Chapter 3

Please read the chapter thoroughly at least once, and write down any questions you have or any verses that stick out to you.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%203&version=ESV

STUDY

• In verse 4 and 5, what was not made known to the "sons of men in other generations" ? What didn't these sons of men have that Paul did?

• What did Paul preach to the Gentiles in verse 8?  What do you suppose this is?  

• What do we have through our faith in Jesus?

• Paraphrase verse 17-19.  What does this mean to you? 

APPLICATION

• Read verses 14-19 again.  Isn't it amazing to see the picture here of the greatness of the fullness of God and the love of Christ? Do you believe He is so great?

• God can do more than we can ever imagine or grasp!  Do your prayers reflect the small box that you put God in, in perspective of what you think He can do? HE CAN DO FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY THAT ALL WE ASK OR THINK!  Let our prayers reflect how BIG He truly is and ask great things of Him, because He IS that powerful and great!

PRUNING ME

    Reading this chapter, I remembered that the people in the Old Testament did not have the Holy Spirit living in them, because it wasn't until Jesus died and rose again that the Holy Spirit was given to believers as their helper.  However, it would have also been magnificient to have God physically come before you in all His glory, like the story of Moses.   Not all people who believed in God from the Old Testament had this opportunity.  Since the day that Jesus died and resurrected, ALL who believe and call Jesus their Savior, have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, and He is always available to us!  

    Although we will never completely comprehend the measure of God's fullness and love, I do appreciate the words used in verse 18: breadth, length, height and depth!  And none of these parameters have perimeters!  WOW, I just made that last saying up! 

    I also think I put God in a box sometimes- putting limits of His power in my life.  I'm not saying that by me putting God in a box, that I literally limit His power, but that He would act more powerfully in my life if I believed He could.  When I stop and think about it, I definitely don't have any hesitations that God is bigger and more infinite that I can ever grasp or understand...but does my daily life reflect that?  There are many times throughout the week that I try to do things on my own, rather than just surrendering to the MOST POWERFUL AND LOVING BEING OF THE UNIVERSE.  Often, it isn't until I fail a few times that I realize I was trying to do something on my own.  Let's let God, be God. Can you imagine the things we miss out on because we try to do things in our own strength? 

• Leanne