The Model Life: What Now?

52 weeks ago we began First Thessalonians, and today we come

to the conclusion of this marvelous book.

We began looking at chapter one. That's where you usually begin

when you start a new book. And it was all about the model

church. And the Church of Thessalonica

sets a pattern. In fact, it's the only church

that God calls a pattern in the New Testament.

In other words, it's a church that we are to model our lives

after. So chapter 1 is all about the

model church. Chapter 2, verses 1 to 12 was

all about the model leader. Model churches have model

leaders, and Paul was that model leader.

And then you move to verse 13 of chapter 2 down to the end and

you have the model follower. Model churches have model

followers who follow model leaders.

And then you move into Chapter 3 and you see all about the model

friend, because model friends are model followers and model

followers follow model leaders that make up a model church.

And then you come to chapter 4 and five.

You have what is called the the model life because the model

friends and model followers and model leaders live the kind of

life that others are to emulate. So that you have a church that

is a model church. And we gave you 6

characteristics that describe the model life #1 The model life

abstains from sexual immorality #2 The model life is that life

that aspires to a life of charity #3 the model life was

one who anticipates the return of deity.

And then #4 the model life is one that is alert to the world's

destiny and their responsibility.

And then the model life is one that adapts within God's

wonderful family. And then lastly, the model life

is the one that adores their God fully and continually.

That's chapter 4 and chapter 5. And now, now Paul is going to

bring everything to a conclusion.

And I wonder what must have been going through his mind as he

concludes this, this epistle. You know, when you write a

letter to someone, you want to bring it to a conclusion, an

ending point. You want to bring it to a place

where you can kind of drive home what has already been said, kind

of summon it up so that others will will grasp it fully.

The difference between your letters, my letters and Paul's

letters is that Paul's letters were inspired by God.

Yours and mine are are not, but his was.

And yet it was all about his emotions and and thoughts that

played a a major part in his conclusion.

So let's let's look at it and let's read it and see what Paul

has to say as he concludes this epistle, verse 23 of chapter 5.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may

your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame

at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, faithful as he who calls

you, and he also will bring it to pass.

Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a

holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord to have

this letter read to all the brethren.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

This is how Paul concludes. He gives a solemn, A solemn

request, and then he gives a sincere reminder.

The solemn request is is made-up into three different categories.

It's rooted in the peace of God. It is revealed in his prayer to

God and it is realized in the promise from God That is his

solemn request. It's rooted in the peace of God,

the God who is peace. He says now, now, now, may the

God himself, the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely.

It's all about the God of peace. He, he's going to focus their

attention on their God and, and the peace that only God himself

can bring. So he wants to focus their

attention on the God who brings them peace because as he

concludes this letter, he wants them to be at peace not just

with the Lord, but with one another.

And having been justified by faith.

Romans 51, it tells us that you have peace with God.

So they're already at peace with God because it's the church and

they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So they're already at peace with God and he is asking the God of

peace to do something unique and special in their lives.

It's so important to realize that our Lord is the Lord of

peace. In fact, in in Second

Thessalonians, Paul says this in chapter 3 verse #16 he says now

may the Lord of peace himself continually grant you peace in

every circumstance. The Lord be with you all.

So even in the second letter he's going to refer back to the

Lord of peace. Remember, it's the Father.

It's the Father who provides peace.

It's the Son who purchased peace, and it's the Spirit that

produces peace. It's God the Father who provides

it. But in order to have it, it has

to be purchased, and the sun purchased that peace on

Calvary's tree. And once you embrace what the

sun has done, it's a Spirit of God that produces that peace.

For the fruit of the Spirit is Lovejoy and peace.

It all comes from the Spirit of God.

That's why the Old Testament says in Isaiah 26 verse #3 that

God will keep him in perfect peace.

Whose mind is stayed on thee? So Paul is drawing them back,

referencing the Old Testament and drawing them back to the God

of peace. So they recognize that their

mind is to be stayed, to be focused on the God of peace.

A hymn that we used to sing growing up in the church.

Don't sing it much today, but it's a, it's a great hymn.

It's called like a River glorious.

It says like a river, Glorious is God's perfect peace over all.

Victorious in its bright increase, perfect, yet it

floweth. Fuller every day perfect yet it

groweth deeper all the way. Hidden in the hollow of His

blessed hand. Never folk and follow, never

traitor. Stand not a surge of worry, not

a shade of care, not a blast of hurry.

Touch the Spirit there. Every joy or trial fall from

above traced upon our dial by the son of love.

We may trust him fully all for us to do they trust him holy

find him holy true saved upon Jehovah hearts are fully blessed

finding as he promised perfect peace and rest So Paul as he

concludes with this solemn request.

It's, it's rooted in the peace of God.

But then notice this, it's revealed in his prayer to God.

Now may the God of peace sanctify you entirely, sanctify

you completely, he says. And may your spirit and soul and

body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of

our Lord Jesus Christ. He wants him to understand

complete and total sanctification and complete and

total security. Now may the God of peace himself

sanctify you, set you apart completely, entirely holy toward

Him. Now.

Now we know that we're sanctified when we are saved.

We are set apart under God for his purposes.

When we are saved, we are justified and sanctified.

But that positional sanctification needs to be lived

out on a regular basis so that we practically work out our

salvation with fear and trembling.

As Paul says in Philippians chapter 2, that we are setting

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

ourselves apart from the things of the world.

If Paul says the way that happens is because the God of

peace who's going to set you apart completely one day at the

coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but in the meantime stay

separate from the things of the world.

And then notice this. He says also realize that he

will secure you, He will safeguard you, He will watch

over you, soul, spirit, body, mind, everything.

He's asking God to help them understand the security they

have in the God of peace. And that security can only come

to the God who who gives peace. And so he makes this solemn

request that's rooted in the in the peace of God, and that is

truly revealed in his prayer to God and then is truly realized

in the promise of God, faithful as he who called you, who also

will bring it to pass. He appeals to the faithfulness

of God, not just the peace of God, but the faithfulness of

God. I love what Psalm 3311 says when

it says that his faithfulness is the the belt around his waist.

Faithfulness is the belt around the waist of God.

In other words, it's the faithfulness of God that holds

all of his attributes together. He's faithful in love, He's

faithful in grace, he's faithful in mercy, He's faithful in

compassion, He's faithful in his power, he's faithful in his

presence. He's faithful in everything.

And so because he is faithful, it's the, it's the belt that

holds all the attributes together.

The Bible says over in Revelation 3 verse #14 as well

as Revelation chapter 19 that our God is faithful and our God

Revelation 19 · chapter mention

is true. The Bible says in Psalm 37 three

that we are to feed securely on the faithfulness of God.

In other words, God's faithfulness is our daily food,

it's our daily sustenance. Because God is faithful to do

everything he said he's going to do, faithful as he who called

you, who will bring it to pass. In other words, he will sanctify

you, He will glorify you, He will secure you.

Because it all depends on the faithfulness of God, not on

those who believe God does it. And so he appeals to the

faithfulness of God. I think so many times we we miss

how faithful God is. God is faithful to take you

through temptation. First Corinthians 10/13 there is

no temptation taking you such as it's common to man, but God is

faithful. God's faithful to always provide

a route of escape. Whenever you are tempted,

there's always going to be a route of escape because God's

faithful to provide that for you.

God. God is faithful to forgive you

all your sins. If we confess our sins, He is

faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from

all unrighteousness. That's what God does.

So we know that He will take us through temptation.

We know that when we confess our sins, He is faithful and true to

forgive us all of our sins. I don't have to worry about

whether or not God's going to forgive me or not.

He's already forgiven all my sins, past, present, and future.

But when I go to him and I say the same thing about my sin that

God says about my sin, that's what it means to confess.

Then God is faithful and just to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness. It's important to know that the

Bible tells us that God answers prayer based on His

faithfulness. Listen to what the Psalmist said

in Psalm 143 verse #1 Hear my prayer.

O Lord, give ear to my suffocations.

Answer me in your faithfulness. Answer me in your faithfulness.

God is so faithful to answer prayer.

Sometimes we forget about that, but He is because He is always

true to His word. Over in Second Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 verse #3 Paul says these words.

He says, but the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen

and protect you from the evil. God is faithful to protect you

from the evil one. He's faithful to strengthen you

so that you can withstand the evilness of the evil one.

God is so faithful. So Paul appeals to the

faithfulness of God as he concludes this epistle.

Faithful, as he called you, who also will bring it to pass.

And then he moves from a solemn request to a sincere reminder.

He's going to remind us of four things.

The first one is this engage in prayer for one another.

Paul says simply, brethren, pray for us.

Now all throughout the letter, Paul has already prayed for

them. Chapter one verse #2 he said, I

pray for you continually in chapter 3.

Pray that their love would abound more and more.

And all throughout Paul's epistles, he, he begins to

always pray for his people. And then he says, now, now,

brethren, pray for us. But he didn't tell him what the

requests are. He just says, brethren, pray for

us. And I think about that.

And I think that as we conclude this book, wouldn't it be good

for us to, to, to engage ourselves in praying one for

another? That is just so important.

And what do you pray for? Will you pray for the model

life? You pray that the people of the

church will abstain from sexual immorality.

You pray that they would aspire to a life of charity.

You pray that they would adapt within God's wonderful family.

You pray that they would adore their God sincerely and

continually and faithfully. But but think about our prayers

and how we pray one for another. The best way to understand how

to pray for one another is to examine Paul's prayers in the

scripture. You should always pray the Bible

for people. Always pray the Bible for

people. Follow Paul's prayers when you

pray for the church because when you do, you begin to pray

biblically and you want to pray in line with what the Spirit of

God wants. So you pray scripturally, You

pray biblically. So many times our prayers are

our prayer requests become so, so much more physical than

spiritual. You ever notice that we always

want prayer for healing. We always want prayer for our

health. We always want prayer for going

into surgery. We always want prayer for our

recovery after surgery. Right?

And there's nothing wrong with that.

But when you think about prayer, are we asking God's will to be

done? We want God's will to be done in

your life. Maybe it's God's will that you

be sick or that you stay sick. I don't know.

Maybe it's God's will that you be healed.

I don't know that either. So I pray God's will to be done.

Why? Because I want God's will for

your life more than I want my will for your life.

But when you think about our prayers, we pray along the lines

of more our will than God's will, right?

We need to think about that. How do we pray for God's will to

be accomplished in people's lives?

Because that's the direction of our prayers.

I'm reminded of of the nurse who thought of a way that she could

pray for people's lives. And so it says.

The story is told of a special nurse who who knew the

importance of intercessory prayer because each day she used

her hands as instruments of God's love and mercy toward

those in her care. She found it natural to use her

hand as a scheme of prayer. Each finger represented someone

she wanted to pray for. Her thumb was nearest to her and

reminded her to pray for those who were closest and dearest.

The index finger was used for pointing, so it stood for those

who instructed her. The third finger was the

tallest. It stood for those in

leadership. The fourth finger was the

weakest, representing those in distress and pain.

The little finger, which was the smallest and least important,

reminded the nurse to pray for her own needs.

Wise words because usually the thumb represents our own needs

because it's closest to us. And so we're going to pray for

our own needs. Have you ever, have you ever

thought about how you pray and what you pray for?

Have you ever wrote those things down?

Have you ever monitored your own prayer time and think about how

often are our prayers are more physically related and

spiritually related? Paul says, brethren pray for us

and he doesn't give them any particular requests, but he's

given them five chapters to look at and to realize that Paul had

already engaged in conflict with Satan.

He'd already been kicked out of Thessalonica, and so he knew

that the enemy was at work. So he even knew what they, they,

they would know what to pray for.

So he says, brethren, pray for us.

So engage in prayer for one another #2 I like this one.

Ensure affection for one another.

This is how Paul says it. Greet one another with a holy

kiss. My translation Ensure affection

one for another. You know the church is to be

personally involved in each other's lives.

And it is true that in Paul's day that when people greeted one

another, they kissed one another on the cheek.

It's a holy kiss. That's very important to signify

the kind of kiss that it was. But but it reminds us of, of, of

the affection and the devotion that the early church had one

for another. And I think that so much is is

lacking in today's church when it comes to being affectionate

one toward another. Paul would say it this way in

Romans chapter 12. He said be kindly affectionate

Romans 12 · chapter mention

toward one another in brotherly love.

Be be kindly affectionate toward one another.

Kindly affectionate translated one word, philos, which means

friendly kind of love, Storgay, which is a maternal familial

kind of love, a family kind of love.

He says we are to be so kindly affectionate toward one another

that we treat each other as if we're part of the same family

because we are we're all part of the family of God.

But but I wonder how how affectionate we are with one

another. We live in a a digital age and

it's hindered the way that we relate one with another, and

that's unfortunate. In fact, think of it this way.

We substitute communicating technically.

Instead of connecting personally, we communicate

technically, but we do not connect personally.

Do not substitute communication for connection.

Connection can only happen face to face.

Communication can come through emails and and texts and

Instagram and all kinds of modern day technology.

You can communicate that way, but you cannot connect that way.

Connection comes through personal experience, eye to eye

gaze, the the ability to embrace one another.

It's like, you know, people today are into digital church.

They want to stay home and watch church on television.

That's not church, right? We told you months ago that that

when you do that, it's like watching a fireplace on your TV.

You know that it's flickering, you can hear it.

You know that it's moving because you see it, but you

don't feel any warmth because of it.

Why? Because there's no connection.

You can get as close to your TV as you want, but there's no

warmth coming from that fireplace on your television.

In order to experience the warmth of a fireplace, you got

to be by the fire. And the closer you get to the

fire, the hotter it becomes. Well, the same way it is true in

the church. We don't connect digitally, you

connect personally. In fact, think of it this way.

The more distracted or distracted we are digitally and

technically, the more displaced we are spiritually and

personally. Think about that.

The more distracted we are digitally and we are.

Just go to a restaurant, watch people sitting in a booth,

sitting around a chair. All the phones are on the table

or in their hands. Why?

Because what's going to happen on that phone is more important

than what's going to happen across from me on the table.

So if you're out on a date, ladies, and you're with a man

and he has his phone out on the table, recognize that whatever

is going to pop up with that phone is more important than you

across the table from him. That's just send a loud and

clear message to you that this guy is not that into you.

He's more into what's going to happen on his phone and who's

going to contact him. That's very important to realize

this and it's and it's convenient and it's easy.

It is today to communicate with people.

It's very difficult to connect with people.

Why is that? Because you got to be

vulnerable, you got to be personable.

And as time goes on in the church, we are less and less

personable and we are separating ourselves one from another.

That's why we don't necessarily have to greet one another with a

holy kiss, but to be able to, to be kindly affectionate toward

one another and to be able to embrace one another and express

our love one for another, face to face, is so incredibly

important. And so not only do we engage in

prayer one for another, but we are to ensure affection one for

another and #3 enact the reading of God's Word.

Paul says that this way in chapter 5 he says these words.

I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the

brethren. One thing you need to do is read

the Bible. You don't have to necessarily

study the Bible, although you should.

You should at least read the Bible because reading does all

kinds of things. In our lives.

We miss this. We know that Paul has already

said in chapter 2 verse #13 that God's work effectively works in

those who believe. So if the reading of God's Word

is important, and Paul told Timothy in first Timothy 4 verse

#13 give yourself to the reading of the text, to the instructing

of the text and the teaching of the text, but give yourself to

the reading of it. There's something about reading

the Bible that's very, very important.

And I hear people all the time say, well, well, I read that

chapter or I read that book, and I didn't get anything out of it.

And they don't understand that that's a commentary on them, not

the Bible. Because when you're looking and

reading the scriptures, you're looking to see and understand

the character nature of God. But we approach the scriptures

because we have a certain need or a certain one.

We want God to meet that need. So we read a a passage or a

chapter or a book and well, that didn't really meet my needs.

So I guess the Bible really is not relevant to where I am

today, but it is because the need you have before you is not

nearly as the need above you. And the need above you is God,

and you need Him more than you need that which is around you.

But we forget that. So you you need to come to

understand who your God is, what He has done, and the more you

do, the more you realize how much you truly love Him.

Just a simple reading of the word.

Paul would say the same thing in Colossians chapter 4 when he

Colossians 4 · chapter mention

said when this epistle is read among you, very important

reading is a lost art today among those in America and

around the world. We don't like to read much like

to read in snippets, short little essays, but but to

actually read the Bible, people don't like to do that.

In fact, I was I was thinking about that this past week and I

I went back to Psalm 119 and I realized that just the cursory

reading of the of Psalm 119 does so much in our lives.

Psalmist begins Psalm 119 this way.

How blessed are those whose way is blameless who walk in the law

of the Lord. How blessed are those who

observe his testimonies, who seek him with all their heart.

There there is a certain blessing that comes through

observing the testimonies of God, but it only comes to those

who read, look, observe what is written.

But the blessing does come with a simple observation of the

text. He does talking about how

blessed is a man who who studies day and night at the word of

God. He does talk about meditating

day and night. Here he's just talking about

those who observe the statues, something that comes to them, a

blessing, a reward. The Bible says, I shall run the

way of your commandments, for you will enlarge my heart.

There's something about reading the commandments of God that

does something to my heart. It makes it long for God and

seek after God. He says in verse #37 Turn away

my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in your ways.

When I read the word of God, it causes my eyes to turn away from

that which is vain, that which is empty, that which is futile,

that which makes absolutely no difference.

He says in verse #93 I will never forget your precepts, for

by then them you have revived me.

Revival comes because I do not forget what God has said.

Well, how do I know what God has said?

It's because I read what God has said.

The psalmist knows that in order for his soul to be revived, this

is what happens. It says I have restrained my

feet from every evil way that I may keep your word.

In other words, when when I read the Word of God, it restrains my

feet from going the evil way. It's just a simple reading of

the Scripture. The observation of the

Scripture, the looking at the Scripture, will do a marvelous

work in the life of the believer.

Paul knows that. So he says, I want this epistle

to be read among you. I want you to read it over and

over and over again. You know, it's like when you

receive a, a letter from a loved one.

Of course we don't receive letters anymore.

We get emails and and texts. But in the olden days, when I

was growing up, we used to have to write letters to people,

right? You had to really write a thank

you note to people. And sometimes when you, when you

got a letter from your loved 1, you just kept it and you read it

over and over and over again. Because the words which they had

said, I, I've kept cards from my wife from years ago, years ago

that she has written to me. And every once in a while I'll

just go back from, through those cards and read what she said.

And then I want to go back to her when she's mad at me and

say, Hey, this is what you said. Remember that 10 years ago?

No, I don't do that. But the bottom line is, is that

it just go back and read those things.

It's so powerful. Well, that's just a that's not

the inspired word of God. That's just a a note from my

wife. But the inspired word of God,

you read it over and over again. It never gets old.

It never it's crusty, it never becomes routine.

It's a life giving, life breathing word of the living

God. So engage in prayer for one

another, ensure affection one toward another #3 enact the

reading of the Word of God. And lastly, enjoy the grace of

God. Paul began by talking about

grace in chapter 1, and he ends talking about grace in chapter

5. God's grace is undeserved,

unmeasurable, unearned, and unrepayable.

God's favor upon fallen man is unbelievable.

So how do you enjoy the grace of God #1 Abide in the God of

grace. Abide in the God of grace.

This is what Christ said in John 15.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away.

In every branch that bears fruit he prunes it so that it may bear

more fruit. You are already clean because of

the word which I have spoken to you.

So abide. Remain in me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in

the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me.

Remain steadfast with me. Abide in the God of grace.

You want to enjoy the grace of God.

Abide in the God of grace, because from Him comes that

which you do not deserve. And then not only do you abide

in the grace of God, but you also approach the throne of

grace. That's Hebrews 415 and 16.

You approach the throne of grace.

We're to come boldly before the throne of grace that we might

receive mercy and grace to help in time of need.

You want to enjoy the grace of God.

Abide in the God of grace. Approach the throne of grace,

and then #3 make sure that you apply the message of grace.

Paul says in Acts at the 20 verse #32 I commend you to God

in the word of His grace, which is able to build you up.

Paul says, look, I'm leaving you, but I'm going to give you

the word of His grace because this is what's going to build

you, sustain you, stabilize you, secure you, strengthen you.

So I commend you to God in the word of His grace, which is able

to build you up. So you need to apply the message

of grace because God's Word is the word that gives the message

about grace. So abide in the God of grace,

approach the thought of grace, apply the message of grace, and

then #4 understand this, that you are to articulate with words

of grace, articulate with words of grace.

Colossians chapter 4. Paul says this in verse number

Colossians 4 · chapter mention

six. Let your speech always be with

grace, seasoned with salt, articulate with words of grace.

That's why you would say in Ephesians 4, Let no unwholesome

word proceed out of your mouth. None, but only the kind of words

that are useful for building someone up.

When we articulate the with the words of grace, we are actually

doing something in someone's life that will enable them to

understand the beauty of God's grace.

Think about your conversation with your wife this morning, or

your husband, or your children. Were they words of grace, words

of kindness, words that would move them on to maturity?

Or were they bitter, angry words?

Were they yelling words? Were they the kind of words that

that that you would be ashamed of had they been put on a screen

for announcements this morning in church?

Here's #5 5 is really good, and that is you need to accept the

hand of grace, abide in the God of grace, approach the throne of

grace, apply the message of grace, articulate with words of

grace, but accept, accept God's hand of grace.

This is hard, but let me read to you what that great Old

Testament character did and said, Joseph in Genesis chapter

Genesis 45 · chapter mention

45. Joseph had just revealed

themselves to his brothers. They did not recognize him, but

when he finally revealed himself, it says this verse 4 of

Genesis 45. Then Joseph said to his

brothers, please come closer to me.

And they came closer. And he said, I am your brother

Joseph, whom listen carefully, you sold into Egypt, whom you

sold into Egypt. Now listen carefully.

Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold

me here comma for God sent me before you to preserve life.

You sold me. God sent me.

What a what an incredible way to explain all of his turmoil.

You sold me, but God sent me. This is this.

This is so good, he says, for the famine has been in the land

these two years, and there are still five years in which there

will be neither plowing nor harvesting for seven.

God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in

the earth and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.

You sold me. God sent me that I might save

you. That is a great perspective.

He says verse 8 Now therefore it was not you who sent me here,

but God don't take credit for for what's going to happen here

because you sold me and you sent me here because it was God who

sent me. You sold me.

God sent me that I might save you.

He says He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his

household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, Thus says your son

Joseph, God has made me Lord of all Egypt.

He accepted God's hand of grace long before he was ever made

Lord of Egypt. He accepted God's hand of grace

when he was sold into slavery. He accepted God's hand of grace

when he was thrown into a pit. He accepted God's hand of grace

when he was raised to a level of supremacy in Potiphar's

Potiphar's house. He accepted the hand of grace

when Potiphar's wife lied about him.

He was thrown into prison. It was all about accepting God's

hand of grace. So it's all said and done.

You meant it for evil, God meant it for good.

And God saved two nations, the nation of Egypt and the nation

of Israel. What you meant for evil, God had

greater purposes. You sold me, God sent me so that

I might save you. What a perspective.

In the moment, it's hard to accept the hand of grace, isn't

it? So Peter says in first Peter 5

verse #6 humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.

What's the mighty hand of God? The mighty hand of God is a a

phrase from the Old Testament that's used in the book of

Genesis and the book of Exodus to speak of God's mighty hand of

of discipline, God's mighty hand of destiny.

His hand was always used in the discipline of Israel and the

destiny of Israel. Peter picks up on that, says,

now I want you to humble yourselves under God's mighty

hand of discipline, God's mighty hand of destiny, because with

that mighty hand comes God's deliverance.

But you must accept the hand of God's grace.

You want to enjoy the grace of God, abide in the God of grace.

Approach the throne of grace. Make sure that you apply the

message of grace so that you can articulate with words of grace

and then accept the hand of grace.

And lastly, this would be #6 accomplish your ministry with

grace. Paul said this in Ephesians

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 verse #7 I was made a minister according to the gift

of God's grace. I was made a minister according

to God's gracious gift of his favor.

So you accomplish your ministry with grace.

And what is your ministry? Number one?

Your marriage, right? Your marriage is your ministry

#2 your family #3 the sphere of influence.

Wherever God's placed you, whatever your work environment

is, that's where God placed you. That's your ministry.

And so you can only accomplish that through the grace that God

supplies. That's why the poem was written.

Lord, I am willing to receive. What you give, I'm willing to

lack. What you withhold I'm willing to

relinquish. What you take, I'm willing to

suffer. What you inflict, I'm willing to

be. Whatever you require.

Is that you? That's what Paul wants, for us

to enjoy the grace of God. Let's pray.

Father, we thank you for today, One more opportunity for us to

hear what Your Word says. Thank you for the opportunity to

study this epistle. It's been very convicting, very

challenging, at times very confrontive, but always very

comforting because it is the Word of God.

My prayer for all of us, Lord, is that we would truly, we would

truly ensure affection one for another.

Enjoy the grace that you you offer and pray that we would

truly enact and engage in prayer one for another, that we live

out this epistle that you wrote so many years ago to the pen of

the Apostle Paul. We have read it.

We have studied it. Help us Lord to apply it by your

grace and for your glory in Jesus name, Amen.