Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 12:8-12, Psalm 8:2-7

Ephesians 1:15-23

15 I have been told of your faith and your affection towards all the believers, 16 so I always give thanks to God, remembering you in my prayers.

17 May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory, reveal himself to you and give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that you may know him.

18 May he enlighten your inner vision, that you may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God.

May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart for his saints;

19 may you understand with what extraordinary power he acts in favor of us who believe.

20 He revealed his almighty power in Christ when he raised him from the dead and had him sit at his right hand in heaven, 21 far above all rule, power, authority, dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world but in the world to come as well.

22 Thus has God put all things under the feet of Christ and set him above all things, as head of the Church 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Beloved, what a beautiful blessing this is. St. Paul prays this prayer not only for the believers of his day, but it is also a blessing that all of us who believe and hope in You can lay claim. I claim this wonderful blessing for myself and for all whom I pray, so that we can all come to a fuller understanding of the rich blessings we enjoy through faith in You.

Luke 12:8-12

8 I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But the one who denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.10 There will be pardon for the one who criticizes the Son of Man, but there will be no pardon for the one who slanders the Holy Spirit.11 When you are brought before the synagogues, governors and rulers, don’t worry about how you will defend yourself or what to say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you have to say.”

The world is becoming more and more a place where people want to wipe all traces or signs of You my Lord. But to those of us who believe, is given the responsibility to stand up and speak up - acknowledging that we are Your followers. If we allow human respect to decide whether we will allow fear to overcome us, then we can expect that You too will deny all knowledge of us. You also assure us that we need not agonise about what we are to say when we are called to stand up for our faith. The Holy Spirit Himself will inspire us and give us the words we need to speak.

Psalm 8:2-7
2 O Lord, our Lord,
how great is your name throughout the earth!
And your glory in the heavens above.
3 Even the mouths of children and infants

exalt your glory in front of your foes

and put to shame enemies and rebels.

4 When I observe the heavens,

the work of your hands,

the moon and the stars you set in their place –

5 what is the mortal that you be mindful of him,

the son of man, that you should care for him?

6 Yet you made him a little lower than the angels;

you have crowned him with glory and honor.

7 You made him rule over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet –

With the Psalmist I thank You for loving us, watching over us and helping each of us to develop to the fullest level of our potential. The more we bloom the greater the glory that abounds to You our God.

Luke 12:1-7

Luke 12:1-7

1 Meanwhile, such a numerous crowd had gathered that they crushed one another. Then Jesus spoke to his disciples in this way,

“Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered that will not be uncovered, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 Whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places, will be proclaimed from the housetops.4 I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who put to death the body and af­ter that can do no more. 5 But I will tell you whom to fear: Fear the One who after killing you is able to throw you into hell. This one you must fear. 6 Don’t you get five sparrows for two pennies? Yet not one of them has been forgotten by God. 7 Even the hairs of your head have been numbered. So do not fear: are you not worth more than a flock of sparrows?

Beloved, You remind me that a little yeast has effect on the whole batch of dough. A little hypocrisy, a little reckless stupidity - anything that lacks complete innocence is suspect. Your warning to all is clear in these verses. No lie will remain hidden - the only one we need to have a loving reverential fear for is You, God Almighty. If we think we fool You we are the most pitiable people for You cannot be fooled.

You are also a God of great love and compassion. Your own will always find shelter and rest in You.

My Beloved, keep me open and pure before You. Let there be nothing deceitful or duplicitous in me. May I be like a child in Your Presence - fearing nothing because there is nothing to fear. May I live my life safe under Your eternal gaze. Preserve me O Lord from wrongdoing and should I fall because I am weak, make haste and pick me up when I cry to You and restore me. Thank, You Lord.

Proverbs 3:27-28, Ephesians 1:1-10

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not hold back from those who ask your help, when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come another time; tomorrow I will give it to you!” when you can help him now.  27 Do not hold back from those who ask your help, when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come another time; tomorrow I will give it to you!” when you can help him now.

Beloved, help me to remember this always. I must be prompt in offering help when asked if it is within my power to do so and when asked to give I must do so with a generous heart.

Ephesians 1:1-10
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
to the saints in Ephesus, to you who share Christian faith:
2 receive grace and peace from God our Father and from Jesus the Lord.
• 3 Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord,
who in Christ has blessed us from heaven with every spiritual blessing.
4 God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world
to be holy and without sin in his presence.
5 From eternity he destined us in love
to be his adopted sons and daughters through Christ Jesus,
thus fulfilling his free and generous will.
This goal suited him:
6 that his loving-kindness which he granted us in his Beloved
might finally receive all glory and praise.
7 For in Christ we obtain freedom, sealed by his blood,
and have the forgiveness of sins.
In this appears the greatness of his grace,
8 which he lavished on us.
In all wisdom and understanding,
9 God has made known to us his mysterious design,
in accordance with his loving-kindness in Christ.
10 In him and under him God wanted to unite,
when the fullness of time had come,
everything in heaven and on earth.

Beloved, there has not been and never will there ever be one who has loved or will love as You do. Psalm 8:4 comes to mind, "What is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?" We are sinners and quite unworthy of Your love. Who can understand why You love us as You do? You not only created us in love but You have destined us for love both here and in the hereafter eternally.

Matthew 7:21, Galatians 5:18-25, Gospel Luke 11:42-46

Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father.

 Here is a reality check Beloved.  A piece of hard, cold fact coming directly from Your lips.  No matter how eloquently we write or speak or how powerful our prayers for healing and miracles, none of it means anything if we are not obedient.  The Father says, "This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him."   You say that only one who does the will of Your Father can enter the Kingdom.  Your will and the Father's will are one.  In obeying You, we obey the Father and vice versa.  In this alone lies our happiness and reward.

Galatians 5:18-25

18 But when you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law.

19 You know what comes from the flesh: fornication, impurity and shame­lessness, 20 idol worship and sorcery, hatred, jealousy and violence, anger, ambition, division, factions, 21 and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I again say to you what I have already said: those who do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy and peace, patience, understanding of others, kind­­ness and fidelity, 23 gentleness and self-control. For such things there is no Law or punishment. 24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its vices and desires.            

 Beloved, to live by the Spirit is to be certain of inheriting the Kingdom, for the fruits of the Spirit which are enumerated by St. Paul are clearly produced by one who lives a life that is under the influence of Your own Holy Spirit.  If I say I belong to You, my life and my actions must prove it.  The last verse is a litmus test for all all who wish to know if we are truly led by the Spirit.  If this cannot be said of us then we have to strive harder, more diligently and faithfully.

Luke 11:42-46

42 A curse is on you, Pharisees; for the Temple you give a tenth of all, including mint and rue and the other herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. This ought to be practiced, without neglecting the other.   43 A curse is on you, Pharisees, for you love the best seats in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplace. 44A curse is on you for you are like tombstones of the dead which can hardly be seen; people don’t notice them and make themselves unclean by stepping on them.”  45 Then a teacher of the Law spoke up and said, “Master, when you speak like this, you insult us, too.” 46 And Jesus answered, “A curse is on you also, teachers of the Law. For you prepare unbearable burdens and load them on the people, while you yourselves don’t move a finger to help them. 45 Then a teacher of the Law spoke up and said, “Master, when you speak like this, you insult us, too.” 46 And Jesus answered, “A curse is on you also, teachers of the Law. For you prepare unbearable burdens and load them on the people, while you yourselves don’t move a finger to help them.

Beloved, we too can be guilty like the Pharisees of making a careful, outward show of our piety and good works but You who see the heart, know how far our hearts are from You.  Wouldn't it have been grand to actually hear You letting those bloated self-satisfied Pharisees and lawyers have it.  You minced no words.  Sometimes we are too afraid to speak the truth to those with power, money and influence.  You had no such inhibitions because You are always on the side of truth.  Loving as You are, You can be tough on those who refuse to hear. I guess that is what they call tough love.

Psalm 1:2-3, 6

2 Instead, he finds delight in the law of the Lord

3 He is like a tree beside a brook

producing its fruit in due season,

its leaves never withering.

Everything he does is a success.

The verses in this Psalm gives us a blueprint of what one who loves Your Word and makes it their food and drink is like.  and meditates day and night
on his commandments. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us live in a spiritual way.

Psalm 107:9, Galatians 5:1-6, Luke 11:37-41, Psalm 119:41, 43, 47-48

Psalm 107:9
He quenches the thirst of souls and satisfies the hunger of the heart.

Beloved, of none by You can this be said.  You satisfy our deepest needs and longings.  Every sigh finds its contentment in You.  I thank You for this wonderful discovery and journey of love that my whole life has embarked upon, ever since I first drew breath.  Every day You show me new marvels of Your great love for me.  Even though I am a sinner and unworthy of Your love, You pay no attention but clap Your hands and call the servants to put a robe on me, a ring on my finger and You kill the fatted calf.  You rejoice when You see me coming home.  Thank You for welcoming me into the family of God.

Galatians 5:1-6
• 1 Christ freed us to make us really free. So remain firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. 2 I, Paul, say this to you: if you receive circumcision, Christ can no longer help you. 3 Once more I say to whoever receives circumcision: you are now bound to keep the whole Law. 4 All you who pretend to become righteous through the observance of the Law have separated yourselves from Christ and have fallen away from grace.

5 As for us, through the Spirit and faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 In Christ Jesus it is irrelevant whether we be circumcised or not; what matters is faith working through love.

St. Paul is very clear, nothing outside of You Beloved, and what You have done for us can free us.  We remain slaves of sin, the world, the flesh and the devil.  All that matters, and matters to our eternal salvation or downfall, is whether or not we have faith in You.  Not a passive faith but a faith that is alive and active in love. 

Luke 11:37-41

37 As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to have a meal with him. So he went and sat at table. 38 The Pharisee then wondered why Jesus did not first wash his hands before dinner. 39 But the Lord said to him, “So then, you Pharisees, you clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside yourselves you are full of greed and evil. 40 Fools! He who made the outside, also made the inside. 41 But according to you, by the mere giving of alms everything is made clean.

So many of us are like the Phrarisees.  If people do not conform to our prejudices we mark them with our criticism and in our secret thoughts if not by outward gestures, we reject them.  We are constantly judging people in the secrecy of our hearts on their clothes, manners, culture etc., nit picking everything that has absolutely no relevance to who they truly are, and reject them.  You waste no time in telling us what You think of hypocrites.  You do not suffer people who constantly set themselves up as better than the rest of humanity.  We are all children of the same Father and the same Savior has redeemed us all.  In You Beloved all are invited to the wedding banquet - the only requirement is that we wear the wedding garment that You have provided to us in Baptism.

Psalm 119:41, 43, 47-48

41 Give me your unfailing love, O Lord, your salvation as you have promised.

43 Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for I would also lose my hope in your word.

47 For I delight in your word, which I fear. 48 I will lift up my hands to you, and meditate on your commandments.

Every verse in this beautiful Psalm speaks of Your Beauty, Your power and the grace that flows from You Eternal and life-giving Word.