Ephesians 1:15-23 Jesus reigns

I was just thinking about how much fun it might be to write a series on prayer and I go to today's scripture verses and see they are about this very subject.  Paul is telling his brothers and sisters in Ephesus how he prays for them.  Paul tells them how he prays in many ways:

1. Thanksgiving - Paul recognizes their great faith and he thanks God for that
2. Wisdom - Paul tells his people he prays for wisdom them them and revelation so that they may know God better
3. Vision - Paul shares how he prays for clear vision for his followers so they may see what it is God wants of them.

Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..." 

When reading from my favorite devotional, Streams in the Desert, this morning I smiled as I realized it too was about prayer and the importance of praying always.  Persevere in prayer is the way it was put.  How long do we pray for the same thing?  I understood that once we prayed for something, we were to believe God heard the prayer and would answer, leaving me to feel that if I continued to pray I would be doubting God.

This devotion this morning said we must pray something through to completion.  Luke 18:1 is the scripture used.  "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." I would love to hear from you.  What is your practice?  Do you pray until you know the prayer was answered or do you find a time to just leave it in God's hands and move forward?  Comment below or email me here.

Read Ephesians 1:15-23

Listen to Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians 1:15-23

We refer to our heart as we refer to our soul. It is the center of our being without which we cannot survive. The heart beats and blood pumps and we breathe in and breathe out. Our heart is the core of our existence. The seasons when we are at our lowest, when we are in pain and hurting, it is our heart that is breaking. The crushed heart is causing our agony.

Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...

By the same token, when we are happy and content, peaceful and serene, it is our heart that is at rest. It is as though our heart were a being with feelings and emotions. We sometimes even give the heart credit for any wisdom and strength we may possess. But, it is the words-the eyes of your heart-that have my attention.

I often refer to my "mind’s eye," but just what are the eyes of the heart? If you go to Biblegateway.com and perform a keyword search using heart as your key word, you will be busy all day reading the results. If you turn to Psalms and seek that same word you will see what I mean. There are hearts that hope and change; hearts which leap for joy or wait for the LORD. There are hearts that are pierced, are filled with joy and those that meditate. I think you get the picture.

Paul was praying for his followers, his brothers in Christ, that their hearts would be enlightened, that they could grasp all that is waiting for them in glory.  Sounds like a great thing to pray for.

Read Ephesians 1:15-23

Listen to Ephesians 1:15-23