Tag Archives: Ephesians

Now In Christ

23 Aug

Heaven

(11) Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; (12) that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (13) But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ.

The first verse of or our text takes me back to my roots. Not to the day of being reborn, but to the days of my childhood. I was living in a small desert town in southern California; no running water, no indoor plumbing, jack rabbits for dinner, popcorn for breakfast. I was a nobody headed for nowhere . . . But God! God saw this skinny little towheaded kid, with a tender heart, and He made a place for me in His Kingdom.

In the days of the Old Testament, only the Jews were God’s Chosen People. He led them and provided shelter and food for them in the most desperate of times. But with the Birth of Christ and the gospel of promise came the understanding of the Great Mystery (1 Corinthians 2:7). No longer was salvation earned through a birthright (those of circumcision of the hands), it was freely given to all who would believe on Jesus and accept Him as the Son of God, our Savior (1 Corinthians 1:24-25) (circumcision of the heart and spirit).

No longer would salvation and eternal life be given to the mechanics of birth, circumcision and living the religious life passed down from Jewish father to Jewish son. Now there had to be more than the yearly “required” trips, bloody animal sacrifices and the “holy” rituals. Now there had to be spiritual covenants, promises of faith, humility and hope in the gospel, brought to draw an entire world to the saving grace of God. Now those without hope can receive the promise of eternal life and continued relationship with God.

Today we can all be Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Whether born in Israel or in the back alley of a dead end street in the worse part of town; we all have the opportunity to become part of the Body of Christ. We are all born to a mighty and loving God that wishes that all would receive His Word, brought through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, and freely given to all who would ask. Eternal life in a mansion with streets paved in gold. Everyone. Even that skinny little towheaded kid, raised in poverty, with no hope for tomorrow, one day to become a pastor and bring the love of Christ to a hurting people. Even you!

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:29 (KJV)

** A Journey Through Ephesians: Chapter 2 – Part 6:

By Linda J. Humes

2-1-2015

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His Workmanship

21 Aug

fruit of spirit

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (ASV)

We are God’s workmanship. Whether we are white, brown, black, yellow or red – we are God’s workmanship. Whether we were born in a perfect body or an imperfect body, with a perfect mind or a mind that few can break through to, we are God’s workmanship. We were created for a purpose and a call within the specific parameters of our birth, we were not born by accident, we were not shaped by a curse, we are all God’s workmanship.

Psalm 139:13-14 states clearly: “For thou didst form my inward parts: Thou didst cover me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks unto thee; For I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.” God knew us before the beginning of time (2 Timothy 1:9). He knew the hour we would be born, the challenges we would face and the path that He set before us. He (God) created us in His image, male and female both (Genesis 1:27), no man can take away that image for it is God created (Genesis 9:6). He predestined us to be who we would be, foreordained to a call, conformed to the image of His Son (Acts 1:8). In fact in Romans 8:30 God states: “Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.”

So how can that be?? Can we believe that ALL are created in His image, regardless of physical and mental abilities? Are we to believe that all races and creeds and colors are made in His image? ALL? Romans 8:28 states: “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose.” In 2 Timothy 1:9 it says that these perfect gifts were given to us “in Christ Jesus before times eternal.”

What is His Image? How can every person, every living human being, be made in His Image? The answers come in the scriptures themselves. The Image of God is not the outward appearance, it is the Spirit, the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). “The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7 KJV).

God formed Jesus and gave Him the looks of an average man for a reason. “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). God did not want people to follow Jesus because of his outward appearance, for it is only temporal. God wanted people to feel the depth of Jesus through His Spirit, His Soul. He was of “no reputation” (Philippians 2:5-11). Paul states that we should not look on the “outward appearance” as we can be deceived by charismatic leaders. But we are to look for Christ’s attributes (2 Corinthians 10:7).

To be in God’s Image we must emulate His behaviors and patterns. Jesus stated that we will receive the “Power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,” then we would be able to take the gospel to the world (Acts 1:8). Once we have the “power,” we will be able to do “greater works” than Jesus did when He walked the earth (John 14:12). To get there Jesus shows us that we must learn to pray, pray until you hear from Father God (Romans 15:30; 1 Philippians 1:19; Colossians 1:3; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 18:1-8). We are to pray in groups for strength in prayers (Deuteronomy 26:7-8; Isaiah 56:7; II Chronicles 7:14), but there are also times that we are to pray in solitude, a simple time of relationship with Father God (Matthew 6:5; Matthew 14:23). The power through prayer is given to those who commit their lives to following Christ and receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, at that point their faith and their understanding begins to grown (Matthew 11:25-26).

To be seen in the Image of God, we must walk in the fruits of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25), we must walk in the fruits of His Righteousness (Ephesians 5:9; James 3:18; Philippians 1:11), we must walk in the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13), and in the Fruit of Holiness (Romans 6:22). Then we will honor God with the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15), speaking to Him and listening to Him through the gift of relationship through prayer.

We walk daily in His Image. How clearly He is seen in us depends upon our decision to be more like Him. Jesus was “attractive” not because of His outward appearance, but because of the love, peace, gifts and fruits that shown through Him. The people could look into His eyes and see the Spirit of God. We are made in His image, but we make the decision on how much of God we want to look like. Hallelujah! Will you share “Christ in You, the Hope of Glory” (Colossians 1:27)? Will you humbly and powerfully show that you are made in the Image of God? Will you be an excellent example of the Workmanship of God?

**A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 2, Part 5

Written by Linda J. Humes

12-28-2014

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Saved Through Faith

20 Aug

by grace

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

So many thoughts cross my mind when I read these scriptures.  Things like “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” or “you never get something for nothing,” and even “you are no more a Christian because you sit in a church, than you are a cow because you stand in a barn.”

Over the years I have seen person after person come into the church and give all they physically have, but never find the true gift, the relationship with God.  I think that we have been “programmed” by the American culture to believe that if we work hard and “give it all we’ve got” we’ll get whatever we want.  Some have succeeded, many have failed.  But that “programming” does not apply to God’s culture and the plan He has set out for us.

The New Testament makes it very clear that no matter what we have done, said or caused, we have hope through Jesus for an eternal life in Heavenly places (Romans 4:7).  Through repentance and the forgiveness of sins, God wipes our slates clean and we become white and pure as snow (Isaiah 1:18).  We can’t work enough hours to receive that gift.  We can’t feed enough hungry people or clean enough church carpets or share the gospel in enough countries to receive that gift.  We can’t spend enough time in prayer or hours in the scriptures, memorizing – memorizing – memorizing, to earn that gift.  It isn’t possible.  The gift is free.  The gift is from God Himself, His “grace” card (1 Corinthians 1:4).  The gift of salvation is simply received through believing faith (Romans 3:22 & 25).  Faith!  No more, no less.

So, in God’s culture, there is a “free lunch,” eating daily of God’s Word (Matthew 4:4) and feeding the spirit that is growing inside.  In God’s culture, there is “something for nothing, there is grace, and through that grace there is faith, and through that faith there is eternal life in Heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3).

As far as the last quote, that’s a true comment, but with the love and acceptance and example of the saints, people who come seeking will find the true faith they desire.  Everyone starts coming to church as a non-Christian, but finds their way to the free gift of salvation, pre-paid by the Son.  Once we realize it took the blood of a perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:14) to bring us that gift, a life freely given on Calvary (1 Corinthians 2:12), how could we even consider boasting.

We are saved by grace through our faith in Christ.  Simple.  Easy.  Priceless.

* A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 2, Part 4

Written by Linda J. Humes

11-28-2014

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Exceeding Riches

19 Aug

Homeless

“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”   Ephesians 2:5-7 (KJV)

I suspect we all have met people who continually live on the edge of disaster.  They take chances we would never even dream of.  They live without concern of where they will sleep or where their next meal will come from.  They wander through life looking for adventure and excitement and for that feeling of completeness.

I am amazed at their dis-concern for their surroundings and potential plight.  In their place, I would be completely out of sorts.  When I asked one young man whether he was worried about what he may face with his lifestyle, he said “No, God takes care of me.”  When I asked about any formal “church” upbringing, there wasn’t any.  Clearly drugs and alcohol had taken a toll on his physical health.  Breaking the law made the way of keeping him with the addictive substance he desired.

It’s hard to understand why he felt so content in his relationship with God.  I wonder if it was just something he said to steer off curious onlookers, like myself.  I wonder if his life expectations were so low that what he experienced in his life exceeded his hopes and he gave God the glory for it.  I wonder if he prayed, and even in his sin laden life, God kept a hedge of protection around him, knowing that one day he would turn himself around and follow the call placed on his life (Luke 9:23).

I wonder if he met God in a deep dark place and had that wonderful intimate relationship that made him feel blessed, no matter where he was or what he was doing (Acts 17:27).  Had he recognized God’s “Exceeding Riches” in his day to day, moment my moment existence, and even in his poverty and life of poor choices, feeling the great value of that relationship.  Even though he has not pulled himself back to a “normal” lifestyle, did he know that God still loved and watched over and cared for him?  I don’t know, he said he did.

I do know that God will meet us where we are at, in our filthiest rags and disgusting attitudes, a life filled with sin and a heart filled with darkness, and He will love us and call to us and stay by our side until we are ready to hear His voice (Isaiah 64:6).  I do know that the joy of receiving Him is far greater than any other joy on this earth, and to call it “Exceeding Riches” is far less than it truly is.  I do know that He has prepared a place for us, rich or poor, male or female, whatever race, whatever creed, brilliant or challenged, evil or kind, and He is waiting for us to accept that gift by accepting His Son (John 14:2-3).  I do know that He has made a way, through the sacrifice of His Son, for us to sit in Heavenly places (Ephesians 1:20; 2:6).

That’s grace (John 1:14).  That’s love (John 3:16).  That is the gift of “Exceeding Riches” so great that we may never comprehend it until the moment we stand before Him (Romans 14:10).

*A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 2, Part 3

Written by Linda J. Humes

11-23-2014

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Sons Of Disobedience

15 Aug

lake of fire

2. wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; 3. among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:– 4. but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Ephesians 2:2-4 (ASV)

Many years ago I attended a large church in Phoenix.  I was a member of the choir and church staff.  Sunday mornings were delightful.  We would begin choir practice at 8am and the anointing would always fall over the sanctuary.  By the time service started there was such a thick and powerful anointing that people often said they could feel it when they walked through the doors of the foyer.  The ministry teams would often be in the sanctuary as the choir practiced, to drink in the anointing before the congregation began arriving.

One Sunday, in particular, will forever stay in my memory.  It was that Sunday that a young warlock priest was sent to the church to kill the worship leader.  We were unaware of it during the service.  We weren’t actually made aware until the following Wednesday night choir practice.  What we were aware of was that many people made their way to the altar and left the elements they were bound by on the steps to the platform.  It was a common thing to see every Sunday.  We often saw cigarettes, drugs, needles, guns and knives, left by people in deep prayer, crying out to God to cleanse them of their addictions or behaviors.  That Sunday a dagger was left at the platform and a young man laid at the platform sobbing for a very long time.

On Wednesday the young man told us that he had been sent there by his coven to kill our worship leader.  When the call came to attend the altar for prayer, he walked swiftly to the altar, dagger in hand, fully intending to run up the steps to the platform and complete his assignment, but by the time he had reached the steps, God had broken his heart.  God took away his desire to kill the worship leader and his desire to be a part of the coven any longer.  God stopped his feet from going forward, he said it was like there was an invisible wall at the bottom of the steps that he could not push through.  He dropped the dagger to the floor, fell to his knees, and began sobbing and crying out to God.

That young man began attending church every Sunday, and Bible Studies during the week.  He and the worship leader became close as the worship leader mentored him.  I won’t say it was an easy transition for this young man, the coven he had come from was very angry and went out of their way to bring him, and his family, great harm.  Eventually he had to move away to protect his family and get the fresh faith start that he needed.

This young man was sent to destroy a church and the powerful anointing that filled it – “but God, being rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4) turned his heart and set a hedge of protection around the people in the service.  God gave this young man another chance at true eternal life, in Heavenly places, taking away an eternity in the Lake of Fire.  God, in His Mercy, changed the course of many of our lives, by the testimony that came forward, showing us that not only can God change an evil man to a godly man, but He can protect His servants from any evil that attempts to bring them harm, “for his great love wherewith He loved us” (Eph 2:4).  What more could we possibly ask for.

Thank you, Lord, for not letting me forget your mercies and your love, spread out over the saint and sinner alike.  Thank you for loving me when I was unloveable, and bringing me up to a level where I can share that love with others.  Hallelujah!

** A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 2, Part 2

Written by Linda J. Humes

11-16-2014

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Dead Through Trespasses

15 Aug

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil

“And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,” Ephesians 2:1 (ASV)

I was one of those kids who never got into trouble, not because I was born from a different cut of cloth than others, but because of the great fear of what the consequences would be at home if I did.  I remember as a young teen, my mom telling me that if I was ever picked up by the police, not to waste the time calling home, no one would come.

The fear of making a mistake followed me from childhood into adulthood and captured my every thought.  I even entertained the fear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and being blamed for someone else’s behavior; so I isolated myself.

When I gave my heart to Jesus and heard about the consequences of sin, and that the Bible says that we all sin, I struggled with it.  I had always done my best not to do anything illegal or immoral. These verses brought me great confusion.  I didn’t understand that what the world considered to be sin and what God considered to be sin were 2 very different things, and in all my careful years of watching my behavior, I had let God down.  Even my refusing to believe that I was sinning in some area of my life was a sin in the eyes of God (1 John 1:8).

The scriptures clearly state that we are not to be involved in “quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfishness, backstabbing, gossip, conceit, and disorderly behavior” (Galatians 5:19) – busted!  These behaviors seem to be inborn in us, and we must grow past these practices as teens and young adults.  I had no idea that God considered these “temper tantrum behaviors” to be sins.  I heard a pastor speak about these behaviors, stating that when we listen to gossip, or people backstabbing, or witness outbursts of anger or disorderly conduct, and do nothing to stop it, we are guilty of participating.  If we don’t walk away and refuse to be a part of the conversation, we are guilty of supporting them by our simply being there.  I was guilty of doing nothing.  I was guilty of being party to damaging someone else’s reputation.  I was guilty of sin.

I am so thankful that our loving God gives us a way to restore ourselves (2 Corinthians 12:21).  He gives us the opportunity to repent and ask for forgiveness from the offended party, freeing us from the penalty of sin.  God also gives us the choice not to repent, not to walk in humility and correct our wrongful ways, even though it grieves Him to see us in that condition; under the curse of sin.  And through that curse, we will live our lives without the blessing of inheriting the Kingdom of God and all of the eternal gifts that wait for us there (Galatians 5:21).  By remaining in sin we sign our own death warrant, in the eternal lake of fire (Proverbs 11:19).

I am thankful that God loves us so much that He is willing to remove all of our sins from His memory and allow us to become pure in his sight (Psalms 103:12).  I am thankful that He loves us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for our sins, and that by Jesus’ blood we are cleansed (Revelation 1:5).  I am thankful that this is a free gift from God the Father, without unreachable goals or impossible tasks (Romans 6:23).  I am so thankful that He not only saved me from my own sinful nature, made a way for me to overcome the very faults that were born within me, and gave me the opportunity to stand above all that I ever thought I could be, righteous and healed (1 Peter 2:24).

I am thankful that He trusted me enough to not only lift me up, but to teach me His ways so that I can teach others the truths of the scriptures that they may never have heard.  I am thankful that He makes a way to share all I have learned to all who will listen with a humble and open heart.  I am thankful.

*A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 2, Part 1

Written by Linda J. Humes

11-1-2014

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At The Right Hand Of The Father

4 Aug

blessing hands

(the strength of His might) . . . “which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:” Ephesians 1:20-21 (ASV)

There are very few people, that I have met, who don’t appreciate being recognized for their accomplishments or for doing a great job at their daily duties.  A word of recognition or a note of thanks can turn a dark day completely around, and negative words can take a person to a whole different level of dismay and depression.  I wonder what thoughts went through Jesus’ mind as He suffered and died on the cross that day.  He had been betrayed by the very people He loved and spent years teaching and mentoring.  He was abandoned and faced that horrible circumstance alone, except for the Father who watched from afar.  I wonder if Jesus had thoughts of abandonment.  I wonder if He felt betrayed, even for a moment.  I wonder if He contemplated the work that He had done on earth and if it was good enough.  I wonder if He rose above all of that, knowing the facets of human nature and the fear, shame and pain, that those He loved must have been feeling.  I wonder.

God used His strength and might to raise Jesus from the dead.  His spoken word broke off the tomb of death and called His son to His very arms.  Did God hold Jesus like a mother or father holding an injured child, loving away the pain and the memory of the event that caused it?  Did He speak life and strength back into His son, knowing that Jesus’ journey on earth was far from over?  Or, did Jesus just know?

After Jesus’ work on earth was complete He joined the Father, sitting at the Father’s right hand.  Scripture has many references to the right hand and the blessing that the right hand brings (Matthew 22:44).  It also speaks of the power of God that comes through the right hand (Exodus 15:6).  When children were blessed by the head of the family, giving them inheritance and power in the lands the family owned, and sometimes those blessed were not the children expected to receive the blessing, as in Genesis 48.  And in those times when people called on God for protection and comfort, He reached down His right hand to take care of them (Isaiah 41:13).  I find it very comforting to know that in my time of need, I can call on God and not only can He reach out with His right hand to send His blessing, but at His right hand rests His very son, Jesus Christ, making intercession for my every need (1 John 2:1).

But our reference doesn’t stop with the right hand, the blessings, the protection, the intercessions, or the care and love Jesus has for each of us.  The reference goes on to say who this man named Jesus is and what God has bestowed upon Him for the wonderful work He accomplished while on this earth.  After the sacrifice of the cross and Jesus’ time on earth with the apostles and disciples, God took Jesus to His right hand – above all rule, authority, power, dominion and any other word to describe that thought.  God took Jesus above every name that is named, not just on earth, but in all physical and spiritual locations unknown to man.  He took Jesus above all things known and all thing that are to come that we cannot even fathom.

This should bring us all great comfort, it does me.  For in the heart of Jesus, and on the palm of God, is your name and mine (Isaiah 49:16).  Their love for us is far beyond any rule, authority, power or dominion in worlds we understand, and in worlds we cannot fathom.  We are there, safely held in the arms of a precious and powerful savior, at the right hand of God.

*A Journey Through Ephesians:  Ephesians 1 – Part 12

Written By Linda J. Humes

10-19-14

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Exceeding Greatness

3 Aug

CreationLaura Sotka 2008

“and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might.” Ephesians 1:19 (ASV)

I love walking out at night into the backyard, and looking up into the vastness of the star lit sky.  Truly amazing and beautiful.  I am in awe of the incredible God who put it all together, with the spoken word, in a moment’s time.  I am always speechless.

It is difficult for people to understand the “exceeding greatness” of God.  We may hear the stories, as a picture is painted in Genesis, and fully believe it as the truth, but do we understand the intricacies of creating something from nothing (Genesis 1:1), setting the stars in the sky (Genesis 1:16) before creating the sun to rule it (Genesis 1:14-16)?

In His exceeding greatness God created man and women (Genesis 1:26-27), all people specifically similar physiologically and yet all specifically different in appearance, emotions, intellectualism and spirituality.  He created man so intricately that every cell of his body and hair on his head is specifically aligned to each other to maintain perfect oxygen levels and heart/brain/lung function to sustain life; no portion of the body is without purpose (1 Corinthians 12:12).

In this chapter and verse “Greatness” means mighty, explosive, beyond measure.  It is the word from where we get the English word Megathon, which is what they measure atomic explosives with.  “Exceeding” means greatly enlarged, flourishing or to grow beyond measure.  Putting it together we have an event that is compared to an atomic explosion which grows beyond measure.  And that explanation doesn’t even touch the completeness of it, we can only compare it to an example that we understand; it is so much less that what God’s Exceeding Greatness truly is.

In this chapter and verse, “Power” relates to His authority, power and sanction.  It is far beyond Governors, Presidents, Kings and Queens.  It is far beyond anything we could possibly imagine.  He has the power to turn words into life.  With His spoken word animals, fish, gardens, earth itself, and man/woman came to life from nothingness (Genesis 1:1-3).  Nothingness.  Followed by the “Strength” of His Might.  “Strength” means His sovereign unlimited power and dominion over all.  And He invited me to be a part of it.  He invited you to be a part of it.  I am so overwhelmed trying to make sense of all of that.

I don’t know why God cares so much about us, why He loves us with unmerited grace; but He does.  I don’t know why He trusts us with His saving message, directing us to share it with all who will listen.  I don’t know why He chooses the most unlikely people to give the strongest anointing, to reach the hurting and the sick.  I don’t know why a God of such Exceeding Greatness would use His Power toward us, to give us encouragement and strength and hope to do the things He has called us to do, when He could just speak what He wants and it would come to fruition.  But, He did!

God cares so much about us. We must believe that He has the Power to bring supernatural healing, cleanse the drug addict, and banish depression; and He will.  He has the Strength to restore a broken marriage, bring families back together in complete harmony, and return the heart of the children to the parents; and He will.  He has the Might to make a Moses, a Peter, a Paul and a David, a witness of His kingdom, in a way that only a simple and imperfect person can do; and He did.

Lord, help me look into Your eyes and see my value, in its finished and perfected form.  Help me to remember the love you have for each and every one of us, so that none of us will look upon another with disdain.  Help me to maintain Hope for the circumstances that surround me, knowing that it is all being held in the palm of Your hand.  Help us all to stay thankful.

** A Journey Through Ephesians:  Chapter 1, Part 11

Written by Linda J. Humes

10-11-14

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SEALED

2 Aug

Ancient wax seal

(Christ) . . . “in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,– in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory. ‘Ephesians 1:13-14 (ASV)

Over the last several years I have learned how to can.  Canning is generally quite simple, but with a few very critical components – time, pressure, temperature and most importantly, seal. Without a solid seal on the lid, the precious food inside will spoil.

Back in early times, when royalty sent a letter or a message, they wanted to be sure that the receiver was assured that the message had come from them. To do so they folded the paper and melted bitumen onto the end of the paper, then used a signet ring to press their specific emblem onto the paper, sealing it closed.  This was later replaced by a heavy wax and even later, envelopes with a wax seal over the closure point.  The seal kept the precious message for the eyes of the receiver only.  Once the seal was broken, it could not be resealed.

God‘s people used Bitumen as far back as Genesis when wanting to seal something of great importance.  Noah used bitumen (also called pitch) when waterproofing the Ark (Gen 6:14).  It was used to line the basket in which Moses was placed as a baby, to keep it afloat (Exodus 2:3). It was used to bind the bricks when building the Tower of Babel (well, that’s another story).

Sealing was used to place a mark of ownership and to establish where something came from and the authority with which it was sent.  Sealing was a means of protection from an outside element, such as water, wind or storm.  Sealing also was used to set something apart, or someone apart, protecting them from a peril of the time.

God has placed the Seal of the Holy Spirit upon all believers.  This seal brings us wisdom, foreknowledge, protection from the evil one, and proof of our right to eternal life with Christ.  The Seal is clearly on our foreheads, the same Seal that God placed on His son (John 6:27), is visible in the spiritual realm, marking our place (Revelation 9:4; Revelation 7:3).

This Seal is only the earnest of our inheritance, only the first sign, a small portion of what is to come, when we become children of God (2 Corinthians 1:22).  It is a deposit, a security, a pledge, the first installment of the wonderful gift; the inheritance of eternal life (John 3:15-16), a mansion fashioned to every individual (John 14:2-3), redemption from this world of pain and suffering to a Heavenly place where there will no longer be tears or anguish (Revelation 21:4).  We become God’s prized possession, sealed by the price of the life of His dear son, Jesus Christ.  Sealed by the blood of the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12-14).  Sealed by a bond that cannot be broken.

Lord, help me to always give you the glory and praise for the seal you have placed on my life.  Let me remember the sacrifice Your precious Son gave that I might receive this precious gift.  Help me to remember that even as I leave this earth, Your seal is forever visible by those in Heavenly places and the hand of evil can never remove it.  Praise Your Holy Name.

**A Journey through Ephesians – Chapter 1, Part 8

Written by Linda J. Humes

9-6-14

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Gathering Together

2 Aug

crowd hands up

‘That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” Ephesians 1:10 (KJV)

I remember when I first started raising chickens.  In the morning I would open up their henhouse and the little fenced-in yard and would let them run in the tall grass outside.  They would scatter to the 4 winds and have the best time.

Later, I would try to encourage them to return to the safety of their pen and house, but they would have none of it.  People would tell me not to worry, they said that as it grew dark they would return to their roost.  Didn’t happen.  It would take the entire family “shooing” and flapping arms to get them back in.  It continued day after day, and in all of our frustration we decided it was easier not to let them out.

Gathering my little flock was more of an exercise in futility than anything.  I wanted to protect them, keep them warm and safe, and give them the food and water they needed to grow and multiply.  They wanted freedom – dangerous and exciting freedom.

In Ephesians 1:9-10, God says that He is revealing the mystery so that all He has chosen will know to “gather” together, both Jew and Gentile, both living and those who have passed on to Heaven before us – for His Pleasure.  Gathering at a specified time, of which only He is aware.

The Mystery revealed that there would be a dispensation, a breaking of the Old Testament laws, an immunity for those Gentiles with a heart toward God, as big and as genuine as any Jew born into the right of the inheritance.  What a blessing for you and I, for now we can receive all of the promises and encouragement from the Old Testament.  We have become joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), we receive a fully equal inheritance (Acts 20:32), being made acceptable by the mystery revealed to all through the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:16).

When the spiritual calls of the Saints have been completed and the time is right, the fullness of time, God will speak to every righteous heart, both dead and alive, and they will gather unto Him for the final gift; the gift of knowing that they are completely and irrevocably His, into eternity.  Holy, Holy, Holy!

Oh, my Jesus, gather us to Your side as a father to his children.  Let us accept Your treasured gift and not feel unworthy or torn away by seducing freedom.  May we understand our value in You, in all of our brokenness, and gather together at Your feet in worship.

**A Journey through Ephesians – Chapter 1, Part 6

Written by Linda J. Humes

8-24-14

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