Ephesians 1:15-16: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;”
I received a box today in the mail that contained the sweetest remembrances of love and thoughtfulness that was full of encouragement to me. One of the ladies on the list to receive the blog messages blessed my day. What she did reminds me of our scripture. Is it not interesting that this act of kindness came when it is time to write this. It was a visual aid that I could see, touch, and experience!
Faith in the Lord Jesus — she has faith in the Lord Jesus and she was sharing that faith with me. We are sharing faith with one another. After I heard of your faith…my blog is full of faith sharing and her notes and emails are full of faith sharing, too. Paul says that he had heard of the faith of the Ephesians. Faith in whom? Faith in the Lord Jesus. There had to be a lot a faith sharing going on for Paul, in prison, to hear about it. In a way, we are all in prison and need faith sharing from others.
Love unto all saints — this faith sharing is because there is love being expressed unto all the saints. We may look at the scripture and never realize that someone in some type of prison needs our love expressions of faith actively. I took this act of love in sending me such a sweet gift as a fulfillment of this scripture. It challenged me to be more active in extending faith and love…as well as the rest of this verse.
Cease not to give thanks for you — giving thanks for you means that you know something about the person. One thing you know is that they are a child of God. They have real lives and real life struggles the same as you. Give thanks for you…I’m glad that you are on the planet and taking this Ephesians’ journey with me. Cease not…be continually aware and in tune to what the Lord would have us see, hear, feel, and do. We are blessed to have email and texting to help us give thanks. Cease not means that you are continually aware of other saints.
Remembering you in prayers — you see, you are not likely to remember someone in prayer unless faith in the Lord causes you to believe that it makes a difference. The faith of Jesus helps us see others through the eyes of Heaven. When we have done it for the least of the brethren, we have done it to Christ. Love towards others helps us remember them in prayer. Another sweet spiritual sister sent me a prayer blanket covered in prayers. I know that I’m being prayed for each time I pull that little blanket around my shoulders or over me. I love that little blanket, and I am very thankful for this sweet sister's kindness! Being thankful for others helps us remember them in prayer. Often there is not much we can do for someone, but these four principles show us what we can do. All of this is talking about relationship living with the saints…near, far, and in prison of some sort.
3 John says that I wish above all things that you be in good health and prosper…even as thy soul prospers. Most people only quote the first part. Soul prosperity, if you look at the rest of that scripture, is about relationships in and out of the church. Do people see Christ in us? It doesn’t do much good to give away doctrine without love. I can truly say that I give thanks for each of you and what you have meant and still mean to me.
Expression of these four principles is active love. It is the core of soul prosperity. We hold this prosperity in each other. For God so loved that He gave…another example of soul prosperity and these four principles. In this giving, it was very now centered and people centered. It was His will on earth as it is in Heaven…Thy will not mine be done.
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