Don Guthrie

Praying It Forward

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 3 (day one)
“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father. . .that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.” (v 14, 16)
Preaching isn’t enough. I am finally convinced. Even good preaching. (Please, God!) Our greatest power is prayer. After a person hears the gospel and receives Christ by faith, a new urgent need becomes apparent. We must pray spiritual strength and insight for her. Notice this commitment in Paul. Our reading this week is a page from his prayer journal. Paul was a good preacher. Ok, maybe. (See 2 Corinthians 10:10 for those who didn’t think so.) He was, without question, a great “pray er”. Never questioning the sincerity of the Ephesian’s salvation, he pressed them forward by praying for them the next blessing and the next in God’s magnificent plan! Preaching the truth is not enough. We must pray people forward.

Undivided

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 2:11-22 (day seven)
“In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” (v 21)
It is something that the world has been unable to do. For all of our efforts and hopes, the goal of unity has eluded us. The world is divided. Shia against Sunni. Black against white. Congress against the President. Long, sad story of the planet. Only Christ can heal the human heart and create peace. He joins people together, builds people together into a temple for the praise and presence of God. It is the unique vision of New Testament Christianity, those who surrender ego and pride to Christ, discover and experience a supernatural and beautiful peace with others who have come to God in the same way. “Peace on earth, good will to men”, the angels sang on the first Christmas Eve. What people had dreamed of so long was finally possible. In Him.

The Unity of the Spirit

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 2:11-22 (day six)
“For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” (v 18)
Paul’s vision for peace is Spiritual. Not something that comes to nations or families or churches by our own efforts. As people move into the Father’s presence (access) via the Spirit, they discover a deep solidarity with others who have done the same. Peace is a marvelous byproduct of walking in the Spirit. It is good news for a world torn by division and animosity. Later, Paul calls this “the unity of the Spirit”. He urges us to guard this precious gift from God. (see 4:3) “Father make them one”, Jesus said in John 17 on the night of His arrest, “that the world may believe.” As we walk in the Spirit, we come to know the Father. As we come to know the Father, we experience unity. As we live in unity, the world believes in Christ. Spirit, anyone? Unity?

Prince of Peace

Re: Verse reading – Ephesians 2:11-22 (day one)
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (v 14) Paul is detailing what God has done for us in Christ (chose us in Him–v 1:4, redeemed us–v 1:7, sealed us with the Holy Spirit–v 1:14, made us alive, raised and seated us with Christ in heavenly places–v 1:5). He turns eventually to PEACE. In Christ, Gentiles and Jews, who formerly hated each other, were standing together in unity. It was an undeniable miracle, one that spoke volumes in a divided, prejudiced ancient world. Still true today. When Jesus is Lord (and only when He is Lord), He breaks down barriers that divide people from each other. Isaiah saw it. “He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, PRINCE OF PEACE.”—Isaiah 9:6. And our Prince has instructions for us. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”—Romans 12:18.

Amazing!

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 2:1-10 (day seven)
“For by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (v 8)

Grace. Unmerited favor. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Paul’s own experience helped him to understand this truth. (Theology is always biography, at least in part) Without doubt, Paul knew that he had not earned the attention and kindness of Christ. Just the opposite. He had resisted and blasphemed and harmed others in his irrational anger. “Who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” Paul will later describe himself and the world of men. (Romans 1:18) Why is God kind to any of us? Nothing in any of us deserves this mercy. Grace is the only explanation. It flows out of God’s heart as a free and infinite gift. “According to the greatness of YOUR compassion, blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1) So long as we look at ourselves, we will be hopeless. Grace is the true story. Amazingly sweet sound.

Describing salvation

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 2:1-10 (day 6)
“God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. . .and raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms.” (v 4-6)

If you were asked to describe the taste of chocolate, could you? What if someone asked you to describe salvation? The scripture struggles to find adequate metaphors and words for such an assignment. In John 3, Jesus compared salvation to physical birth. We must be “born again”. In Ephesians 2, Paul describes our experience in terms of Christ’s resurrection and ascension. With the Lord, we are “made alive and raised up and seated in heavenly places”. A few verses later, Paul likens salvation to “creation” in Genesis 1. ( v 10) All of these descriptions are inspired by the Spirit of Christ and, therefore, reliably true. Each, however, is only a part of the full description of what God does for those who trust Christ. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”–2 Corinthians 9:15.

The Gift of God

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 2:1-10 (day one)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it the gift of God.” (v 8) 44 years ago, I sat in a living room of an home in Amarillo, Texas. I had been invited by a friend to attend a Bible study for High School students. I had no expectations of a spiritual encounter. I was not conscious of any preparation in my heart for the new birth that I was about to experience. As I listened that night, a young man spoke of a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and I felt convicted of my need for a savior. By faith, that night, I prayed for Christ to come into my heart. Over the next weeks and years, I experienced new power operating in my life, the very presence of Christ. I was “made alive”. He forgve my sin. He gave me a gift, unearned and impossible to repay.

The Eyes of the Heart

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 1 (day seven)
“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 the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” (v 18-19) The Bible says we all have an “inner man”. See Ephesians 3:16. It further claims this “person” living inside us has eyes that see and a mind that makes decisions. Sometimes we are aware of his activity. Sometimes we aren’t. So, when Paul prayed that the “eyes of your heart” would be “enlightened”, he was asking God to change the way the Ephesians saw, and where they concentrated their our attention. He prayed for perception of spiritual realities, for Spiritually corrected vision and the resultant change in their lives and decisions. “Open my eyes, that I may see visions of truth Thou hast for me”–Clara Scott. Same prayer. Our great need, still.

A Good Word for God

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 1 (day six)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v 1)
What does the Bible mean when it calls us to bless God? Paul combined two Greek words. Eu=“good”. Logos=“word”. Eulogetos=“to speak a good word”. (Think of eulogy, “honor or gratitude usually spoken at a funeral”.) It is a biblical call to praise! Those of us who receive from God have a moral obligation to “speak a good word” TO Him (praise) or “speak a good word” ABOUT Him (witness). David often urged this lesson on the people of Israel. “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.” (Psalm 100:1-2) Not because God needs our approval, but because only gratitude prevents us from becoming spoiled children who receive gifts without any sense of obligation. We have nothing to give God for His goodness. Our duty is to speak a good word to/for Him.

God be praised!

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 1 (day one)
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ”–v 1. It is our greatest duty. It is our highest privilege. We are to bless God! The absence of it is sin. “Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks”—Romans 1:21. It is the path of faith. Even in tragedy, Job said, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord”—Job 1:21. On the night of His betrayal, the Lord gave thanks! No wonder Ephesians begins with a call to worship, a call for Christians to praise God for the gifts He has given us in Christ–no matter the present circumstances. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Do you do so, my brother? Will you?