"It is no small token of God's love to a man, if the man lives in the spirit of prayer, if he delights himself in prayer, and if year after year prayer has not become a monotony to him, if it is real to him, yea, and if he so much hungers after more of it that he devotes lengthened seasons to its more intense exercise. If God privileges him to become mighty in prayer, then is he a man greatly beloved. Power in prayer is one of the most divine of the Lord's gracious gifts...Whenever I look upon a man who is powerful in prayer, who by supplication brings down blessings on his own family, and the church and his neighborhood, I know that there is to be found a man who is indeed greatly beloved." CH Spurgeon
This is taken from a sermon on Daniel 10:19. Make us people who do not find prayer monotonous or dull. Let us hunger after more prayer.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Ephesians 1:15-23
Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in this passage struck me as incredibly beautiful this morning. His prayer isn't that their lives would be easy, they would be rich, but that God would reveal Himself to them fully and completely in three ways (having the eyes of their hearts enlightened in these three ways:
1) "That you may know what is the hope to which He has called you..."- That is, namely, that the Christians in Ephesus may have an understanding of what it means to be a Christian, what the desires of our heart truly are. It is possible to be so mixed up in this life as a Christian that we hope in the wrong things. But Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is that their hope would be in the right thing, through revelation and wisdom from God they would know the Hope God has called them to- hope in Jesus Christ, hope in the future resurrection from the dead. Hope in this, for it will not fail. "Whom have I in heaven but you? There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Though my heart and my flesh may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
2)"That you may know...what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..."- Know, Ephesians, that the people of God will be gathered together in eternity and this is the inheritance of God. Not only this, but Paul calls it a rich and glorious inheritance! God is looking forward to eternity with the saints in Jesus Christ and will enjoy the praises of His people for all time. It is no fluke that God has saved you, nor has He saved you without purpose. God has saved us for Himself, "In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ..." (Ephesians 1:4-5). God will wake the dead for Himself, to His glory, and it will be our pleasure and His to praise Him for all of eternity!
3) That you may know...what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe..." If you continue reading, you will see that the power this speaks of is the power that raised Christ from the dead. This greatly powerful display, put on by God, showed that there is no authority greater than Him! The very worst that this world could do to man, to take away His life, was not enough to overcome the power of the Father! He is "above all rule and authority and power and dominion..." (Ephesians 1:21). There is nothing greater than God, and He shows us this greatness in that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is working amongst all who believe in His name!
Oh how I pray this for the church today! God make it so, do this among your people. Enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may see You, Father.
1) "That you may know what is the hope to which He has called you..."- That is, namely, that the Christians in Ephesus may have an understanding of what it means to be a Christian, what the desires of our heart truly are. It is possible to be so mixed up in this life as a Christian that we hope in the wrong things. But Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is that their hope would be in the right thing, through revelation and wisdom from God they would know the Hope God has called them to- hope in Jesus Christ, hope in the future resurrection from the dead. Hope in this, for it will not fail. "Whom have I in heaven but you? There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Though my heart and my flesh may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
2)"That you may know...what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..."- Know, Ephesians, that the people of God will be gathered together in eternity and this is the inheritance of God. Not only this, but Paul calls it a rich and glorious inheritance! God is looking forward to eternity with the saints in Jesus Christ and will enjoy the praises of His people for all time. It is no fluke that God has saved you, nor has He saved you without purpose. God has saved us for Himself, "In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ..." (Ephesians 1:4-5). God will wake the dead for Himself, to His glory, and it will be our pleasure and His to praise Him for all of eternity!
3) That you may know...what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe..." If you continue reading, you will see that the power this speaks of is the power that raised Christ from the dead. This greatly powerful display, put on by God, showed that there is no authority greater than Him! The very worst that this world could do to man, to take away His life, was not enough to overcome the power of the Father! He is "above all rule and authority and power and dominion..." (Ephesians 1:21). There is nothing greater than God, and He shows us this greatness in that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is working amongst all who believe in His name!
Oh how I pray this for the church today! God make it so, do this among your people. Enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may see You, Father.
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