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Daily Devotion: Ephesians 1:15-18

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Ephesians 1:15-18    "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,  (16)  Cease not 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 unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  (18)  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"

"... After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus..." There is such a relief and release that takes place in our hearts and minds after we are brought to the understanding of the work of Jesus on the cross. There is sweet peace and comfort when the Holy Spirit gives us understanding of the forgiveness of sins and that God has accepted us through the blood of Jesus Christ. There is a great burden that is lifted when we are brought to the place of knowing God chose to send Jesus and Jesus chose to go to the cross to pay MY debt. Paul said, "I do not cease to give thanks for you in that you are rejoicing in Christ Jesus.

Though there is no word, "but," in these verses, we can almost hear Paul saying.... "I'm so thankful that you have been brought this far in your faith, (but) I want you to go deeper." I am praying for you to go deeper in your faith in Jesus. I want you to have a deeper "wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."  Please know there is no "new revelation" of Jesus Christ than that which has been given to us in God's Word. There is no other "knowledge" that God has hidden from you in other books that were not included in the Bible. That is the very thing that Satan used to tempt Eve in the Garden of Eden. He persuaded Eve that the Lord was withholding better things from her and Adam. When Paul says, "I want you to grow in wisdom and revelation," he is speaking of that which is found in the very Word of God concerning Jesus. We could (and we should) devote our entire lives to the study of God's Word and never get to the fullness of understanding that is contained therein. But the more we read and the more we study, then the more we learn about our precious Lord. Yes, my prayer for you and for me is that we will go deeper in our faith concerning the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord willing, tomorrow we will look a little deeper into that wonderful knowledge.

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (by John Newton)

1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer's ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
and drives away our fear.

2 It makes the wounded spirit whole
and calms the troubled breast;
'tis manna to the hungry soul,
and to the weary, rest.

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