Living in the Spiritual Blessings We Have in Christ

Hey everybody,

I'm not much of a blogger, but let's give this a shot. I'm just gonna write down some notes verse by verse and then end with some thoughts.

Ephesians 1:1-23

• v. 1: I'm liking that phrase "by the will of God". Paul was only an apostle of Christ because God willed it to be that way.
• v. 3: he starts out by first blessing God. Paul really shows how important it is to praise Him and recognize that everything is from Him. He is the one we receive spiritual blessings from.
• v. 4-5: God's plan for us is to be holy and blameless. This is crazy when we think about our sinful nature, but Paul shows that God will make us perfect in Christ. He planned for this before we became Christ followers, or were even born. God really is sovereign over everything.
• v. 6-10: God really poured out His grace on us and made it known to us. We didn't find it, but God poured it on us and unites us together under Christ.
• v. 11: everything works out for the purposes of His will. Nothing can mess it up.
• v. 12: we, as believers, exist for the praise of HIS glory.
• v. 13-14: we are marked with the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.
• v. 17: he writes about asking for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we could know Him better. I really need this in my life.
• v. 18-21: I am just amazed at God's power which He gives to us who believe. A power that is above everything else in this world. Crazy.
• v. 22-23: God raised up Christ to be head over the Church, which is His body, His fullness. We have unity with Christ through the Church.

This passage challenges me to be more bold in my prayers and have greater faith. I have to realize the depths of His grace and know how much I needed Him to save and transform me. I need to seek the blessings of the Holy Spirit and know the power that I have in Him. Instead of feeling defeated, I should be victorious and confident knowing that there is no match for our God and everything will work out according to His will. Also, in praying for our church, I need to pray for unity with Christ that through Him we may all experience together the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

-Joe