Monday – August 8, 2016
We have finished our study of Colossians and now the Lord has brought me to the Book of Ephesians. The Apostle Paul anointed of God is the human author of the Book of Ephesians and he identifies himself as the author in the first verse. It is thought that this book along with several others including the Book of Colossians was written while he was in prison in Rome. The timing of this writing is thought to be in the early 60’s AD.
Notice that the little boy above who is about to take medicine is making a face like he knows this medicine is bitter medicine. The revelation of Truth, the Word of God, can be so sweet to the person receiving the revelation but the sharing can be bitter. It is bitter because much of the time it does not bring repentance, a change of mind in the hearer. Sometimes it causes them to harden their current incorrect or incomplete beliefs just as Pharaoh hardened his heart against the Word of God brought by Moses and ended in destruction. You may have read where God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This is a manifestation of a spiritual law of God. If you reject light and choose the darkness then you will have an increasing trajectory into darkness (hard heart). The hardening (rejection of God) of one’s heart is neither triggered by God nor at any time the will of God. Like all things in regard to God spiritual law is triggered by the free-will act of the person involved.
Mark 4:23-25 (HCSB)
23 If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!”
24 Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured and added to you.
25 For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”
Matthew 12:35 (KJV)
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
In the case of Pharaoh, he rejected the light, accepted darkness and so the darkness increased, his heart was hardened because this spiritual law of God was activated thus God hardened his heart. When John was given the Revelation of Jesus Christ he was given a mission by God and handed a scroll by an angel and the scroll (Word of God) was so sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach.
Revelation 10:10-11 (HCSB)
10 Then I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I ate it, my stomach became bitter.
11 And I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
He knew that these Words of God (Revelation 9:21) would not lead to repentance but had to be spoken because of the mercy and justice of God. Do you suppose the Word of God was sweet to Jeremiah but bitter in his stomach as he proclaimed the Word to an unrepentant people?
I said all of that to say this. The Church is in a position of hardening their hearts and God has given to many the gift of revelation and the commission to proclaim the pure Word knowing that repentance on a grand scale is not at hand. Repentance at its core is to change one’s mind thereby renewing their mind with new Godly thoughts, speaking new Godly words, and walking the way God walks.
Now, back to Ephesus. The picture to the right reportedly is the ruins of the ancient 
Church at Ephesus from the time of the Apostles Paul and John. As we ride down the streets of the United States we will pass many wonderful Church buildings but if the Lord would give a glimpse into the spiritual this is what we would see, a church in ruin. That is not how it is all going to end however. The Word of God says we will be a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle.
Notice on the map to the right that Ephesus is located in western modern day Turkey and the Isle of Patmos (where the Book of Revelation was written) is off the coast in the Aegean Sea. The Apostle John is reported to have been the Pastor, an Elder of the Church at Ephesus. I will pick up here tomorrow, in the meantime meditate the first two verses of Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:1-2 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whomever has ears to hear, take the time to hear on purpose, to renew the mind, to renew the speech, to know and do the will of God. Remember, if we chose the Truth, the Truth will be added to us in increasing volume and velocity, however if we choose the lie, we will descend into darkness thinking it is light.
Mark 4:23 (KJV)
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
By Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
