Daily Devotional
By Pastor Jerry Teboe
FAITHFUL: IN 2024
Ephesians 1:15-16
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
There are two prayers in Ephesians: (1) “that you might know,” Eph_1:15-23, and (2) “that you might be,” Eph_3:13-21. The first is for enlightenment; the second for enablement. Paul prays first that we might know what Christ has done for us; then he prays that we might live up to these wonderful blessings and put them to work in our daily lives. Paul was concerned about the church in Ephesus, so he wanted them to be enlightened to know what God had for them. Later, we will see how Paul was going to pray that they could put that enlightenment into action and make it a practical part of their daily lives.
Many times, we do not pray this way for others. We pray for their physical needs, financial needs, or even for help through the hard times that they are experiencing; but their real need might really be a deeper understanding of biblical truth and how to put it into practice in their lives. Paul understood that without biblical knowledge believers can never really be able to grasp the blessings that God has already provided for them. For this reason, Paul prayed unceasingly for them, and we also can lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ with unceasing prayer. We can use Paul’s prayer here in Ephesians 1:17-21, and we can also use his prayer in Colossians 1:9-13 where he says, For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, as examples of prayers to pray.
Prayer is one of the most difficult practices of the Christian life. We tend to become distracted, tired, or even become sleepy, as the disciples of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the night Jesus was taken. Yet our faithful, intercessory prayers for our loved ones and friends can lift them up before the Father’s throne to make the difference in their lives. Let’s follow Paul’s example and strive to be unceasing in our prayers for one another.
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Bible Reading for the Year
May 16th, Psalms 3-4/12-13/28/55
Prayer Needs
Pray for Israel!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Pray for Liz Daughtery. She is in a rehab center to recover.
Pray for Frances Lee as she learned that she must have eye surgery on both eyes to correct a new problem.
Pray for our nation to come back to God (2 Chronicles 7:14).
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Pray for our Missionaries!
Sue Singleton and the mission in Cambodia.
Dr. Joe Jordan and the CBM (Cross and Bible Ministries.)
Travis and Caroline Fennessy – IBM missionaries to Southeast Asia.