NT: “For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us —  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:14-21‬ ‭CSB)

This is the second of two prayers that Paul offered on behalf of the Ephesians. The first prayer, found in Ephesians 1:15-23, was a prayer for understanding. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would know and understand what Christ had accomplished for them and who they were in Christ. In this prayer, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be equipped and enabled to live according to who they were in Christ.

When Paul wrote, “for this reason…” he was referring to the mystery of God that had been revealed to him – that Gentiles and Jews alike are welcomed into the family of God through faith in Christ. Because the Gentiles in Ephesus were 100% a part of God’s chosen family, Paul had no second thoughts about boldly approaching the Father and praying this prayer – for all that Paul prayed for is accessible to any and all who are part of the family of faith.

First Paul prays that the family of faith would be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit… and that strengthening would occur as Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. The word translated as dwell has to do with settling in and influencing. Is our heart a welcome place for Christ to settle, or would He be uncomfortable there? As we offer our lives fully to the Lord in faith, He will influence our lives and make Himself at home through the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit. That in turn will strengthen us with power.

Second, Paul prayed that the family of faith would be rooted (firmly affixed and established) and firmly established (stably grounded on a good foundation) in love (agape). Love is the foundation for our life in Christ: loving God completely, and sacrificially loving others as Christ loved us. Paul wasn’t talking about the fleeting feeling of love, he was talking about the long-lasting covenantal choice to love. The love of God to us in Christ Jesus is immeasurable and incomprehensible, yet we are able to know that love experientially as we allow that love to flow to us and through us. If we allow agape love to be the foundation of our lives through faith, we will do what the Lord has called us to do and won’t be easily moved from the purposes of God.

Finally, Paul prayed that the family of faith would be filled with all the fullness of God. What a request that is! The Bible explains that not even heaven can contain the fullness of God, yet Paul asked that God would fill us (finite human beings) with His fullness. What is not possible in the natural is possible in the spiritual – for as we are filled with the Holy Spirit, all the fullness that is found in God is found in us.

Is God able to answer that request of Paul? Yes, He is – for God is able to do far more than we can ask or even imagine. Is God willing to answer that request of Paul? Yes, He is – for God desires to be fully glorified through the Church.. and for the Church to fully glorify Him, the Church needs to be strengthened, rooted, established and filled. The bigger question is, are we willing?

Psalms: “Blessed be the Lord! Day after day he bears our burdens; God is our salvation. Selah Our God is a God of salvation, and escape from death belongs to the Lord my Lord… People have seen your procession, God, the procession of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. Singers lead the way, with musicians following; among them are young women playing tambourines. Bless God in the assemblies; bless the Lord from the fountain of Israel. There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them, the rulers of Judah in their assembly, the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali. Your God has decreed your strength. Show your strength, God, you who have acted on our behalf.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68:19-20, 24-28‬ ‭CSB)

Other translations translate verse 19 as “Blessed be the Lord! Day after day He loads us with benefits. The key word in that passage is ‘amac’ which means to load or to carry a load, so both translations are correct. Daily, the Lord bears our burdens and loads us down with benefits. What a trade off! Because of that, God is worthy of our praise – from the whole family of faith. As we bless the Lord with our praise and offer our lives before Him in worship, God decrees and shows forth His strength in and through His people.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You, not only for who I am in You, but that You strengthen me, root me, establish me and fill me to do all that You have called me to do in You. Lord, I welcome the equipping and enabling that You are fully willing and able to do in me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles… I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. This grace was given to me — the least of all the saints — to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:1, 7-11‬ ‭CSB)

Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians while imprisoned by Rome. One of the main reasons he was imprisoned was because he continually insisted that Gentiles could be saved simply through faith in Christ. The Jews believed that only Jews could be saved – that a Gentile must first become a Jew before they could experience salvation. Paul’s message of salvation for the Gentiles so angered the Jewish leadership, that they persecuted him to the point that he was arrested and sent to Rome for trial. Because of that, Paul did not consider himself a prisoner of Rome, but a prisoner of Christ. It was because he was fulfilling the purposes of Christ that he was imprisoned.

Paul wrote about a mystery that had been revealed to him by grace. The word mystery here (mysterion in Greek) is not something that is unsolved. It is something that was hidden, but has now been revealed. The mystery that Paul referred to was the mystery of God’s will. Part of God’s will that had been hidden was that His salvation would be offered to anyone and everyone. In light of that revelation, we can look back now across the whole of scripture and see that God has always desired to save the nations – that all the world would be blessed through the covenant He made with Abraham – but until Christ came and that will was revealed through the Holy Spirit, God’s plan of salvation was a mystery.

The revelation of this mystery was given to Paul by grace. Paul didn’t unravel the mystery through his own deduction, like Sherlock Holmes solving a murder. God revealed His will to Paul – the least worthy to receive such a gift – through grace so that Paul would go and proclaim that truth to the Gentile nations of the world. Through Paul’s revelation and proclamation, the Gentiles would learn about the incalculable riches of God that were now  available to them through Christ, and the light would be turned on for all (Jew and Gentile alike) to more fully understand God’s endless mercy and love.

God has chosen the Church to be the instrument through which He reveals His multi-faceted wisdom, not only to the world, but to the angelic hosts in heaven and the demonic powers on the earth. The word translated here as multi-faceted (polypoikilos) refers to a cloth or painting made up of a wide variety of colors. God’s wisdom is so vast and nuanced in so many ways that even the angels in heaven do not fully grasp what God’s plans and purposes are. But as God’s purposes get manifested and fulfilled through the Church, then the awesome perfection of God’s wisdom becomes known to all. Jews and Gentiles living fully reconciled together in peace and unity was an impossibility. But as the Church was established and the impossibility became a reality, God’s wisdom and grace was revealed to all. Just as Paul had the privilege of unveiling God’s mystery, we have the privilege of revealing God’s wisdom as God does the impossible through us by His grace. The end of racial strife is an impossibility outside of Christ. But by grace through Christ, that impossibility can become a reality in the church. Will we allow God to reveal His multi-faceted wisdom through us as we become His servants?

Prayer: Lord, there are times when I feel that I am the least of all the saints – so incapable of representing You in the way that You deserve. But You have chosen to use me to reveal Your inconceivable wisdom and amazing grace to not only the world, but the spiritual dimension as well. Because of that, I know that as I surrender myself to You as Your servant, You will work in me to will and do Your pleasure through grace. Lord, I am Your’s. Accomplish Your will through me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “Now this is what the Lord says — the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel  — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior. I have given Egypt as a ransom for you, Cush and Seba in your place. Because you are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you, I will give people in exchange for you and nations instead of your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth  — everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory. I have formed them; indeed, I have made them… I — I am the Lord. Besides me, there is no Savior. I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed — and not some foreign god among you. So you are my witnesses” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and I am God.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:1-7, 11-12‬ ‭CSB)

In the culture of that day, if a man died childless, causing his land and inheritance to be lost, the next of kin could buy back his dead relative’s property, marry his widow, and restore his relative’s heritage. This was called redeeming, and the near relative who restored the family line was called a kinsman redeemer. We see that played out in the story of Ruth. Because of Israel’s rebellion and rejection of God, the people lost everything to the Assyrian and Babylonian invaders. When it seemed like the hope of Israel had ended, God said through Isaiah, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” God wasn’t just their close relative – He was their creator, the One that called them out from the rest of the world for a divine purpose. Just as He had maintained His promise to Abraham by redeeming his descendants from bondage in Egypt, He would maintain the covenant that He had established with all the patriarchs that had gone before by redeeming Israel from exile and reestablishing Israel in the land of promise once again.

The initial fulfillment of that prophecy occurred some 70 years later, as the Jews were allowed to return to the land, rebuild their temple, and restore the worship of God. However a greater fulfillment of this prophecy has occurred since then. God the creator, out of His great love for all of humanity, redeemed mankind from the bondage of sin and death through the shed blood of His only begotten Son. Only God was able to accomplish such a task. There is no way to salvation except through Jesus Christ… there is no Savior but Him. Through Christ and the glorious gospel of the Kingdom, God calls people by name from the North, South, East and West to place their faith in His Son Jesus Christ, experience redemption and salvation, have restored to them the fullness of their purpose, and receive the glorious riches of their intended inheritance.

NT: “But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:13-22‬ ‭CSB)

The audience that Paul wrote to in Ephesus was a primarily gentile audience. Before Christ, gentiles were excluded from the inheritance of Israel and the blessings promised to the chosen people of God. But in Christ Jesus, the notion of Jew and gentile was done away with. Through faith in Christ a new “race” of people was created, where both Jew and gentile were reconciled – to each other and to God – resulting in peace. Just as Isaiah prophesied a calling back to the Lord that would result in peace, Jesus Christ proclaimed the good news of peace to all through Him – peace to those who were near (Jews) and peace to those who were far off (gentiles). Through faith in Christ, all have access to the Father… all have access to the glorious inheritance of God’s chosen people. All who place their faith in Christ and are redeemed by His blood are chosen. No longer is there a wall of division and animosity between Jew and gentile. In Christ, all are citizens of the kingdom, all are saints, all are members of God’s household, and all are living stones that are placed together to form God’s holy temple and the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. In Christ, there is no “us” and “them”… there are no haves and have-nots. All who place saving faith in Christ are redeemed, at peace, joint heirs with Jesus, and recipients of God’s promised blessing of grace through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Psalms: “Sing to God! Sing praises to his name. Exalt him who rides on the clouds  —  his name is the Lord  — and celebrate before him. God in his holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows. God provides homes for those who are deserted. He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a scorched land.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68:4-6‬ ‭CSB)

God has a special place in His heart for the outcasts and the marginalized. Widows and orphans – women without a husband and children without a father – were cut off from any type of inheritance. They had to provide for themselves with no hope for a prosperous future. To the widow and the fatherless, God steps in and becomes their redeemer. God becomes a Father to children who have lost their father. He becomes an advocate (champion) for the woman who has lost her husband. He provides a home for those who have no family. Those who had to sell themselves into bondage, He sets free and prospers them. What a good, gracious and merciful God, and worthy of our praise and exaltation!

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for Your great redemption. Though I had lost all rights to an inheritance of blessing because of my sin, You redeemed me with Your blood that was shed on the cross. By placing my faith in You, I have been adopted into Your family, united with all the saints, and blessed with all the rights and privileges of being Your son. You are worthy of all my praise, and I will gladly give it to You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: ““This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or shout or make his voice heard in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick; he will faithfully bring justice. He will not grow weak or be discouraged until he has established justice on earth. The coasts and islands will wait for his instruction.” This is what God, the Lord, says — who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it  — “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness from the prison house.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42:1-7‬ ‭CSB)

The Servant that Isaiah prophesied was understood by the Jews to be the Messiah, God’s chosen and anointed man to bring about God’s vengeance and justice to the world. Most people of the Jewish faith expected the Messiah to be some sort of superman – a mighty warrior empowered by the anointing of God to overthrow the physical governments that oppressed God’s people. However, this prophecy of the Messiah painted a much different picture. Here the Messiah was not portrayed as a strong and victorious warrior king, but a weak and lowly servant. This Servant would not be loud and brash, but would do His work quietly. He would not be harsh and reckless in His approach, but would take care to not roll over those who were weak, or drive to exhaustion those who were weary. Though He would be a weak and lowly servant, God would strengthen Him and put His Spirit in Him so that the Servant would be able to endure until God’s work and purposes were completed.

What was God’s work? Yes, it was to bring and establish justice – but it would not be done by overthrowing the political powers of the day. It would be accomplished by establishing a new covenant with the people through the Servant. It would be accomplished by opening blind eyes, liberating captives and bringing light to those who sat in darkness. Jesus Christ wasn’t the Messiah that the Jewish people expected, but He was the Messiah that Isaiah prophesied some 700 years before. He was God’s servant, who was filled and empowered by God’s Spirit to bring sight to the blind, liberty to the captives, and light to those in darkness. He accomplished that work by allowing His life to be the basis of a new covenant of grace to anyone who would believe on Him. Jesus endured through God’s strength until all that was needed for the new covenant was accomplished – and now Jesus sits on the throne in heaven, empowering those who are redeemed through Him as He awaits the time for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan.

NT: “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift —  not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:1-10‬ ‭CSB)

According to Paul, as revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, all who come to faith in Christ and are redeemed through the blood of the new covenant become God’s workmanship. The Greek word that is translated as ‘workmanship’ is the word poiema. It is the same word from which we get the English word poem. A poiema is a carefully and purposefully crafted work of art –  not something hastily thrown together to serve a need. There are no misfits or mistakes in the Body of Christ. All who are in Christ are carefully, lovingly and purposely crafted to accomplish the calling that God has had for our lives since the dawning of the age.

What exactly has God done to lovingly craft us, you may ask. Well, Paul listed a few thing here at the beginning of Ephesians 2. Before coming to faith in Christ, all of us were dead in our sins, enslaved to the purposes of Satan, incapable of living righteously, helplessly living according to our carnal nature, and deserving of God’s wrath. That is the state of every human before coming to faith in Christ. But look at what God has done… because of God’s great mercy and love toward us, He made us alive with Christ, saved us by His grace, and seated us with Christ at His place of honor in heaven. God did all of that freely, as a gift, as we placed our faith on Christ. Why did He do that? So that we would be a display of God’s grace, love and kindness to the world. Through the life, death and resurrection of His Servant Son, God established a new covenant of grace with us. When we place our faith on Christ and appropriate the new covenant, God rescues us from death, makes us a new creation in Christ, calls and equips us for good works, and transforms us from glory to glory as we live in Him.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that in Christ, I am no longer dead in my sins and purposelessly living according to my carnality. As I have come to faith in Christ and remain in Christ by faith, You have made me a new and lovingly crafted creation that has been set apart and called for Your good and eternal purposes. I thank You for all that You have done and continue to do to craft me more and more into Your image. Here I am, Lord – fulfill Your purposes in me and through me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary… But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, my friend  — I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said to you: You are my servant; I have chosen you; I haven’t rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand… For I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel. I will help you” — this is the Lord’s declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” (‭‭Isaiah‬‭ 40:28-31; ‭41:8-10, 13-14‬ ‭CSB)

For those who are called of the Lord, He will give a calling that is much bigger than our ability or capacity to do on our own. Many times, upon receiving that call, one of our tendencies is to fall into fear instead of faith. We will say things like, “There is no way I can do that… I don’t have enough know-how… I don’t have enough energy… I don’t have enough influence… I don’t have enough time in the day.” Another of our tendencies is to charge full steam ahead and attempt to make God’s call on our life happen immediately. Neither reaction is what God desires from us. God’s desire is that we wait on Him and allow Him to fulfill His call through us in His time as we trust and obey His leading.

To the young and impulsive – those who want to charge ahead and make things happen, the Lord says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Even though they may start out with such strength, confidence and vigor, youths eventually become faint and weary and young men eventually stumble and fall.” To the fearful and faithless, the Lord says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Though you may be lacking in resources and are not able to accomplish what I have called you to on your own, the Lord has no limit to His understanding and strength.” To both the fearful and the overly self-confident, the Lord says, “Wait on Me… I am the One who has chosen you… I am the one who has called you. I will be with you, I will strengthen you, I will help you, and I will hold on to you. Do not fear, wait on Me.”

The CSB version uses the word ‘trust’ but most people know this passage though the use of the word ‘wait’… those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. The Hebrew word in that passage is the word qavah. There is a trust element there, but the word has more to do with looking with hopeful expectation. The literal translation of the word is to bind together, like cords of a rope are bound together. Waiting on the Lord has to do with keeping your eyes ever on the Lord and not allowing yourself to be separated from Him. When He stops, you stop. When He goes, you go. You don’t get out ahead and you don’t lag behind. You wait for His every move and do whatever He does. When we remain inextricably linked to the Lord… yoked to Him, if you will… our strength will always be renewed and we will never get weary and run out of steam. He will help us accomplish the call that He has given us through His strength and understanding.

NT: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens  —  far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:17-23‬ ‭CSB)

As Paul sat under house arrest in Rome and prayed for the believers in Ephesus, he didn’t pray that they would have the resources that they needed – he prayed that they would know what they needed to know. Many times, as we are trying to be good Christians and do all the things that we are supposed to do, we can get focused on our lack and always feel like we need more. While there is nothing wrong with asking for what we need – even Jesus taught us to ask for what we need in faith – Paul wanted the Ephesian believers to understand and know the endless riches and power they already had.

The Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means a called-out people. The church in Ephesus was comprised of people who had been chosen and called by the Lord… and Paul wanted them to know that with that calling, there was a binding hope. With that calling, there was a glorious inheritance of wealth unending. With that calling, there was an immeasurable amount of power available to those who believe. God exercised that power by raising the crucified Christ from the dead and seating Him in the ultimate place of power and authority. God gave Christ all power and authority over everything… and He did it all for the sake of the church, so that the church could be His body on earth and express His fullness and greatness on earth in every way. As we the church, the body of Christ, remain in Christ and inextricably linked to Him, we will have at our disposal everything we need to express the fullness of God and see His name glorified on the earth.

Psalms: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us Selah so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭67:1-3‬ ‭CSB)

A common theme that runs throughout the whole of the Bible is that God desires to bless us that we may be a blessing to others… and as we are a blessing to others, even through impossible situations, God is glorified, His way is known on the earth, and salvation is released among all the nations. May God be gracious to us as we wait on Him, that the world may know His goodness.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that with Your calling comes Your equipping. It can be nerve wracking when You call me to things that I can’t do on my own, but I know that peace will come when I ever look to You and wait on You in faith. I choose to remain in You by faith and stay with You by grace. Work in me to will and do Your good pleasure, that I may glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:3-5‬ ‭CSB)

The first part of Isaiah dealt largely with God’s judgement of sin. The second part of Isaiah, beginning with chapter 40, deals largely with God’s mercy and grace. Because of that, Isaiah is often referred to as the Bible in miniature, as the 39 books of the Old Testament deal with God’s law and His judgement of sin. The New Testament is about the grace that is available to those who come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Before Jesus Christ began His ministry on earth, there was a voice crying out in the wilderness calling all the people of Israel to prepare for the kingdom of God and the coming of the Lord. That voice in the wilderness was John the Baptist, and this passage, written some 700 years before John the Baptist walked the earth, foretold his message.

Though the initial fulfillment of this passage was John the Baptist, there are subsequent fulfillments – and one day there will be an ultimate fulfillment. As we live on earth between the already and the not yet, the Lord still desires to manifest His presence in our lives and move with power through His body the church – but for Him to know that He is welcome, we must prepare a highway for our King and our God. The things in our lives that have taken priority over the Lord need to be leveled and given their proper place. The godly things in our lives that have fallen into neglect and disrepair need to be given attentions and awakened back to life. The work of the Lord in us and through us needs to be exalted above our own works, efforts and understanding. If we properly prepare the way of the Lord… if we will make a straight highway for our God and King, then the glory of the Lord will appear in us and all who are around us will see it and glorify God.

NT: “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time  — to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:3-14‬ ‭CSB)

The letter to the Ephesians is classified as one of Paul’s prison epistles, for it was written while he was imprisoned in Rome awaiting trial. One of the purposes for the letter to the Ephesian church was to unveil the fullness of God’s purpose for the church. Many who are in the church have little, if any understanding of the glorious purpose of and abundant blessings available to the church. Blood-bought believers in the church have limitless wealth at their disposal, yet often live like paupers. The overriding theme of Ephesians is the Christian’s riches in Christ. The great Chinese pastor and teacher Watchman Nee once wrote a book on Ephesians entitled “Sit, Walk, Stand.” That title provides a good outline for the epistle: who we are positionally in Christ, how we walk out who we are in Christ, and how we do all to stand in Christ.

In these eleven verses from the first chapter of Ephesians, there are eleven variations of the phrase “in Christ.” Bear with me as I walk through all that we have as redeemed believers in and through Christ. First, Paul stated that we have been blessed by God with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Not just a few select blessings… every spiritual blessing in heaven is available to us on earth in Christ. What might those blessings be? For starters, we have been chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless in love. This is the doctrine of election which has caused many a debate over the years – especially since Paul states that believers were chosen in Christ before the world was ever created… before there was ever a need for redemption. I happen to believe that in God’s vast plan for humanity, He knew that humanity would be redeemed through faith in Christ… so before the foundation of the world, God already made the choice to choose all who came to faith in Christ for a holy and blameless life. However it works, it doesn’t negate the fact that if we are in Christ, we have been chosen by God to live a holy and blameless life… and if He has chosen us for such a purpose, then He will equip us for such a purpose.

Paul went on to say that we were predestined to be adopted as children of God through Christ. Predestination is a big theological word that simply means that everyone, before they came to be, were given a pre-destiny. That pre-destiny was that we would all end up being adopted as God’s children. The way that pre-destiny becomes a reality is through Christ. As adopted children of God through Christ, God lavishes His glorious grace on all who are in Christ.

Next, Paul listed several glorious graces we have in Christ: redemption through His blood, forgiveness of our trespasses, Godly wisdom and understanding, and the revelation of His will and glorious plans and purposes for us. All of that is brought together and lavishly poured out on us who are in Christ. In Christ, we have a rich inheritance. In Christ, we have a sure hope of a glorious future. In Christ we are sealed into God’s promises through the down payment of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, empowers us and leads us until God’s glorious plan of redemption is complete.

So much is available to us in Christ. So many blessings are ready to be lavished upon us in Christ. All of it is manifested in our lives through the Holy Spirit by grace through faith in Christ. Let’s stop living as paupers and start living according to who we are in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that in You all of the blessings of heaven are available to me – and all of the promises of God are fulfilled for me. However sure those blessings and promises are, I know that they are only available to me by grace through faith in You. I want the fullness of all You have for me, so I prepare a “highway” for You to enter fully into my life. Fill my life with Your glorious graces, so that all may see and glorify You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world. For both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation. May peace come to all those who follow this standard, and mercy even to the Israel of God! From now on, let no one cause me trouble, because I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. Brothers and sisters, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:14-18‬ ‭CSB)

The Judaizers that had infiltrated the churches of Galatia were trying to convince the gentile believers to become circumcised – not because it would do anything good for the gentile believers in Galatia, but because it would be a feather in the cap of the Judaizers. The Judaizers wanted to boast about the number of conversions to Judaism they had amassed, and the evidence of conversion was the mark of circumcision. One of the ways they compelled the Galatians was by telling them that by being circumcised, they would escape the persecution other Christians were experiencing through their association with the cross of Christ. The Judaizers wanted to replace what Christ had accomplished on the cross with circumcision – not for the good of the Galatian believers, not for the glory of God, but for their own glory.

In our time, the cross has become nothing more than a sentimental religious symbol. In Paul’s day, the cross was the lowest form of death and the ultimate symbol of humiliation and defeat. Yet Paul wrote that he would not boast in the numbers of conversions he had made, he would not boast in the numbers of churches he had planted, he would not boast in the number of followers he had – he would boast about nothing except the cross of Christ. It was the cross of Christ that made all the difference. When Christ allowed Himself to be crucified on the cross, the requirements of the law were fulfilled, the debt of sin was paid and the shackles of oppression were broken once and for all. It was through faith in what was accomplished on the cross of Christ that brought Paul true liberation from his bondage to sin and the burdensome requirements of the law. By identifying with the cross of Christ, Paul became dead to the world, and the ways and pressures of the world became dead to him. Whether you are circumcised in the flesh or not makes no difference – it does nothing spiritually… it does nothing to solve the issue of sin. The only thing that matters is if you have been made a new creation in Christ through faith in His life, death and resurrection.

As a Jewish man, Paul had received the mark of circumcision as a newborn child. For years, Paul’s identity – his pride – was in that mark… until he encountered Jesus. Paul then became a marked man in a new way. Because of his undying faith in the crucified and resurrected Christ, Paul had suffered beating after beating, and had even been stoned. His body was bruised, broken and scarred for the sake of Christ. His circumcision no longer marked his identity. He had a new identity in Christ, and that identity was evidenced through the scars across his body. Unlike the Judaizers, Paul was willing to suffer and be marked for his faith and the freedom he had in Christ. But more important than the scars on his body was the fact that Christ Himself had stamped Paul with His signet and marked Paul as His. Though the way that Paul had taken was challenging, it had brought him true freedom and everlasting peace. So Paul wrote, may peace and mercy come upon all who choose to lay aside all to receive on them the marks of Christ by faith in Him.

Psalms: “Let the whole earth shout joyfully to God! Sing about the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your works! Your enemies will cringe before you because of your great strength. The whole earth will worship you and sing praise to you. They will sing praise to your name.”Selah Come and see the wonders of God; his acts for humanity are awe-inspiring.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭66:1-5‬ ‭CSB)

Over the course of Jewish history, God has done marvelous, miraculous and awe-inspiring works to save, deliver and preserve His covenant people. In response to all of God’s amazing acts, the psalmist who wrote this psalm called all the earth – not just the Jewish people – to sing about the glory of God. While the acts that God performed were for the sake of the children of Israel, they were performed before all the earth for every eye to see. The word translated here as ‘awe-inspiring’ has to do with inducing fear, dread, honor and respect. The enemies of God can’t help but experience a knee-knocking terror in the face of such power and might.

Of all the works that God has done, nothing compares to the perfect salvation that Jesus Christ accomplished at the cross. “For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). So, like the psalmist wrote, come and see the wonders of God and His Christ ,for His acts for humanity are awe-inspiring. I will boast in Him and Him alone.

Prayer: Lord, there are many things that I can accomplish and boast in. There are many things that I can do and take credit for. There are many ways that I can make myself impressive to others. In the end, none of that matters. What matters is that I belong to You and that You have saved me from oppression and destruction and given me a new life and identity in You. Lord, I choose to humble myself and bear Your marks that I may be forever free from sin and that You may be forever glorified through my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher. Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:1-10‬ ‭CSB)

At the end of chapter 5, Paul wrote about walking in the Spirit, living by the Spirit and manifesting the fruit of the Spirit – with love being the primary manifestation. Here, Paul explained how that should look as it is practically lived out in life. One phrase that is repeated over and over in the New Testament is “one another.” Over and over again, we are told to love one another. The Apostle James wrote that we are to pray for one another. In other places, we are told to confess our sins to one another. Here Paul says that we are to carry one another’s burdens.

The primary thing that Paul was confronting in this letter to the Galatian churches was legalism. Love is a completely opposite spirit to legalism. One commentator put it this way, “The legalist is not interested in bearing burdens. Instead, he adds to the burdens of others.” It is interesting that people who are sticklers for the law tend to judge others by their actions, but then judge themselves by their intentions. They give themselves a pass, but are very heavy-handed with others. Jesus said this when confronting the legalism of the Pharisees, “If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent” (Matthew 12:7). The legalist is always looking for someone who is “overtaken in any wrongdoing” so that they can condemn the wrongdoer while lifting themselves up. That is the opposite spirit of love which is the fruit of being in Christ and filled with His Holy Spirit.

The love that is manifested in the spirit-filled believer is Agape. That love could be described as a love that does whatever it takes for as long as it takes. As that kind of love is manifested in our lives, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are manifested as well – allowing us to love others selflessly and bear long with them with patience, kindness, gentleness, and faithfulness. Instead of looking for opportunities to condemn someone’s behavior in order to make ourselves look good, we look for opportunities to humble ourselves in order to help others with their burdens. Paul made a differentiation between burdens and loads. He said that we are to bear each other’s burdens but carry our own loads. A burden in this context is a very heavy weight that is nearly impossible to carry on your own. On the other hand, loads are light-weight responsibilities that we are all to carry. In a body that is motivated by love through the fullness of the Holy Spirit, each person in the body does what is their’s to do, while helping others carry burdens that are too great to carry on their own. All of that is done without harmful condemnation and comparison.

Instead of condemning someone who has inadvertently fallen into wrongdoing, Paul said that we are to restore such a person with gentleness. The word “restore” has to do with mending something that is broken – as in setting a broken bone. When I broke my ankle earlier this year, it had to be reset – and then there was a lengthy time of healing when my ankle wasn’t able to “carry its load.” The rest of my body didn’t gang up on my ankle, condemn it, and refuse to help. No – the rest of my body helped my ankle heal gently by compensating and bearing its burden. That is the way we are to be with one another – and we are able to do that as the fruit of the Spirit is manifested through us. So, as Paul wrote, “as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all.”

Prayer: Lord, You don’t call me to be harshly critical of others, using someone else’s mistakes as an opportunity to boast about my own self-righteousness. Instead, You warn me in Your word to not allow myself to be deceived about my own righteousness, but to consider others before myself and be concerned for their good. I know that the only way that I can fully walk that out is to do so in the Spirit. Help me to not sow to my flesh, but to instead sow to the Spirit working within me to walk in all righteousness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things — as I warned you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:19-26‬ ‭CSB)

Flesh, because of Adam’s fall into sin, is corrupt. Everyone born of the “seed” of Adam is born with a corrupted and sinful flesh. When people give, as an excuse for their sinful behavior, that they were born that way – it is true. Our flesh cannot produce righteousness, holiness or everlasting life. It can only produce a corrupted product. That is what Paul meant by the works of the flesh. The word ‘works’ comes from the Greek word ergon. It has to do with acts, deeds, business, occupation, etc. Ultimately, flesh can only do what Paul has listed here. Sexual immorality (porneia) covers any illicit sexual act including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, incest, etc. Moral impurity has to do with uncleanness – crude or lustful thoughts and behaviors. Promiscuity has to do with lust, excess, licentiousness and shamelessness. Idolatry has to do with the worship of anything other than God. Sorcery not only has to do with the occult – it also has to do with the use of drugs. The other things listed by Paul are self-explanatory. Inside our flesh is the “natural” bent toward any or all of those things. According to Paul (and the whole of scripture), those who busy themselves and regularly practice those things cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

This is where the good news of the gospel comes in. In our flesh, we are bound to those things – they are part of our nature. We can’t help but do them. However, when we place faith in Jesus Christ and accept His death and resurrection as our own, we become dead to our flesh and are made into new creations with a new nature that is alive by the Spirit toward God. As we live by the Spirit instead of living according to our flesh, the Holy Spirit bears life-giving fruit in our lives. No longer is our life bound to working in sin and producing corruption. By the Spirit, our life begins to take on the nature and characteristics of the Holy God.

Notice that Paul did not say the fruits (plural and exclusive of each other) of the Spirit. He said fruit (singular and inclusive) of the Spirit. All of the words that Paul used to describe the fruit of the Spirit are all manifold expressions of one thing – the character of God that gets manifested in your life. You don’t get love and joy without self-control. In fact, Paul mentioned love first, because all the other expressions of the character of God flow out of love. If, instead of trying to will ourselves away from bad behaviors in our own strength, we submit ourselves to the working and leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the works of the flesh will grow less and less, and we will be made more and more into the holy image of God. Though our flesh may have a natural bent toward homosexuality, or being pleasured by objectifying people of the opposite sex, or addiction, or uncontrolled anger – as we live by the Spirit, all of those natural desires are displaced by the purely loving and holy character of God.

Psalms: “Praise is rightfully yours, God, in Zion; vows to you will be fulfilled. All humanity will come to you, the one who hears prayer. Iniquities overwhelm me; only you can atone for our rebellions. How happy is the one you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭65:1-4‬ ‭CSB)

King David was aware of the futility in trying to will himself away from sin and earn righteousness. Interestingly, the Hebrew word translated here as iniquities is similar in meaning to the Greek word ergon, translated as ‘works’ in the Galatians passage above. Basically, David was saying the acts that I do, the words that I say, the thoughts that I think that implicate my inherent unrighteousness overwhelm and prevail against my ability to live righteously. David knew that the only way he could be rid of his iniquities was for God to atone for them. Thankfully, God hears earnest and faith-filled prayers – so David knew that he had hope in the Lord. Because of God’s mercy and faithful love, if David humbly repented and placed himself in God’s hands, God would be faithful to forgive David and allow him to come into His courts and remain in His presence.

Now, as we are in Christ by faith, God doesn’t just atone for our iniquities – He declares us righteous and gives us a new sin-free nature. We don’t have to be physically go to the courts of the tabernacle or temple and be content with being in the close vicinity of God. God makes us His temple and He fills us with the ever-abiding Holy Spirit who empowers us to maintain our sin-free state and leads us to a holy life.

Prayer: Lord, As David said in Psalm 65, my iniquities overwhelm me. As Paul described in Romans 7, it is impossible for me to separate myself from my flesh that is always warring against what is right and good. Though it is impossible for me to be holy and righteous through my own will and efforts, I thank You that You have made away for me to be holy by walking in and living by the Holy Spirit. I submit myself fully to You and Your Holy Spirit and fully welcome the development of Your fruit in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “Strengthen the weak hands, steady the shaking knees! Say to the cowardly: “Be strong; do not fear! Here is your God; vengeance is coming. God’s retribution is coming; he will save you.” Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy, for water will gush in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the parched ground will become a pool, and the thirsty land, springs. In the haunt of jackals, in their lairs, there will be grass, reeds, and papyrus. A road will be there and a way; it will be called the Holy Way. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for the one who walks the path. Fools will not wander on it. There will be no lion there, and no vicious beast will go up on it; they will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk on it, and the ransomed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with singing, crowned with unending joy. Joy and gladness will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35:3-10‬ ‭CSB)

Isaiah was living and writing during a time of God’s discipline and correction of His covenant people. Assyria had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and had basically laid waste to much of the southern kingdom of Judah. The people living in Jerusalem were relatively sequestered within the city walls, because to leave the protection of the city was to put your life in danger. God allowed Isaiah to see beyond the current circumstances of the day and encourage the weary inhabitants of Jerusalem.

With prophetic vision, there is often an initial fulfillment, subsequent fulfillments, and then an ultimate fulfillment. To the weak and weary inhabitants of Jerusalem, Isaiah gave encouragement of an initial fulfillment. God’s vengeance and retribution was coming. Assyria and the neighboring nations would not run roughshod over Jerusalem forever. God would bring justice. But beyond the initial fulfillment, Isaiah had a vision of a new and glorious kingdom to come.

In Luke 7:18-23, we read the story of when John the Baptist was a little unsure of Jesus’ Messiahship. John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask Him if He was indeed the Promised One. Jesus’ response came right out of this prophetic passage from Isaiah. Jesus said, “Go and tell John that the eyes of the blind are opened, the ears of the deaf are unstopped, the lame are walking, the gospel is being preached and people are responding.” Basically, Jesus was saying that the kingdom that Isaiah saw was now present through Him.  After Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to be with us, abide in us, and fill us with His life. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit within us, the promise of the coming kingdom took on a new level of fulfillment. Through the Holy Spirit, believers in Christ have access to a never ceasing, ever-abundant stream of life. In a way, walking in the power and leadership of the abiding Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of the “Holy Way” (or in other translations, the Highway of Holiness).

Through faith in Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit, we are living now in the “Year of the Lord” – the year of jubilee where all our debts have been forgiven and we are free. The ultimate “day of vengeance” has not yet come. There will, however, come a day when God’s vengeance and reckoning will fully come. Then, after that reckoning, Isaiah’s prophecy of a kingdom of peace and joy on the earth, inhabited only by the redeemed and righteous, will fully be realized.

NT: “For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13-18‬ ‭CSB)

Though we have been set free from the burden and requirements of the law through faith in Christ, it does not mean that we have license to live any way we like and do anything we want. By placing saving faith in Christ, we make Him our Lord. By being redeemed by His shed blood, we are no longer our own, but His. Our Savior and Lord has called us to be holy as He is holy – to no longer live according to the desires of our flesh, but to live according to His desires, and do everything from a motivation of love for God and love for one another. Though we live in the flesh, we do not live according to the flesh. The only way to do that successfully is to walk by the Holy Spirit within us. Walking by the Spirit is the Holy Way… it is the Highway of Holiness that has been made available to us by faith. As we allow ourselves to walk by the Spirit and be led by the Spirit, we will not carry out the desires of the flesh, and will not be under the confining restraints of the law. As we walk by the Spirit and allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit, we will walk in holiness and be made more and more holy as we are transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ from glory to glory.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that through faith in You I am made free… not free to do whatever I want, but free to live for You fully in the life that You have called me to live. You call me to live in holiness, but You do not expect me to be holy in my own strength and abilities. Thank You for providing a way to holiness. Thank You for providing Your Holy Spirit to live in me, empower me and lead me on the highway of holiness. I commit to walk by the Spirit in Your holy way and not according to my flesh. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.