1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:13,299 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:18,009 Speaker 1: to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and 4 00:00:18,050 --> 00:00:23,510 Speaker 1: today's devotion is inspired by Ephesians 1, verses 15 and 16, 5 00:00:23,510 --> 00:00:27,670 Speaker 1: which says, For this reason, because I have heard of 6 00:00:27,730 --> 00:00:30,860 Speaker 1: your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,089 Speaker 1: all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks 8 00:00:34,170 --> 00:00:40,729 Speaker 1: for you, remembering you in my prayers. Paul wrote this 9 00:00:40,810 --> 00:00:44,129 Speaker 1: letter to the church at Ephesus years after the church 10 00:00:44,170 --> 00:00:47,030 Speaker 1: had been planted. There were many people who were now 11 00:00:47,130 --> 00:00:49,769 Speaker 1: part of the church that he had never met personally, 12 00:00:50,170 --> 00:00:53,470 Speaker 1: but the reputation of the church was rather good. In 13 00:00:53,510 --> 00:00:57,450 Speaker 1: multiple ways, the people of the church were displaying Christ-likeness 14 00:00:57,630 --> 00:01:01,300 Speaker 1: in how they were responding to one another and to outsiders. 15 00:01:02,340 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: For this, Paul was thankful and he would regularly remember 16 00:01:06,020 --> 00:01:09,610 Speaker 1: them in his prayers. The very things that Paul was 17 00:01:09,690 --> 00:01:12,830 Speaker 1: praying for on behalf of the Ephesian church are things 18 00:01:12,850 --> 00:01:15,330 Speaker 1: that we should be praying for in regard to ourselves 19 00:01:15,490 --> 00:01:19,390 Speaker 1: and our church family. In essence, Paul was praying that 20 00:01:19,450 --> 00:01:23,410 Speaker 1: the church would become more and more Christ-like as their 21 00:01:23,530 --> 00:01:27,810 Speaker 1: faith matured. So what does Christ-likeness look like and how 22 00:01:27,870 --> 00:01:32,699 Speaker 1: can we begin to practice it? Growing in Christlikeness involves 23 00:01:32,940 --> 00:01:37,340 Speaker 1: genuine faith in Jesus and genuine love for our Christian family. 24 00:01:38,060 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: As our faith matures, we rely on the Holy Spirit 25 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: for wisdom. We come to know God in a deeper way. 26 00:01:45,340 --> 00:01:48,190 Speaker 1: The eyes of our hearts are enlightened to God's truth. 27 00:01:48,990 --> 00:01:51,330 Speaker 1: We grow certain of the hope we have in Christ, 28 00:01:51,810 --> 00:01:54,530 Speaker 1: and we recognize that the Lord has an inheritance for 29 00:01:54,630 --> 00:01:57,790 Speaker 1: us in His kingdom that is far greater than what 30 00:01:57,850 --> 00:02:03,210 Speaker 1: this world can offer us. Are you growing in Christ-likeness? 31 00:02:04,350 --> 00:02:08,430 Speaker 1: Do you love Jesus, delight in Him, and desire to 32 00:02:08,510 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: reflect His heart and likeness more and more in your 33 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: daily life? Let's pray. Lord, we thank You for Your Word, 34 00:02:20,620 --> 00:02:22,250 Speaker 1: and we thank You for the privilege that it is 35 00:02:22,270 --> 00:02:24,470 Speaker 1: to be able to read this portion of Scripture together 36 00:02:24,530 --> 00:02:28,109 Speaker 1: today from the book of Ephesians. And Lord, as we 37 00:02:28,150 --> 00:02:31,650 Speaker 1: look at what the Apostle Paul testified to here, we 38 00:02:31,710 --> 00:02:34,889 Speaker 1: see some things that we as modern-day church members should 39 00:02:34,930 --> 00:02:39,330 Speaker 1: be noticing and putting into practice. We see that as 40 00:02:39,389 --> 00:02:42,830 Speaker 1: Paul was speaking to the church at Ephesus, he told 41 00:02:42,870 --> 00:02:45,570 Speaker 1: them that he was hearing about their growing faith in 42 00:02:45,690 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ and their love for one another. And hearing 43 00:02:49,820 --> 00:02:52,340 Speaker 1: this good news of the ways in which their faith 44 00:02:52,419 --> 00:02:57,180 Speaker 1: was progressing inspired him to continue to give thanks for 45 00:02:57,220 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: this church and to remember them in his prayers. And 46 00:03:00,620 --> 00:03:03,389 Speaker 1: it's very obvious that these were some things that he 47 00:03:03,430 --> 00:03:07,070 Speaker 1: was quite grateful for. Father, we pray that in our 48 00:03:07,130 --> 00:03:09,750 Speaker 1: context that you would help us to continue to grow 49 00:03:09,810 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: in Christ's likeness as well, that we would display that 50 00:03:14,020 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: to one another, that we would show genuine concern for 51 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,580 Speaker 1: one another, that the mindset and the heart attitude of 52 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,190 Speaker 1: your son that we've seen demonstrated throughout the scriptures would 53 00:03:24,610 --> 00:03:26,790 Speaker 1: would be something that we would adopt as our own, 54 00:03:27,550 --> 00:03:31,750 Speaker 1: and that your Spirit would empower us to do so. Lord, 55 00:03:31,810 --> 00:03:34,340 Speaker 1: we pray that in all areas we would learn to 56 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,980 Speaker 1: love you more, that we would delight in you, that 57 00:03:37,020 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: we would reflect your heart and likeness more and more 58 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: in our daily lives, and that we would give others 59 00:03:43,020 --> 00:03:46,020 Speaker 1: a glimpse of your heart as you accomplish your work 60 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: within us. We thank you, Lord, for this reminder from 61 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:52,150 Speaker 1: your word today, and we commit this day to your care. 62 00:03:52,570 --> 00:03:56,260 Speaker 1: And pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.