PT-1 Intro to Ephesians

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/13/2018 10:25 AM

My Worship Time                                                                          Focus:  PT-1 Intro to Ephesians

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: 

            Message of the verses:  I have been thinking about studying the book of Ephesians for a very long time, and one of the reasons that I have not done this is because of how difficult the book is and also because I don’t feel adequate to really understand all that is packed into this book.  I can also say that I am having some personal struggles and because of that my feelings were as long as this is going on that it would make it difficult to understand the many truths that are found in this book. 

            The following is found on the inside jacket cover from John MacArthur’s commentary on the book of Ephesians, which was not written by MacArthur:  “Ephesians has rightly been titled the believer’s bank and the treasure house of the Bible.  This beautiful letter tells Christians their great riches, inheritance, and fullness in Jesus Christ and in His church.  It unfolds for them the infinite blessings they possess in Christ and how they can claim and enjoy those possessions.”

            As we take our time going through this marvelous letter written by Paul to the church at Ephesus we want to make sure that we, at least begin to understand all of those great riches that God has for us given us because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. 

            In today’s SD I want to take the time to look at a part of the introduction that Dr. Warren Wiersbe has from his commentary on the book of Ephesians, and although I don’t remember what he calls it I suppose it is entitled “Be Rich.”  As I took the time to find out what it is titled it is “Be Rich,” as it is a part of his “Be” series that he has done on the different books of the Bible. 

            “She had gone down in history as ‘America’s Greatest Miser,’ yet when she died in 1916, ‘Hetty’ Green left an estate valued at over $100 million.  She ate cold oatmeal because it cost to heat it.  Her son had to suffer a leg amputation, because she delayed so long in looking for a free clinic that his case became incurable.  She was wealthy, yet she chose to live like a pauper.

            “Eccentric?  Certainly!  Crazy? Perhaps—but nobody could prove it.  She was so foolish that she hastened her own death by bringing on an attack of apoplexy while arguing about the value of drinking skimmed milk!  But Hetty Green is an illustration of too many Christian believers today.  They have limitless wealth at their disposal, and yet they live like paupers.  It was to this kind of Christian that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians.”

            In John MacArthur’s commentary he also mentions Hetty Green and also mentions a couple from Los Angeles who died in their apartment of what was later discovered as malnutrition, and yet they found $40,000 in their apartments in paper sacks. 

            MacArthur writes “The book of Ephesians is written to Christians who might be prone to treat their spiritual resources much like that miserly couple and Hetty Green treated their financial resources.  Such believers are in danger of suffering from spiritual malnutrition, because they do not take advantage of the great storehouse of spiritual nourishment and resources that is at their disposal.”

            I suppose that the question that some of us may have is how do we draw from the spiritual resources that we have in Christ Jesus.  I suppose that prayer is one of the ways that we can draw on our spiritual account, and yet when we think about prayer we know that there are what we might call “spiritual ways” in which we should be praying.  I understand that there is much to say about praying but I want to give one more quote in closing this SD and it comes from Dr. Wiersbe who writes “God answers prayer, not to make His people more comfortable, but to bring glory to His name.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is with much trepidation that I begin this study on the book of Ephesians, and it is also with faith in my Lord that this is where He wants me to be in my journey through the New Testament for a second time. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord as I begin this study, trust that He will make it clear as to what I learn that it will bring glory to His name.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who said ‘My son is yet alive:  I will go and see him before I die’?”

Answer in our next SD.

10/13/2018 11:39 AM