Sitting in church yesterday, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in my life prayer partner’s church, I was really blessed by the message.
I was seated beside my friend’s father, and I had been in their home over the weekend and really blessed by their hospitality.
The pastor spoke of the abundant riches…the true treasures that we have in our inheritance as believers in Christ…as members of the family of God.
The scripture the pastor preached from was a familiar one to me…Ephesians 1: 15-23:
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[a] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlyplaces, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
In fact, it is so very familiar to me because I pray it every day. It is part of our prayer blanket that the LORD has blessed us with.
I love it that the LORD has given us this Bible…His written Word…and we can find something new…fresh pasture to graze in…ummmmmmmmmmm…….
This scripture is so full of what we have in Christ….
Full of the rich resources we have at our disposal…but just like if you have a diamond mine and never dig…
Or there is oil …and you don’t do what it takes to find and use it…
We can be rich and die debtors…
It is for us to attain our inheritance…
The pastor said…1. We must know God. This is intimate relationship…like knowing Him and trusting Him…and Him knowing us and trusting us.
2. We must know God’s calling. We are a called out assembly…we the Church of the One True God!
3. We must know God’s riches…His inheritance in us…
As all this was being spoken to me and the others sitting around me…it was as though I were singled out…and talked to directly by my Father…
The pastor mentioned that not touching these resources…not partaking of this wonderful inheritance we have is being miserly…and he prayed that God give us strength to enjoy our inheritance…
A verse that I say every day…”The Joy of the LORD is my strength”…jumped up inside me…
And, I internalized what was being said to me by Holy Spirit…
Without joy…my strength…I can’t use what God’s given me…not the gifts…or the fruit…
And, with regard to the miserly part…not using the talents given me…is like not receiving my inheritance…hiding in the ground…is miserly…
There’s a wonderful song I know about joy…the chorus says…The Joy of the LORD is my strength…
Verse 1: If you want joy, you must clap for it!
Verse 2: If you want joy, you must shout for it!
In other words, the LORD says rejoice always! Give thanks in everything! Shout to the LORD!!
Joy is something we must actively do…when we rejoice…we enjoy!!! Amazing isn’t it?
If we put on the garment of praise…sing, clap, stomp, dance, shout…the spirit of heaviness is gone from us…it leaves…and we are no longer depressed.
Along with this message, I add one more…Elizabeth George on dvd…teaching her first book about loving the LORD with all our minds….
She does this with 6 verses…the 1st of which is Philippians 4: 8:
Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
We only watched the 1st of the 6 sessions, and she expounded on whatever things are true.
She said memorize the verse first, and then find all the things true about God…and what God says about us. In other words, you don’t decide what’s true and think on it…
The Word is Truth…Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life…so we think on what is True, according to God.
This is just the beginning…just the top of the iceberg…
In fact, this is the top of the 1st iceberg…each of the 6 verses she teaches on she calls an iceberg…
Her first of 3 things…and I don’t remember all 3 at this moment…is to realize that we are commanded to think on these things…
It is not a suggestion…but a command of God…to place our minds.
It is also not a suggestion but a command to rejoice always!
I’m on a journey…learning to place my mind at all times on what Gods says to…to obey God…
I hope you’ll join me…
Until the next time…
Teddi