Ephesians 3:8-13 Revised Standard Version
8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in[a] God who created all things; 10 that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to[b] lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
In our success driven society which prizes self-confidence and a positive self-image, we might be tempted to think our relationship with God should make a priority of focusing on ourselves, our own needs, and our sense of self-worth.
But consider what happens when self-assured people pray to God.
People who believe their relationship with God is based in their own merit and their own interests will find prayer an empty ritual.
They tend to see little need for prayer, and don’t see the results they expect.
Prayers offered in our own strength rise no higher than the roof over our heads.
But as believers in Christ, we must always remember what God through Christ has accomplished for us.
The key to effective prayer?
To turn fully and completely away from an exclusive trust in our own selves to a total reliance on our Savior. [Proverbs 3:5-8]
“In [Jesus Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
Jesus is the only mediator of our salvation and of all other dimensions of our relationship to God.
Our confidence is based on what Christ has accomplished!
Even when we struggle with doubt and sin, through Christ we have access to God the Father.
Paul eloquently describes that assurance in Romans 8:37-39:
Romans 8:37-39 Modern English Version
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, 39 neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Confidence Rooted in Christ or principalities and powers in the heavenly places?
Stirring ourselves up to be confident in ourselves is like riding a roller coaster, where one day we are on a high and feel good because someone affirmed us, and next we are on a deep-dive downward because someone said or did something that utterly shook our self- confidence to the core and swept us off our feet.
Unfortunately, our culture pushes us to act confident, even if we don’t feel it or believe it, to “fake it till we make it,” with the thinking behind this popular and trendy saying being that faking it is motivational, acting like we are confident when we are not, will automatically or by osmosis, help to build our confidence until we fool ourselves to believe it ourselves and able to achieve and reach it.
Sadly, we are pushed and prodded to hide our weaknesses and frailties, to prove ourselves confident in all that we do, to everyone around us; to show ourselves as smarter, stronger, and more productive than everyone else, in an effort to demonstrate our worth and value.
But with God, we do not have to prove ourselves to be “worthy” through performance.
Firstly, because we have no way to prove that we are worthy in ourselves.
Secondly, because we already belong to Him, so there’s nothing to prove.
It’s a waste of time, effort and energy to even try to do so, and completely unnecessary also.
God deems us worthy not because of anything we do on our own, but because of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.
As Ephesians 2:8 explains, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
Because it’s not because of anything we’ve done or are doing, as Hebrews 4:16 urges,
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
As well, we can come to God confident in the work of Christ on the cross, and not ourselves, rather than pretending we are holier than we are,
as Hebrews 10:19-22 encourages,
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
- Where are you finding your confidence, in yourself or in God? Take some time to consider where you’re drawing it from.
- Look for ways to cultivate confidence in Christ through studying His word, spending time in prayer, and letting the truth of scripture strengthen your faith.
- Practice being rooted in confidence in Christ this coming week, by stepping out and approaching God, free from fear, knowing He loves you and is calling you to come before Him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Praying …..
Psalm 92 New King James Version
Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
5 O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
7 When the wicked [a]spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8 But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O Lord,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 But my [b]horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be [c]fresh and [d]flourishing,
15 To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 