Ephesians 1:15-18

Rachel Workman: 15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

I love verse 15. Paul knew of their faith and love, and in this he rejoiced. And we should too. We should be more mindful of the people our lives align to. Those who are strong in faith and encourage us. And those whose are not strong in faith, who allow us to encourage them. There is a place in our lives for both. And we should thank God for this. The Christian life has two dimensions: faith toward God and love toward men, and you cannot separate the two. We should lift each other up, pray for each other and love one another. May we be all be connected to someone who is strong in faith.

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Mike Grimm:  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 of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would know Christ better. Christ is our model, and the more we know of him, the more we will be like him. Study Jesus' life in the Gospels to see what He was like on earth nearly 2,000 years ago, and get to know Him in prayer now. Personal knowledge of Christ will change our lives. However, it takes more than personal knowledge. We must also demonstrate his actions as well. I can tell many stories about Christ and quote many teachings, but if I fail to show compassion during this very difficult time in our life, or fail to reach out to those in need, or feed those who are hungry, than I only know about Christ. Today we are faced with perhaps the biggest opportunity to step up as a Christian. It is staring us right in the face, to be like Christ. What are we going to do? More importantly, what will Christ say on that day we meet? 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, The hope we have is not a vague feeling that the future will be positive, but it is complete assurance of certain victory through God. The complete certainty comes to us through the Holy Spirit who is working in us.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Ephesians 1:17-23

¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. ²¹ Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. ²² God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. ²³ And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.