[This year, the little Bible study group that meets around our kitchen table is working  through The Wiersbe Bible Study Series, “EPHESIANS: Gaining The Things That Money Can’t Buy,” by Warren Wiersbe, published by David C. Cook, 2008. 

I pray this series of reflections will continue to be a blessing and encouragement that reaches far beyond our kitchen table.]

. . .

KEY TAKEAWAYS from LESSON FIVE (Ephesians 3:14-21)

“This passage is the second of two prayers recorded in Ephesians.  In the first prayer (Ephesians 1:15-23), the emphasis is on enlightenment, but in this prayer, the emphasis is on enablement.  It is not so much a matter of knowing as being – laying our hands on what GOD has for us and by faith making it a vital part of our lives.”  (Wiersbe, pp. 69-70)

There is a difference between knowing that riches in CHRIST exist (as GOD’s Word tells us) and living in the good of them.  It makes all the difference when we intentionally endeavor to understand what those riches are and how we can access them, to tap into the LORD’s limitless resources, reach for GOD’s help, wisdom, power, love, and perspective, and to ask His Spirit to reveal areas in our minds/hearts that do not align with His.

“It is through prayer that we lay hold of GOD’s riches, enabling us to behave and battle like Christians.  Whether we bow our knees is not the important thing; that we bow our hearts and wills to the LORD and ask Him for what we need is the vital matter. … What does it mean to “bow our hearts” to the LORD?  How do we do that?  Does posture matter in prayer?”  (Wiersbe, pp. 71, 73)

These thoughts reminded us of two things: (1) our study last year about full-heart surrender to GOD, His will and His ways! … and (2) a translation of 1 Corinthians 13:5 that describes Godly love as something (a heart?) that “does not insist on its own way.”  The LORD will not compete with anyone or anything.  He is a gentleman who is also jealous for our hearts.  He will stand by, quietly prompting, nudging, waiting for us to lay our own desires aside and hunger to know and align with His.  His power can engage when we remove any barrier to His free reign in us and in our circumstances.

Although we can be confident that our GOD “bends down to listen” anytime, anywhere, anyhow we reach for Him (Psalm 116:2, Jeremiah 33:3), the New Living Translation for Ephesians 3:14 gives us a vivid picture of Paul’s full-body commitment to prayer: “I fall to my knees…”  This physical posture demonstrates an important heart-posture: an acknowledgement of the end of our own resources, our complete dependence on the only dependable One, eyes closed to any distraction, ears open to hear, hearts prepared to obey, but also a bold confidence to cry out to the only One we are confident will hear and answer our prayers.

“In his prayer, Paul asked GOD to strengthen the believers through His Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).  How do believers yield to the Spirit?  What are some practical ways to feed the inner person with GOD’s Word?” (Wiersbe, p. 73)

We trust the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, to comfort and convict us, to teach us truth as we study GOD’s Word, to bring those words of truth back to mind just when we need them most.  As we commit to regular prayer dialogue with the LORD, we begin to recognize His voice, but also His hand moving in circumstances and in our own hearts.  When we “hear” those whispers or “feel” those nudges, it is important to follow His promptings without question, to watch Him work, to ask for His help to step forward with courageous faith, not in ourselves, but in the infallibility of the Father’s plans.

Studying GOD’s Word will help us to know His heart.  We can also feed our hunger to know Him by welcoming Bible-based conversations – with the LORD Himself and with other believers –  and by making worship a priority in song and actions that point our own attention and that of others to Him.  As we let the truth and reality of Who He is wash over us again and again, we will be renewed and strengthened.

A recent entry in the Choice Gleanings Calendar added these beautiful thoughts:

“In all things He may have preeminence.” Colossians 1:18, KJV)

“W. E. Vine defines pre-eminence as, “to be first.”  Others have said the word speaks of CHRIST’s absolute supremacy.  One might ask, how can we show the pre-eminence of CHRIST in our life or how can we glorify or reflect CHRIST in our life?  It is not done through man-made rules or regulations, but through the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth (John 16:13).  May CHRIST be seen in us.”  (Bob Cretney)

“With longing all my heart is filled, that like Him I may be,

As on the wondrous thought I dwell, that CHRIST livethin me!” (D. Whittle)

A few other practical thoughts were shared about ways to feed our inner person in GOD-exalting ways:

• morning or evening devotions (using the Bible alone, sometimes with a notebook, sometimes with helpful tools like the Bible App, First 5, She Reads Truth, etc)
• prayer journaling (sometimes with a notebook or an open note on a cell-phone or computer, sometimes with helpful tools like the Pray AsYou Go app)
• deeper Bible study (sometimes solo, sometimes with fellow Bible-students in a group like this one, where we can wrestle out GOD’s truth together and learn from each other’s discoveries)
• time spent with other believers, especially in heart-to-heart conversation
• time spent in GOD’s creation, bearing witness of His majesty that leads us to wonder and awe, or to benefit from stepping away from busy days to truly hear from Him
• learning to pause and pray when it seems His Spirit is trying to get our attention – His “whisper” is often the opposite of our natural inclination, His prompting is always selfless, always in line with what the Bible teaches us will reflect GOD’s heart – if we feel “off” or uneasy in our spirit or attitude, it is especially vital to get alone with the LORD and ask Him to reveal what may need realignment with His purposes

“In Ephesians 3:17, Paul speaks of being rooted in GOD’s love.  What are the specific things that root believers in GOD’s love?  How do trials reveal the “strength of the roots”?  How can believers strengthen those roots to withstand great trials in the future?  (Wiersbe, p. 74)

The New Living Translation for Ephesians 3:16-17 says: “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His spirit.  Then CHRIST will make His home in your hearts as you trust Him.  Your roots will grow down into GOD’s love and keep you strong.”

It is often on the hard days that we learn from personal experience the trustworthiness of GOD’s heart and intimate care for us.  Trials reveal a lot: that the LORD alone will stand with us (and for us) when all else fails, when we see the reality of who He is in our own circumstances and witness Him changing our own hearts, when we see His unique way of handling what’s broken, His strength in our weakness, or the power of redeeming love that is His alone.  With His help, we can stand, gracious and strong under fire!

Paul’s audience may have felt vulnerable, powerless to impact change in their circumstances.  They were persecuted, attacked, enduring spiritual warfare, lacking resources that may have given them some sense of presence or power in a material world.  Fully understanding the power of GOD – a supply that is never vulnerable, always limitless, and freely available to them – would have given them such comfort and reassurance!

“And now, just as you accepted CHRIST JESUS as your LORD, you must continue to follow Him.  Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him.  Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7, NLT)

“How and where have you discovered the resources of GOD’s love and grace?  How do you see these resources evidenced in your life?  If you don’t see them active in your life, what might be getting in the way?”  (Wiersbe, p. 78)

Often the smallest details that align in a way that can only be explained by GOD’s hand grab our attention and leave us deeply touched, in humble gratitude – that He knows, that He sees, that He is intimately involved in the smallest moments that will speak to our hearts the way nothing else will.  

Songs and hymns or beautifully written prose can also help us to pause and think and appreciate His love and grace in a new way.  

His gifts of beauty to us – in His created world, in a tender moment, in the amazing things that His creatures create in art or music or building or athletics or business – His touch never ceases to amaze and delight us!  

Most of all, His faithful presence with us, come what may, especially when we know we are so undeserving of His care, always staggers us.  He has promised to never leave us; what else could speak volumes of love or grace to our hearts?!

As we considered potential barriers to experiencing GOD’s love and grace in our lives, we circled back to Ephesians 3:16.  We want CHRIST to be at home in our hearts – letting nothing stand between us and Hisfull embrace!  We never want Him to be waiting for us to make the right choices or longing for us to reach for Him.  We want to trust Him, to honor Him.  We want Him to be delighted and comfortable (at home!), moving and working in our hearts as only He can, thrilled to see growth happening.

As we give Him more and more space to occupy and empower, it is more likely that we will be strong, immovable, unshakable, steady, confident in and devoted to the Father’s will.  It is our prayer that we will learn what that looks like in real time and experience His love, grace, and power on a daily basis.

As Warren Wiersbe would say, this is exactly what GOD has for us!  Because of CHRIST, we are perfectly positioned to gain these precious and eternal things that money can’t buy and nothing in this world can ever take away.  Praise GOD!

[Our little study group is now on summer break … check back in September for the rest of our journey through Ephesians!]