Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 19
Friday


NO BATTERIES?

READ:
Ephesians 1:15-23
_____________________________________

That you may know
what is the hope of His
calling... and what is
the exceeding greatness
of His power toward us
who believe.
____Ephesians 1:18-19
_____________________________________

My 2-year-old grandson was fascinated by the bubbling mud pool, the result of geothermal activity in Rotorua, New Zealand. On moving to another spot and seeing no bubbles there, he remarked, "No batteries?" He was so accustomed to his electronic toys that he attributed even natural phenomena to battery power!

Christians can make a similar mistake--they look to their own puny power to live righteous lives. But the high moral and ethical standards of a holy God prove impossible to live up to. The result is joyless Christians, hopelessly burdened and defeated.

Paul's prayer for the believers in Ephesus was that "the eyes of your understanding [be] enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling... and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe" (Eph. 1:18-19). He wanted them to see that the power available to help them live God-honoring lives is the same power that "raised [Christ] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (v.20).

The power to live according to God's standards comes only when we plug into His inexhaustible power. How do we do that? By daily seeking His face and asking Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit. __C. P. Hia
_____________________________________________________________

```````````````````Fill each heart and reign alone,````````````````
```````````````````Break the idols we have known;```````````````
``````````````````````Lead us to confession true,`````````````````
`````````````Give us strength Thy will to do. __Peterson````````````
_____________________________________________________________

The Light of the World knows no power failure.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Ephesians 1:15-23**********

15 Therefore I also, after I
heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love
for all the saints, 16 do not
cease to give thanks for
you, making mention of
you in m prayers: 17 that
the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory,
may give to you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in
the knowledge of Him,

18 the eyes of your
understanding being
enlightened; that you may
know what is the hope of
His calling, what are the
riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the exceeding
greatness of his power
toward us who believe,
according to the working of
his mighty power 20 which
He worked in Christ when
He raised Him from the
dead and seated Him at His
right hand in the heavenly
places, 21 far above all
principality and power and
might and dominion, and
every name that is named,
not only in this age but also
in that which is to come.

22 And He put all things
under His feet, and gave
Him to be head over all
things to the church,

23 which is his body, the
fullness of Him who fills
all in all.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

We are not called to live the Christian life by our own self-effort but
have been given the Holy Spirit to empower us. We are exhorted
to consider "the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who
believe... which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the
dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Eph.
1:19-20). The same supernatural power that raised Christ from the
dead has been provided for our walk with Christ. __Dennis Fisher