the mystery of Christ which God had revealed to Paul for the Gentiles. This mystery was hidden in the ages past but now revealed to the apostles and prophets. That mystery is that we Gentiles who had no place by promise have become a part of God through Christ and now have equal access to God by Christ just as the Jews. We have been made one in Christ into one body, the Church. The Church had never existed in the past. It is not that Israel was the Old Testament Church and neither is the Church now the New Testament Israel. The Church is a new creation in Christ made up of individuals who have been created anew in Christ. Old things have passed away and all things are new in Christ. When comes to accuse you, please remind Satan that you are a new creation in Christ wearing Christ’s righteousness. Now, Paul in our present study is explaining the purpose for the mystery, the one body of Christ – the Church. So let’s read some of it a...