Seek First – Kingdom Focused Devotionals

“That you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19b).

                Have you ever been to a buffet where the food was so delicious you couldn’t stop eating?  At some point during the feast, you probably came to the sudden and startling realization that you could eat no more.  You were full!  How would you like to be filled up spiritually to the fullness of God?

                We have already encountered this word fullness in Eph. 1:23 where Paul declared that God gave Christ as head over all things to the church, “which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”  Paul is not praying for an attribute or spiritual gift or spiritual empowering but for the full indwelling of God. 

                We readily know that eternal God cannot be limited to or by the capacity of any of us, but Paul does not want to pray for anything less for God’s people than the fullness of Himself that He seeks to bring into our lives.  When you read this prayer request of the great apostle, you should recall that in Colossians 1:19 Paul indicated that it was God’s pleasure for His fullness (same word) to dwell bodily in Christ.  Now he wants us to show forth His fullness to a lost and dying world in the same manner that Jesus did when He was present among men.  God’s design for your life and for your church community is greater than you ever imagined. 

Prayer:  Father, I am awed by Your desire and willingness to demonstrate Your fullness in my life.   Amen

“And that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge….” (Eph. 3:17b-19a)

                The indwelling of the Spirit means not only power for ministry it means love for community.  The image provided by the word “rooted” is the stability of a great tree whose roots go deep into the soil providing a solid base.  “Grounded” speaks of a stable foundation of a building.  The two used together emphasis the importance of community which is based on the character of Christ realized in individual believers and seen through loving actions. 

                Did you notice that this “love of Christ” is described in four dimensions—breath, length, height, and depth?  We see in three dimensions, but love exceeds even that which we can see.  Love is seen here as the multi-faceted work of the Spirit which is woven into every fabric of the Christian’s life in community. 

                Paul then prays that we will know the love of Christ “which surpasses knowledge.”  How can we know something that surpasses knowing?  The answer is actually found in this passage.   It is contained in the simple phrase “with all the saints.”  The love of God is so immense, so magnificent, and so multi-faceted that it can never be understood by the individual in isolation.  It is known and experienced in community.  I, by experience, have a part of the picture that is “the love of Christ,” while you have another part of the picture and so on.  When we gather as His body, we have the full picture of His love. 

Are you vitally connected to the body of Christ?  If not, you are missing vital pieces to your picture of His love. 

Prayer:  Father, may I know and express Your love today as I live in community with others.  Amen

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:17a).

                We sometimes speak of being saved as “inviting Christ into your heart.”  When we use such language we are speaking of the innermost being of man, the center and source of his life. 

                Another way to express what is meant by the indwelling of Christ is the “lordship of Christ.”  It is the full recognition that Christ is not only Lord of all but it is the surrender of all one knows about oneself to all one knows about Christ.  The word used here for “dwell” means abiding presence rather than transitory dwelling.  This is a commitment of life, all of life at all times to be lived for Christ and through Christ.  This is the essence of normal Christianity. 

                Here again “faith” is seen as the requirement on man’s side.  Faith is the attitude that receives Him and surrenders to Him.  Christ awaits this willingness and desire that He should enter into one’s life with all that His abiding presence implies.  This requirement of faith is well expressed in the familiar appeal of Revelation 3:20—“Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

                We need invite Him only once to enter our life in new birth, but we should invite Him daily to infill and control our entire being. 

Prayer:  Father, You are my King.  Indwell and rule in my heart.  Amen

“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16).

                We are fascinated with power.  We speak of horsepower or computing power or watts per channel.  We are staggered when we see the power of the waves or the wind during a violent storm.  But the power available to us is “according to the riches of His glory.” 

                The phrase “according to the riches of His glory” indicates that God doesn’t simply parcel out a little power “here and there” from His vast stockpile, but rather He gives power without limit “according” to the riches of His glory.  The riches that He gives are those which come from His own glorious nature. 

                The first gift here is the same that Paul prayed for in his earlier prayer (1:19) and that is spiritual strength.  The verb used here conveys the idea of “being made capable.”  The Christian is always fully empowered to stand firm in Christ and to join Him in the advancement of His kingdom.  This power is made available in the inner being of man through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  The outer man is subject to decay but the inner man is renewed daily by the Spirit (2 Cor. 4:16).  The Spirit dwells in the very seat of human personality to totally transform the entire life of man. 

                When we fully comprehend this truth, it will make us ashamed of how little we attempt or accomplish for the King who has strengthened us with power. 

Prayer:  Forgive me Father when I approach ministry with timidity based on what I think I can do.  Amen.

“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father” (Eph. 3:14).

                By now you know that Ephesians is one of my favorite letters in the entire New Testament and that Paul is one of my heroes.  I love his passion for the Gospel, his love for the church, and his commitment to prayer.  When you read the Pauline correspondence, you will discover that he was committed to praying for his churches.  In this letter we are given the privilege to put our ear to the door of Paul’s prayer closet and hear him pray passionately for fellow believers. 

                The phrase “for this reason” is repeated from Ephesians 3:1.  Because of the high calling of the church and in the light of Paul’s own imprisonment and the danger that they may lose heart Paul breaks forth in prayer for the members of the body of Christ.  The phrase “I bow my knees” indicates the intensity of his praying.  Jews normally stood for prayer and thus kneeling demonstrates his deep emotion as he utters this word on behalf of believers in pro-consular Asia.  You might recall that Jesus knelt in His agony in Gethsemane. 

                Do you sometimes wonder if prayer matters?  Truth is prayer is the earthly tool by which God allows us to participate in His kingdom activity.  As you pray you can be confident that God is at work and He has chosen to allow us to join Him.  

Prayer:  Father, forgive me when I take prayer lightly.  Amen.

“Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory” (Eph. 3:13).

                It sometimes appears that Christians are accused unfairly by the press and are the punch line of every joke.  Do you sometimes “lose heart” when you see believers encounter so much tribulation?  If so, this devotional is just for you. 

                Paul knew that the Ephesian believers may well be discouraged because the champion of Gentile ministry was now in prison.  They knew that his imprisonment was, in large measure, due to his commitment to reach the Gentiles.  Thus we can understand why they might be tempted to throw in the towel, wondering why God had not protected His servant. 

                Paul wanted them to understand that his imprisonment had actually been for good and for their glory.  The grace of Christ had been given him, sustaining him in prison and allowing him to live out and show forth the sufferings of Christ (Col. 1:24).  Thus God’s greatness was being demonstrated through the apostle’s weakness (cf. 2 Cor. 12:9-12).  Further, his imprisonment had provided the time necessary to write these epistles encouraging his dear churches.  It is likely that Paul anticipated that the recipients of this letter would one day face persecution themselves and thus his story would greatly encourage them. 

                Today many of God’s choice servants who are serving on the mission field face persecution and death because of their service to the King.  In God’s economy, their tribulations always work to further the work of Christ.  Is it wonderful to know that God is in control and is working in everything to transform His children into the image of His Son. 

Prayer:  Father, help me to see world events, even tribulation, from Your vantage point.  Amen

This week we have been focusing on the story of Joseph.  When Joseph’s family moved to Egypt, they were given the land of Goshen.  Joseph’s father, Jacob, lived in Egypt for seventeen years.  When the time drew near for Jacob to die, he made Joseph promise to take him back for his burial to the land God had promised to Abraham. 

            Genesis 48 is a chapter of great beauty and solemnity.  Jacob recounts the story of how God appeared to him at Luz and how he had blessed him throughout his life.  Upon seeing his grandsons, he reflected on God’s goodness. 

            Jacob places his hands on his grandchildren and blesses Joseph by blessing his sons.  Jacob uses a three-fold invocation of God which is worth our attention.  He refers to God in relations to his forefathers Abraham and Isaac, indicating that He is faithful generation to generation.  Second, he calls God his shepherd.  We are familiar with this concept from the psalmist but may be surprised to hear it from the lips of Jacob.  “The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day” (48:15).  The third image is “the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil” (48:16). 

            Today you can be sure that God is faithful generation to generation.  You can trust Him to shepherd you and be your messenger of redemption. 

 Prayer: I praise you Father that you are all sufficient.  Forgive me when my life does not demonstrate my trust in You.  Amen

Do you believe that God is concerned about everyday events in your life?  Do you believe that he places you in positions of influence for purposes related to His kingdom? 

            Yesterday, we talked about Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery.  Yet, God had another plan.  Joseph was promoted to second in command in Egypt because of his visionary plan which enabled Egypt to prosper during a time of worldwide famine.  In due time, Joseph’s family had to come before him to buy grain. 

            In an interesting twist of role reversal, the brothers were now dependent on Joseph for their very survival.  None of the brothers recognized Jacob during their first visit.  Joseph devised a plan to see if his brothers had allowed God to change their hearts.  He required them to return with their younger brother Benjamin.  Joseph put his own cup in Benjamin’s bag and then threatened to put him in jail.  Judah, the older brother offered to take Benjamin’s place in jail.  Seeing the transformation, Joseph revealed his true identity.

            The brothers were terrified, thinking Joseph would take revenge on them.  On three occasions Joseph repeats his conviction that God had sent him ahead of them to Egypt in order to preserve their lives (45:5-8 and 50:20).  God had given him a position of leadership so that he might provide for the need of his family.  God is at work in the details of your life.  Look for every opportunity to see how you can serve Him in your position of influence.

 Prayer:  Father, I understand that my positions of influence provide for me an opportunity to serve you.  Amen

The current recession has proven to be challenging days for many.  Sometimes when we face difficult circumstances we find it difficult to celebrate God’s goodness.

            Joseph is one of the most beloved characters in all of Scripture.  We remember him as second in command to the Pharaoh.  Yet, his life was pockmarked with challenges.  His brothers wanted to kill him and ended up selling him into slavery.  He became a personal servant to Potiphar.  When Potiphar’s wife was unsuccessful in her attempts to seduce Joseph, she falsely accused him and had him thrown into prison. 

            Yet the Bible tells us that the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him (Gen. 39:21).  God enabled him to interpret the troubling dreams of the Pharaoh which related to years of plenty followed by years of famine.  Joseph told the Pharaoh to select a wise man that would gather and store the excess food during the years of plenty.  The Pharaoh selected Joseph because God had made him wise (41:39). 

            Not only did God bless the work of Joseph, he gave him two sons.  He named one Manasseh, meaning “God has made me forget all my trouble” and the other Ephraim, which means “God has made me fruitful.”    

            When you find yourself in the land of affliction, be assured that God is able to make your life fruitful.

 Prayer:  Teach me to trust fully in You.  Forgive my anxiety and make me fruitful for you.  Amen.