The Book of Ephesians
December 31, 2022

In 1987
Apple Predicted The iPhone Would Be:
A Telephone Reader
A Touchscreen Computer
Able To Search The Internet With Voice Commands

Experts Stated In 1967
By the turn of the century technology would have taken over so much of our work.
By 2000:
We Would Work A 22-Hour Work Week
We Would Work 27 Weeks Out of The Year
The greatest problems for Americans would be what to do with all of our spare time.

Looking Forward
My 2023 Prediction:
God Has It All Under Control!

We Don’t Know What 2023 Holds, But We Know Who Holds 2023

What You Need To Know In 2023 And Beyond:
Your Identity – Who You Are
Your Purpose – What You Do

Ephesians Has 6 Chapters & 155 Verses

Ephesians Can Be Broken Into Two Segments

Chapters 1-3
What They Should Know – Who They Are
Who Are You?

Chapters 4-6
What They Should Do – What To Do With What You Know

A Little History of Ephesians
Paul Pastored 3 Years In Asia Minor
He Was Currently In A Roman Prison

Ephesians 1:3
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,

Aorist Tense
Meaning “Already Obtained”
The Father Has Blessed Us

I Am Not Seeking After A Blessing But Discovering and Enjoying The Blessing

Ephesians 1:4
just as He chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

The Father
He Has Blessed Us
He Has Chosen Us

We Were Chosen Because We Chose God’s Chosen

Ephesians 1:5-6
having predestined (Foreknowledge) us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The Father
He Has Blessed Us
He Has Chosen Us
He Has Predestined Us
He Has Adopted Us
He Has Accepted Us

Ephesians 1:7-9
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself

Jesus Has Redeemed Us

Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The Holy Spirit Has Sealed Us

The Father
He Has Blessed Us
He Has Chosen Us
He Has Predestined Us
He Has Adopted Us
He Has Accepted Us
Jesus Has Redeemed Us
The Holy Spirit Has Sealed Us
This Is Your True Identity

The Prayer
Ephesians 1:15-18
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit (mental disposition) of wisdom and revelation (mental disposition) in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; (C.R.A.B. That Your Mind Might Believe What Your Spirit Knows)

Three Things He Wants The Ephesians To Know

His Calling
Ephesians 1:18a
that you may know what is the hope of His Calling,

His Inheritance
Ephesians 1:18b
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints

His Power
Ephesians 1:19a
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,

Ephesians 1:20-23
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 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. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The Father
I Am Blessed
I Am Chosen
I Am Predestined
I Am Adopted
I Am Accepted
I Am Redeemed
I Am Sealed

Praying For My Mind To Agree With What My Heart Knows

Lord Help Me Know:
His Calling On My Life
His Inheritance In My Life
His Power Through My Life