Peace

Luke 2:14 On earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
1. Peace with God. It's available to us through Jesus' gift of salvation. Rom 5:1, Jn 3:16-17
2. Peace with yourself. We live in a broken world full of chaos. That can easily cause anxiety and fear within us. We can have peace within when we trust in and look to Jesus and our heavenly Father. Phil 4:6-7, take all of your worries and fears to Him. Heb 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
3. Peace with others. Rom 12:18, Eph 4:31-32, Col 3:15

Ephesians 3:14-21

Ephesians 3:14-21
A prayer for strength. v16-17, Dwell=to be right at home v14
A prayer for love. v17, We need to be full of God.
1. He is able to do! v20, There's nothing that he can't do. Ps 115:1-8
2. He is able to do more than we ask, think, or imagine. v20, Jas 4:3 We need to ask with the right motives.
3. He is able to do immeasurably more. v20, God wants to do more, we need to ask!
4. All glory to Him! v21, This is all about God's glory.

Ephesians: 3:1-13 part 2

Ephesians: 3:13 Paul said not to be discouraged by the suffering he was enduring for Jesus.

1 Cor 4:9-13; 2 Cor 11:24-29, 12:7-10.
-The "thorn" was given to Paul- God allowed Satan to do it.
-Sometimes God's best answer is NO. Maybe what we are enduring is to remind us that God is sufficient, and we can count on Him. If God allowed us to be free of suffering all of the time, we would rely on ourselves and would not learn to be dependent upon God. It was in God's NO, where Paul was able to experience God's sufficient grace and mercy.
-Let God's strength rest on you. Lean into Him. 2 Cor 12:9. In our weakness, God steps in and covers us with His strength and grace.
-We need to delight in the hard stuff. 2 Cor 12:10. How? Not sure, but start by knowing that this is a time when we are able to see God step in and shine the brightest in and through our lives.

Let the Bible encourage us not to look at our suffering so closely, but look to God continually. Let Jesus be sufficient.

Ephesians 3:13 Good uses sufferings for our good and his glory. 2 Cor 4:16-18

Ephesians: 3:1-13

Ephesians: 3:1-13
1. The promises of God are for all people. v3, v6, Gal 1:11-16. Everyone is welcome in the kingdom of God because of the blood of Jesus.
2. God uses the"least." v7-8, Christ's accomplishments are greater than your shortcomings. God loves me and has forgiven me and wants to use me.
3. God loves his church. v10, 1 Peter 1:10-12, Heb 4:14-16. Because of Christ, we can approach God boldly and confidently.

Ephesians: Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians 1:15-23
People will know us by our love for others. v15
Continually pray. v16
Pray for wisdom v17, Ps. 11:10, Rev 1:12-17 - once you have the proper fear and awe of God, we no longer need to fear Him.
Pray for revelation v17, don't just settle for information, but get to know God better by being close to Him.
Paul wants us to:
1. v18 know and understand the hope to which He has called you. Rom 8:28-31, our hope is in the God who has called us.
2. v18 understand the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people. I am His inheritance. That's crazy!! He wants ME as His inheritance???
3. v19-23 understand His incomparably great power for those of us who believe. That power is available to us. Wow!!

Ephesians 1:3-14

Ephesians 1:3-14
Chosen: v4, John 6:44, 15:16, 3:16, 2 Pet 3:9, God chose us, but we are also responsible to choose Him.
Adopted: v5, 2 Cor 5:17, God changes us when He adopts us, we are a new creation.
Redeemed: v7-8, Rom 6:16-18, Col 2:13-14, He took our sin and gave us His righteousness.
Sealed: v13, "marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit." Through the Spirit, there is hope and freedom in Christ.

Ephesians: Spectacular Grace

Ephesians 1:3-14 It all leads to our redemption from our sinfulness. We are all sinners in desperate need of redemption from God. Why would God forgive me and set me free from sin? Because he loves me so much!
Election - v4 God choose me.
John 6:44, 15:16, Josh 24:15, John 3:16, 2 Pet 3:9
We will not come to God unless he has chosen us, but we also have to choose Him.