Spiritual Stability is a Blessing

The Blessing of Spiritual Stability

Book of Ephesians 3:14-21

Stability can be defined as: Steadiness; stableness; firmness of character; strength to stand without being moved or overthrown.

We live in a world of hopelessness. This is another great reason why we cannot allow the world to get into our places of worship.

Hopelessness is a state of being desperate, being without hope of any kind.

As the Apostle Paul continued to write such graceful words, guided by the Holy Spirit, some people could look at his situation, in prison and awaiting execution, and decide that there was not a great future in this thing called being a Christian.

The Apostle Paul understood the thoughts of such a people, but we must realize that the benefits of having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ far outweighs the hopelessness of not knowing our Savior!

Another great thing we will learn in this passage is that the church that prays together, stays together!

The greatest prayer in the Bible is the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ in Chapter 17 of the Book of John.

The model prayer, the Lord teaches us in the Book of Matthew 6:9-13 may be the most quoted prayer in the Scriptures but this prayer of Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit may be the greatest prayer of the Church.

We should also remember how the Lord Jesus Christ prayed for Peter.

Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Jesus also prayed for this lost world as we should. This world is ignorant of the truth of God!

Luk_23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; "for they know not what they do".

When Satan has lost any power, he held over us when we gave our heart to Jesus Christ, then Satan still has a great desire to ruin the testimony of each Christian.

The Lord Jesus Christ prayed for the Church.

Here we will see where the Apostle Paul prays for the Church.

It is in our best interest for us all to pray not only for the Church but for each other!

So, let’s hear Paul's prayer for the Church.

*****Eph 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

If we bow in prayer to anyone or anything other than our Father in Heaven we are committing blasphemy.

Even the Lord Jesus Christ bowed to His Father in Heaven!

We should also realize that this phrase by Paul means we need to have the right attitude of prayer.

There is no specific bodily posture that is necessary for Spiritual worship! For some kneeling may be impossible.

Kneeling denotes humbleness and we must always be humble before our loving but very powerful God!

Kneeling also denotes a desperate need. There is a desperate need for the church to be strong today and we also need to pray as Paul prayed for the church.

We must also have an attitude of submissiveness!

We must submit to the Lord! If we cannot submit to the Lord, then we are not saved!

We can talk to God anytime we so choose, when we have a prayerful attitude.

Even more times than that, we will have a "cause" to go before the Lord.

When we have a specific cause, then we must be willing to explain things very well before the Lord. We can have unspoken request within a body of believers but not when we have a specific request while in our closet!

We cannot say to the Lord, I have an unspoken prayer request even though He already knows!

We have a great need for many things in our war with evil and the things of this world, so one of our greatest needs is the "strength" to deal with them.

We should notice that this prayer of Paul was in the will of God. God wants His Church to be strong against the evils of this world to do this we must be in the will of God.

The safest place for any of us is being in the will of God!

It is God who gave birth to the Church and it is God who will see the Church succeed until the time of the fulness of the Gentiles!

Notice Paul does not just pray to a father but to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who came into this world to reveal the One true God to us!

Having "faith" in anyone but the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ will yield no results and no salvation!

We must be utterly dependent on this God. Jehovah God of the Bible, the God that saves, there is no other God!

The world may know a god who is distant and unconcerned with humanity but because of the Lord Jesus Christ we can know the true God who likes it up close and personal and in fact will abide within each of us.

When Paul prayed to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he prayed to the God who could hear his prayer and then also able to answer his prayer.

Our God is alive!

*****Eph 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

The truth of our God is that He is the Father of every believer from the time of Adam, all those who have trusted in the fulfillment of His promises!

There is the family of angels who have trusted and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ rather than go after Lucifer and there are the "children of God" who have placed their faith in the things of God.

Just think when we get to Heaven, we will not only see the Lord Jesus but, we will see Adam, and Abraham, and David and every Saint that is mentioned in the Scriptures who have gone on Home, before us.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

They may have carried the name Christian on Earth, but they carry the name "child of God" in every location!

Paul knew that to survive the evil in this world would require strength but not just any strength but the strength of God, the Holy Spirit.

*****Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

The Lord Jesus Christ indicated that after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit(Holy Ghost) would begin a new ministry to believers in the Church Age, that was unlike the Old Testament Ages.

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

In the Old Testament, except for a few instances, (Joshua, David and a few others) the Holy Spirit was with the Old Testament Saints, but He was not "within" the Old Testament Saints.

In the New Testament Saint, the Holy Spirit will live within each believer, as a gift from God and He will never leave that believer!

2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

1Th 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit

1Jn 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

This event takes place at salvation!

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

When we have strength that we do not understand. it is because we are endowed with God the Holy Spirit!

1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Being endowed with the "gift" of the Holy Spirit at "salvation" shows the ownership of God!

This strength is needed not for some miracle like as the time of the Apostles, but this strength is needed by our inner man to take control of our flesh in the name of the Lord!

The glory of God is in Himself and no one can match the resources of God! The strength mentioned here is would be spiritual firmness against the evils of this world.

As Christians we must be "tough" in a Spiritual sense. We must have the energy to come face to face with this world and win!

We win because we are on the "Winning Side"!

Without this strength we could not overcome this body of flesh and we would be wide open to being made useless to God.

Without this strength we would never be able to lay claim to the blessings of God.

Without this strength we would fear everything that the natural man fears!

How do we know God will answer our prayer, He lives within us and the riches of God's glory are in His Son Jesus Christ?

It says, who do you love? If you truly love the Lord, you will able to receive the riches of God's glory!

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

God's "Grace" is sufficient because within us, lies the greatest power in all the universe!

*****Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

The key to be a Christian is for Jesus Christ to dwell in our heart, "by faith".

We receive the absolute fulness of God into our own spirit with that thing called "faith"!

When we go forth filled with God there is no obstacle we cannot overcome. There is no battle with evil that we cannot win and there is no evil that can break us down!

A.W. Tozer said, "A man who is intimate with God is not intimidated by man"

When Jesus Christ dwells in our heart then He will rule, and that word dwell means to set up a permanent residence and not a temporary dwelling.

Jesus Christ not only lives within our heart, but He makes us aware of it!

When the entire body of believers of any congregation have such an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, that church will be a force in the community where it resides.

Just as the mighty oak tree is rooted to withstand the nature of this world, each Christian must be deeply rooted in Jesus Christ and each member of each congregation must be deeply rooted in that Church to grow as a weapon in the army of God.

In electrical work, a system of electricity must be bonded, grounded, to make a sure connection, to provide the system to work properly and for the safety of those things that are handled by those who use them.

As Christians we must be bonded to Jesus Christ with a sure connection that will endure forever.

The Love of Christ is that sure connection and it works both ways.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

When we look real hard at this prayer of Paul for the Church it was much like the Prayer the Lord Jesus prayed for the church!

When we understand that we have the entire Holy Trinity living within us and through "faith" that power is available to us, we should be able to notice the difference in our actions because it will be God working within us!

We do all these things so as Christians we have the same understanding of the Word of God, God's love letter to everyone who will believe in "faith"!

*****Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

That word "able" means having sufficient knowledge of God to make the right decisions for the good of the Church.

Having a full understanding of the Spiritual things of God!

God explains His plan repeatedly in most any part of the Scriptures and it this plan that must be down in the inner part of each believer, so each believer can act on this knowledge in this physical world.

These things can only begin once we have the Lord Jesus Christ living in our heart.

We should understand, just because God wanted to, He has done so much for us while we were His enemies, that we just cannot comprehend it all!

God's love for is such a quantity that it cannot be measured!

Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Job 11:8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

Job 11:9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

One of our greatest prayers should be for God to increase our understanding of Him!

The more we understand, the simpler it will be for us to be an outreach to teach God's plan to others and as a body of believers we should all be on the same page.

When we add all these things up, being rooted and grounded, deeply fixed, firmly established in His love, and with one another as He commands, we will also have an amount of "love" that we cannot even fathom!

In fact, this applies to all the things of God!

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

It is obvious, that to understand these things, we must have a close and prosperous and very personal relationship with the Holy Spirit that lives within each of us!

We should also understand that only a very small but a very important part of the words of Christ have been preserved, the rest we will learn when we get to Heaven.

Joh_21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

The vastness of the love and knowledge of the Lord just simply cannot be measured!

The ultimate goal for each believer is to reach the fulness of God, which is perfection!

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

It is only those who are perfect that will dwell with God throughout eternity!

There is nothing that anyone can add to these words! For anyone to detract from this truth, would be an attempt change the truth of God!

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

It is extremely important that we take on the image of Jesus Christ!

Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

To be the image of Christ is so important that it could be said to be the theme of the New Testament and it is!

Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Rom 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

We should surely understand that it is not only the Holy Ghost that lives within us, but the entire Holy Trinity abides within each believer.

The fulness of God is the Triune God!

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

First the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Then the Lord Jesus, the Son and His Father, who is also our Father!

To be saved we must pray to the Lord Jesus Christ that He would move into our Heart.

We must pray to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

Now we see we must pray for the fulness of God to move into our soul!

We are to constantly pray for all these things and the Lord Jesus has already said the Comforter will never leave us, nor would He ever forsake us.

This means the Holy Spirit will never leave us for any reason and this means we cannot lose the gift of salvation that God has freely given to us!

We can miss so many things when we do not study the Scriptures!

So, who can truthfully do all these things?

*****Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

It is our "faith" that limits the blessings of God and not that He is able to go far beyond our request!

God simply says, we limit our own blessings for a lack of "faith"!

Jas_4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

We limit our own blessings, but God has no limit to His power!

God is able to go far beyond what we ask of Him!

Jer 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

Jer 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

God said if we had enough "faith" we could move a tree:

Luk_17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

In fact, God said if we had enough faith we could move a mountain:

Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

As much as we talk about our faith, the only faith we have is the faith that God gave us to be saved and we must increase our "faith" as we know more about our Savior!

Rom_12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We ought to be begging God to increase our "faith"!

Jesus said we lacked much fasting in our prayer life.

We must give up something for God to give up something to us!

Food and water sustain our life so, to fast shows God, we are willing to trust Him for our life.

So as Paul closes out this passage, he makes us aware that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask.

The most important thing we can do for ourselves is to live our lives so that we know our prayer will reach into the throne room of God.

God can go far beyond what we ask and believe it or not, God can go far beyond even what we think, but God will only give us what we need to remain in His will even if we ask in the greatest "faith". Sometimes God's best answer to our request is "No"!

We know that God first created each us from the elements of the soil, but God could just as well have used stones!

Luk 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

God can even fulfill promises that are humanly impossible!

Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

God can subdue all things to Himself!

Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

God can save us to the uttermost!

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

That power that works within us is the Holy Spirit and it is from Him where this power comes from according to this Scripture and God will never lie to us!

Above all we must remember that God will only do these things if they bring Him the Glory, as it should be!

How long is God to be glorified? Throughout all Ages, world without end!

God lives in infinity and we will soon join Him there!

As these days pass by, let's do our best not to limit the power of God in our lives.

We need to pray that God will increase our faith and realize that if it is important enough to us then we also need to fast!

Amen.

Let's Pray!

The Ministry of Serving Others, Making a Difference

The Blessing of Serving Others

Book of Ephesians 3:1-13

To understand this passage, we must realize that we as Christians all have a personal ministry after our salvation. There are none who are excluded!

The Apostle Paul, even though he was bound in irons and limited by his cell, continued in his personal ministry given to him by the Lord. The same ministry given to us all.

Christians are to make an impact in this world!

The Lord Jesus Christ changed this world when He first came and when He returns the changes to this world will be even more dramatic!

We must understand that the "Gospel" will never lose its freshness, it will be relevant in every age!

We must also understand that the "Gospel" can never be exhausted because God's "Grace" can never be exhausted.

We must understand that the "Gospel" is for every human that breathes God's air!

We must certainly understand there will be great blessings come to those who serve the "Gospel" to others!

*****Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

This cause, would be the entire subject of the first two chapters but summed up in the last verse of chapter two.

Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The Apostle Paul clearly understood that he was to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, but it did not stop his craving to reach out to his brother Jews. Had Paul devoted his ministry to the Jews, he may have been honored and beloved, but he would have been outside the will of God.

Since Paul took his ministry to the Gentiles he was hated by his countrymen but inside the will of God.

The absolute safest place any of us can be is in the will of God!

This goes to show us, being in the will of God may mean we will hated by our nation.

When we step out of the bounds of our ministry, we are stepping out of the will of God for us!

Paul was a willing prisoner in bonds in a sense because he had taken his ministry to the Gentiles.

As Christians we all exist to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus Christ who will set the bounds of our ministry!

Paul reached out to the Gentiles, we are to reach out to all people after we have reached out to our family!

Our family is our very first missionary field!

It is God's purpose to form a brand-new race of people which are called Christian by the world but, are the "Body of Christ", "Born Again" into the family of God!

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered for His message.

The Apostle Paul suffered because of his message.

As Christians, we will all suffer as we tell the story of Jesus!

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

To be a Christian we will have been touched by the "Grace" of God.

*****Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

The Apostle Paul was called of God.

The Apostle Paul existed to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and this by the ''Grace" of God!

Most every minister of the Gospel will suffer to bring the "Gospel" to God's people.

Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

The Apostle Paul suffered greatly because he was a Jew who was called of God to preach the "Gospel" of "Grace" to the Gentiles.

The Apostle Paul existed to be a good steward of the Word of God!

This is the example that all the teachers of the Gospel should try to meet, a good steward of God's Word.

As the people who sit regularly in the pews, we simply do not always realize the responsibility God lays upon His Pastors!

Even in this, the Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest example for the true Pastor.

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

To be quite honest the Lord says for all of us to pick up our own cross and follow Him.

Mat_16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

In fact, the Lord Jesus is very serious about this!

Mat_10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, "is not worthy of me".

The cross is an instrument of death and Jesus was speaking to His disciples when He spoke these words.

Every disciple of God is to be a steward of God's "Grace"!

And again, we see this word "mystery”, but we also see how Paul explains it.

A mystery in the New Testament is something that God did not expressly make known in the Old Testament. The information was there in the Old Testament but just like today not many would study the Scriptures to dig out those nuggets of golden information or some, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees would interpret their own beliefs and keep the truth from the people and the Essenes were just too legalistic to express the real truth to others.

We could say that these mysteries in the New Testament where things that God Himself had to reveal to humanity.

If we go through the Scriptures, we see repeatedly where God had to provide examples to prove that His Words are all true!

God still says what He means, and God still means what He says.

As sinners we have by nature a veil over our eyes and we cannot see spiritual matters!

The Lord Jesus Christ spent 3 and 1/2 years opening the eyes of His disciples to the great mysteries of the Old Testament.

Even Paul spent 3 years under the tutelage of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

We should understand there will be no new Scriptures other than we have now but, there may still be some important jewel, locked away in the Scriptures that God has not opened our eyes to yet.

It is only the pure in heart who will be able to see the hidden mysteries of God!

The one pure fact that we know for sure today is that God has totally revealed His is plan of salvation, the most important promises in all the Scriptures!

The Scriptures were opened up to some by the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ came Himself to make sure there is no misunderstanding of the Scriptures!

*****Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

What are some of the greatest benefits for accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior?

We will be joint=heirs with the things of Christ, who is the Son of God.

We will be accepted as the same "Body of Christ", the Church, the Bride of Christ.

We will be partakers of the promises of God to His Son!

It is the by the truth of the Gospel which brings us to faith and a heavenly inheritance.

Let's think on this for a moment: Whatever God does throughout eternity, we will be a part of it and we already know that there will be no sin and no sinners around to mess things up!

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

In the Old Testament we know that the saved Jews are the apple of God's eyes but guess what? God is no respecter of persons and we the saved Gentiles will share in everything by Jesus Christ and be part of that apple.

We do not have to approach God through Judaism with all its laws but by Jesus Christ we can walk right into the throne room of God like it is our own home and He who sits on the throne is our own Father! We may not realize how great this privilege is, but it is true!

The "Body of Christ" is alive because the Spirit of God dwells in each of us and with one life and one purpose we are God's force against evil until God takes us home!

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

All the promises to the Jews are just are just as true for the Gentile.

It will be the Jews who will join with the Gentiles and not the Gentiles who will join with the Jews because God will not deal with the Jews as the nation of Israel until after the "rapture of the Church!

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is the ministry and the message Paul had for the Gentile nations and this message made its way to the United States of America because of the Apostle Paul and those who followed in his footsteps.

*****Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

We can only imagine Paul as the glorious "Gospel" was opened to Him and Paul understood the "Grace" of God better than most because he had persecuted God's Church and had been forgiven.

Each Pastor may differ in the gifts of God’s of "grace”, but the Apostle Paul can be an example to them all.

We should also understand that each of us have been given certain talents to be used in our service to God and no matter what it is, it must also include the "gospel" of Jesus Christ and the proof of our existence by the 'Grace" of God.

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We are saved only by the "Grace of God" but through "Faith" in the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead was the same power that had allowed the "Grace" of God to work in Paul's life and it had worked so wonderfully that Paul preached the "gospel of Jesus Christ with every breath he took.

Paul, like us all, certainly felt unworthy to be used of God.

*****Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

All his days Paul carried a heavy burden because he had persecuted the church he was now trying to build. The lesson for us is Paul's humbleness.

If we cannot humble ourselves before the Lord, then we cannot be saved. If we can humble ourselves before the Lord, He will forgive the most terrible of sins. God can save any sinner, anywhere, at any time!

We can walk right in to the throne room of God, but we better be humble when we get there yet even a humble person can be bold!

Paul looked back on the things he had done before he had asked the Lord to come into his heart and when we look back we know there was nothing good about our life of sin, nothing at all.

We should look back on occasion, but we should also know that God has forgotten everything that we have ask Him to forgive!

God took a dirty rotten sinner such as Paul and made him into the greatest missionary this world has ever seen.

And before we feel so high and mighty we were all sinners such as Paul.

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul was "washed" in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

Paul was "sanctified" in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

Paul was "justified" in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

These are the things it takes to be adopted into the family of God!

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

It is because of God's "Mercy" that any of us can receive God's "Grace"!

And again God's "Grace" is God's Riches at Christ Expense!

We know that the calling of the Gentiles into God's Church was a mystery that the Jews did not see coming.

The resurrection of the dead was a mystery that the Jews could not explain.

The relationship of the Lord Jesus and His Church is still a mystery to the Jews.

The mystery of the seven stars and the seven candlesticks were a mystery.

The mystery of the woman clothed in scarlet was a mystery.

The Anti-Christian power at work in the day of Paul and continues today, was a mystery.

**The mystery of blessings that come from a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the greatest mystery of all and the free exercise of His love, He showed to all humanity when He gave His life, so all His creation could be saved.

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isa 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

The Lord Jesus Christ was certainly the cause of Creation because all things were made by Him.

God wants a people who have chosen, who have elected, who have been "Born Again" just so they can spend eternity with their Creator who is also their Savior and Redeemer!

And because the Church has been formed and Christ Jesus has finished the work of salvation, all of Heaven is aware of God's plan and the Church now knows the plan for the New Heaven!

*****Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Surely as Heaven looks down upon this earth and sees God's mercy shown to His creation, it is a sight to behold.

We should understand that there must be principalities and powers in Heaven that we just do not understand the workings of.

We know that the Lord is also Lord of the angelic host and those that remain in Heaven have chosen to follow the Lord rather than follow Satan.

The angels did not understand the Church until the Lord formed the Church, but the angels have seen God's Church grow. This is something that the angelic hosts cannot do. They have a set number even though it is a large number.

There is not one angel that can be filled with the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit!

1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to consider.

We can even see that the Jews never understood the Church, nor the "Grace" of God, but they had witnessed it many times.

We can see that the angels do not understand the filling of the Holy Spirit and the Saint of God who wears the seal of God, but they are also used as ministers of the "Gospel" but without the power of the Holy Spirit!

Rev_14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

What we see is that God's plan of salvation toward those who choose to be the "Body of Christ" is open for all God's creation to witness.

What does God say?

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

God's purpose for all those who choose to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer is eternal!

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

God chose the work of redemption because in redemption it is the work of "perfection" and we are saved by the Lord of perfection.

The boldness of the Church comes by our perfect Lord Jesus!

*****Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

These gifts of God are free to the believer.

The truth is as believers, we can talk to our Father in Heaven without fear of offending Him!

We have access to the most powerful being to have ever existed and He will continue to exist throughout eternity!

We have the liberty to snuggle up to our Father in Heaven without rebuke.

Jas_4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you......

We can approach our God being confident that He will respond to us!

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

When we come in the name of Jesus Christ we will find nothing but success!

God is a God of truth and when we come to Him in truth we have access to all the wonders of God!

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

By Jesus Christ we have access to eternal life!

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Knowing all these things, we must also realize just as Jesus Christ suffered in this world, we will also suffer in this world!

*****Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Wherefore means in view of these facts, the previous Scriptures:

The welcome of all Gentiles of "faith" into the Church.

The Church is the "Body of Christ"

This has been the purpose of God from the beginning and throughout all the ages.

Heaven has been made aware of the plan of God.

All the Saints of God have free access into the throne room of God.

We will suffer tribulations for doing the work God has given us to do until He takes us home!

These sufferings, not indicating defeat or failure but glory because the world has seen those of faith to be like Jesus Christ and suffer as He suffered.

Luk_24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

1Pe_5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Throughout the Book of Acts and the Epistles of Paul, we have seen the many places where he suffered for preaching the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

None of us will ever suffer as Paul suffered for then he would no longer be an example, but we can say that Paul suffered so that we here today will one day be glorified!

Paul was willing to suffer for the Church to survive!

As we who may suffer some in tribulations we should all keep our mind on the glory that lies ahead for the child of God!

To faint at the work that God has given us to do means we are cowards!

Amen.

The Work of Reconciliation

The Blessing of Reconciliation

Book of Ephesians 2:11-22

Reconciliation is a change from being an enemy to becoming a friend and it is mutual between both parties.

Before we begin this lesson today, we must clearly understand God will never compromise His position or go against His Word to become our friend.

It is we who are sinners who must make a change. It's called "repentance"!

Today many of the church are trying to compromise with the sin of the world, and going against the Word of God.

That congregation may feel they have done the right thing, but God will never approve of such things!

We can never compromise the Word of God because His Word is settled In Heaven and it cannot be changed on earth!

We need to understand what God has already done:

1) Before Jesus Christ, God dealt with man through the Jewish nation. Since Christ (the Messiah) has come God has dealt with humanity on a world-wide scale in those who would follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Note: Those who claim there were writings before the time of Moses have forgotten the Tower of Babel, where God scattered all people to their different locations and certainly there would be many similarities, but the 66 books we have are the complete and the whole truth.

God takes the Jew and the Gentile (all others than Jews) and creates a new race of people called the Christian by this evil world!

2) Before Jesus Christ, God dealt with nations but after the Messiah, God is dealing with the individual through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3) God is no longer dealing with earthly divisions of nations. God is dealing with a new nationality a new body of people, the Body of Christ, the Church! These are the same ones who will join Christ in His New Kingdom!

These are all those who have been born again into the family of God.

These are the same ones who can look back and see how far they have come, since accepting the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.

*****Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

As Christians we should be able to look back at the miserable condition we were in before coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way.

The word Gentile means all others but the Jews. (Sometimes even called Heathen)

The word uncircumcision means all those who are not in the covenant that God made with the Abraham.

The word Circumcision would mean Jews, but only the Jews who are under the covenant God made with Abraham. (would include some Proselytes)

Circumcision involved the removal of a certain piece of flesh by some other human being, with that skill.

The most important statement in this Scripture is, "that we were without Jesus Christ". "We were cut off and separated from God"!

To be a Christian is to say, "I am not what I once was"! "I am a used to be"

We were not only lost through our sin, but we were one step away from eternal death, eternal separation from God!

When we remember these things, we should feel joy.

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

As Christians when we look back, we can see that we once lived in spiritual misery!

When I look back, I can remember many days that I thought I was having fun, but I can remember just as many days I was in total misery!

The Jews intended to keep God to themselves and this led to their own downfall!

No one, nor no one nation owns God!

The Jews rejected God's Son, and it brought their destruction, a destruction that just recently has shown signs of recovery.

God turned to the Gentiles and this allowed the Jews to grow again. The Jewish nation has always grown through adversity!

The all-time greatest event by far in the history of our world was the visit of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ!

If the world cannot accept this, then this world will see the wrath of God while still living in a world with no hope.

In this season of the birth of Jesus Christ, there far too many who suffer from SAD. This is Seasonal, Affective, Disorder and the cause of this thing which brings so much "depression" into their lives is a lack of light. Many believe it is a lack of sunlight because of the winter months but , they suffer from a lack of the Light of Jesus.

Do not fall into this trap of depression but come to know the Savior, who is also the Light of this world!

Those so full of depression and live without hope will stand before God in their own person and be separated from Him forever.

Those who have trusted in the work of the Lord, the light of this world will stand before God, with Christ, and will live eternally with God.

To be without Christ is to be lost and to have no hope!

Isa 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

Isa 45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

To know Jesus Christ is to be washed in His blood and freedom from sin!

*****Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

The world is so blind not to realize that it is "sin" that separates humanity from a loving God!

It is sin that separates one group of people from another.

It is sin that destroys families!!!!!!!!

Sin not only has broken harmony with God but has continued to bring this world toward destruction!!!!!!

Only Jesus Christ can bring us near to our God, the only God.

We are made nigh to God "by the blood" of our Lord!

The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the blood of the everlasting covenant that can never be changed nor made to be void!

Jesus Christ came to this earth to give every human being an opportunity to draw nigh to God!

God loved each of us enough that He was willing to forgive us of all our sins.

God had already said that the wages of sin was death and this problem had to be overcome and only He had the power to do this!

Since we as individuals could not solve this problem without our own death and since there had never lived a perfect human being, then God had to do this thing Himself!

God had to provide the perfect and ideal man who was willing to die, so all mankind could get an opportunity to be saved that they never had.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to die for our sins. This was His mission. But while He was here He took the time necessary to see that all the world would have the knowledge of salvation, then named the "Gospel" which is the "Good News" of God's plan of salvation!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

God had to physically show us all just how much He loves us!

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has made a way for us to be at peace with a God who despises sin!

*****Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

The Lord Jesus Christ did not purchase our peace because the Lord Jesus Christ "is our peace" in His person, simply because Jesus Christ is the Peace-Maker!

Jesus Christ has broken down the wall that was between the Jews and Gentiles to form the Church, the Body of Christ.

What was the Apostle Peter's greatest lesson?

Act 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; "but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean".

The majority of our world still have not learned this lesson!

We are all in this thing together and together we can be a force for peace, that peace being in Jesus Christ.

There are no barriers in the Church caused by God, there are only those barriers we put up ourselves.

All those who come to Jesus Christ by faith, not only receive the free gift of salvation, but all receive a common love, a common purpose, and a common work.

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

If we go back to the Tower of Babel we know that those who had forsaken the commands of God, the Heathen, were scattered all over this world and had wandered far from God.

Gen_11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

God then chose one people who became Israel to continue to bring forth the true Word of God not like the distorted writings of others.

In fact, it is the Jews who took so much care to preserve the Word of God!

Because Israel later forsook God, God then forsook these people for a time. Remember Israel was just one speck on the globe and God's plans included all people who would call upon His name in this entire world.

Rom_10:13 For "whosoever" shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (red and yellow, black and white, they are all precious in His sight)

1Ti_2:4 Who will have "all men" to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (all humanity)

The Jews not only had the Word of God, but they had the laws of Moses. There 613 laws that the Jews tried to keep just for one year and then they could be forgiven and then begin a new year, but it was impossible for any human being to keep all those laws.

Just to break one of those laws would mean they had failed and the wages of sin was death even at that time.

This is the thing that the Lord Jesus Christ abolished with His own death on the Cross at Mount Calvary, where He also spilled His life saving blood!

Mat_5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, "but to fulfil".

God would never destroy the Law because all the Word of God is perfect, but the ceremonial law was imperfect in that it was not the answer to salvation.

Heb_9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

It was only the Lord Jesus Christ who could do these things because He was also perfect.

No one has to ever approach God through laws and sacrifices or works or ceremonies of any kind.

The only way to approach God is "by faith" in the work of His Dear Son!

Those that still choose to try to reach God by some law need to realize that they must obey all the Law everyday of their lives, which is impossible.

Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

That word enmity is the opposite of friendship. Those who remain in opposition to the truth of God!

We do not have the right to choose what manner we will worship our God and He has established that we will worship Him by faith in the work of His Son!

There is no way to worship God beyond this truth!

It is Jesus Christ that has broken down the wall of partition between all mankind and God!

*****Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

What is it to be incorporated?

We must be united in one body. This is the Church. This is the Body of Christ

We must be incorporated with Jesus Christ before we can be reconciled to God!

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

That word reconcile means to change thoroughly, (from enemy to friend), to restore the relationship that Adam once had with God, before sin entered his life.

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

In the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, the veil of the Temple was rent into from the top to the bottom and a way was made into the throne room of God because this is the only way we can approach the throne of "Grace", it is by His Dear Son.

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

There is just no way to realize all the things that Jesus Christ finished when He gave us His life to reconcile us to His Father and our God!

Joh_19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

As believers we are not only free from sin, but we are forever free from the punishment for sin.

God is the One who has done the reconciling, we had absolutely no part in this work. God is the One who reached out to humanity and not that mankind reached out to God!

From the very moment the Lord Jesus was born upon this earth, His actions were there to teach us peace.

Luk 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Luk 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The Virgin birth.

The Manger.

The swaddling clothes.

The shepherds.

Many other things.

The Lord Jesus had to wait until the age of 30 according to Jewish law to be a relevant preacher and during His short time of 3 and 1/2 years, He preached not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles.

We certainly must understand that by the Holy Spirit, The Lord Jesus Christ is still preaching every day to all those who call on Him through "Faith".

Joh_14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jesus Christ will preach to those who love Him until we meet Him face to face!

*****Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Those who reject the power and the truth of the Triune God certainly do not understand the truth of God, because only the believer can understand the riches of God's Word.

Through Jesus Christ all mankind can have access by the Holy Spirit to our Father in Heaven.

There is nothing confusing about these words!

The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is at the center of all Christian Doctrines!

This is a thing we know of our God, but it is only part of His Wonderful Character. Three natures but One God!

It can be called the mystery of mysteries to those who are lost but also the absolute understandable truth to the true Christian!

He is also Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier in three persons but One God!

The source of all things is One God, whose name is Jehovah!

Exo_6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Through the Lord Jesus Christ, all those who believed, have "Faith", can one day come face to face to Jehovah God!

Jesus Christ is the only One who can open the door into God's presence!

Jesus Christ is the only One who can cause us to be citizens in Heaven!

*****Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

The household of God begins as the Church here on Earth and ends in the New Heaven throughout eternity.

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

How did we all begin before we met the Lord Jesus Christ? we must remember verse 12.

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

How did these things change?

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

If we be Christ's, it is because we have the "faith" of Abraham!

1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

We are not angels, we are not Jews, "we become Christians" if we follow the example that Christ has given us but more important we become Saints.

There is no other way to become a Saint of God!

As Saints we are set aside for God's use as He sees fit!

We speak of people and we speak of nations but as saints we are citizens of the New Nation that God is creating!

A nation that consist only of one family, the family of God.

We are adopted children who will be before the Lord continuously throughout eternity!

To understand adoption, we should understand we have a new relationship with God forever.

Our relationship is as a Father to His newly born child, "a baby".

We will always, even throughout eternity, have moment by moment contact with our Father.

We will have a special relationship, a family relationship, with all the other of God's children.

We are no longer under the authority of the powers of this world but are now under the authority of our heavenly Father!

We have already been adopted and we are waiting our Lord Jesus to pick us up and take us home to be presented to our Father!

Our big Brother, who is our God, will soon come to take us home.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

And we will be just like Him!

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

All because we have faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the words He gave to those 12 Apostles and by understanding that God had said these things could happen all along.

*****Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Notice how God builds His Church to house His Saints.

Every building needs a solid foundation!

The greatest of buildings also have a Chief Cornerstone!

Each "Born Again" child of God are then the building material to construct the greatest of buildings which is the Church.

Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

Remember that word dispensation actually means "house-management", God personally manages the building up of His house.

Remember the Tower of Babel how those people tried to build a building that would reach into Heaven, but this could never be done because it did not have the proper foundation.

God also builds His army by making the Lord Jesus Christ the Captain of our salvation.

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

God has written the Words of salvation by His Personal Author.

Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

The Church that God builds will be "fitly" framed together!

*****Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

To have a perfect understanding here, we must remember the Temple that King Solomon built how the stones were so perfectly cut that when they were put together they did not require any mortar because there were no gaps.

Mortar would represent sin in this example.

Those who reject the Old Testament, reject some precious examples that God used to explain the "Gospel" to the Jewish People.

Those that reject the Old Testament reject that salvation came by "faith" such that Abraham had, just as it does today. A faith such as Abraham had in the truth of God!

We cannot reject any part of the Word of God and "yes all denominations", we must understand "a literal translation" of the Word of God!

Just had to throw that in.

The whole structure of God's Church rises like a great pile of "everlasting living" materials into an Holy Temple of the Lord!

This structure is dedicated to Jesus Christ and will be inhabited by Him in New Jerusalem!

The Church is alive today and the Church will always be alive because it cannot die!

Every living member of this Church will always have a function and a purpose.

Every believer from every "Age" since the time of Adam, will have a part in this Holy Temple of God!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ and only the Lord Jesus Christ who places every believer in their required position! (He decides this not us)

With every believer being filled with the Holy Spirit, what a magnificent building it will be! Glory, Glory, Glory

*****Eph 2:22 In whom "ye" (you) also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

This "you" represents each believer, each Christian, in the church in Ephesus.

This "you" also represents the Church itself.

Each and every Church that is built with these same guidelines is a building structured for God's purpose!

Each member is an essential, living, stone, placed into this building.

The stability of the Church lies in each stone placed by the hand of God into the exact place, so this building can carry the load, each stone carrying its own load therefore fulfilling the purpose of the Church!

The Holy Spirit of God will dwell within each believer to conform this glorious work of the Lord to an image of God's will in this evil world!

A church is not a church if the Holy Spirit is not in control of its members!

Psa 68:16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

The place that the Lord has chosen is the same place we need to be!

Amen