Shabbat Shalom everyone. Please open your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, El HaAfsim. We are going to continue to deal with Ephesians chapter 1, and the reading today will be from verse 15 to the end of the chapter. Please follow me.

Paul is writing and he says: "Wherefore, I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, Yeshua, and love unto all the saints, seize not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward, who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which

He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all." This is the conclusion of Ephesians chapter 1 from verse 15 to the end of this chapter.

I do not know if you notice, as I began with the reading, that really those verses 15 to 23 deals with the Apostle Paul, who immediately after he heard what happened in the local church of Ephesus, Paul turned into a time of prayer. It is very significant because the Apostle Paul, we find him many times spending time in prayer before the Lord, before the Messiah, before the God of Israel. And so now we want to ask ourselves the question, as we continue from verses 15 on, the Apostle Paul immediately took time to acknowledge the Ephesians and the many things that they have received from the Father. Because remember, beloved brothers and sisters, just previous to these verses, from verse 3 to verse 14, the Apostle presented before the Ephesian believers, and you and I as well, the many spiritual blessings that we have received because of our link with our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah.

You remember? He said to them, Listen, brothers and sisters of the local assembly at Ephesus, you have been so blessed because of what our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, have done for you, that you have so much reason to live a life for God in this world. He says the Father has blessed you, the Son has blessed you, the Holy Spirit has blessed you. All the triune God have been involved in the blessings that the Ephesian believers have received. God the Father have chosen them. God the Father have adopted them. God the Father have accepted them. God the Son have redeemed them. God the Son have forgiven their sins.

God the Son have enabled them to know the mysteries that belong to the things of the Lord. God the Holy Spirit have sealed them, have marked them as His own, as a people that belong to God. What amazing spiritual blessings those Ephesians have received. Everyone of us today who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah, we are part of this great company called the assembly, the ecclesia, the church, which have been so blessed by the Lord. So what Apostle Paul does, as his own forefathers always did, he turned to a time of prayer. Again, I would like to emphasize and perhaps challenge us today, how is our prayer life?

Are we a praying people? Are we a people that can say that I am on a day-by-day basis turning my heart to the Lord in prayer, in giving of thanks? Not only to turn to Him in prayer when we have problems, not only to turn to Him in prayer when we have needs, while we ought to, and we do so, but to turn to God in prayer simply to acknowledge Him for who He is and for what He has done. And here, what the Apostle Paul is doing here in the last verses of chapter 1, from verse 15 to verse 23, he is actually requesting from God four things on behalf of the people of God.

First of all, of course, he asks God that He will enable the believers in Ephesus to have more of the knowledge of God. Secondly, he asks in prayer that He will enable the people of God to know not only about God, but about God's calling. Thirdly, he is in prayer addressing the Father God, and he requests from Him, in addition that the believers will know God and know God's calling, but also that the believers will know God's riches. And finally, he is asking from God in prayer to help the believers to know in their life God's power. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.

He said it through Zechariah to our people of old Israel. You need to know the power of God if you are to live the life of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, here in this world. It's not by the power of the human energy, but by the power of the Spirit of God that the believer can walk the messianic life, the Christian life, the life in Mashiach. And so, I would like you to follow with me as I'm looking at those verses as well today, systematically, verse by verse. I want you also to notice, brothers and sisters, that the custom of prayer did not begin when the church was born.

You know the whole history of our forefathers, when it began with Father Abraham, and then Isaac, and Jacob, and all the descendants of our forefathers. A time of prayer was an important time in the midst of the nation of Israel. Throughout the history of the people of Israel, you will find the men and women of God taking the time to pray to God. And prayer is not only asking from God for things, but prayer is acknowledging and worshipping the living God. God, the one who has done so much for us, the creator, the upholder, the sustainer, and also the redeemer, to praise him, to acknowledge what he has done for us.

For example, Abraham, in Genesis chapter 20, when he was in the midst of King Avimelech, God said to Avimelech, the king, you will ask Abraham, you will ask Abraham, and he will pray for you. Genesis chapter 20, and verses 7, and 17, and 18. And Abraham prayed for Elimelech, and he was actually delivered from the judgment of God. We can find it in Genesis chapter 20. And Abraham journeyed from thence, and he went towards the south country. He dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and he journeyed in Grara. And then we read that Avimelech, he was the king of Grara. And God said to Avimelech, therefore, restore the man, his wife. You remember when he took Abraham's wife?

For he is a prophet. He shall pray for you, and you shall live. God said to King Avimelech, when he took Abraham's wife, Sarah, at that time. And he says, Abraham will pray for you, and God will answer, and you will survive, and will not die in God's judgment. And Abraham indeed prayed, and God answered his prayer. We have so many of those Jewish Hebrew men who prayed. Samuel prayed, for example, when he prayed for Saul and for the nation of Israel. And he said, God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray for you, and trusting God to help in the need that you have.

He said this to King Shaul. Moses had prayed. And you know what? He had prayed when Israel, our people of old, came out of Egypt, even before he prayed, and God changed things. When he laid down the judgment upon the Egyptians, Moses prayed, and God stopped the judgment on the people of Egypt. Even Ezra, if you remember Ezra, the scribe of Israel, in Ezra chapter 8, he prayed and addressed God before our nation Israel, and blessing came towards the people of Israel. Even Habakkuk, the prophet of Israel, he himself was praying to God on behalf of the nation of Israel, and God have answered his prayer.

And what can I say more about King David, Hamelech David, in the Psalms? You remember how many times we read of King David in Psalm 141? Listen to these verses before we're going to move into our chapter. Psalm 141, verse 1 and 2. Lord, I cry unto Thee, make haste unto me, give ear unto my voice when I cry unto Thee. And listen to what he said to God in verse 2 of Psalm 141. He says, Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as an incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. David Hamelech, the king of Israel, when he prayed, he requested from God that his prayer will be set before God as the incense that rose up from the altar of incense to God's nostrils.

And God had appreciated the prayer of King David. And I can say more about, for example, Hamelech Shlomo, King Solomon, when he prayed, when he built this temple in Jerusalem, and he asked God in prayer, he says, God, when the people of Israel are scattered around and dispersed, when they will pray towards this temple in the city of Jerusalem, hear their prayer and answer their cry. He was praying on behalf of the nation of Israel. And we have lists of men who were praying. We can go into the New Testament, and we can find others that have prayed, including this woman by the name of Hannah, who came to the temple and spent the time there in prayer unto the God of Israel, longing for the consolation of Israel and the restoration of the people of God.

But here is Paul, again, a Jewish man, studying under the feet of Gamliel. Here you can see the Apostle Paul is praying on behalf of the believers in the body of Christ, the body of Messiah, who have lived in the place that is called Ephesus. And so look at this, as we are looking over those verses, Paul now turned to God in prayer on behalf of the people of God. First of all, you notice in verse 15, we have the word wherefore. You notice that? That word wherefore or therefore is here in light of what was written before in the previous verses. In other words, what is he saying, brothers and sisters of the Ephesians?

In light of what I have told you of the spiritual blessing that you have been blessed with, the spiritual blessing in the heavenlies, in light of all these blessings, therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Yeshua, and your love unto all the saints, I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. So what the Apostle Paul heard? Somebody came to him, remember, when he was in Rome, in prison there, we would say at that time he was in a home, he was bound to chain, he didn't have the liberty that others have had to go away.

So when he was there in this place, somebody came and gave him some information about the local assembly at Ephesus. And as they were coming to the Apostle Paul, Shaul, they reported to him of the condition in the local assembly in Ephesus. Now, I can tell you this, he was the one that the Lord used him to establish this local assembly. His heart was yearning for these believers in this place. But he could not see them because he was there in a separate home in the city of Rome. So the report came to the Apostle Paul. And what does he hear? He heard there's a healthy situation in this local church, local assembly, local congregation.

It says, wherefore, after I heard of two things. Number one, your faith in our Lord Yeshua, our Lord Jesus. Number two, your love unto all saints. Two things that Apostle Paul had heard concerning the practical condition of the local assembly, local believers at Ephesus. They had faith toward Yeshua, and it's not only faith to believe upon him as the Messiah now, but they believed in him and upon him for a day-by-day living. They trusted in him. They lived and submitted to him on a day-by-day basis. And while they have trusted him and followed after him, at the same time, they exhibit love towards the brethren.

This is so needful, beloved brothers and sisters, in the life of every believer. Two things that are very, very important in our lives. To trust the Lord and to exhibit love towards the brethren. To follow after him in every situation. And also to exhibit, in a practical way, love towards the believers. Why? Because Yeshua said in the upper room, by this way, men will know that you are my disciples. If you have loved one towards another. It is so essential for the local church, the local assembly, the local congregation, to exhibit those two things. And the Apostle Paul heard that when they gave him that report.

When they said to him, Paul, let us tell you what's going on at Ephesus. Ephesus is the kind of an assembly that the vast majority of the brothers and sisters really exhibit faith and trust in the Lord. But also, there is love among the people of God. Practical love of the brethren. And you know, brothers and sisters, love does not always have to do with feeling and emotion. We usually love those who love us, and we usually treat those who love us good, and not so much those who do not love us. But love here is in connection with self-sacrifice. That does not mean that we all agree with each other on everything, but practical love means that we all are going to be patient with each other, sensitive to each other's needs, seeking to build each other up.

And that's what the local assembly at Ephesus exhibited on a day-by-day basis. When the Apostle John wrote the book of the Revelation, the first church of Ephesus, Revelation chapter 2, the Lord have commended them so much in that book. Of course, they have something that they lacked in relationship to himself, but he said to the Ephesians in Revelation 2, verse 2, I know your works, and I know your labor, and I know your patience, and that you cannot bear them which are evil, and you have tried them, have tested them, which say that they are parcels and are not, and have found them liar. You have borne, you have patience for my name's sake, and you have labored, and you have not fainted.

That's what Yeshua said about the church of Ephesus in Revelation chapter 2. Of course, there are other things that they later on needed to be corrected, because as time passes by, they have also had some weaknesses, as we notice that they have left their first love towards the Lord, Revelation 2 and verse 4, but nevertheless, there was something to commend them. You know, I think it is important, brothers and sisters, that wherever we meet, whether we meet here locally in Holy Scriptures in Israel, or whether we are in another place meeting with other believers, you know how important it is to leave the aroma of when people come into our midst, and they are leaving the next hour, that they can sense the love towards the brothers and sisters in the local fellowship.

It is so important, and apparently the report was to the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 15, that he heard of their faith in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and of their love towards all the saints. The word for saints, as you know, is the word Kedoshim or Mekudashim. Those saints were human beings, they were not some sort of unique people, they were ordinary brothers and sisters in the local church there, but they were called saints because they have been saved. They are saved, they are redeemed people, they are set apart for our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. And so, he is saying to them that what he heard, that was the report that he received concerning the believers in Yeshua the Messiah.

Now, if you just turn the page to the book of Colossians for a moment, into chapter 1, and you will notice what it says there about the Colossians. Colossians chapter 1 and verse 4, Paul says, since we heard of your faith in the Messiah Yeshua and of the love which you have towards all the saints. You notice that? Not only the Ephesians exhibited that, also the Colossians in the saints at Colossae had faith toward Yeshua the Messiah and love that they have shown and practiced towards their brothers and sisters. And so, the Apostle Paul, now in verse 16 of our chapter, listen, he does not stop to pray on behalf of God's people.

I cease not to give thanks and to make mention of you in my prayers. Apparently, he must have been the kind of a man that was spending a lot of time in prayer. Can you agree with me that this is the hardest thing for us in our life to do as believers is to take the time, to steal the time out of our busyness and to say, listen, I'm going to go to the closet. I'm going to go to be alone in my room. I'm going to go to my study. I'm going to go to my bedroom and I'm going to take a few minutes and talk to the Lord in prayer.

Daniel did so every morning, every noon and every evening. He took the time. He went to the corner in his house, opened the window towards the city of Jerusalem and he prayed. And the only thing that they had to accuse him, all the others who were against him is because he prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Can somebody accuse you of that? Can somebody accuse me of that? Praying and talking with the Lord? It is so important for the believers to take the time to pray and how we need that. And here the Apostle Paul said, I'm not going to stop to spend the time in mentioning you in my prayers, plural.

Many times he was praying during his daily life. Some verses that come to mind as I'm speaking, for example, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 17. One of the shortest verses in the scripture, Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. And so now, in verses 17 to the end of this chapter, Paul is praying for four things on behalf of the Ephesians. And I want to go over them one by one as we are moving here through this study. The first thing that he prayed for them is found in verse 17. And here Paul is praying for the Ephesian believers that they will know God. Notice that? Verse 17.

That the God of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. That's the first thing that he asked for. Now, why does he ask that the God, the Father of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, will give the believers at Ephesus to know God? Why? Do you know, brothers and sisters, the more we know God, the more it will enable us to know what He has done for us and the more it will influence us to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. That's the key. To know God more will leave an impact upon the life of the believer and he and she will seek now to live for Him here in this world.

The more we know God, the more we realize the goodness, the grace, the love that God has in Himself and how He had been so gracious towards the people of God. You notice that He used that word in verse 17, the God of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, the Father of glory. Now, why He's calling Him the Father of glory? Because He is, the word for glory is kavod in Hebrew, honor and glory. He is the Father of all the glory. He deserves all the honor and the glory from the human race. He is the Father of glory. When Stephen spoke to the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 7 in verse 2, he says, the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham.

Acts chapter 7 in verse 2. But Paul says, not only that He is the God of glory, but He is also the Father of glory. He is the Father of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. so He prays and He says that He, this God the Father, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Himself. He is asking, actually, that God will reveal to the believers a little bit more about Himself. The revelation concerning the person of the Father. So, He is the God of Yeshua in verse 17. He is the Father of glory, but He can give the believer the spirit that will enable to reveal to us the truth concerning divine things.

Now, if you go back to 1 Corinthians 2 for a moment, please, you will notice that those of us that have studied already 1 Corinthians, we concluded this book of Corinthians already. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14 and 15 and 16, we read this, The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judge of no man, for who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of the Messiah, the mind of Christ.

Now, how do we have the mind of the Messiah? Well, we have the Word of God, we have the Scripture, but notice that Paul is praying that even though we have so much knowledge already about this divine person, God the Father, but he is praying that we will know even more of him. You know why he is saying? Because naturally, beloved brothers and sisters, the natural man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God. Even we as believers, if we are not in a spiritual state receiving the help of the Holy Spirit of God, how would we know the things of God? Because spiritual things are spiritually discerned as God enables us to understand it.

And so Paul is praying and he's saying in this verse 17 that God may give you, now remember they were already believers, they were already born from above, they were chosen before the time began in eternity past, but he wanted an additional blessing for them to enjoy that God may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. To know God changes the believer more and more, as we are being conformed to the image of the Son, to the image of the Messiah, the more we know about God, the more we will walk in a way that is pleasing to the Lord here in this world.

It is essential in the life of the believer. Turn to Philippians chapter 3. Paul is speaking about himself in Philippians chapter 3 and in verse 10. Listen to this verse. Paul is saying that I may know him. Paul, why do you ask to know him? I want to know him more, Paul is saying. Oh yes, I have already accepted Yeshua, I have already been part of the family of God, but I want to know more of him. So the more I know of him, the more I can live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. I want to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable even unto his death.

The Apostle Paul asked in prayer when he wrote to the Philippians in Philippians 3 and verse 10, I want to know more of him. What an important thing for us beloved brothers and sisters. When we gather together in meetings, we are not coming here to do anything else except spend some time around the word and the word of God in the power of the spirit of God impresses upon our hearts to know a little bit more about this wonderful God and father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. So he is praying that the brothers and sisters at Ephesus, just like he is praying for you and I, that we will have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.

This is the first request that he has in prayer for the brothers and sisters at Ephesus. Secondly, in verse 18, the first part of this verse, there notice the second request of the apostle Paul is not now praying for knowing God, but that the believers will know the calling that they have by God, to know God's calling. Look at verse 18a. it says that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that he may know what is the hope of his calling. You know, we are a people that have been called from above with a heavenly purpose, with a heavenly hope. It's wonderful to realize that. And look at this, and I have some verses that I want to relate to that, you know, the church is not a building, but the church are the people, the believers.

And according to Matthew chapter 16, when Yeshua said, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against this, when he said, I will build my church, the word for church in Greek is ecclesia, and they simply mean called out ones. We have been called out from among the nation of Israel, those of us who are Jewish believers here in our midst, and those of us who are not Jewish believers from the nations of the world, we have been called out of the nations of the world, and together we are part of a company that is called a called out ones, and together we have been called out of this world to form a company that belong to Yeshua the Messiah, we have been called by God, and Paul is saying, I want you that the eyes of your understanding might be enlightened that you will know what is the hope of your calling.

You know, sometimes Christians or believers think that when we have been saved by grace, we have a ticket in our hands to go to heaven, and I can live in this world away from Yeshua the Messiah. That's sometimes the way of so-called professing Christians who say, oh yes, I settle my matters, I've accepted Yeshua the Messiah, my ticket has been paid, but I can live in this world as if the Lord is not existing in my life. Now, do you think that's the reason why Yeshua died for us on the cross, on the tree? So you're going to get saved and you're going to feel good, you see, I'm going to heaven, I got my ticket paid, but you carry on life as if you don't need him in your life, as if he has no power over our life, no authority over our life.

Sometimes we do so when we are not in a right spiritual state, we know that, we have to confess it before the Lord, we know it in our own life, every one of us know it, but it is not something that we are up to do on an ongoing basis. We have been called by God a people that belong to him. We are linked with a person that is in heaven and every believer in this universe belongs to the head which is in heaven, called by the Lord from above. And I want you to just see some of the verses that we have here in scripture in connection with being called.

I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9. Peter was writing to Jewish believers and he had to explain to them the calling that they have had and notice what he said to them in 1 Peter 2 and he said in verse 9, but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. And listen, why? Listen to the second part of verse 9, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We have been called out of darkness. You remember before you became a believer? We were in darkness. We lived in sin.

We had no desires for God. we were dead in trespasses and sins. But something had happened. God who had chosen us in eternity past and called us in time had brought us to be part of the family of God and he called us out of darkness. So we will come to be part of this marvelous light of the Messiah. We are linked with our blessed Lord Yeshua the Messiah. But where did we come from? We came out of darkness. We were blinded by Satan. We were blinded by our old nature and God gloriously saved us and called us to be part of his redeemed people.

There is a beautiful song that we sometimes sing called from above with heavenly light. In other words, God in his goodness have called us from heaven to be part of redeemed company. Purchase us from the darkness and brought us and you notice as it says here in verse 9 that called us out of darkness into into what? Into this marvelous light. God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. That's the kind of a God that we have.

And so he's called us out of darkness into light and unfortunately we are not always in a suitable condition to appreciate that and we admit that we know that but nevertheless that's the calling of the Lord upon every one of us whether you understand it or not Paul is praying for the believers at Ephesus to grasp it to understand it and he's saying to them you have been called from darkness to light now notice another verse in first Peter this time in chapter five not not only that we have been called out of darkness but we have been called unto glory listen to this first Peter chapter five and verse ten he's writing to these

Hebrew believers of first century this is Petos Shimon he's writing to them and he said to them but the God of all grace listen to this who has called us unto his eternal glory by the Mashiach Yeshua he called us not only out of darkness first Peter chapter two and verse nine but unto his eternal glory you know that when we're living here in this world we are only passing through we have been called out of darkness we are heading to his eternal glory we are going to be with Yeshua the Messiah eternally isn't it amazing just realize this brothers and sisters and you know Paul in his own simple way is praying on behalf

of the brothers and sisters of the Ephesians he says brothers and sisters listen I want you to know God but not only to know God I want you to know and I'm praying that you will know God's calling upon you and not only calling of salvation but you know brothers and sisters God called us to serve him you know he gave us gifts every one of us who are believers here brother or sister have spiritual gifts and this is your calling to use your gifts for the glory of God for the blessing of God's people and if you don't do so you are not fulfilling the call that God has upon you one can be

a Bible teacher an evangelist a shepherd one can be a helper one can be a prayer warrior and one can be an assistant and one can be in various spheres and areas of the things of God every one of us have not only a calling unto salvation but a calling that we have upon our life to serve our Lord Yeshua the Messiah here in this world why do you think we are starving spiritually and we are in such a weakness spiritually and many church groups and assembly groups and congregation groups are divided and scattered and not enjoying their life as believers why because we did not fulfill the calling that God has upon us here

and now and Paul is saying in chapter 1 and verse 18 that the eyes listen to that the eyes of your understanding the word the eyes of the understanding really should be the eyes of your heart it says being enlightened your heart ought to be enlightened that you may know what is the hope of God's calling and of course primarily is the calling out of darkness 1 Peter 2 9 unto his eternal glory 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 10 let me show you something about the apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 1 and verse 15 look at what Paul said about himself but when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and

called me by his grace do you know that when Paul was born already from his mother's womb he he was called to be a child of God but a servant of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah now did he know that he was born to a Jewish family he grew up among our people Israel he didn't want to hear about Yeshua the Messiah whatsoever but God called him from his mother's womb he couldn't say a word yet he had no idea as a baby being held by his mom that the future that God has for him is to be a servant of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and when he became a mature man studying under

the feet of Gamliel he opposed the message of the gospel and took many of our Jewish brethren and brought them to Jerusalem to be punished because Jesus was the Messiah but later on he realized and he mentioned it in Galatians 1.15 that it pleased God to separate him from his mother's womb and he called him by grace you know it is the grace of God there is nothing that we have done it is totally the grace of God that brought us to be part of the family of God we have nothing to boast except to humble ourselves before the Lord and say Lord I thank you for calling me and for saving me and I

want you to to use me for your glory brothers and sisters I am speaking to the younger one here especially those of you that came to know Yeshua the Messiah already you ask God what he has for you and pray sincerely Lord what do you want me to do I believe I have accepted Yeshua but I want to serve you I want to be part of the ministry of God's ministry here here in this world and it's so beautiful to see how God had called the apostle Paul and he called you and I notice also in this verse that I want to emphasize in chapter 1 and verse 18 he says that the eyes of

your heart or your eyes of your understanding being enlightened that he may know what is the hope of his calling now I want to speak a little time we say you know I hope so that something is going to happen to me I hope that we are going to receive this or to have that but that is not at all what the scripture is presenting before Paul did not hope maybe yes or maybe no no this was a living hope a sure hope he understood that the hope of the believer is eternal is a sure hope it's not if and but and maybe no it is a sure hope and I emphasize this listen to

this in Hebrews chapter 6 if you turn there the writer to the Hebrews some believe that it may be the apostle Paul he says in verses 18 and 19 maybe I read in verse 17 Hebrews 6 verse 17 God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutable of his counsel he confirmed it with an oath verse 18 that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us and now notice verse 19 which hope we have as an anchor of our soul both sure and steadfast and

which entereth into that within the veil the writer to the Hebrews says in verse 18 19 that this hope is as an anchor to the soul it is a sure hope it is a steadfast hope we are not hoping maybe we're going to go to heaven or maybe not we know that we are going to heaven we know that we belong to Yeshua this is the living hope that every believer had not because of our performance but only because of the work that Yeshua the Messiah have done for us so we have to realize beloved brothers and sisters it is not something that we may be going to receive it but we know that it

is a sure hope hope hope and the apostle Paul said that in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 18a he prayed that the believers at Ephesus may know God's calling and that they will know that living hope and sure hope that they have because they belong to our Lord Jesus to our Lord Yeshua the Messiah so in verse 17 he prayed that they may know God in verse 18a he prayed that they may know God's calling but now notice in verse 18b he is praying that they will know God's riches God's wealth he says after he said that the eye of your understanding be enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of your calling

and then here's another what that ye may know what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints now this is as well a very important point here that apostle Paul is praying he wanted that the believers will know the wealth that they are that you and I are to God not the wealth or the inheritance that we will receive from God one day 1st Peter chapter 1 tells us that our inheritance are incorruptible undefiled reserved for us in heaven yes we are going to receive an inheritance but here in this verse 18b he's saying that you and I that Ephesians are God's heritage you know every one of us we might

not look like this every one of us is a trophy that God gave to his son we are God's heritage and if we belong to God and if we are his trophies if we actually link with him in such a way that we are his heritage don't you think that he wants to take care of this heritage and to stimulate this heritage that there will be more and more for his own glory and honor and that's why he's saying in verse 13 that you may know what is the riches of the glory of his God's inheritance in the saints you know when we gather together for example God is approved of the saints gathered together

and he says you know what this group of people this is my heritage they belong to me I'm going to bring them to be into my presence one of this day and they will enjoy me forever they are for my glory God is saying you remember what he said about Israel our nation as well in Isaiah 46 and verse 13 you see Israel also is God heritage I bring near my righteousness it shall not be far off my salvation shall not tarry and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory they know that the nation of Israel had been called and chosen for the glory of God and Israel elected people chosen nation

as we mentioned as we have it in Deuteronomy chapter 7 verses 6 7 and 8 but Israel failed to represent God we failed as well as the body of Messiah the body of Messiah fail in that but nevertheless the people of God are God's heritage God's glory and he intend to see them built up and having a good testimony for him here in this world and that's why God has his own heritage in the believers because God has a future for his own people you know when we're going to go to heaven we are going to be with him forever we are his heritage when the Messiah will present us before the father he says

in John chapter 17 and verse 24 Yeshua said in his prayer to the father before he went to the cross to die he he says father I will the day also whom thou has given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou has given me for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world he was praying to the father and he said God father he said Abba I want the people that you have given to me that they will be with me that when you going to take me to be with you I want them to be with me that they will behold my glory we are

going to see the glory of Yeshua the Messiah and be with him because we are his heritage we are God's heritage we are Messiah's heritage and therefore beloved brothers and sisters we are prayed for Paul is praying for the Ephesians and he says I want to know God's wealth that he found in you now if you would ask me and I will ask you what kind of wealth he found in us we are a group of sinners who came out of darkness who have rebelled against God how does he find wealth in us but every one of us has been redeemed by the precious blood of his son the price has been paid we are

like jewels though we are not always acting like jewels we are like jewels that have been purchased by the blood of the lamb in order to be part of the family in Matthew chapter 13 the parables there in verse 44 he says the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field the which when a man has found it he hides it and for joy thereof he goes and he sells all that he have and he buy that field this parable speaks of the Messiah who found treasure in the field and that treasure is the people of Israel of whom we read that they are a treasure a peculiar people they belong

to God and God in the person of the Messiah found this treasure in a field he hides this treasure until he pays everything and he buys that field for himself so he can take that treasure we are his heritage Israel is his heritage now here's the church in verse 45 and 46 again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls who when he had found one pearl of great price and he went and he sold all that he had and he bought it again it is Yeshua the Messiah who found as it says he's looking for goodly pearls and then he found one pearl and the assembly the church is

called that pearl that unique you know you sisters you ladies a time you might have a pearl a ring or a necklace or so which is very very expensive and here is Yeshua the Messiah found one pearl and then he sold all that he had he went to the cross and he sold everything he gave his life in order to get this one pearl and the treasure that he left in the field we are his heritage and we have to learn that I belong you belong to him and if we belong to him we ought to appreciate and know it more and seek to live for him here in this world that's that's what Paul

is praying to know God to know God's calling to know God's wealth God riches that we are for him in verse 18 and finally the last prayer request is in verses 19 to 23 he is praying that the Ephesians will know God's power let's look over this quickly in verse 19 God has a power for us in order to enable us to use our life in a way that will be pleasing to him and I'm reading verse 19 to know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us word who believe according to the working of his mighty power the word for power in verse 19 the first part is the word in the

Greek is very similar to the word dynamis which is really dynamite he speaks about power that God has towards the believers to enable the believer to live the messianic the Christian life for God here in this world God has this power to give to us and it is the power of the Holy Spirit of God you remember what Yeshua said to the early disciples ye shall receive power act chapter 1 verse 8 and with this power you're going to be a testimony for me here in this world so God has this power this dynamite in order to give to us to be able to give us strength ability power to live a spiritual life here

for him in this world in verse 20 God proved this power by raising Yeshua the Messiah from among the dead it says in verse 20 which he wrought or he show forth verse 20 in the Messiah when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places you see that power of God that is willing and able and want to give to you and I to the Ephesians to live with this power the life of the believer here in this world with the very same power he proved this to us by raising Yeshua the Messiah from among the dead he wrought as it says in verse 20

in the Messiah the word for wrought means showed this power by raising Yeshua the Messiah from the dead now who can raise the dead when somebody dies no one has power to raise him except God that's the kind of power God has he can raise up the dead you remember when Yeshua was speaking was going to the house of Miriam and Marta and Eliezer Lazarus when Lazarus died you remember and when he had this word that he spoke he said Lazarus come forth if he wouldn't say Lazarus and only come forth everyone would come forth but he said Lazarus Eliezer come forth and only Eliezer came out and you remember what we read in John

11 he came bound hand and feet he came out he rose now how can a person who was dead coming out of the grave and yet abound it's amazing the power of God and God had this power to raise and he did raise Yeshua the Messiah from among the dead but this power not only raised him from among the dead but but but also set him at his right hand in the heavenlies you know God took this man that once died on the tree and he was buried he raised him and he placed him at the pinnacle of the universe to fulfill what David said of old in Psalm 110 and verse 1 God raised

Yeshua and he placed him at his right hand and you know today brothers and sisters we have a living savior who is right now seated at God's right hand interceding on our behalf now he is a high priest at God's right hand but he is not standing he is sitting you know the old testament priest high priest never sat down you don't find a seat a chair a kiseh in the tabernacle you don't find a seat a chair a kiseh in Hebrew in the temple the priest always served always stood always worked and worked and worked and again offering after offering never sitting down but Yeshua is seated because he finished the work he says

sit down on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool very very important verse so please bear with me go to Hebrews chapter 1 and the writer is saying as he wrote to those early Hebrew believers he says to them listen to that in verse 4 Hebrews 1 4 being made so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they for at which on the angels he said at any time you are my son this day have I begotten thee and again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son and again when he bringeth in the firstborn into

the world he saith and let all the angels of God worship him verse 7 and of the angels he says who make his angels spirit and his ministers a flame of fire but unto the son verse 8 he said thy throne oh God is forever and ever and then verse 13 but to which of the angels said he at any time sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool he never said it to the angels but he said it to his son to Yeshua the Messiah he placed him at his right hand and he said now you can sit your work is over redemption had been completed now I'm able to

bring people to myself on the basis of your finished work on the tree the blood had been shed the price had been paid now you can sit down because your work had been completed he raised him from among the dead he set him at his right hand up there in the heaven in heaven in this place that his honor has been deserved by him and now notice in the last verses of Ephesians chapter 1 where did he place him notice Ephesians 1 verse 21 God set a son in a high place listen to that far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world

but also in that which is to come God placed him notice far above principalities notice all principalities all power that were for power has to do with those that have authority all might those who have strength and all dominions these are all those who are lords have lordship he is above all of them God placed him in this pinnacle of the universe and then it says in every name that his name not only in this world but also in the world which is to come you know Jesus the Messiah Yeshua HaMashiach is a name that is so precious to God the father he gave him a name notice that above every name you remember what

Paul said Philippians chapter 2 and verse 9 on wherefore God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Yeshua every knee will bow things in heaven things on earth and things which is under the earth and that every tongue will confess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord to to the glory of God the Father God had placed him at that high place above everything and he said in verse 22 that he had put all things under his feet you know that the feet is the lowest part of the body and when everything in this world is being placed under his feet that means that

he has the supreme authority over everything and then in connection with you and I with the believers it said that he gave him to be the head over all things to the church to the assembly to the called out ones he is the head you and I the body the head is in heaven the body is here on earth he is not talking about his physical body but it is the mystical body of Messiah he is the head and we are the body and God has given him to be the head over all things to the assembly to the church you know if we don't have a head how will we get instruction and direction

how will we know what to do and that's why it is very important to realize that our head is in heaven our head is not the pope our head was not Peter the head of the church he is not the head of the assembly the head of the body of Messiah is not a mere man but it is the Messiah Yeshua who finished the work on the tree and right now he is seated at the right hand of the father he become the head over all things to the church to the assembly and that's why together we have always to acknowledge the head the head is not the Bible teacher the head is not the

pastor if you call him a pastor the head is not the president the head is the Messiah Yeshua himself who is the head over all things unto the body and you notice now in verse 23 and that is the conclusion which is this church this body this church this assembly is the body of the Messiah the body of Christ the fullness of him that fills all things and that is the last word that the apostle Paul is mentioning here in these verses now turn to Colossians 1 verse 18 there he says the very same thing but it a little bit different in Ephesians 1 and verse 22 he is the head of all things to

the church to the assembly but in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 18 it says he is the head of the body the church who is the beginning the first born from the assembly the ecclesia so you notice in Colossians he is the head of the body in Ephesians he is head to the body it's another aspect of the ministry of the Messiah in the life of the people of God he is the head to our body to the body but he's also the head of that body as it says in Colossians 1 and verse 18 well brothers and sisters Paul is praying so nice how we can see this man praying praying for the believers

at Ephesus praying for you and I those four requests that I mentioned here in this list praying that we will know God praying that we will know God's calling praying that we will know God's wealth that we are for him and finally praying that we will know God's power in life that is pleasing to the Lord in this world may the Lord just help us and challenge us on this and help us to be instructed in the things of the Lord so we will be used and we will be serving him here until he will come to take us on