Ephesians 4 - 01.25.24

SCRIPTURE -Ephesians 4:12

“Christ gave those gifts to prepare God’s holy people 

for the work of serving, 

to make the body of Christ stronger. 

OBSERVATION 

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul explains the very important function of the church.

Gifts are given—for a specific Purpose.

Here he speaks about the gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers.

These specially gifted people were given to the church for One ultimate goal—to equip God’s people. But there’s MORE! 

God’s people are then to go on to equip others!

APPLICATION 

Making Disciples 

At DSC our Mission Statement is: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples!

This is born out of the Two Most Important Commandments and Jesus Great Commission. If we Love God-

it is natural that we will Love and care deeply about what HE Loves.

God Loves and cares deeply about people—

“For God SO loved the world that HE gave his ONE and ONLY Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(John 3:16 NIV)

In God’s Kingdom there are no spectators—

Everyone has been given gifts to grow His Kingdom and Bring Glory to His Name.

God gave gifts to the church SO that ALL believers would be equipped

to do the work of the ministry—of Sharing His GOOD NEWS!

“Christ makes the whole body fit together perfectly. 

As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, 

SO, that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

(Ephesians 4:16 NLT)

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

(I Peter 4:10 NKJV)

The church also grows AS it moves “out” to surrounding communities responding to Christ’s commission to GO.

“Jesus came and told his disciples, 

“I have been given ALL authority in heaven and on earth. 

Therefore, GO and “make disciples” of all the nations, 

baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. 

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

(Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)

PRAYER

LORD Jesus,

Thank You for Your Very Great Love for me. I pray Your Love continues to Change my heart for the things that are important to You. Pour out Your Spirit on Your Church Lord. Give us all a hunger and thirst to serve You with our gifts. Help me to hear Your Voice and move in obedience to Your calling wherever You Lead.

Thank You that we don’t need to travel to another country to “make disciples”-we can GO right in our own community every and any day.

YOU say the harvest is ripe. Here I am Lord, send me.

Amen. 

Tina L Kudelka

Ephesians 3 - 1.24.24

Scripture

He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; (Eph 3: 16-19, NKJV)

Observation

This is one of my favorite prayers recorded in the New Testament. Paul prays that God would grant us to be strengthened internally. That Christ would dwell in our hearts. That we would be rooted and grounded in love. That we would be able to understand the width and length and depth and height of the love of Christ for us,which is beyond human understanding. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom 8:39). 

Application

Let us pray that we will be "Rooted and Grounded" in love. God is love (1 John 4:16), and Jesus is the word who became flesh (John 1:14). We need to be rooted and built up in Him (Col 2:7). We can be rooted and grounded only if we allow our roots to go down into God's word. We need to renew our minds everyday by feeding on God's word, so that we can understand what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom 12:2). It is so critical that we spend time with God's word every single day, allowing the Word to wash us (Eph 5:26), and renew our minds. 

Prayer

Lord, please help me to prioritize my prayer time with you everyday. Help me to make you my first priority, so that I will not trade time with you and your Word for anything else. Along with Paul, I pray that you would strengthen me internally, that Christ would live in my heart. I pray that I will be rooted and grounded in you and in your Word. I pray that I will abide in you, and your Word will abide in me. I pray that you will help me to understand all the dimensions of your love, which passes knowledge.

- Asha Chacko George

Ephesians 2 - 1.23.24

SCRIPTURE:  Ephesians 2:8 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift- not from works, so that no one can boast.”

OBSERVATION:  The apostle Paul emphasized to the Jews and to the Greeks that they were once dead in their sins.  Then he included himself, “We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires…but God made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.”

He addressed the problem we are ALL born with being sinners, and then he went on to share the solution by which God made a way, THROUGH JESUS, to restore mankind to Himself, (ONLY to those who believe Jesus is Lord).

APPLICATION:  We’ve all heard that old saying, “Nothing in life is free!” Maybe that’s why it’s so hard for many to comprehend that the greatest gift we could ever receive is God’s grace, forgiveness, and salvation!

NONE of us deserve God’s gift of salvation, and it cannot be earned by doing good works!  Our sin is what separates us from God, but because of His love for us, He devised a solution to our problem. His name is Jesus!  Jesus left the comforts of heaven, came to earth, lived a sinless life, willingly obeyed the Father by dying on the cross to pay for our sins, and on the third day He rose again! Today He lives to intercede for us; He’s always ready, willing, and available to help us become more like Him every day in every way.  As we read His Word, apply it, follow Him, and obey, He has promised to hear us, and to guide us on the right path. 

PRAYER:  Thank You God for loving me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to die for my sins!  Because of Your great love for me, You forgave me, saved me, and made me alive through Jesus!  I am now free to live for You!  I have been saved by grace through faith, and have been created in Christ FOR good works, not BECAUSE of my good works!  I pray I will be an ambassador for Christ as I share this Good News with others. 

- Robin Orefice