3When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .G5127G5484G1473G3972G1198G2424G5547G5228G5216G14842assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.G1489G191G3622G5485G2316G3588G1325G3427G1519G52093As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.G3754G2596G602G1107G3427G3466G2531G4270G1722G36414As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ.G4314G3739G314G1410G3539G3450G4907G1722G3466G55475God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.G3739G1722G2087G1074G1107G3756G1107G5207G444G5613G601G3568G601G846G40G652G2532G4396G1722G41516And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.G1484G1511G4789G2532G4954G2532G4830G846G1860G1722G5547G1223G20987By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.G3739G1096G1249G2596G1431G5485G2316G1325G3427G2596G1753G846G14118Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.G1698G1647G3956G40G1325G3778G5485G1325G2097G1722G1484G421G4149G55479I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.G2532G5461G3956G5461G5101G2842G3466G3588G575G165G613G1722G2316G3588G2936G3956G1223G2424G554710God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.G2443G3568G746G2532G1849G1722G2032G1107G1223G1577G4182G4678G231611This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.G2596G165G4286G3739G4160G1722G5547G2424G2257G296212Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.G1722G3739G2192G3954G2532G4318G1722G4006G1223G4102G84613So please don't lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.G1352G154G1573G3361G1722G3450G2347G5228G5216G3748G2076G5216G1391
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
14When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,G5127G5484G2578G3450G1119G4314G3962G2257G2962G2424G554715the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.G1537G3739G3956G3965G1722G3772G2532G1909G1093G368716I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.G2443G1325G5213G2596G4149G846G1391G2901G1411G1223G846G4151G1519G2080G44417Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.G5547G2730G1722G5216G2588G1223G4102G2443G4492G2532G2311G1722G2618And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.G1840G2638G4862G3956G40G5101G4114G2532G3372G2532G899G2532G531119May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.G5037G1097G26G5547G5235G1108G2443G4137G1519G3956G4138G231620Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.G1161G1410G4160G5228G1537G4053G5228G3956G3739G154G2228G3539G2596G1411G1754G1722G225421Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.G846G1391G1722G1577G1722G5547G2424G1519G3956G1074G165G165G281
Unity in the Body
4Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.G1473G3767G1198G1722G2962G3870G5209G4043G516G2821G3739G25642Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.G3326G3956G5012G2532G4236G3326G3115G430G240G1722G263Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.G4704G5083G1775G4151G1722G4886G15154For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.G1520G4983G2532G1520G4151G2531G2532G2564G1722G3391G1680G5216G28215There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,G1520G2962G1520G4102G3391G9086and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.G1520G2316G2532G3962G3956G3588G1909G3956G2532G1223G3956G2532G1722G5213G39567However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.G1161G1538G1520G2257G1325G5485G2596G3358G1431G55478That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people."G1352G3004G305G1519G5311G162G161G2532G1325G1390G4449Notice that it says "he ascended." This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.G1161G305G5101G2076G1508G3754G2597G2532G2597G4412G1519G2737G3313G109310And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.G846G2597G2076G2532G305G5231G3956G3772G2443G4137G395611Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.G2532G846G1325G3303G652G1161G4396G1161G2099G1161G4166G2532G132012Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.G4314G2677G40G1519G2041G1248G1519G3619G4983G554713This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.G3360G3956G2658G1519G1775G4102G2532G1922G5207G2316G1519G5046G435G1519G3358G2244G4138G554714Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.G2443G5600G3371G3516G2831G2532G4064G3956G417G1319G1722G2940G444G1722G3834G4314G3180G410615Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.G1161G226G1722G26G837G1519G846G3956G3739G2076G2776G554716He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.G1537G3739G3956G4983G4883G2532G4822G1223G3956G860G2024G2596G1753G1722G3358G1538G1520G3313G4160G838G4983G1519G3619G1438G1722G26
Living as Children of Light
17With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.G5124G3004G3767G2532G3143G1722G2962G5209G3371G4043G3371G2531G2532G3062G1484G4043G1722G3153G846G356318Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.G1271G4654G5607G526G2222G2316G1223G52G5607G1722G846G1223G4457G846G258819They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.G3748G524G3860G1438G3860G766G1519G2039G3956G167G1722G412420But that isn't what you learned about Christ.G1161G5210G3129G3756G3779G3129G554721Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,G1489G191G846G2532G1321G1722G846G2531G225G2076G1722G242422throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.G5209G659G2596G4387G391G3820G444G3588G5351G2596G539G193923Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.G1161G365G4151G5216G356324Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.G2532G1746G2537G444G3588G2596G2316G2936G1722G1343G2532G225G374225So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.G1352G659G5579G2980G1538G225G3326G846G4139G3754G2070G3196G24026And "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry,G3710G2532G264G3361G1931G3361G2246G1931G1909G5216G395027for anger gives a foothold to the devil.G3383G1325G5117G122828If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.G2813G2813G2813G3371G1161G3123G2872G2038G5495G18G2443G2192G3330G5532G219229Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.G4550G3361G3956G4550G3056G1607G1537G5216G4750G235G1536G18G4314G5532G3619G2443G1325G5485G19130And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.G2532G3076G3361G40G4151G2316G1722G3739G4972G1519G2250G62931Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.G142G3956G4088G2532G2372G2532G3709G2532G2906G2532G988G142G575G5216G4862G3956G254932Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.G1161G1096G5543G1519G240G2155G5483G1438G2531G2532G2316G1722G5547G1722G5483G5213
9[For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune "Death of the Son"] I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.H5329H4192H1121H4210H1732H3034H3068H3820H5608H63812I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.H8055H5970H2167H8034H59453My enemies retreated; they staggered and died when you appeared.H341H7725H268H3782H6H64404For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness.H6213H4941H1779H3427H3678H8199H66645You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have erased their names forever.H1605H1471H6H7563H4229H8034H5769H57036The enemy is finished, in endless ruins; the cities you uprooted are now forgotten.H341H2723H5331H8552H5428H6145H5892H2143H6H19927But the LORD reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne.H3068H3427H5769H3559H3678H49418He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.H8199H8398H6664H1777H3816H43399The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.H3068H4869H1790H4869H6256H686910Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.H3045H8034H982H3068H5800H187511Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.H2167H3068H3427H6726H5046H5971H594912For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.H1875H1818H2142H7911H6818H6035H604113LORD, have mercy on me. See how my enemies torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death.H2603H3068H7200H6040H8130H7311H8179H419414Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.H5608H8416H8179H1323H6726H1523H344415The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.H1471H2883H7845H6213H7568H2098H2934H7272H392016The LORD is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet InterludeH3068H3045H4941H6213H7563H5367H6467H3709H1902H554217The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.H7563H7725H7585H1471H7913H43018But the needy will not be ignored forever; the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.H34H5331H7911H8615H6041H6035H6H570319Arise, O LORD! Do not let mere mortals defy you! Judge the nations!H6965H3068H582H5810H1471H8199H644020Make them tremble in fear, O LORD. Let the nations know they are merely human. InterludeH7896H4172H4172H3068H1471H3045H582H5542
Dublin, OH
. . .G5127
