Free Study of the Book of Ephesians

I am doing a study of Ephesians… it’s an online bible study put together by GoodMorningGirls.org.

If you would like a copy of the study, you can find it HERE free of charge.

I like at the end of the introduction the writer said:

“Let’s get started – week 1 will be simple – but hold on for the ride because when it picks up and God enlightens our hearts with his truth, the excitement will be palpable!”

I began the study on Monday and I will give you the scriptures from the previous two days for you to reflect on as you wish… but first, here is today’s verses to meditate on.

Wednesday: Ephesians 1:7-10

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth.

Wow, God loves us so much; He lavished his grace on us by sending His only son to die on the cross for our sins. Only through the shed blood of Jesus were we able to be redeemed and forgiven of our sins. This was the only way we would ever be able to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father… the only way He could bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth. Why? Why did God choose to redeem us from a life sentenced to damnation? What in this world is so great about us? NOTHING… not one thing. 

We are sinners, there is nothing we could ever do in our lives that could make us worthy of the grace that God has extended to us… so why would he want to know us on a personal level? Why would he want to be close to us?  Simple… because he chooses to, because He loves us, unconditionally. It’s so hard for us to understand why he would love someone like us. Someone so flawed. Someone who gets angry at little things at times. Someone who snaps at their children when your nerves get shot. Someone who sometimes looses sight of the big picture. Who gets to the point where you really don’t want to be around people, or deal with them, or be nice to them.  Someone who, despite the grace extended to us, dislikes to have to extend that grace to others at times.  Someone who despite being forgiven over and over and over again finds it hard at times to forgive others.

We are this way because we are human and you know what… God made us the way we are, he made us with these emotions, he knows what emotions we feel and when we feel them. He wants us to bring those emotions to Him… cry out to Him, lay it all at His feet and admit that without Him you cannot do it on your own.

Verses for Monday: Ephesians 1:1-4

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love.

Verses for Tuesday: Ephesians 1:5-6

He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One He loves.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your Grace, I thank you for loving me enough to send your son to die so that I can be forgiven of my sins so that we can be reconciled to you even though we deserve to spend all of eternity without you. Thank you Lord, I praise your holy name. I pray for all women reading this post, Lord you know their hearts, you know their desires, and you know their hurts. I ask you Lord to touch their hearts and their lives and to minister to them directly today.  Amen.