Verse 13
\nI)\u00a0Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you.
\nA)\u00a0Paul was not looking for sympathy
\nB)\u00a0Paul did not mention his afflictions to warn them to be cautious.
\nC)\u00a0Paul did want them to understand that what he suffered was in the manifold wisdom of God that which was best for them.
\nII)\u00a0Which is your glory.
\nA)\u00a0The fact that God would allow his choice servant to be imprisoned for their benefit displayed their worth.
\nB)\u00a0John 17: 6-15, note the things Jesus said he did for those the Father loved and considered an honor to give to his Son as a bride.\u00a0 Gems are only as valuable as the price someone is willing to pay for it.
\nVerse 14
\nI)\u00a0For this cause I bow my knees.
\nA)\u00a0What cause? The church revealed in chapter 2 and the wisdom and glory of God that is revealed in it.\u00a0 Men of this world may miss it; many church people may miss it (as evidenced in how unfaithful they are to its attendance).\u00a0 Paul did not miss it, rather he bowed his need in adoration that God would do such a thing.
\nII)\u00a0Unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
\nA)\u00a0Unto- Idea of facing.\u00a0 Paul was conscious that God was looking at him as he was bowing toward the face of God.
\n1)\u00a0 Are we aware that that God is actually looking and interested in our prayers.
\n2)\u00a0Are we aware that we are actually talking to a God who is watching us at our prayers.
\nB)\u00a0In our worship it is important that God the Father is as much to be praised for giving such a gift as the Son is for purchasing such a gift.\u00a0 The sweet Holy Ghost is to be praised for revealing and making it manifest in our lives.
\nVerse 15
\nI)\u00a0Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.\u00a0 The fatherhood of God in this sense is only applicable\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to creation. See Job 38: 6-7 where angels are called the sons of God.
\nVerse 16
\nNow begins a prayer for the Ephesian believers. (Colossians1: 9-14)
\nI)\u00a0That he would grant you.
\nWhat is about to be asked for does not come by work, study or privilege but as a gift from a kind Father. Matthew 7: 11 and James 1: 17.
\nII)\u00a0According to the riches of his glory.
\nIn keeping with his vast, endless supply.
\nIII)\u00a0To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.
\nA)\u00a0To be strengthened with might.\u00a0 Not by might, but with might, speaking of the ability of God the indwelling power of the Spirit. John 14: 12.
\nB)\u00a0In the inner man. This is where the strengthening takes place, where the power is deposited. John 14: 19.
\nVerse 17
\nI)\u00a0That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.
\nA)\u00a0Dwell- not visit from time to time, as God di Abraham when he came in the cool of the day, but continually.\u00a0 He wants to take up permanent residence and feel at home there. John 15: 5-8.
\nB)\u00a0In your hearts- 1 Corinthians 6: 19, says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Now Paul says as in the Holiest part of that temple (as in Solomon\u2019s) let Christ sit in all his glory upon the mercy seat (heart).
\nC)\u00a0 By faith- In Hebrews 11, every act of obedience was in response to a word from God.\u00a0 Each act in assurance that the love, faithfulness and wisdom of God would provide the needed strength and supply. Now Paul says in like manner trust God to rule from your heart and as Jesus put in John 15, bring forth much fruit, God will bring forth what you and I cannot produce.
\nII)\u00a0That ye, being rooted and grounded in love.
\nA)\u00a0Rooted- again note the reference to the vine.\u00a0 We are to have deep roots.\u00a0 Psalm 1:3 speaks of the man whose delight in God\u2019s word saying, he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.\u00a0 The idea being, having been thus planted where plenty of water and nourishment are, he is fruitful.
\nB)\u00a0Grounded- Having a firm foundation, he is unshakable.
\nIn Jude 13, the writer speaks of false teachers as raging waves of the sea.\u00a0 The idea being that during a storm they are as the waves that crash with thunderous noise and spewing foam upon the rocks of the coast as the will consume all.\u00a0 Yet when the winds subside and the froth vanishes, there are the rocks undisturbed by the violence of the storm.
\nC)\u00a0In love- 1 John 4: 17-19.\u00a0 These verse begin with having boldness and end with we love him because he first loved us.\u00a0 In the middle is perfect love casteth out all fear.\u00a0 If we know that someone truly loves us, then we are always confident that whatever they do, it is for our best.\u00a0 Now we have a God of manifold wisdom and power who loves us with a perfect love.\u00a0 Now let us respond in kind, with perfect, unquestioning trust in that love and love him in kind.<\/p>\n

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Verse 13 I)\u00a0Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you. A)\u00a0Paul was not looking for sympathy B)\u00a0Paul did not mention his afflictions to warn them to be cautious. C)\u00a0Paul did want them to understand that what he suffered was in the manifold wisdom of God that… Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[64,23],"tags":[31,81,43,41],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":713,"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712\/revisions\/713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lbclogan.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}