Benefit?

2 Cor.4:^17-18 (Voice) “You see, the short-lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes… Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on.”

We were dead through our trespasses and our sins. We were dead; we were not bad people that were going to be made good people. We were dead and we were made alive. We all would have been in trouble but God who is rich in mercy. It is by grace alone that we have been saved, and not of works, lest any man boasts. In fact, one of the easiest ways to end up in hell is to try to earn your way to heaven. I want to point your attention to Eph.2:¹⁰ “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (emphasis added). I want us to sit with this passage and study it – couples, Life group, friends, prayer partners – study it. What does this mean?

Please read Eph.3:1-21 (NRSV). The first thing that we see is that some things are only revealed. It is a good thing to have teachings, preaching on various subjects and topics. But it is a beautiful thing when we just study the Word. It is good to look at different topics and different areas of life, and the application of the Word. But it is so powerful when we just read the Bible for the Bible, and to understand what the mind of God really is. As we study the Bible, as we talk about God’s Word one to another, as we share God’s Word, as we discuss it with people, we do life with, God says that He will open a book of remembrance for us.

Eph.3:¹ (NRSV) “This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles” (emphasis added). Paul was in physical prison when he wrote the Book of Ephesians. Even though Paul was in prison, he was not throwing a pity party. He was not asking people to pity him because he was in prison. Paul did not say, “See what I am getting for all the good I have done.” He was not even writing letters to the church with a prayer point. Paul’s letters were not to request that a prayer meeting or a prayer vigil should hold on his behalf. Paul, even though he was in prison, was serving the purposes of God.

Eph.3:¹ “…for the benefit of you Gentiles…”. In other words, Paul was saying he was in prison for their benefit. How does his being in prison benefit anyone? The truth is that everybody will have problems. The people who do not have problems are in the grave. Since it is not your time to go the grave, in Jesus Name, you will embrace your problems, and serve God inspite of your problems, and eventually prevail over your problems.

Prayer: Father, I choose to stand for You and serve You, inspite of life’s many challenges, in Jesus Name. Amen!