All Done

The substance of the letter starts at such a lofty height (1:3) that it is difficult to appreciate what it really means.  God has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."  "Every" is certainly an all-encompassing word.  One note here is that the action of blessing occurred in the past. It is in the aorist tense which means that the action or event is seen without regard to its duration.  Moulton comments: "an event as a single whole, without regarding the time taken in its accomplishment."  The action is seen as a completed event.  Though it may take place over time, it is already a done deal in the divine mind.  We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.  In God's mind, all of this has taken place already.
It is good for us to also see in this passage that these blessings all flow to those "in Christ".  This cannot be overstated.  Someone may read this passage and tire of the repetition.  This cannot be for the seasoned Christian.  Every time we read this short phrase, "in Christ" or "in Him", we are settled and strengthened in our walks.  Those who are in Christ will be "holy and blameless before Him."  They also become adult sons in God's family.  They have redemption.  They have forgiveness of sins.  They know the mystery of His will.  They have an inheritance.  They were sealed by the Holy Spirit.  These are the things that God wanted to give to those who believe.  Notice how the choosing and predestining (1:4 and 1:5 and 1:11) are really not focusing on salvation at all.  These are statements that focus on the blessings that flow to those "in Christ".  Wuest comments: "the emphasis is on the choosing, not on the unchosen, and that the chosen of God were to attain the object stated."  These facts are true of the "in-Christ-ians".
One of the beauties of this passage is that the action words here are ALL in the aorist tense.  They are all done deals in the divine mind.  So, all of these blessings are ours in full, right now.  If they are completed actions in His mind, then they should be so in ours.  We who are in Christ.

Heaven on earth

We are starting in Ephesians in our home group.  This is truly a heavenly book.  Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesian church around AD60 while he was in prison.  Paul had visited Ephesus several years earlier (Acts 18:19).  That visit would mark the beginning of a deep and long relationship that Paul would have with the church.  Much of Acts 19 and 20 focus on Ephesus.  Timothy would also become the pastor of the church which in time gave us First and Second Timothy.  John wrote about Ephesus also in Revelation 3, being the church that he likely died among. It would do us well to study this group of people.  As is widely known, Ephesians is divided into two parts.  Chapters 1-3 reveal God's heavenly work.  Chapters 4-6 reveal our heavenly walk.
The letter introduces us to Paul "an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."  Apostle means 'one sent forth with orders.'  Very important here to note 'with orders'.  Further, the sending was by God's will.  He wanted to send him.  God had something to say.  Can you imagine that?  God had something to say to people!  And, He has something to say to us.  God wants us to know something.  And it's a lot.
The letter was written to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.  This greeting alone would give us good footing to see that this letter was written directly to us who are "faithful in Christ Jesus."
The classic greeting from Paul ensues - "Grace to you and peace from God . . "  Grace means unmerited favor, though her a better reading would be 'divine enablement'.  Paul saw the people who make up His church as living their day to day lives - working, providing for their families, talking, fearing, hurting, eating, sleeping etc.  All the hallmarks of the daily human experience.  It is here, in this down to earth living, that this comment is made.  You, you saint, right where you are in your day, be divinely enabled to walk through your moment with God's enablement - whatever enablement is needed.  Hope, courage, power, patience, peace, love etc.
Furthermore, have peace in that moment - your moment.  Peace means tranquility, having a heart that is exempt from the rage/havoc of war.  A state of untroubled or undisturbed well-being.  Right where you are.  So, Paul wants the believers to have God's enablement to live their daily lives, every day, and to have God's peace govern their hearts as they live them.
You see, we walk in the world immersed among the earthly masses.  God wrote this book to help us see that we are actually a heavenly outpost here on earth.  Our life is heavenly - bearing the marks of heaven.  Even, right where you are.

What time is it?

We have been going through Jeremiah in our home group.  Known as the weeping prophet, Jeremiah is God's final prophet to the nation of Israel in the days of the kings.  Israel had been backsliding for years and they are now confronted with Jeremiah's solitary voice calling them back into relationship with him.  So long and so heavy had been the departure from their God that Israel entirely rejected the voice of the weeping prophet.
In verse 8:5 of his prophetic book, Jeremiah asks "why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding."  They just kept going.  Perpetual can also mean "first rate".  "They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return."  Jeremiah listened to the discussions on the street corners of Jerusalem.  Each citizen putting forth all sorts of ideas on all sorts of topics.  Who did what to whom?  Did you see what happened yesterday?  I have a good deal for you!  What is going on?  Ulterior motives.  Gossip.  Conniving.  In all of these words, . . . no one spoke aright.  What was the result of all the banter?  No man repented of his wickedness, saying, "what have I done?"  Everyone ran ahead to pursue whatever he thought was cool.  These conversations showed the hearts of the people - an array of pursuits - a host of youtube videos spreading all sorts of ideas.  Fleshly pursuits.  Each one turned to his own course, much like the horse rushes into the battle.  Full steam ahead!
Jeremiah then draws on nature to help illustrate timing.  Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; other animals also know how seasons come and go.  The turtledove arrives in Judea in early spring and departs on its migratory route at the end of summer.  Even animals know when the end of their time in the land is coming.  They observe the appointed times.  "But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord".  There is an appointed time for everything.

Power

David and his men had been protecting Nabal's sheep from thieves (1 Sam 25).  On a day when the kindness of David should have been repaid, Nabal scoffed at David's men and refused their request for some food.  They returned to David to inform him of the news.  David's response was decisive, "every man gird on his sword." (!)  The weight of the injustice must be measured in full upon Nabal.  Get him!

Without any notable delay, David was at the head of 400 men hurrying through the wilderness toward Carmel.  He was convinced of his mission and rehearsed the injustice.  (ever been there?)  "Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him.  And he has repaid me evil for good.  May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light."  They made there way down the side of a hill toward the valley floor at the bottom.  It seems to have been a noisy band of testosterone - beards, sweat and all.  Go David!  Get him!  Charge!

Suddenly, a woman appeared.   She was ready for him, but he was not ready for her.  She dismounted from her donkey, fell on her face before David, bowed down to the ground and fell at his feet.  "On me, my lord, me . . this iniquity . . . "  Panting and confused, the men looked to David.  "Halt!"  David was just accosted with wisdom.  First, she went low.  She immediately injects something new into the scene.  It knocks the anger in David's heart off the throne.  Then, Abigail diverts the target of David's anger from Nabal to herself.  On me she says, on me.  One woman stopped a small army!  

Just One

Jesus was sometimes found on the road.  Mark recounts one event when a young man came running to him "as He was going out on the road." (Mark10:17)  The young man was a running man who became a kneeling man, and according to Luke's account, he was a ruler of some sort.  He had some good things going for him!  His question for the Teacher was clear - "what must I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  A good question.  Solid.  He was ready for an answer from the One who had answers.
Jesus responded with a list of commandments that were readily known by the man.  Jesus answered indirectly.  "You know the commandments . . ."  The man responds by saying, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." The word "kept" is used for the activity of a watchman.  His whole adult life apparently was spent in an ongoing state of watchfulness to keep these commands.
Jesus looks at him - a fixed gaze is the word - eyes holding eyes . . . and loved him.  Jesus has an increase in affectionate love for this man.  He had been watching from his youth.  It must have been such a tender moment for the young man.  He had pleased the Teacher.  He followed the rules.  He had "done" right.  It is the next line which provides such insight to our Teacher.  "One thing you lack . . ."  There was one area of life that he had fallen behind in, an area that was wanting.  Jesus tells him to sell whatever he has and give to the poor . . and come, take up the cross, and follow Him.  Such nearness, such triumph abruptly changed.  His glow became a gloom.  It was "at this word" that he went away sorrowful because he had a sizable measure of wealth.  Aaack!
It was his one thing that kept him from truly following Christ.  There was just one thing.

What the eye sees

1 Samuel 17 is truly legendary.  David, Goliath, a stone.  That old enemy of Israel, the Philistines, had gathered its armies together to battle.  Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together as well.  Both forces camping in their respective places.  At that time, Israel arrayed itself on one mountain side while the Philistines stood on the other mountain side with a valley (more correctly - a ravine) in between.
The Philistines had a champion named Goliath.  He stood over nine feet tall.  He had a bronze helmet, a coat of mail, bronze armor on his legs, a bronze javelin and a spear - and all of it was very heavy and imposing.  All he wore or carried said "power".  He was outfitted to the hilt.  A visible display of force / domination.  He also had a loud mouth and cast insults toward the Israelites and demanded engagement on his terms.  He was big, loud and angry.  Such can be the enemies of God's people.
I suspect that each day the Israelites would roll out of their tents and survey the morning horizon.  Each day, there he would come again.  Just to confront them.  Their eye would be drawn to him.  Possibly, they would look to the side, but in the back of their mind, they could not escape him.  This Goliath.  Morning by morning, still there.
Then, one day a tender youth arrived.  "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."  He would run to the enemy and say, "I come to you in the name".   Young David had his eyes on Someone else.

Places to Hide

The book of Samuel lays bare Israel's transition from a theocracy to a monarchy.  Their heart had cooled to their God.  So, they demanded a person to reign over them instead of God.  They wanted a layer of humanity between them and divinity.  Their demand spoke of their longing to be like other nations (1Sam 8:20) and their rejection of their God (1Sam 8:7).

Well, a man after their heart is chosen by God.  A man named Saul.  Head and shoulders above the rest of them, surely he is a leader!  And . . he was attractive.  That's the guy.  Everything about his outward appearance is exactly what they wanted.  

In time, their new king would find himself battling Israel's old enemy - the Philistines.  The Philistines ruled over Israel in those days.  Israel was in bondage - again.  In chapter 13, the battle lines are precisely drawn.  Jonathan attacks the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba.  The ruling Philistines sound the alarm.  These uppity Hebrews think they can overcome us!  The enemy response is overwhelming.  A multitude of chariots, horsemen and people "as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude" arrive at the doorstep of Saul's army which is gathered at Gilgal.  As someone has said, Israel "poked the bear."  

It must have been quite a sight.  Israel looking up the rocky slopes from the plain just northwest of Jericho where Gilgal was toward the hills of Benjamin.  Michmash and Geba were up there.  The silhouettes of the enemy filled the skyline.  Chariots, horsemen, officers, soldiers.  Israel felt the danger.  They were afraid.  It caused them to hide.  They hid in caves . . in thickets . . in rocks . . in holes . . and in pits.  Some simply high-tailed it out of there.  Sprinting toward the Jordan and lands beyond.  So many places for the people of God to hide.