The Heart of God for the Church 2.0

This Sunday, Pastor Nicole finished up the first chapter of Ephesians from her sermon on May 12th. Covering verses 15 - 23, which is a prayer of Paul for the early Church but applies as much to us today as the continuation of the Church.

Sharing that the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him is a shift in our perspective so we see things as He sees them, and seeing God for who He really is, Pastor Nicole had us partner with this prayer and pray it for each other. Having the eyes of our understanding opened literally means hope wells up within us because we understand the wealth of God's investment in us. When we realize that truth, we can't help but be who God created us to be and share the love of Christ with others through Kingdom Living, the calling to which God has called us. When we all see, experience, and walk in the truth of who God is and who/what He made us for, we get to experience the riches of His inheritance through the lives of the people around us, and the greatness of His power that is available to us! While, we are a vessel of God's power, we are also to steward it, exercise it, and use it as He reveals, and we obey. This is how His body operates in the fullness of God and He fills (completes) us with all His fullness.

The language in Ephesians is so lush and the way Pastor Nicole expounds on it, animates Paul's prayer for each of our lives in a real way.