Ephesians: Thoughts about the Scripture

By Mary Etta Miller

The title, Ephesians: Thoughts about the Scripture, was derived from many years of Bible journaling. After reading my Bible, I journal thoughts about the scriptures I have read and studied based on the inspiration God has given me and how it speaks to my heart. Writing about God's Word makes it come alive to me. I share what is in my heart about the love I have for the Lord God and the great love He has for each one of us. This book is a combination devotional/Bible study.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781643499512

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Week 1, Day 1—Ephesians 1:1–6

Bible scripture : Ephesians 1:1–6, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Thoughts about the Scripture:

In the beginning of this letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul addressed it to the saints and the faithful in Jesus Christ. I think we would like to be recognized as the faithful in Christ. This would be a wonderful legacy to pass on to the next generation. If we are the faithful in Christ, then our Heavenly Father blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. What are these blessings that believers in Jesus Christ receive?

Second Peter 1:3, His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

As Christians, at times we may think that we do not have everything that we need, but believe me we do. We may not recognize it or utilize it, but it is there. The more knowledge that we gain about Jesus through the study of God’s Word, the more we become aware of just how blessed we are.

At this point in this scripture, you may be thinking, Okay, Miss Smarty Pants, how do you explain Paul’s reference to predestination. I will tell you that you can explore all the theories of predestination by extensive research of all the scholars and see many different conclusions, but it is impossible to fully explain the mind of God. He is supreme and He is sovereign so some of His mysteries we will not fully understand until we meet our God face-to-face.

What I will tell you is about my own personal experience. I know that I was called by God through His Holy Spirit after hearing the Word of God taught and preached. Although I was called, I do not believe that it meant I was automatically saved. I still had to answer that call by accepting Jesus into my heart and life. If I had rejected that call, I would have been destined for hell, but because I accepted God’s call, I am destined for heaven. I am now a child of God.

Romans 8:28–30, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called, those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Since my Jesus had to die and shed His precious blood, I must admit that I struggle with predestination. Above all things, I believe in the Word of God and the Holy God who inspired it to be written. Every word in our Bible has a reason and a purpose. I cannot fully explain it, but I know we have a loving God who wants mankind saved and to come to a knowledge of His truth, and I trust my God and His wisdom.

First Timothy 2:3–6, This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one moderator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given in its proper time.

In comparison to the total population of the world, those who have made the choice to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior may be few, but God is not through. He is still at work through the followers of Christ in the spread of His Word. You must know that the Heavenly Father did not send His one and only Son to suffer and die without His specific divine purpose for mankind.

John 3:16–18, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son; that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

The Heavenly Father did not allow His Son to shed His precious blood and die in vain. It was out of love with a divine purpose in accordance with God’s good and perfect will. Jesus suffered on our behalf but now He lives, resurrected from the grave, seated at the Father’s right hand. Now, we who are saved have the promise of eternal life with Him.

Roman’s 10:11, 13, As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Do you trust Him?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving the world and giving mankind the opportunity to be saved by calling on the name of Jesus Christ, Your one and only Son, and believing in Him as our Savior. You tell me in Your Word, Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That kind of love is overwhelming to me and I am so grateful for it. We don’t deserve it and we cannot earn it, but You give it freely by Your grace. In Jesus’s most precious name, Amen.

Week 1, Day 2—Ephesians 1:7–8

Bible scripture : Ephesians 1:7–8, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Thoughts about the Scripture:

In this Scripture, Paul said that we have been redeemed through the blood of Christ. What does redeemed mean? It is like a ransom was paid for us. A ransom is the price demanded and paid before a captive is set free or redeemed. We have heard on the news what takes place when a kidnapping has occurred and a ransom is demanded. We can only imagine the panic that occurs when the family is frantically trying to raise the funds demanded to pay this ransom. It is especially tragic when the victim is a beloved child.

Now think about our Heavenly Father as He had to send the only One who could pay our ransom, as we are held captive by our sin and the enemy. That someone was His one and only Son, His most beloved Jesus Christ, who left His heavenly throne to save us. No other blood could have been shed on behalf of all mankind. It had to be the perfect Lamb of God.

Not only did our Heavenly Father watch the cruelty and pain that Jesus endured while they prepared Him for the cross and drove the nails or spikes into His hands and feet, God the Father had to turn His back on Jesus while He hung on that cross dying. Our Heavenly Father is holy and perfect, and He cannot look on sin. As Jesus hung on that cross and cried out, My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me (Matthew 27:46), the Father agonized with the suffering of Jesus. Remember all the sins of mankind were nailed on that cross with Jesus.

Colossians 2:14, Having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

Also, Christ must have suffered more from the Father turning away from Him than the pain from the nails or spikes as they were driven into his hands and feet.

Why would our God do this? One reason only: His great love for mankind, desiring that each one of us can become His beloved child.

First John 4:9–10, This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Our God really loves you and me. We should be so grateful for the sacrifice given on our behalf, both from the Father and the Son.

I can imagine the delight the Father felt after the resurrection and ascension of His Beloved Son. There had to be a big celebration and banquet in heaven at this great reunion. (I wonder if they served Blue Bell ice cream with the cake.)

Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Do you think He is watching over us? Not only does He watch over us, He is making intercession on our behalf.

Romans 8:34, Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Just think, our God saved us by the shed blood of Christ, and one day we will join that celebration in heaven. This is in accordance with the riches of His grace that He lavished on us.