“In whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22).

Those who believe are being knitted together as the body of Christ.  In the mystery of the church, all the saints are a part of the body.  Each has their own part and purpose, and the Lord of all has chosen those who will be connected by His grace with Him forever.  Come and live into the invitation You have been given so that by grace and in faith You may know the riches of His provision.

Lord, teach me these things so that I may have a confidence in faith that You alone give, that through the faith You give, I am in Your salvation.  Guide me by Your grace to love my neighbor and You above all things.  Guide me to learn each day what You would have me know.  Teach me to rejoice in the privilege of abiding in You.  Now and forever, keep my eyes focused upon You.

Lord Jesus, in You is the hope for all of the ages.  You have come so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  You have come to show the way and to lead the way of true life.  Let me be a part of Your congregation and a part of the building up of Your church.  Guide me in the goodness of the Father’s mercy to rejoice in each day that You give, knowing that all hope and an eternal future belong to those who believe in You.  Amen.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone” (Ephesians 2:19-20″

It may not seem like much of a difference, but moving from being of this world to joining with Christ is as far apart as one can go in this age.  No longer are you alienated from God, for you have been reconciled by grace.  Come then and in that grace, live into the life for which You have been called.  Know that in the Lord is all hope and an eternal future for which you are being prepared.

Lord, bring my attention to the important things.  Turn my eye of my heart from the ways of this world and focus them upon You.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You is all hope.  Let me not think that I am alienated from You, but know that by Your grace, reconciliation has already been accomplished.  Guide me Lord in the grace You give in order that I may live into the new life You have promised and for which I am being prepared.

Lord Jesus, You have already done all that is needed and You have united me with You.  Let me not fall back into the way of this world, but boldly move forward in the hope and life that You have given me.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth and let me always humbly walk abiding in You as You abide in me.  You are the foundation of all life and of the eternal life which is mine by grace.  May I always rejoice in this gift.  Amen.

“And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:17-18).

There is only One who is the Mediator and that is Christ.  He has come so that all who believe would come through Him and be reconciled to the Father.  In Him is the way, truth, and life.  Whether we are far or near, the Lord has come for as many as will follow Him.  The question for each of us to wrestle with is whether or not we are among the ones who will follow Him.  Will you?  Will you not be far off, but near, and be reconciled with the Lord in His salvation?

It is so simple to say this, but the reality of living this is the struggle of faith.  I want it to be true, but like Thomas, I have my moments of doubt.  I want to follow, but like Peter, I want to be in charge.  I have seen many things, but like Phillip, I want to see one more thing before I give up and follow.  Lord, help my unbelief so that I would no longer linger, but come to You and walk humbly with You always.

Lord Jesus, all that You have done would take many books to speak about, as John said.  Help me live the life You are giving me now by grace, through faith.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see that in You there is true hope.  You know me, Lord, and You know what I need.  Grant that I would submit to You as my Lord and Savior and live in the access You have given me by grace through faith to this new life.  Amen.

“By abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity” (Ephesians 2:15-16).

The new man is the one who, through the fire of death because of sin, is being resurrected like Christ and prepared for eternal life with Him.  The new man is possible only through the shed blood of Jesus.  The new Adam is the gift of grace for all who will believe and receive it.  Therefore, put to death the enmity that once existed between you and the Lord so that the God of all may reign in your heart, soul, and mind and be the true Sovereign of your life.

Lord, You have freed me from the recompense of sin.  I have been brought to the place where a new life is possible.  Let me not waver nor turn back; but walk boldly in this new life which You have made possible and given me through grace.  Guide me in the unchanging truth You have established from the beginning so that I may humbly walk with You my Lord and Savior.

Lord Jesus, You died on the tree to open up the way to everlasting life.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of life so that I would learn from You how to live the life You have always intended for those who believe.  You know all that is needed and You know what I need.  Let me not hinder the gifts You give, but receive them fully in Your grace in order to become more like You today and every day henceforth that You give me in this age.  Amen.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall” (Ephesians 2:13-17)

There is a dividing wall.  The law creates the absolute of what is and what is not acceptable.  We have all have fallen on one side of the wall.  Our hope comes by the blood of the One who died for the reconciliation of us all. The offer has been made possible and we have been reconciled through Him; this is the hope of our salvation.  We who were far off have been brought close.

Lord, You are the One who has made this possible, for You are the One who has reconciled those of us who have been far off, bringing them closer to Yourself through Your shed blood on the cross.  Guide me according to Your purpose, and by Your power, to walk the way You would have me walk knowing that only in You is there hope and glory.  Lead me away from those places where I was once far off in order to come closer to You.

Lord Jesus, You have come, and on the cross You accomplished for all what was needed for our salvation.  There are many who have not, nor will not, be reconciled through You.  Let that never be true of me.  Keep me close to You Lord so that I may learn from You and walk in the salvation You have purchased through the cross.  By Your blood I am healed and in You I have new life.  Lead me today in the new life You have given me.  Amen.

“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands – remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:11-12).

Un-mixing what is physical from what is spiritual is important.  Yes, circumcision is a sign of the covenant, but it is not the covenant.  The covenant tells us that God is God and He will care for His people.  As many as believe, He will care for them by giving grace.  Christ has made this possible.  We did not create the ability to circumcise the heart, Jesus has done this by grace and we live this truth in faith.

Lord, I am both a physical and spiritual being.  You have made me what I am.  I do not understand all that this means, but You do.  Lead me through what I do not know by Your grace so that when that day comes that I stand before You I will know You even as I have always been known by You.  Lead me ever deeper into this faith You have given me so that I may grow in the likeness of Christ my Savior.

Lord Jesus, the One who has come to prepare the way, lead me today.  Through You, death has been stripped of its sting.  By Your grace, the heart of every believer has been circumcised.  The covenant is between me and Thee.  Let the truth of the relationship You have made possible ring in my circumcised heart now and forever.  Teach me to love as You love and live life as You have created me to live it.  Amen.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

You have been created.  There is a Creator and You are the product of His hands.  Come into the presence of Your maker and live as one who trusts in the Creator of all things.  He knows why He is doing what He is doing.  He knows where all of this will lead.  With great purpose He has laid out the foundation of creation so that you might have the opportunity to always abide with Him.

Lord, the mystery of this universe is deep.  I see many things and there are many more things that I do not see.  Help me, I pray, to step out in faith and live trusting You who has created all things.  Guide me away from just wanting to know in order to learn to trust You with the things I cannot know.  Guide me by faith to live into the life You are creating in me through the grace You have given me.

Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, You have come so that all who believe may have life and have it abundantly.  Lead me this day in the truth of the grace You give so that I may abide in You and learn from You as You teach me.  Help me through the obstacles that will get in the way so that I may even learn from them how to live this new life You have given me.  Teach me to abide in You now and forever.  Amen.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Re-read these words.  Let the reality of what is being said set in.  It is the gift of God.  No one may boast.  It is not dependent upon you.  It is by grace and the reality of this comes through faith.  Live then in the freedom you have been granted, that by the grace Christ gives you, you may live the new life in the faith you have been given.  Trust in the Lord always and know His goodness.

Come into the presence of the Lord and know that He Who formed you and redeemed you has made possible your salvation.  Yes, walk with Him, but never forget that it is He who has done this.  You and I have no merit by which we can claim this.  There is the grace we all need and receive through Him.  Trust in the One who has made all things and has declared these things to You.

Lord Jesus, You have come so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me in the way of this new life You have given me so that I may now and always walk humbly with You and live into this life which comes through You.  Let me not boast in anything I have done, but only in You, who has made all of this possible.  Guide me now and forever so that I would learn to trust You above all else.  Amen.   

“And raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7).

The creation is not yet finished.  We are thinking and living beings who have been given an opportunity to dwell with God.  We were born separated from Him, but now have the gift of grace which reconciles us with Him in order to live in His presence eternally.  This is the hope of glory that Paul speaks of.  These are the riches which are ours when we follow Jesus.

Lord, take my eyes off of this world so that I may see things as they really are.  You are the One who created all things and in You alone is the hope of all glory.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life so that I would not settle for created things, but dwell with You, the creator of all things.  Guide me, Lord, now and forever in the humble way of walking where You lead.

Lord Jesus, with great purpose You have come to lead the way for all who will follow You.  The journey is not the destination.  Help me to never think this way.  Instead, lead me today and every day to walk humbly with You, my Lord and Savior wherever You lead.  Guide me in this walk You have placed before me so that I would live into the riches of Your kindness and mercy and become what You have always intended.  Amen.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Do you see the exchange that happens when you walk in faith?  The old joins with Christ on the cross, dying to sin and death.  The new is the life the Lord breathes into those who follow Him.  Come then and live into the new life which is yours in Christ.  Put to death that which kills you and grow in the life He gives which is everlasting.  You have been saved by His grace.

Lord, teach me the fullness of what all of this means.  Sometimes I think of it as some small thing, rather than knowing that this is the complete transformation of me from the old to the new.  Whatever it is, help me to be on the journey of putting the old ways behind me so that the new life may grow in me.  May Your presence in, with, and through me show me the truth.  Guide me today and every day to walk the path of faith You have set before me until I stand before You face to face.

Lord Jesus, in You is new life.  Through you, it is possible by the grace You purchased from the cross, to walk faithfully.  Guide me today and every day to walk humbly with You.  May I receive an attitude of gracious kindness toward others, as You have been gracious and kind to me, so as to witness Your presence in my life.  Through all things, strengthen me so that I may live this new life You have given me for Your sake.  Amen.