MEDITATION NOTES ON EPHESIANS 1:1

[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

By the will of God: Not by the will of other men, not by his own will, but by the will of God. I am what I am by the will of God. It is what God has ordained me to be, not what I have desired or chosen to be. I am a prophet, teacher & pastor by the will of God. I am a servant/minister of the LORD Jesus Christ by the will of God. Not by the will of any man, not by my own will, but by the will of God.

To the saints (believers) which are at Ephesus: Every believer is a saint. The very fact that I have believed has made me a saint. I am sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus. Sanctified by believing in Christ and His finished redemptive work.

BELIEVER = SAINT.

There are saints at Ephesus, Ile-Ife, Calgary, everywhere. We are saints on earth, now; not in heaven, not later. Saints here, saints now.

SAINTS HERE & NOW.

And to the faithful in Christ Jesus: In Christ, we are the faithful. It's how God sees us. It's how He deems us. He deems us faithful in Christ. Because Christ is faithful, we are faithful. Full of faith & fidelity (faith & truth/loyalty). In Christ, God judges us loyal.

Hallelujah!

Glory to God forevermore!

THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Ephesians 4:28: Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Notice that this verse was written to the Ephesian church, a body of believers, not unbelievers. A believer stole?! Wonders shall never end!😳

Right?😀

If it was an unbeliever that stole, the instruction would have been different. It would have been: "receive Jesus, then steal no more".

So to the believer in Christ Jesus: even if you stole yesterday, 2 hours ago or a minute ago (the time frame doesn't matter), at the moment that you're reading this, it is already past tense. That's not who you are now or what you do now. That's your past, that's the old nature still trying to creep up on you, latch on to you and control you. NOW STEAL NO MORE! It's an instruction and the grace to do it comes with it. Now labour, work with your hands something good. That you may have for one purpose: to give to the needy. You're no longer a taker, you're a giver now. God sees in you a giver, cooperate with that grace.

Don't do just any work, but what is good (beneficial) and can yield enough to give.

Such transformation!

The gospel of Jesus Christ not only makes sinners into saints, it makes takers into givers!

Hallelujah!

Ok, maybe YOU never stole, but you lied or fornicated, cheated or defrauded, gambled or killed, committed abortions or had your female sexual partner commit them; but you are born again. The instruction to the former thief still carries grace for you. DO IT NO MORE!

You are the new creation in Christ Jesus and you retain the capacity to cease from sin, to stop purely as an act of your will, for grace has delivered you from sin (Romans 6:12&14, Titus 2:11&12).

WALK FREE!

THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRT

THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, I am persuaded, is the single most important asset in the believer's life.

I was privileged by God's grace to share along these lines in 2 MESSAGES in 2 "sister-churches" in 2 months and it's my pleasure to share both with you today.

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaawkkaHrDZmrkoooG0H/124

Light dawns & grace abounds in Jesus' name!

AUDIO & VIDEO MESSAGES ON GOOD WORKS

*Good Works Part 1 at IIC 2021*

Please download at t.me/drjesutolaadewumi

Remember, the first 76 minutes are testimonies & worship, there's definitely something to be gained, but if you just wanna hear the Word (roughly 2 hours), you can fast-forward.

*Good Works Part 2 at IIC 2021*

Please download at t.me/drjesutolaadewumi

Remember, the first 25 minutes are testimonies, worship & prophetic instructions a bit specific to that house; there's definitely something to be gained, but if you just wanna hear the Word (roughly 2 hours), you can fast-forward.

*Good Works Audio at Cornerstone in 2024*

Please download at https://dq5pwpg1q8ru0.cloudfront.net/2024/02/06/16/07/04/d690a776-1cc2-4330-8583-c0413a809e47/240204.mp3

*Good Works Video at Cornerstone in 2024*

Please watch at https://www.youtube.com/live/fHPwjL3GD_o?si=XWf2Tu6m8_xOJRUi

The first 49 minutes in the video show the initial parts of the service (worship, communion etc.); there's definitely something to be gained, but if you just wanna hear the Word (roughly 45 minutes), you can fast-forward.

I pray these messages bless you, provoke you unto good works and empower you to take your place in God's agenda in this endtime in Jesus' name!

MEDITATION NOTES ON EPHESIANS 2:10 (GOOD WORKS PART 9) - CONCLUSION

What are these Good Works?

A. Industry: Good service towards an employer (or client)/master/leader (1Sam 19:4, Eph 4:28, Rom 12:11, Col 3:22-25)

-Your 9 to 5, your side gig, your business or your trade can be a good work if you do it the way God wants it done!

B. Holy living:

-1Pet 2:12 explains the good works in Mt 5:16 as those relating to our conduct before God & man.

-James 3:13 shows that wise and knowledgeable men live holy.

C. Ministry:

-Works done for the sake of God's people and God's name/house (Neh 5:19 &13:14).

-The office of a Bishop is a good work (1Tim 3:1), and the Bishop ought to represent good works in doctrine & all things (Titus 2:7)

D. Purpose:

-God's specific assignment for an individual (Eph 2:10, Jer 1:5, Acts 26:18, Mt 1:21)

-Helping/enhancing another person's assignment. (Mk 14:6-8 & Mt 26:10-12). This woman could not do a lot of things, but did the "little" she could, then Jesus showed us how powerful that "little" was. What CAN you do?

E. Power: Works of power done in the name of Jesus, exactly as Jesus did them, done now in His stead (Jn 10:32, Acts 10:38 & Jn 14:12, Mk 16:17-18).

F. Giving & hospitality:

-Readiness to distribute & willingness to communicate wealth. It's implication is that we're laying up a good foundation against the time to come & laying hold on eternal life (1Tim 6:18).

-Raising children, lodging strangers, washing the saints' feet & relieving the afflicted (1Tim 5:10).

-Good works & almsdeeds, taking care of widows (Acts 9:36&39).

-Pure & undefiled religion before God & the Father is to exercise oneself in good works (visit the fatherless & widows in their affliction, keep self unspotted from the world & bridle own tongue).

It simply is time to go be, time to go do, all that the Father has ordained!

MEDITATION NOTES ON EPHESIANS 2:10 (GOOD WORKS PART 8) - PREPARED UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK!

What Prepares us for Good Works?

F. Fellowship with other believers: in the assembly of believers, we are exhorted and we are provoked (stirred up) unto love and to good works (Heb 10:24). Or we're provoked unto love and love provokes us unto good works.

-The new birth gives us the nature of love. The Word feeds the nature of love. The Spirit supplies the force of love. Ministry gifts teach and instruct us in/on love. 

-Jesus, moved with compassion (a dimension of love), did good works of power. Good works of giving are to be motivated by love. All manners of good works are to be motivated by love.

-Love is the motive behind good works. They're not good if they're not love-motivated!

G. Prayer: in prayer, we receive revelation and strength (Col 1:10b&11a) and we activate grace for good works (Zech 12:10)

H. Purpose enhancers: they do a certain strategic good work that prepares us for our own good work(s) e.g. Mary Magdalene (Mt 26:10 & Mk 14:6).

-They can also play a part in our good works/assignment/purpose (Judas, Pilate & Caiaphas in the sacrifice of Jesus; the king who favoured Nehemiah, Aaron who spoke for Moses etc).

I. Diligence: diligence in our business prepares us for the good work of giving (Eph 4:28).

J. Knowing God and His will: this enables us to be fruitful in every good work (Col 1:9-11, Titus 1:16, Eph 1:16-18a).

-To know God is to know His will.

-Once we know God, we know His will; for we know Him and His will by His Word and His Spirit.

Finally: WHAT ARE THESE GOOD WORKS?

TO BE CONTINUED.....

MEDITATION NOTES ON EPHESIANS 2:10 (GOOD WORKS PART 7) - PREPARED UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK!

What Prepares us for Good Works?

A. The new birth/creation: we were purified by Christ Jesus & recreated in Christ Jesus, prepared for & zealous unto good works (Eph 2:10 & Titus 2:14).

-The new birth is not produced by good works, rather, it is the foundation of good works.

-Purification is not a good work or by good works. Jesus did it to prepare us for good works.

B. The Word of God: God's Word teaches/indoctrinates, rebukes/reproves, corrects and trains/instructs us in righteousness, thereby (making us perfect and) furnishing us for/unto all good works (2Tim 3:16&17)

-God establishes us in every good work by establishing us in every good word (2Thess 2:17)

C. The Spirit of God: He works in us to will & to do good works and comes upon us to empower us to do good works (Phil 1:6, 2:13 & Heb 13:21, Acts 10:38)

-He works in us desire, ability, performance & revelation (DAPR).

-Concerning revelation: the Spirit is the revealer. He shows us the good works that the Father has pre-ordained & causes us to walk in them, leads us in doing them. He's the Lord of the harvest. (1Cor 2:9&10).

D. Ministry gifts: Ministry gifts, especially pastors & teachers, exemplify & teach good works to those of us to whom they minister (Titus 2:7 & 3:8). They also pray for the flock of God (Col 1:10).

-As a ministry gift, I exemplify & teach good works to those to whom I minister. I teach, exhort, train etc.

-Ministry gifts are given for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, which is a good work (Eph 4:11&12)

E. Holy living (Consecration): Christ has purified us in the new birth; and if we will purge & cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh & spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God, we will be vessels unto honour, sanctified, meet for the Master's use and prepared unto every good work (Titus 2:14, 2Tim 2:21 & 2Cor 7:1). Hallelujah!

TO BE CONTINUED...