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Gleanings From The Word

Category: Ephesians

  • Grace That Transforms

    Grace That Transforms

    From Rough Stone to Precious Jewel

    Rough and faceted garnets. An illustration of God's transformative grace.

    Over the past few days, I have been marveling at the incredible scope of God’s patient, loving mercy and grace. It really astounds me when I think that Jesus gave up His life to redeem people who were His enemies. Redeeming them was grace beyond measure, but He goes beyond that and, by the Word and Spirit, transforms us to be more like Him every day.

    The garnets on the left are rough stones as dug out of the ground. The ones on the right have been carefully faceted to reveal the inner jewel that resided in the rough stone.

    That’s what Christ does. He digs us out of the dirt and mire of our sin-filled lives and rebellion, while we are still His enemies and loves us.

    For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8 ESV

    That would be unimaginable grace if He stopped there. It’s far more than any of us deserve. But He extends it further. The Lord sends the Spirit to dwell in the new believer.

    Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

    The Lord conforms us into the image of Jesus.

    For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:29 ESV

    Sometimes the Lord cuts off huge pieces of waste material. He often does that through suffering and trials.  Then He carefully considers all the facets and angles and shapes us. Lastly, He polishes each facet into a thing of beauty.

    We were made to be precious stones for the King of Kings and bring Him glory. Each one of us is unique; no two will be alike. We are all given differing genetics, personalities, circumstances, gifts and talents. Each of us is a separate piece of rough being worked in the Master’s hands.

    It’s an ongoing process that He promises to complete in us.

    For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV

    The process isn’t always easy, but hold fast. The finished product that will be our glorified life will be beautiful beyond anything we can imagine.

    Be blessed, my friends,

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    I’ve been marveling at how far God’s grace goes: it saves us while we’re still His enemies, and then patiently transforms us facet by facet into the image of Christ. Like rough garnets cut and polished into jewels, each of us is being shaped into something beautiful for the King.

    TAKEAWAY

    Christ’s grace redeemed us while we were still His enemies, dying for the ungodly rather than the righteous (Romans 5:7-8).

    The Spirit now dwells within believers, making our bodies a temple bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

    Like rough garnets faceted into jewels, God patiently cuts, shapes, and polishes each of us into the unique image of His Son (Romans 8:29, Ephesians 2:10).

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  • Infrared Light and Faith

    Campfire - pondering the unseen

    I sat out by the campfire, pondering light and life. There was so much more going on in the fire than I could see. I could see the flames because they emit visible light. I could see, taste and smell smoke because it hung in the air. I could feel the warmth from the flames.

    I couldn’t see the wood gases that were actually burning. I couldn’t see the wood turning into charcoal. I couldn’t see the infrared (IR) energy being emitted because it lies outside the visible spectrum. If I had a thermal camera, I might have seen the IR waves.

    IR light isn’t visible to us, but it surrounds us. Everything above absolute zero emits some level of infrared radiation. Even though we can’t see it, it’s reflected off trees and other surfaces and impacts us. A little can warm us and increase blood flow. It can be used in some forms of physiotherapy. Too much IR can cause burns, heat rash and even eye damage.

    Just as IR has an impact even though we cannot see it, God is working in ways invisible to us. His presence may be hidden, but He still provides for us, reaches out to us and is working in our lives.

    There is nothing anywhere in the created universe that does not owe its beginning and continued existence to God’s power and presence. If He withdrew His presence for even a split second, everything would collapse and disappear.

    Fortunately, we don’t have to physically see Him for Him to work in our lives. We have the Scriptures and their testimony. We have the Holy Spirit (if we are believers), or He calls us (if we are non-believers).

    For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— 2 Corinthians 5:1-7

    What a marvelous gift, to be given the faith to walk even when we cannot see the way of the hands that guide us.

    Maybe you’ve never considered faith as a gift, but Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear. We are saved and guided by faith, and all of that is a love gift from our Heavenly Father.

    Praise His holy and generous name.

    Be blessed,

    Kevin

    Check on this post on “False teachers“

    SUMMARY

    I sat by a campfire and realized how much was happening that I couldn’t see: burning gases, wood turning to charcoal, infrared energy radiating outward. It struck me that God works the same way, present and active even when His hands are hidden from our sight.

    TAKEAWAY

    Everything above absolute zero emits infrared radiation, invisible yet powerfully real in its effects 

    God’s presence sustains all creation even when it isn’t visible to us 

    2 Corinthians 5:1-7 and Ephesians 2:8-9 remind us that faith, not sight, is how we’re meant to walk

    The importance of Reading God’s Word

    God promises us His Holy Spirit