[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3

[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7

I pause my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series, to come back to my study of Ephesians for 3 days per week as I participate in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. This week, we move to Ephesians 3 - with a specific focus on v1-7. As I read the entire chapter this morning, my first thought from v1-7 is how Paul emphasizes how God blesses him - Paul's humility is striking as Paul emphasizes how none of how God blessed him was of his own doing:

• grace given to him for Ephesus and Gentiles -v2, 7
  
• mystery of Christ revealed to him v4-6
• how Paul was made a minister of the gospel v7
  

A second thing that strikes me this morning is how Paul reminds us that he is in prison on behalf of the Gentiles - v1 - and how ironic this is.  Paul was of course killing Christians (the Jews who believed and were converted), and God redeems Paul for his sin and uses Paul to expand the gospel beyond the Jews - the very group Paul was seeking to keep pure!  In our earthly bodies we may not fully appreciate God's plans for our lives but we can be certain that God is able to take broken sinful people (that He created by the way) and use Him for His purpose. God's plans was to take His message - the Good News of Jesus Christ - to all the nations, and Paul was an instrumental vessel to deliver this message. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lordn Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is able to redeem all of my life and use it for Your glory - incredible!  Thank You Jesus for the blessing of redemption, salvation, sanctification, justification, election, glorification, etc. I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Moses

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Moses: A Glimpse of God's Glory*".

*Title of lesson four from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day five starts with Max Lucado pointing us to how, in the face of a stiff-necked group of Israelites, Moses needed reassurance that God was with him.  In Exodus 33:18, Moses asks God to "show [him] [God's] glory".  Lucado then encourages us to at how we from time to time seek reassurances from God. God then gave Moses a glimpse of Him - not his face but his back.  Moses' face was then radiant when he descended down the mountain and met with Aaron and the Israelites (with the two tablets of the Ten Commandments in hand). As Lucado wraps up a look at Moses, we are encouraged to look at the long arc of Moses' life and how Moses' upbringing revealed a desire in his heart for fairness and justice and how God flamed these desires as attributes of his leadership.  God continues to work in us for our entire lives as He did for Moses well beyond when he was already 80 years old.  Lucado ends by pointing us to Philippians 1:6 then to John 1:14: 

...that [H]e who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus".

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has great patience, mercy, and compassion for me as I strive to finish my race - I know You are not done with me. Thank You for how You have refined me and how You remain with and in me.  I am not deserving for how You bless me and how You never leave me. I am often disobedient with harsh words and actions, and other sins.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.

Exodus 1-3

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. Exodus 3:2

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I start the story of "Moses: A Glimpse of God's Glory*".

*Title of lesson four from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day one starts with Max Lucado describing a modern day story that resembled Moses' story - it is a story of riches to rags (or one of dashed dreams) similar to Moses' story.  Tragedy strikes everyone in some form or another and Lucado wants us to connect with Moses by seeing how a modern-day version of Moses' story could be anyone.  As Lucado moves from Hank to Moses, we are left with a few questions, including how can God use us when we are so deeply sinful and when we run from God? Moses was also already 80 years old (similar to Abraham and Sarah) - at what point are too old to be used by God?

Lucado points out that there were good reasons why God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt - He knew the people, he had known leadership qualities, wisdom, he knew the land, and he knew who the Israelites would be up against - he once lived in the palace.  Moses also married well - Zipporah was a woman of faith and we learn later in Exodus how Zipporah saved Moses from God's wrath.

Lucado wants us to understand how God uses everything in our lives to equip and prepare us for roles He designs specifically for us.  Even Moses' time in the wilderness leading sheep was used by God as Moses leads the Israelites through the wilderness.  It's also not just actual wildernesses but emotional and spiritual wildernesses that are used. 

Yet even though Moses recognizes God as the one who speaks to him through the burning bush, Moses resists.

We are encouraged to yield to God's will even when it feels scary or beyond or comfort zone - God will equip us as He does Moses.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has restored me MANY times and used all of the good and bad in my life for Your glory and my good.  You have also equipped me for how I serve - thank You Jesus for the many blessings You pour out for me.  I am not deserving of all the ways You bless me and certainly not deserving for the gift of salvation.  My sin continues...including placing my own comfort over priority to serve You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice....The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?

Job 32-37

He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice....The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? Job 34:11-12, 37:23-24

Day 259 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of Job as Elihu, who's been observing the interactions between Job and his friends, steps in to address Job in his prideful state (suffering as well):

But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused. Job 32:2-5

Elihu, like others who are young in age relatively speaking, respectively lets Job's older friends speak but then offers these nuggets which serve to encourage younger believers about how it is the Spirit who speaks and works through us and God works through people of all ages.

“I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know. I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right. Job 32:6-9

Other nuggets, include:

For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it. Job 33:14 [in response to those who don't see God at work or are unable to feel God talking to them]

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are perfect in all of Your ways, including Your perfect justice - I never have to lose hope that I do not have rewards in Heaven nor do I ever have to feel that all are not accountable for their lives - we will all face You and be accountable....and I know Your ways are perfect.  Thank You for the peace You provide in being perfect and in being with me always.  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily, including pride and other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.