PJ's Journal

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which you were called, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Eph. 1:15-19a Because these believers have been included in Christ, and their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints were evident, Paul prays for them. It is interesting that Paul used faith and love as the descriptors of whether the Ephesians were truly "included" in Christ. Boy this seems so relevant to us today when true Christianity has been muddied by a culture. They're are so many p

So I am finishing up my sermon for Sunday where I have been given the task to preach on the first phrase of the Lord's Prayer. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..." So here is a brief preview and some food for thought. Understand that Jesus is teaching His disciples HOW to pray not WHAT to pray. This is not a prescriptive prayer, but rather Jesus is sharing important things to think about when praying. So here is a few of those important things... 1. We come to God out of relationship. He is our Father! Many people have a hard time with that concept because of the imperfections of our fathers, but the reality is that God is a perfect father. He unconditionally loves us, cares for us, and treats us as His children. That's is an incredible thought. We also understand that prayer starts with relationship. We pray as a result of that relationship, not as a means to enter into that relationship. If we are His, he is our Father period! We don't

"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory." There is a process that we go through from our perspective that results in us being included in Christ. The Scriptures tell us that we were included in Christ when... 1. We heard the Word of Truth - which is the gospel of our salvation. 2. We believed that Word of Truth. 3. We were marked in Him with a seal guaranteeing our inheritance. So we heard the Gospel, believed it, and God made our salvation secu

"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory." Whenever I read the words, "in order that", I automatically think of purpose. The author is trying to communicate a reason why. In this case, Paul is trying to communicate a reason why we were chosen or predestined. He says that the process was done in conformity to His will, but that is not the reason why... that is how. Then we come to that phrase, "in order that"! OK... purpose is coming!

"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory." I am chosen... A concept that is debated so often among theological circles, yet when I look at Your Word, it jumps out at me as if trying to get my attention. I am chosen... Why is it such a hard thing to accept? I am am not trying to manipulate Your Word, God, rather I am reading it and it seems plain. I am chosen... I am letting that truth sink in a little and it brings me to a place of thankfulness. Why would You sh