Scripture:
Ephesians 1:3, 15-17
Thu, 28 April 2022

Fuller Personal Knowledge of God

Observation:

What is the significance of what Paul is asking God for the Church in verses 15 to 17 in the light of verse 3?

Deeper Reflection
GOD “HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING …in Christ” (v.3). Note the terms, “has blessed”, “every” and “in Christ”. We only need to see and know the “every Spiritual blessing” that God has already blessed us with in Christ, and to live in them and live them out.Paul’s doxology (Eph 1:3-14) is followed by his petition (Eph 1:15-21). And Paul’s first request has to do with personal knowledge of God: “that you may know Him better” (v.17, NIV). This being Paul’s first request underscores its primacy. To know God “means to be in close relationship with Him”56 – and this knowledge is “linked with His demands [cf. 1 Jn 2:3-4] and often is described as knowing His will”57 (cf. Col 1:9-10). But we cannot know God unless God makes Himself known to us. God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. Read the Scriptures with the conscious intent to know God, asking the most important question: “What can I know about God in this text?” True knowledge of God shapes the way we look at reality and how we live our lives. And to know God, we need “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation” (v.17). “Wisdom” is “the wisdom of the deep things of God”58. “Revelation” is the Lord opening the Scriptures to us and our spiritual eyes to see Him (Lk 24:27, 31-32). Knowledge of God “is not a fixed quantum but rather something that develops in the life of people as they are obedient”59. Knowing God must be our life purpose, priority, passion and pursuit, making verse 17 our constant prayer.
56 Peter T. O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Apollos, 1999), 132 57 Peter T. O’Brien, 133 58 William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, The Daily Study Bible (Saint Andrew Press, 1976), 90 59 Peter T. O’Brien, 133
Application:

How do I go about pursuing a greater knowledge of God?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Outreach/Missions/New Life leaders: To be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10:11-12, 14-19
Tue, 26 September 2023

A Man of High Esteem

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel being called “man of high esteem” (vv.11, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
One of the heavenly beings called Daniel “man of high esteem” (v.11). This honour was bestowed on Daniel emphatically, in that it was repeated twice (v.19). This “high esteem” did not come from man, but from God Himself. God gave this honour to Daniel toward the end of his life when God called him to “enter into rest” (Dan 12:13). As a youth, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself with the king’s choice food” (Dan 1:8), and as an old man, he was faithful to God in spending time with Him in his “three times a day” devotion, even if it means to be thrown into the lions’ den (Dan 6:10). Daniel was finishing well in his life with “humbling yourself before your God” (v.12). When we think of finishing well in terms of successful accomplishments, we must be careful that we are not exalting ourselves.It is not for us to see ourselves in any way as a person of high esteem before God. It is for God to say that to us (2 Cor 10:17-18). Daniel never saw himself as a “man of high esteem”. A key emphasis in Daniel 10 is Daniel being greatly overwhelmed by the holiness and glory of God represented by the heavenly being with an awesome appearance (Dan 10:5-10, 15-18). And it was in this encounter with God when he was called “man of high esteem” that Daniel said, “How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord?”50 (v.17). The man highly esteemed by God saw his unworthiness before God.
50 I have theologically translated “my lord” to “my Lord”, since the heavenly being is a representation of God.
Application:

What does being highly esteemed by God mean to me?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To be able to see oneself as God sees
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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