Ephesians Study: Lesson 3 - Quick Overview

Ok so at the last study we read over the book of Ephesians and everyone stated they're  favorite verse of Ephesians and why. We were then given homework to find out  how many times Ephesians has the word love in it. You cannot use electronics to look it up you must figure-it-out yourself by readying Ephesians all the way through no scanning or slacking off. So thats it and  May the Lord bless you and show you His love.

8- bit versions of musc

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Ephesians study Part 2: A tough Subject for Some

Hi I'm sorry for the delay on this but it took me a while to find my notes. One of my pastors taught this one.(I'm not giving names to avoid anything coming back at those who teach this)
This last week we covered Ephesians 1: 1-12

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.³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;⁸ Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.


Know to rabbit trail off a bit, Ask yourself the question ,"What is doctrine?". Well doctrine simply put is just teaching. Though doctrine can be used negatively like when you here someone say,"Lets study the Bible and not get into all of that doctrine stuff.". Usually this type of use of the word refers to how people will fight over what the Bible really means. Truly also, you can not study Ephesians or the Bible without doctrine. I mean would you want your Physician operating on you if he never went to medical school? Of course not, and in the same way we must be taught by the scriptures and believe what it says.


Now we go on and we go with the subject of predestination. Predestination basically means it has been planned ahead. No one can deny predestination without denying the Bible. Although people do deny it and/or fight over the truth of it.


This pastor discussed how he was on this subject once in a humanities class with his students(he is also a school teacher). One in particular said he hated the idea of predestination and refused it. This particular student dreamed of becoming a movie director,  so my pastor based a question of this. He asked, "When you make a movie don't you have a script first or do you just throw it all together.".


You see God is our director he know what will happen and also planned what an how things have/will happen.


God has perfect rights to do this He has made us, and we are His creatures.


If you deny predestination you must deny either God's knowledge or His power and how scary that would be to have a God that either doesn't know or can't control things.


One thing you also have to realize is we are free to choose. We can choose sin or righteousness but only through our Savior Jesus. For we were enslaved in sin and death but he broke our bonds and gave us new life.
If I had a plateful of cookies and asked you to choose and you would and yes it was predestined. Because we have no knowledge of what God predestined for our future we freely choose what He predestined. 
I know you may not fully understand this but man was not made to understand it.


If i asked you to choose to do anything you still could not fly, just as God can't choose to sin we can only choose that which is of our nature.


When you really look at this passage you realize it is about love, God's love and how He adopted us as His children.


If you notice, also, verses 3-6 are all on sentence where Paul is simply elaborating his point.


If you need a little more about predestination and the doctrines of grace which shows His love.


Some Also believe that God could not have predestined the sin of man but nowhere does the Bible say that. But it in verse 4 it says He chose us before the foundation of the world. No man will truly understand this while on this earth but Romans 9: 1 - 23 says,

9 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,² That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.³ For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:⁴ Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;⁵ Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.⁶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:⁷ Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.⁸ That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.⁹ For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.¹⁰ And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;¹¹ (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)¹² It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.¹³ As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.¹⁵ For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.¹⁶ So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.¹⁷ For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.¹⁸ Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.¹⁹ Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?²⁰ Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?²¹ Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?²² What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:²³ And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

And Psalm 2 :1 - 9 says,

1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,³ Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.⁴ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.⁵ Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.⁶ Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.⁷ I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.⁸ Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.⁹ Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Also in Exodus it says God hardened pharaohs heart but it also says pharaoh hardened his own heart which shows he freely did it.

So now you may be wondering how you can have any assurance of salvation, knowing it is entirely God's work and not your own. remember John 15,

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.²¹ But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.²² If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.²³ He that hateth me hateth my Father also.²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.²⁵ But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:²⁷ And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning

And Romans 11

1I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.² God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,³ Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.⁴ But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.⁵ Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.⁶ And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.⁷ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.⁹ And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.¹² Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office¹⁴ If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.¹⁵ For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?¹⁶ For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.¹⁷ And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;¹⁸ Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.¹⁹ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.²⁰ Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:²¹ For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.²² Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.²³ And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.²⁴ For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.²⁶ And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:²⁷ For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.²⁸ As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.²⁹ For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.³⁰ For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:³¹ Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.³² For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.³³ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!³⁴ For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?³⁵ Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?³⁶ For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

You see as long as we live like God calls us to do and love Him we can know we are in Him.

And I end this saying, Knowing you have been predestined by God the Father before the foundation of the world leave in peace and blessings. 

*Delay*

OK guys I may be a little while apparently my little brother took my notebook with last Friday's notes in it to write musical notes in it so please bear with me I'm searching for it.

Ephesians Study: Part 1 Knowing about Ephesians

Ephesian was written by Paul as a epistle(letter) to the church in Ephesus. During these times Ephesus was a main city in Asia(in the New Testament Asia refers to the Roman controlled portions of Asia) and had contained the Temple of Diana,said to be the greatest of the 7 Wonders.

Now I'm going to talk about Paul a little before I get back to Ephesus. Paul was originally called Saul. In Acts chapters7: 54-60 and 8:1-4 It describes Paul's Persecution of Christians. Just a little precursor Stephen was showing the Jews their sins and those of their fathers.
Acts 7:  ⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.⁵⁵ But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

⁵⁶ And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,⁵⁸ And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.⁵⁹ And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.⁶⁰ And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 8: 1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.³ As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. ⁴Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.



Saul had been persecuting Christians thinking he was doing so justly, because he was a Jew(also a Roman citizen, and I'm not sure how he was a Roman citizen and Jew).
Saul gets converted on his way to Damascus, he had been going there to persecute more Christians. Acts 9: 1-22 it talks about his conversion.
Acts 9:1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,² And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.³ And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:⁴ And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.⁶ And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.⁷ And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.⁸ And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,¹² And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:¹⁴ And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:¹⁶ For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.¹⁷ And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.¹⁹ And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.²⁰ And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.²¹ But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?²² But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Here God does not only show Saul/Paul His power and the truth of Christ but He causes Saul/Paul to be humbled being blinded and led by the hand, then healed by the same people he came to imprison. Also Saul was in Damascus 3 days without food or drink in a representation of the resurrection. For he was dead in sin but Christ gave Him Life in Him. 

Eventually Paul set out to set up churches throughout the Roman Empire and started sending out letters to them some of which are contained in the New Testament. Paul also has written the most books in the New Testament out of all its writers.

Now back to Ephesus. Before I go on with this you must understand that Revelation was sent to actual physical churches as a warning. It was sent to all the churches and to Jerusalem basically saying that Gods wrath and judgement are coming so if you don't straighten up you will be wiped off the face of the earth. The tool of his wrath was the Roman army.


Revelation 2: 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;² I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:³ And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.⁴ Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.⁵ Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.⁶ But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.⁷ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

As you can see God threatens to remove the candlestick which refers to Matthew 5. Although since Ephesus lasted about 14 more centuries it would be hard to believe God poured out His wrath on them but more likely the repented and were forgiven.

Mathew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Acts 19 talks about the spreading of the Gospel in Ephesus.

Acts:19: 1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,² He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.³ And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.⁴ Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.⁷ And all the men were about twelve.⁸ And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.¹⁰ And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

So in the time-span of only two years everyone in the Roman part of Asia knew of Jesus Christ either directly or indirectly by the teachings of Paul in Ephesus.

¹¹ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:¹² So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.¹³ Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.¹⁴ And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?¹⁶ And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.¹⁷ And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

The last passage shows that unbelievers did try to cast demons out in the name of Christ(Christ means anointed one and in the old testaments the prophets, priests, and king was not only all of these but was the culmination of them all) , yet they did not trust in Jesus and I believe it is reasonable to say that the Holy Spirit was not in them thus they were attacked by the demon.

¹⁸ And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.¹⁹ Many of them also which used curious(magical) arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.²⁰ So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

The magic referred to in the passage above was real grade a magic, most-likely granted by demons. It would be reasonable to believe the people saw the power of God granted to Paul versus the power they had been granted by demons and realized the power of God is stronger.


Even with all the good works though some like those involved with the worship of the Greek/Roman gods.

²¹ After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.²² So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.²³ And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;²⁵ Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.²⁶ Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:²⁷ So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.²⁸ And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.²⁹ And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.³⁰ And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.³¹ And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.³² Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.³³ And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.³⁴ But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.³⁵ And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?³⁶ Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.³⁷ For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.³⁸ Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.³⁹ But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.⁴⁰ For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.⁴¹ And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Now we shall start Ephesians. We are only going over chapter1 verses 1-3 a little bit this week.(We read 1:1-14 but only went over 1-3)

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.
³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:


Paul seems to open all his letters in this type of fashion. As you can see he states who he is and who the letter is to. He then give a benediction and praises the Lord. 


We didn't get a ton done here but please study this and the rest of Ephesisan at least read a chapter a night. Ill have another soon enough and Ill be taking notes instead of relying on memory.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Hi

Well Hello  this is my new blog. I'm not sure what all will be on here but I am starting with a study on Ephesians. This will come in weekly doses and will discuss truth from the scripture. All of this can be found in your Bible although some deny certain truths of it(normally unconsciously due to the way they were originally raised or taught). Much of what I do will probably not be original but based of notes I gain through the Bible study I am in going to over Ephesians. Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments I will answer as best I can and will ask my uncle(leader of the study) on the ones I don't know. Also the homework (yes homework I know you probably don't want it but) is to read Ephesians once a week over the course of this study. I may have other courses later but I do not know yet. This right know is a work in progress so please bear with me.