When God Calls with Michael McCaskill
A show about listening for God's calling and acting on his direction.
When God Calls with Michael McCaskill
Ephesians Study Chapter 1 - Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians
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Season 3
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Episode 2
- Verses 15 - 23
- Paul’s message is for everyone to have faith in Jesus Christ and with that love for everyone. Our salvation depends on it.
- Acts 20:21 - I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
- Col 1:3-4 - We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.
- He is very specific in his prayer - that God may give them wisdom to know Him better.
- Col 1:9 - For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
- He doesn’t pray that the drunk get sober or that the sinner stop sinning. He prays that they know God so that He reveals to them their calling that leads to everlasting life with Him.
- Rom 8:28 - 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.
- Rom 2:3 - Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
- Cancer - if doctors just treat the symptoms (weight loss, pain, fatigue, etc) the cancer will kill you. If doctors treat the source of the symptoms, the patient can be cured.
- Paul isn’t praying people to stop sinning, he is praying that they will know God and obtain salvation.
- Paul’s message is for everyone to have faith in Jesus Christ and with that love for everyone. Our salvation depends on it.
- How can this happen?
- By the same power God used to raise Christ from the dead! As Christians (those who have faith in Jesus Christ and love all God’s people) we are given this same power!
- If we know God, we will better understand His will in our lives, leading to our salvation, everlasting life with Him.
- Salvation through the power of Jesus’ resurrection after sacrificing his life for our sins.