A series of homilies on Ephesians.
A homily is “a short talk on a religious or moral topic; a usually short sermon; a lecture or discourse on or of a biblical theme.”
I am sharing a verse-by-verse series of short messages on Ephesians (as well as other passages of Scripture) specifically targeted at reviving families and encouraging and exhorting husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and children to do what God has commanded them to do, for if the church is to be revived and the country is to be awakened, the family must be revived first.
TEXT: Ephesians 4:12-13:
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
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C.T. Studd said, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”
Leonard Ravenhill said, “The pastor who doesn’t weep for the lost shouldn’t expect people to come and weep for their sins.”
In their book, The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever, Elmer Towns and Douglas Porter share with us: “At William J. Seymour’s first meeting, Sister Julia W. Hutchins, pastor of the church, recognized significant differences between the preaching of Seymour and her own views of the second blessing. She considered Seymour extreme in his doctrine of the Holy Spirit, perhaps even heretical. It was clear the two could not continue to work together. When Seymour later arrived at the church to preach at an afternoon meeting, he found the church doors locked. He was no longer welcome in the little storefront church on Santa Fe Avenue. Undaunted, he agreed to preach in a home on Bonnie Brae Avenue.”
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Today, we begin looking at the end result of every believer using their spiritual gifts “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Paul says that we do this “till we all come in the unity of the faith…” Here he returns to a theme which he previously emphasized — unity. When every believer is using his or her spiritual gifts in service to God and others, we will have a church that is unified in the faith.
The words “we all” indicate that the Christian journey to unity is not conducted in isolation. It involves every member of every local assembly growing together and making progress in their walk with Christ. Every believer ought to participate; it is not a job just for the leaders of the church or for certain “elite” Christians who may appear to be more spiritually inclined than others. Unity comes from one thing — adherence to “the faith,” the entire belief system that makes up Christianity. And that is something that every born again person can get behind.
John MacArthur said, “The ultimate spiritual target for the church begins with the unity of the faith. As in verse 5, faith does not here refer to the act of belief or of obedience but to the body of Christian truth, to Christian doctrine. The faith is the content of the gospel in its most complete form. As the church at Corinth so clearly illustrates, disunity in the church comes from doctrinal ignorance and spiritual immaturity. When believers are properly taught, when they faithfully do the work of service, and when the body is thereby built up in spiritual maturity, unity of the faith is an inevitable result. Oneness in fellowship is impossible unless it is built on the foundation of commonly believed truth.”
Carolyn Arends wrote:
We are one in the Spirit,
we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity
may one day be restored.
We will work with each other,
we will work side by side
We’ll guard each other’s hearts
and help rid each one’s pride.
We will walk with each other,
we will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news
that God is in our land.
Let’s pray.
Now, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, please keep in mind that the Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Just pray and ask Him to come into your heart and He will. I will be sharing more on the matter of salvation in the next segment of our service which starts in about 5 minutes.
Revival Prayer List
PRAY FOR SPECIFIC FAMILIES
Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
— Tiwania
Help her to find a Bible preaching church home, to keep the passion and desire to follow You
— Fred in Dallas, Texas
For You to bless his family, marriage, business and health; grant him victory over the devil’s obstacles, financial success and peace regarding his tithing; bless his mother with good health and success
— Caleah
Heal his daughter from her brain disease and strengthen him and his family throughout this situation
— Scott
Heal and restore his marriage, help his wife to find love, forgiveness and reconciliation with him; Help him to continue to seek You, mold him into the man You want him to be
— Dencil in India
For restoration and healing in his home between his wife and parents, that satan’s plans will be shattered, for God’s blessings
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PRAY FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Paul said in Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Leaders of the Pentecostal Church
P.L. Frazier Jr.
Reginald Poellnitz
H. Colclough
Keith J. Smith
Samuel Thomas
D. Richbourg
H. Brown Jr.
H. Colclough
A.R. Kindle Sr.
Willie J. Clark Sr.
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PRAY FOR GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS
1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
OREGON STATE LEGISLATURE
Chuck Riley
Arnie Roblan
Diane Rosenbaum
Chip Shields
Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
Kevin Talbert
Kim Thatcher
Chuck Thomsen
Doug Whitsett
Jackie Winters
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 