BRF Ephesians.... late again!

Last night, as I waited my turn for the computer I was going over Ephesians again and praying on what to say in my review... and fell asleep. I think God wants me fully alert for this one!

I love the book of Ephesians. Whenever I am overwhelmed, or feeling like I'm just not making it as a real follower of Christ, whenever I don't know what else to read... I turn to Ephesians. The first 2 chapters are like my ultimate comfort food. No matter how I see myself, no matter how anyone else sees me... He chose ME before the beginning of the world, that I should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined me to adoption as a daughter by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory ofHis grace, by which he made me accepted in the Beloved.

Why on earth should anything else matter? When I know... not just in my head but in my spirit... that this is true how can I be upset about anything else? I obviously need to read this more. When my life is off kilter and I'm grumpy and worried and stressed and sinful (most days) , I need to open my Bible and read this. I think I should cross stitch a sampler of it! Its on my to do list now.

I am so glad Paul took the time to pray for spiritual wisdom for the Ephesians; it reminds me to do that for myself, family and friends. I love praying scripture for people, but its amazing how far Satan goes to stop me from doing that. I'm taking a short break right now to pray this prayer for my BRF buddies. Back in a few........

I'm back.. did you notice this? The same power with which He raised Christ from the dead is now directed toward us!! This is an exceeding great WORKING power! It gives me such a thrill (that sounded like my mom, but its the right word!!) to know that this amazing power is now working to to change me into the likeness of Christ.

The language in ch 2 continues to amaze me... I'm gonna paraphrase again, get ready!

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loves me, even when I was dead in trespasses, made me alive together with Christ (by grace I have been saved), and raised me up together, and made me sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards me in Christ Jesus. For by grace I have been saved through faith, and that not of myself; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest I should boast. For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them.

This is such a personal passage. Its all about Christ and what He has done and I get all the benefits of His amazing love and grace. The NIV uses the word "lavished"... He is lavishing upon me the completeness of His love, mercy and grace, not because I deserve it but just because He loves me. This is the only too good to be true issue that is actually true.

Now we see the great mystery... as a gentile, I am allowed into the Holy of holies... the very presence of God, because His son became the propitiation for my sin. I can now be a partaker of His promise in Christ.

Here is another verse I love... personalized again..
Ch 3 vs 14-20
For this reason I (Paul) bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jusus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant Martha, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner being, that Christ may dwell in her heart through faith; that Martha, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that she may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen

I'm now ready for the book to be over... but its not. Now that I know what it is that Christ has done for me, and how He loves me, and will forever its time to know what I am to DO.

I heard on the radio a week or 2 ago... Receiving eternal life is free, following Christ costs something.

I could just stop reading the book and everything it has said so far will remain true. Nothing that I do or don't do will negate what Christ has done for me. But how can I not want to obey Him?! I agree with what Charmin said a few weeks ago; I love order. I love boundaries. I love knowing what to do, where to go, how to act, what to say, etc...

Chapters 4-6 go from the doctrinal to the practical. Once we "get it" we are to start "living it" in every area of our lives... in our church, our marriage, our place of employment. Quite simply we should be living out our salvation in every area of our life. I may be just a little part of a big body, but I should be doing my utmost to be living out this life so that my part is a healthy part. The first thing I should be focusing on is not rushing out to do, do, do.. but to put on the new man.. to be an imitator of God, as dear children. How can I imitate what I do not know? I need to know God more, to study His word, to speak to Him constantly and to imitate Him. And when I forget to focus on Him, I don't imitate Him. I forget what He looks like so quickly. When my kids look at me, do they see Christ? Certainly not as they should.
Am I longsuffering, kind, full of love, mercy and truth? Am I wise, compassionate and forgiving?
Or am I crabby, nitpicky and impatient?
Is my aroma sweet smelling?? Or does my attitude stink?
Do I only speak what is good for necessary edification or do my words hurt and tear down?

I'm stopping now to remember that God created me for His good pleasure and the exceeding great power that raised Christ from the dead is working in me to make me like His son, because on my own power I'm all the negatives that are up in the previous paragraph. In His power I can be all the good. How??

Its quite simple. I need to be prepared.... armed even. I just can't go around with the sword of the spirit waving it around like a maniac. I need to get ready. I need to gird myself with truth, wear the breastplate of righteousness (mine is as filthy rags, Christ's righteousness is what I need to hide behind), my feet need to be shod with the gospel of the gospel of peace (the gospel is the base of everything I do). I need to not only have a shield of faith, but know how to use it. Unused faith makes us weak and defenceless. The helmet of Salvation protects my mind and the proper use of the sword of the spirit with slay the enemy. Its not enough to know that I have all this armour, if I don't put it on I am defenceless. I also need to pray, pray and keep praying. I need to ask God how to wear my armour correctly. I need to pray for strength for my brothers and sisters regularly. I need to pray for boldness.

The Christian life is not a picnic, its a battlefield. We need to train our children to fight, not just play around with their armour. There are standards we need to live out in our love for Christ. How can we do less? Without what He has done I am just another lost soul without hope, living in darkness.

This has been very long. Sorry. I needed to verbalize it all for me... so I will remember.
Now I need to go check the amazing job my kids did cleaning out the woodstove.
Can't wait to read everyone else's blog... after I finish my chores!!