December 04, 2018: SOAP #3288:  Ephesians 1-4

Scripture:  Ephesians (NIV) 1:16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…

Ephesians (NIV) 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.

Observation:  Paul did not just say he was praying for them, he wrote down the words and thoughts of his prayers.  I cannot help but note that Paul’s prayers are quite different than many prayers I hear today.

Paul prayed that people would come to know God and grow in their understanding of His plan.  He did not pray for their physical bodies, but their spiritual lives.  He did not pray for financial success, but revelation knowledge of God’s love.  He did not pray that their lives would be full of enjoyable and successful activities, but full of the fulness of God!

Application: I need to adjust my praying.  It is not wrong to pray for healing and success in life’s activities, but I need to pray more for spiritual growth and understanding.  I should use some of Paul’s thoughts in my prayers.

Prayer:   Holy Spirit, guide my prayers. May my prayers deal with the eternal matters.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!