Sunday's Message, August 1, 2021 - The Missing Pieces...A Road to Recovery
Hello Spiritual Family,
Paul wrote letters to various non-Jewish churches that were struggling with remaining in the love of Jesus Christ as was initially preached in the beginning. His letters were to remind them of the message of salvation and be confident in this hope. The Letter of Ephesians, some believe, was also the missing or lost letter meant for the church in Laodicea. Imagine not receiving the rich words of encouragement from Paul of our life in Christ that is spelled out in Ephesians.
This week's message encourages us to posture ourselves to "catch the wind of God" again by finding the missing pieces of our relationship and get back on the road to recovery of passionately sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the next generation.
God Bless
Scripture References & Highlights
Prayer for 2021: This year will be a year of Light; that Light will shine and darkness will not dispel it.
In Jesus' Name
Message Scriptures
- Background
- The letter to the church in Ephesus was thought, by some scholars, to have been the missing letter to the church in Laodicea. Image the reach message of encouragement and foundational grounding shared in the letter not making it to Laodicea. How might that affected their growth in the Lord?
- Ephesians 3:5-6,9
- the mystery of the Gospel is constantly being revealed to every generation
- Paul's passion is to reveal it to many
- Ephesians 3
- vs. 7-8
- grace will empower me to boldly preach the message of the Gospel
- vs. 11-12
- live and move with such boldness and confidence knowing that God is with me, no matter what comes my way
- God is able to do more than I can imagine or think
- vs. 14
- to always be in constant awe of Him
- vs. 16-19
- opportunity for active participation
- God's part + my part = experiential knowledge of God's love
- God's Part - infuse/reveal to us the unlimited riches of His glory and favor in our lives until supernatural strength floods our innermost being with His divine might and explosive power
- My Part - activate my faith constantly, faith without works yields no fruit (James 2:17). It's up to me to move on the things I know, whether it's in the Word or revealed by Holy Spirit and to do it with boldness, courage, and confident in the outcome that it's going to be good (Romans 8:28).
- Experiential Knowledge of God's Love -
- it's what every holy one experiences
- the great magnitude of Christ's astonishing love in all it's dimensions
- how deeply intimate and far-reaching it is
- how enduring and inclusive it is
- how endless it is - past our understanding
- it pours into us until we are overflowing with God's fullness
- vs. 20
- finally arriving at never doubting God's mighty power to work in us to accomplish everything we ask, and even so much more
- more than our greatest request
- our more unbelievable dream
- exceed our wildest imagination
- He will do it all
- Ephesians 5
- vs. 8-10
- live as children experiencing revelatory-light shining through us
- goodness, righteousness and truth being seen in us by others
- we will learn to choose what is beautiful (pleasing) to our Lord
- vs. 13
- revelation-light will correct and bring truth to our soul
- Ephesians 6
- vs. 10-20
- be armed, aware and ready
- again God is take the first steps providing the armor for us to wear, it's up to us to put it on
- armor for hand-to-hand combat w/high-ranking demons, we are victorious
- truth to stand in triumph
- holiness to protect the heart
- stand alert, ready to share the blessing of peace (Matthew 5:9)
- faith surrounds us, extinguishing darkness
- embrace salvation's deliverance - new creation by grace
- know the Word
- pray - a) intercession, b) blessings, c) God's revelation, d) Gospel will be preached
Nuggets for the Week
- Formula definition - a mathematical relationship or rule expressed in symbols, stating or declaring something definitely or authoritatively, indicating a procedure to be followed, or for prescribed use on some ceremonial occasion, any fixed or conventional method for doing something
- To see, experience and become aware of God's activity in our lives
- Posturing - Open eyes, open ears, open heart and open spirit to walk out the journey He has planned for us
- What happened to the church at Ephesus?
- Revelation 2:1-7
- worked hard and persevered
- they didn't tolerate evil
- tested those that proclaimed to be apostles
- endured trials and persecutions for the name of Jesus and not become discouraged
- abandoned their passionate love they had at the beginning
- repent and do the works of love you did at the beginning
- to the ones that overcome, they will be given access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life
- What happened to the church at Laodicea?
- Revelation 3:14-22
- neither frozen in apathy nor fervent with passion
- being lukewarm will lead to being spewed from God's mouth
- clueless about how miserable, poor, blind, barren, and naked they are
- be refined by my fire
- put on My righteousness
- purchase eye salve that leads to truly seeing
- be willing to be unmasked and trained
- repent and be eager to pursue what is right
- open the door of your heart to me and become my bride truly
- I will lead you to sit with me at my Father's throne again (Ephesians 2:6)
Reflections
- Have we lost our passion for Christ and revealing the mystery of the Gospel?
- Have we lost our boldness and confidence in Christ?
- Have we fallen off from where we once believed?
Key Takeaway for the Body
- Formulas were never meant to be taught absent of its relationship to the numbers and operations. Same with the Gospel, it was never meant to be taught absent of its relationship with Jesus.
- Our mission is to live as children flooded with revelation-light with goodness, righteousness, and truth shining through us.
Prayer Time
In your times of prayer this week (9am,12noon, and 6pm) we encourage you to include the following scriptures located below and in the article 7 Verses and 7 Prayers for your Pastor/
Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-17
Philippians 1:9-11
Colossians 1:10-12
Worship Highlight
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