Ephesians 4:1-16

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

February 26, 2013


Dear Friends -


Through some computer glitch, this mailing failed to go out in its regular
order.


Later mailings went out correctly.


I sent this out to a smaller group, and consulted them whether I should yet
mail it out to our larger company.


I received strong encouragement to do so - so here 'tis! I personally count
Ephesians 4:1-16 as one of the key NT readings.




 *SEP 7 - EPHESIANS 4:1-16 - CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT: EQUIPPING *


 *1. 4:1-3, **(**NNT**)**. UNITY OF SPIRIT: BASIS FOR EQUIPPING. **“I
therefore, the prisoner in **the** Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of
the calling in which you were called, **2 **with all lowliness and
gentleness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; **3 **giving
diligence to keep the **unity of the Spirit** in the bond of :peace.” *Father,
we see one body, with each of us as members in particular! We discern Your
body in one another. We cannot make it apart from You in us
*corporately*. *Hallowed
be your :name.*


 *2. **4:**4-6. SEVEN UNITIES: ESSENTIAL FOR EQUIPPING. “**There is **body,
and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your :calling: *
*5 **one Lord, one faith, one baptism, **6 **one God and Father of all, who
**is** over all, **and** through all, and in all.” *We bless You Father,
for these 7 Unities! We embrace them, and corporately commit ourselves to
them. They are the common denominator. *Your :kingdom come!*


 *3. 4:7. GRACE FROM HOLY SPIRIT: POWER FOR EQUIPPING. **“But to each of us
was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of the
Christ.” *Father,
we bless You for the “d*o*-reA”, God’s Artesian Well, the Gift of the Holy
Spirit. We thank You that through Him, You with Christ meet all our
needs. *Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 4:8. **MESSIAH’S ASCENSION GIFTS: PROVISION FOR EQUIPPING. **“Wherefore
he says, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts
to :men.” *Psalm 66:18. Without the foundation-ascension offices operating
in Your Church, none of us will develop, as we ought. Unless we as Your
corporate Body accept them without respect of persons, we will lose out. *Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.*


 *5. 4:9. MESSIAH’S INCARNATION: ATONEMENT FOR EQUIPPING. **“(Now the He
ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the
earth? *Lord Jesus, for us and the departed dead, You ministered and gave
forth the Evangel! Father, we trust You and Your Son in all Your purposes.
Where we do not understand, we still trust. *And forgive us our :debts, As
we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 4:10. MESSIAH’S ASCENSION: AUTHORITY FOR EQUIPPING. **“Who descended
is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might
fill :all **things**.) *O the glory of Your workings in Your Son, our Lord
Jesus, Father! You are omnipotent! There is *nothing* too hard for You, for
You are Almighty! *And bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 4:11-12 (4:11-16) MESSIAH’S OFFICE GIFTS: TOOLS FOR EQUIPPING. **“And
HE gave some as apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, shepherds and teachers; **12 **for the **perfecting** of the saints,
unto a work of ministry, unto a building of the body of the Christ.” *Father,
we bless You for the gracious office gifts flowing from Your Son. We submit
to these equipping ministries. *But deliver us from the evil **one!*


 *NOTE**: 4:13 (4:11-16) MESSIAH’S GOAL FOR US: **UNITY OF THE FAITH**. **“till
we :all attain unto **the unity of the faith**, and of the knowledge of the
Son of :God, unto a perfect man, unto a measure of stature of the fullness
of the Christ.” *We move from the *unity of the Spirit* (4:3) to the *unity
of the faith (4:13)*. The times of restitution of all things will come as
we move through this transitional stage. (“E-no-chos,” unity, appears only
twice in the NT, both times in this chapter!)


 *C.H. Spurgeon Quotes: “Beware of Beauty”: *But men fight against God with
God’s own gifts. A woman endowed with beauty, the rare gift of God, uses it
to ensnare others into sin. God gives us garments, and there are some who
use their very garments for nothing else but pride, and who go through the
world with no motive but display.


 *Our Psalm for the day: 67:1-2 (67, ESV) MAKE YOUR FACE SHINE UPON US. “May
God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah- 2
that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all
nations.” *Father,
when Your face looks upon us with favor, we live. When You hide Your face
from us, we walk in night. Yet like Job, we trust You by faith even in the
night, and *Hallow your :name!*


 No author’s name is given, but he would be a bold man who should attempt
to prove that David did not write it.


 67:1. *God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine
upon us. *Forgiveness of sin is always the first link in the chain of
mercies experienced by us. Mercy is a foundation attribute in our salvation.


 67:2. *Th**at** Your way may be known upon earth, Your saving health among
all nations. *Despite the gloomy notions of some, we cling to the belief
that the kingdom of Christ will embrace the whole habitable globe and that
all flesh shall see the salvation of God: for this glorious consummation we
agonize in prayer.


 67:4. *O let the nations be glad and sing for joy*. Nothing creates
gladness so speedily, surely, and abidingly as the salvation of God.
Nations never will be glad till they follow the leadership of the great
Shepherd. Some sing for form, others for show, some as a duty, others as an
amusement, but to sing from the heart because overflowing joy must find a
vent, this is to sing indeed. Whole nations will do this when Jesus reigns
over them in the power of His grace.


 67:6. *Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God,
shall bless us.* We never love God aright till we know Him to be ours, and
the more we love Him the more we long to be fully assured that He is ours.
What dearer name can we give to Him than “My own God”! The spouse in the
song has no sweeter canticle than “My Beloved is mine and I am His.” *(From
“The Treasury of David” by C.H. Spurgeon, abridged by D.O. Fuller)*















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