Continuing Study in Ephesians chapter 5

A Study in Ephesians (continuing)

Chapter 5

¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷ Therefore do not be partners with them.

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

My Friends,

It is obvious that the world and many who call themselves Christian have absolutely no clue what this life entails, the first seven verses alone make this painfully obvious. Our Lord knows that we will sin, the Father in heaven understands this and it is through the Son that we can have forgiveness for the sin that we commit but does this mean that we can completely ignore instruction and the nature of design? Never recognizing our sin while we continue to worship God through Jesus the Christ as if nothing is wrong? No, should I repeat this word? NO and again NO!

  ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Many of today’s so called Christian church members no longer care for the words of Jesus Christ.  

The first twenty verses of this chapter tell us how we are to live, if we claim Jesus Christ then we are obligated to walk as Jesus Christ, obeying His commandments and letting the world see Him through us, we are to be living examples of Christ on earth. What is the job of the church? Is it not to unite all true Christians to one another? Is it not also to re-unite all of mankind to our Creator? How do we do our job if we do not walk in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ? We are no longer to walk in darkness but in light. Yet far too many choose to be each his/her own shining light, agreeing with the society of darkness while fooling ourselves by worshiping the Lord.

The next verses; 21 - 33 cause much contention in the church and in the world, why is it that we in the church refuse to submit to each other out of reverence for Christ? Is this not what we are told, today’s woman seems to despise the verses; ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Yet these women attend worship and claim Jesus Christ. This is pride and ego, the sins of Satan and yet the other side of the problem is the men.

Many of today’s men are no longer men; I have heard this time and time again from women in the church when they marry a man outside of the church, they say that they did so because they are looking for am man, one who can do things and who has a strong character. This my friends is lacking in the church today. What does this chapter tell us regarding the husband? Are the men not commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church? A holy love, Jesus gave his life for his bride; the church, in this manner men are to love their wives.

Many men attempt to carry this instruction out as if they are some sort of dictator, they attempt to make this a master/slave relationship, this is not loving your wife. The man needs to be strong in the Lord, his life needs to be a life that reflects Jesus Christ and his actions need to be of nurturing and caring, ready to give his life for his wife, all decisions that he makes should be based on sound reasoning and consulting the Lord for guidance. This does not mean the opposite of the master/slave relationship either, every whim of his wife does not need to be met because in practice there may be no end to the whims. Decisions should be made as partners, where did our Creator create the woman from, a bone in the foot so that she is kept under, no, from the side of the man, a partner working together, by separating the two God not only removed a rib but He split the personality as well, the man and the woman contain all aspects of personality but some are greater in the one than in the other and it is for this reason that the two become one, a marriage or the uniting of man and woman is the bringing together of the separated parts so that they work together as one.

This is the design, there are times when one must have a final decision and as commanded by our Creator from the time of sin, the man shall be the one and the woman must yield. But for this to be so, a man must be a man and a woman must be a woman as we are created to be and each must conform to the likeness of Jesus Christ, each living his/her role in the scheme of creation. There is no other way.

May you be blessed with the understanding of the creation of man and woman, may you be blessed with all desire to fulfill each your role in Jesus the Christ realizing that there can be no other way that we can live if we are to call ourselves Christian.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In Christ,

Monk Michael

monkmichael.com 

A Study in Ephesians
(continuing)


Chapter 4

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their
thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.


20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off
your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and  to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.


25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful  with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.


29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave
you.


My Friends,


Today’s Christian Church suffers greatly, there is of course much persecution in much of the world; prison, torture,
mutilation, beheading. These things come from outside of the church but there is much that comes from inside the church itself. There are two things that work to destroy Christianity; one is the churchless Christianity, those who believe that an established church is not necessary or even that it is against Jesus Himself and then there are those within the church that seek to destroy that which is even basic teaching as handed down from the beginning, that faith that the martyrs died for.


In the first nine verses here (17 - 25) we see the old person and the ways of the world which many who call themselves Christians continue to live today and we see what we are to do. In verse 26 we see that we are to put off anger, what is this saying, never to be angry? By no means does it mean this, in the following verses we see how we are to be towards one another and to God and so we see that anger is not a part of how we are to be with one another.


Yet anger was given to us by Almighty God Himself, remember that we are told; “be angry but do not sin”, anger is in
itself not wrong so then why is it there? It is a weapon against Satan, it is not to be used against each other but against Satan, we should become angry when we see injustice, slavery and persecution. Angry when defenseless and innocent ones are attacked, the church does not exist for us to simply be members of a nice club, it exists to unite mankind to itself and to Almighty God, it has a higher calling than what it is used for today.


Heavenly Father, we pray that you continue in Your holy efforts to teach Your church its mission, far too many have left the ideal and have forgotten why we are here. We pray that you do not let us rest until we have been proven, try us in the fire of Your love that we may be made worthy. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

In Christ,
Monk Michael

A Study in Ephesians (continuing)

Chapter 3

8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things: 10 That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church, 11 According to the eternal purpose, which he made, in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I pray you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

14 For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his Spirit with might unto the inward man, 17 That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts; that being rooted and founded in charity, 18 You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth: 19 To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that works in us; 21 To him be glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus unto all generations, world without end. Amen.

My Friends,

We again learn important things here if we read and understand. We have seen already that principalities and powers in heavenly places are realms of angels. In verse 10 we see that not even the angels in heaven knew of Almighty God’s plan until they learned it from the church. The importance of the church to mankind cannot be overstated; we must understand our purpose and stop the nonsense that continues here. It is the job of the church, our purpose to reunite all of mankind to Almighty God, of course mankind must listen but how will anyone listen to a church that claims to be led by the Holy Spirit and yet is so divided and at odds with one another that makes the world ridicule the Most Holy Name of Jesus the Christ?

This must be the priority of the church.

How long Oh Lord before we awaken to our own destiny and purpose and stop the quarreling and infighting among those who proclaim the Most Holy Name? It is a disgrace, awaken all who proclaim your holy name to a proper understanding in order to proclaim Your Holy Name with all confidence in one voice and one spirit.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In Christ,

Monk Michael

A Study in Ephesians

(continued)

Chapter 2

19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God, 20 Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone: 21 In whom all the building, being framed together, grows up into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In whom you also are built together into a habitation of God in the Spirit.

 Chapter 3

1 For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles; 2 If yet you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me towards you: 3 How that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in a few words; 4 As you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, 5 Which in other generations was not known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit: 6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and co-partners of his promise in Christ Jesus, by the gospel: 7 Of which I am made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God, which is given to me according to the operation of his power: 8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:

My Friends:

Notice in the first two verses here we see St. Paul telling us that we are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God; how is it that we have so many divisions in the church? Each one claiming to be led by the Holy Spirit yet at odds with one another? Is there not One Father, One Only Begotten Son, One Holy Spirit? Is there not but one worship, one truth? Why are divided on this, those who claim to be of the ancient church as handed down from generation to generation?

We are told are we not in the next few verses that we are one building being fitted together into one holy temple in the Lord? My friends; disunity is unacceptable, it mocks the Most Holy Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. The world already mocks, are to add to this mocking with disunity?

In the first five verses of chapter 3 St. Paul speaks about these things were revealed to him, the mystery was made known to him and had been revealed to the sons of men in ages past, how is this possible that the man who never followed Jesus Christ or listened to any of the Apostles but instead was a persecutor of the church, a murderer of all who followed the way, could suddenly have this knowledge? St. Paul says that it was revealed to him. Did the Holy Spirit tell him all things that he never knew? I don’t think so, remember that St. Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel; Acts 22:   3 And he saith: I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, as also all you are this day. Gamaliel the elder was one of the most renowned teachers of his day. St. Paul would have already been taught these things except that the Jews were not ready for Jesus in the manner in that He came, politics and power struggle was in the way of understanding and accepting.

Almighty God indeed gives His wisdom to those who love Him; Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 1: 9 He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and numbered her, and measured her. 10 And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all flesh according to his gift, and hath given her to them that love him.

St. Paul had been taught the truth but did not have the proper application of it until his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. How could the truth be known and yet not known? Pride, politics, a closed heart, these things cut off the message of the Holy Spirit. The Jews were to be a nation of one worship to the One True God and to be the light to the world bringing in all other nations. That is now the job of the church, are we following the same path as the ancient Jews?

Is there too much pride and politics in much of the church today? Has the idea of truth so infiltrated the church that she along with the world sees the truth as relevant to one’s own understanding? We must rid the church of the wolves, reunite and be one voice for Jesus Christ on this earth. There simply is no other way.

May the God of all understanding and mercy not let the church established by His Only Begotten Son rest until it is purged and has become one temple, united in one voice, one worship of the One True God through the One True Only Begotten Son in the power of the One Holy Spirit. May those who understand this prayer also pray, may those who do not understand, gain understanding or be purged from the church until understanding be gained.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In Christ,

Monk Michael

monkmichael.com

Continuing studyin Ephesians

A study in Ephesians

Ephesians 1: 20 - 2:8


Chapter  1

 20 Which he wrought in Christ, raising him up from the dead, and setting him on his right
hand in the heavenly places.  21 Above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. 22 And he hath subjected all things under his feet, and hath made him head over all the church, 23 Which  is his body, and the fullness of him who is filled all in all.

Chapter 2

1 And you, when you were dead in your offences, and sins, 2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of this air, of the spirit that now works on the children of unbelief: 3 In which also we all conversed in time past, in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:

4 But God, (who is rich in mercy,) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, (by whose grace you are saved,) 6 And hath raised us up together, and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places, through Christ Jesus. 7 That he might show in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his bounty towards us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God.

My Friends;

 Verse 21 shows us the power and the glory of Jesus the Christ. Principality, power, virtue (some translations say 'might’), and dominion are orders of Angelic beings. Jesus the Christ is above all and as His Church; the Bride of Christ, the Body as he is the Head, we share in His glory. The church, those who are true to Him shall become the ultimate masterpiece of creation.


In chapter two, in these first few verses we see the war in which we are engaged. This is a spiritual warfare and each opposing side requires our obedience, we must choose one or the other, one side to eternal damnation, the other side to eternal glory. Neither side forces us, Satan is a created being, he is the Prince of the Air; he is neither of the earth nor of heaven and he has no authority to force us into sin which is anything that opposes the will of Almighty God for us. On the other hand; Almighty God who has all power will not force us because again he gives us a choice. The kingdom of heaven will be filled with those who love God with their heart and it is their heart’s desire to spend eternity with Him in love and worship.

 The war comes because we in the flesh have such a propensity for sin; lust, power, greed, and pride are of the flesh and of the mind, we are weak in the face of temptation, we must earnestly pray for strength to overcome and the faith to believe. This is what is told in verse 8; For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God.

It is truly a gift, we do not earn salvation but we must accept this gift. There is action on our part, acceptance first with the faith that God’s promises are true and once accepted we then must remember this;  James 2:22 Do you see that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?

May all be blessed with the understanding of salvation, may our hearts be filled with the love of Almighty God, so filled that it becomes impossible for the works of the Lord not to be done. Grant us this faith and the perseverance needed as the times seem to be growing shorter. We must all strive for the unity that our Lord Himself prayed for; that they may be one, for it is as one voice crying in one spirit that we will find ultimate strength for the last days whenever they may come. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 In Christ,
Monk Michael




 

A study of the Letter to the Ephesians 


Chapter 1 


1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to all the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. 2 Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ: 4 As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity. 5 Who has predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will: 6 Unto the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he has graced us in his beloved son.

7 In  whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace, 8 Which has superabounded in us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 That he might make known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he has purposed in him, 10 In the dispensation of the fullness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him. 11 In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. 12 That we may be unto the praise of his glory, we who before hoped in Christ:

My Friends,

In St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he makes some rather bold statements just in the first few verses. First he calls himself an Apostle by the will of God, remember that St. Paul never followed Jesus but was a murderer of those who did. How could he have become an Apostle called by God? Next he separates God the Father from the Lord Jesus Christ and yet sends grace and peace in both names as if they are equal in ability to send grace and peace. He blesses God the Father, why? Because we receive spiritual blessings from Him, the Father, He blesses us so it is right that we are to bless Him and not to neglect Him in our worship.

How are we blessed by God? There are many prosperity preachers out there who would say we that we are blessed by financial gain and prosperity. What is the true gain, what is the true blessing that we receive? Read again what is written above, in summary to the few verses above St. Paul is telling us that since the foundation of the world, since the beginning, it was the design of the Father that we were to be like Him our Creator, not in His essence of course because we cannot be God but in love, in understanding, compassionate and caring for the created things and ruler of our planet in this manner.


We were given a mind to think, we were given free will to make decisions, and we had the ability to walk with and to talk with and to know our Creator Father. Man tainted the image that we were created in and so the Father sent His Word to be born into the flesh so that the flesh could be redeemed by the spotless sacrifice and that through this spotless sacrifice we can become adopted sons of the Father thus restoring us to where we should have already been. This is the mystery of His will that St. Paul speaks of in verse 9, the plan of salvation through the blood of the Only Begotten Son so that we may regain our place in creation as adopted sons and daughters.


It is for this that Almighty God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit are to be worshipped and praised. This is why we bless Him who blesses us because He did not have to bless us and yet He did. Do not be fooled and misled.


How many claim to believe that there is a God and yet spend not a moment in prayer and worship? How many expect good things to happen to and for them who claim that there is a God but yet do not pray to or worship Almighty God? How many stand in prayer in selfish ambition expressing only that which benefits their personal well being rather than the well being of all and praise to Almighty God? Do not forget that the God of mercy is also the God of justice, if you claim to believe, then you must stand in prayer and worship or else what is your belief? Do you expect that heaven will be an endless party without work or praise or worship?


If you cannot stand in worship now, you will not stand in worship in heaven; you will not like it there any more than you like it here. We have been redeemed only if we choose to accept this redemption, it is not automatic.


May Almighty God bring you to a place of understanding.
 God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows that shall he also reap.

In Christ,
Monk Michael

A Letter from Almighty God to all World Governments!

From Almighty God to all world governments.


Wisdom of Solomon

Chapter 6

1: Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.
2: Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.
3: For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.
4: Because, being ministers of his kingdom, ye have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God;
5: Horribly and speedily shall he come upon you: for a sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places.
6: For mercy will soon pardon the meanest: but mighty men shall be mightily tormented.
7: For he which is Lord over all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he hath made the small and great, and cares for all alike.
8: But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.
9: Unto you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that ye may learn wisdom, and not fall away.

10: For they that keep holiness holily shall be judged holy: and they that have learned such things shall find what to answer.
11: Wherefore set your affection upon my words; desire them, and ye shall be instructed.
12: Wisdom is glorious, and never fades away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.
13: She prevents them that desire her, in making herself first known unto them.
14: Whoso seeks her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors.

15: To think therefore upon her is perfection of wisdom: and whoso watches for her shall quickly be without care.
16: For she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her, shows herself favourably unto them in the ways, and meets them in every thought.
17: For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline; and the care of discipline is love;
18: And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws is the assurance of incorruption;
19: And incorruption makes us near unto God:
20: Therefore the desire of wisdom brings to a kingdom.
21: If your delight be then in thrones and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, honour wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore.
22: As for wisdom, what she is, and how she came up, I will tell you, and will not hide mysteries from you: but will seek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth.
23: Neither will I go with consuming envy; for such a man shall have no fellowship with wisdom.
24: But the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.
25: Receive therefore instruction through my words, and it shall do you good.


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