Seek First – Kingdom Focused Devotionals

“To the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12).

                However you understand the foreordaining purpose of God, one point is abundantly clear.  It displays His glory and is accomplished for His glory.  In verses 5 and 6 the predestination of believers to adoption as sons leads to “the praise of the glory of His grace.”  Thus here the predestination to be God’s special heritage is declared to be “the praise of His glory.”  Simply stated the glory of God was unveiled in His people as a witness to the universe (Eph. 3:10). 

                It appears that Paul turns his attention here to the unique place the Jewish people had in God’s plan of redemption of the world.  They were the “first to hope in Christ.”  This phrase could mean that they had hope in “the Christ” (the Messiah) before He came or that the Jews were the first to believe.  Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 that they had received the Gospel before the Gentiles.  In either case, Paul is referring to the believing remnant of Israel whose hope was fixed on the Messiah and who accepted Him when He appeared. 

                God’s choice of Abraham and of the Jewish people was that they should be the praise of His glory.  In other words they were chosen through no merit of their own and they were chosen to show forth His character and nature (glory) to the world (Isa. 43:21).  Thus the choosing was a mission calling.  God planned before creation (predestined) to reveal His glory through the people who would receive His Son (Eph. 1:3). 

Prayer:  Father, may I today reveal Your glory through my life, words, and deeds.  Amen

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11).

                The final words of verse 10 are actually the beginning words of our next promise.  They remind us that all our blessings are “in Christ.”  We readily understand what it means to receive an inheritance.  When my mother died, she left all the three children each a portion of her remaining estate.  None of us did anything to earn it.  It was simply a gift based on the fact that we were family.

                In the Old Testament Israel was seen as God’s heritage.  They were His people and thus received undeserved blessing from His hand.  In Christ, we have all been admitted to the ranks of His chosen people, the holy heritage of God.  Thus we are His heritage and thus have our inheritance in Him.  Our inheritance “in Him” not only is the promise of eternal life but fullness of His grace as described throughout the Ephesian letter.  We receive our inheritance now and for all eternity. 

                Paul has already used the word “predestined” in verse 5 to refer to God’s eternal plan to adopt us as sons through Jesus Christ.  In this verse he uses “predestined” to refer to God’s eternal plan to bring men and women, Jew and Gentile alike into a community that would be His unique inheritance.  And whatever God has purposed is sure of fulfillment for He “works all things after the counsel of His will.”  In other words, when God has decreed something, His wisdom, power, and love work in every historical event to accomplish what He has planned.  No power in heaven or earth can keep God from fulfilling His predestined plan to make all those “in Christ” His own heritage. 

Prayer:  Father, I thank You for allowing me to be Your heritage in Christ.  Amen.

“In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth” (Eph. 1:9-10).

                 Most of us enjoy a good “mystery.”  A mystery by necessity must be revealed.  Paul wrote in the context of multiple heathen mystery cults.  In contrast to the strange and baseless mystery cults, the truth of God in Christ is revealed to all who will receive it.  It is the task of the church to declare this mystery to the world (Eph. 3:9-10). 

                For Paul the essential mystery was the means by which God through Christ provides the way for sinful man to enter again into fellowship with Himself.  But notice that beyond that, it is the means whereby He will bring unity into the whole universe that has been disordered by man’s rebellion and sin.  You may recall that in Romans 8:20-22 Paul declares that the whole of creation was subjected to futility by man’s sin.  Thus in the redemption of man to the Creator, God will restore unity to the whole. 

                Thus Paul declares that God will accomplish His purpose in the time He deemed suitable.  But beyond that He does so “according to His kind intention.”  Paul is overwhelmed by the magnificence of God’s grace. 

                The word translated “times” is kairos which speaks of decisive moments of time in the fulfillment of God’s purpose.  Through His purposeful activity in history God will sum up everything in Christ. We see here three themes—restoration, unity, and the headship of Christ.  If the chaotic appearance of current events causes you to worry; take heart, God is in control. 

Prayer:  Thank you for revealing the mystery of Your will.  I rest today in your sovereign control.  Amen

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us” (Eph. 1: 7-8a).

                Yesterday we looked at the concept of redemption.  We discovered that redemption has a price to be paid to “buy back” sinful man and that the price was the death of God’s perfect Son.  The sinless Son of God died as a sacrifice for sin, we can speak of that death as sin’s defeat and thus providing the release of man from sin’s bondage. 

                The sacrifice of Christ is thus the means of redemption which requires the forgiveness of sins.  Sin involves bondage which includes the mind, will, and the members of our physical body.  The word for forgiveness means the loosing of a person from that which binds him or her.  We know from observation and from experience that sin has an addictive power.  Good News!  Redemption has the power to free you from the power of that sin which binds you. 

                Don’t miss the last phrase—“according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.”  Our forgiveness is based on grace which is rich beyond our human comprehension.  Six times in this letter Paul will speak of the riches of God which have been made available to mankind.  Our forgiveness was not grudgingly given but lavished on us.  Oh, the unsearchable grace of God. 

Prayer:  Father, I am continually amazed by Your grace.  May I live as a recipient of that grace.  Amen

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us” (Eph. 1:7-8a).

                The fundamental idea of redemption is that of “setting free” or “buying  back.”  If you have ever been in a pawn shop you will understand the basic concept of “redemption.”  Every item in a pawn shop has been placed there by someone who plans to buy it back at sometime in the future when they can afford it. 

                The Old Testament provides the backdrop for our understanding of redemption.  Provision was made for the redemption of lands that had been forfeited by their original owner (Lv. 25:25-27).  One of the most graphic stories of redemption is found in the book of Hosea, where the prophet “buys back” his wayward wife who is being sold as a slave.  Israel was essentially a “redeemed” people.  They had been slaves in Egypt and Babylon, the result of their own sin and yet God, rich in mercy had redeemed them. 

                Paul now speaks of the costliness of man’s redemption.  Redemption comes “through His blood.”  If we look again to the Old Testament we can see that a blood sacrifice often was the price of redemption.  The Jewish people knew that sin could not be set aside lightly.  Sin created an objective problem and thus required sacrifice—“without shedding of blood is no remission (Heb. 9:22).  What Old Testament sacrifices could not accomplish, Christ did through the shedding of His blood.  He provided the means and way of redemption. 

Prayer:  Thank you for “buying me back” through the precious blood of Your Son.  Amen.

“To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6).

                This is the first time we have encountered the refrain “to the praise of the glory of His grace” but it will not be the last.  If you take a moment to read this first chapter, you will find it twice more (12 and 14).  It serves as a refrain at the end of successive stanzas to indicate that all of history has as its ultimate goal the praise of His glory.

                God’s glory is the “showing forth” of His very nature and the manifestation of His presence (see Ex. 33:18ff.).  Israel was chosen to live to His praise.  Listen to Isaiah 43:21.  “The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.”  Now those who are adopted as children through Jesus Christ must show forth the Father’s nature and thus glorify Him.  We give God glory when we reflect His nature in our lives.  That is the essence of what it means to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven, hollowed be Your name” (Matt. 6:9b).  God is seeking a people who will manifest His name, embrace His mission, and obey His word (This is the thrust of the EKG: The Heartbeat of God study). 

                We have the potential of living to the praise of God’s glory because of the grace “which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  It is the objective grace of God which Paul has in mind.  It is by no virtue of our own that we can express God’s glory through our lives.  It is the underserved favor of God. 

Prayer:  Let me live today in such a manner that it is to the praise of Your glory.  Amen.

“In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:5-6).

                The word “predestined” literally means “marked out beforehand.”  It is simply another way of expressing the wonderful truth that God’s plan for His people is from all eternity.  The plan is to establish a people for Himself and He has determined to accomplish that end by “the adoption of children through Jesus to Himself.” 

                Men were created in God’s image and thus designed for life in fellowship with their creator.  Because of sin, that privilege was forfeited.  But by God’s grace in and through Christ, restoration to sonship was again made possible.   This experience of restoration can be described as “new birth” from above as in John 3 or as adoption (cf. Rom. 8:15 and Gal. 4:5).  New birth emphasizes the divine origin and adoption emphasizes the gracious choice.  The adopted child is given his/her standing in the family, not by right, but by grace.  Both are true and serve to show the multi-faceted nature of our sonship. 

                The adoption of sons was made possible by what the redemption God accomplished in Christ on the cross (7) and thus requires man’s response to the gospel of salvation.  What is predestined beforehand is the plan of God for the adoption of sons through Christ.   

                Don’t miss the marvelous truth contained in the phrase “according to the kind intention of His will.”  God’s kindness speaks of His sovereign love which was caused Him to send His only Son to purchase the redemption of sinful man.  That should lead us to praise the glory of His grace which He has freely bestowed on us in Christ, His Beloved Son.

Prayer:  Thank you for adopting me as Your child in Christ, Your beloved Son.   Amen.

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4)

                God’s plan to work through a “chosen” people preceded the creation of the world!  Let that sink in.  Before God began the work of creation, His plan for world redemption and His plan for you, were all established in Christ.  The concept of “election” or God’s choosing of a people runs throughout the Bible.  Israel was chosen, not based on any merit of their own, but they were chosen by God’s grace to fulfill God’s eternal purpose (Deut. 7:6-8).  In the New Testament, this principle of election is reiterated but there are no national boundaries. 

                This doctrine of election should never be the cause of controversy but of wonder.  It is not set in opposition to the free will of man, it involves a paradox that the Bible does not attempt to resolve because our finite minds cannot fathom how the sovereignty of God and the free will of man work in harmony.  Remember these blessings are “in Christ.”  Thus we are immediately led to ask how one may come to reside in Christ.  That question is answered in the final part of this lengthy sentence.  In short, after listening to the gospel and having believed, you were sealed in Him.

                Further, we must not miss that we are “chosen” to be “holy and blameless before Him.”  Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, only a perfect animal could be offered to God (Lev. 1:3).  Under grace, we can offer Him nothing less than ourselves, fully committed.  We are chosen to be “saints” and that we are! 

Prayer:  Thank you for choosing me for service.  I give you myself holy and blameless.  Amen.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

                I find it both fascinating and instructive that Paul begins a letter to the saints in Ephesus by a celebration of praise for God who is the source of every spiritual blessing.  Verses 3 through 13 form one long sentence, in which blessing cascades upon blessing, all from the hands of God.  We will look at these blessings one after the other, but they are difficult to separate one from the other, since they all reflect the grace of God. 

                There are four themes which will sound through this entire doxology.  First, God is at work in history to accomplish His perfect plan.  Second, the purpose of God is fulfilled in Christ.  For that reason, all blessings are found in Him.  Third, man’s purpose and goal is to live “to the praise of His glory (12).  Fourth, man must hear and respond to the gospel to be sealed “in Him” (13). 

                The image that Paul employs throughout this letter is that of the victorious and exalted Christ seated at the right hand of the Father pouring out “every spiritual blessing” upon His church.  The blessings are the spiritual gifts which transcend the material and thus give us the true appreciation of all the earthly blessings of God.  I am not being trite when I say that “every” means “every.” 

                You lack nothing that you need to serve God effectively in this life.  Every spiritual blessing!

Prayer:  Father, I will serve you according to the fullness of every spiritual blessing.  Amen

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2).

                Today we begin a new devotional series from one of my favorite letters in the New Testament.  Paul wrote Ephesians from prison.  The letter was probably intended for the churches in proconsular Asia.  These seven churches mentioned together in the book of Revelation probably were an early form of an “association” of churches which banded together for mutual encouragement.  The Ephesian and Colossian letters were written at the same time to encourage these churches as they faced the swirling winds of heresy that later became “Gnosticism.”

                All Paul’s letters begin in a similar way—a mention of the writer, then the readers, and a word of greeting.  While this was a standard letter writing style, Paul lifts it to another level by describing both reader and hearer in terms of their relationship to God.  “Apostle” is the term Paul uses often in reference to himself.  It speaks of both privilege and calling.  He is what he is by the “will of God.”

                The readers are called “saints,” which is a frequent designation for believers.  This term reflects the Old Testament concept of items such as the tabernacle, the temple, the Sabbath, and the people who were “consecrated” or “set apart” for God’s service.  Did you know that the moment you were saved, you were also set apart for God’s service?  Further, Paul describes them as faithful to God, meaning they both have faith and they show faithfulness. 

                Peace reflects the common Hebrew greeting (shalom).  Grace and peace together sum up all the gifts of Christ.  You will discover that these two words are the twin themes of this letter. 

Prayer:  Father, thank you for setting me apart for service.  May I be faithful today.  Amen