Ephesians 3

Holy Spirit reveals dispensation of Grace for allverses 1-5

 For this cause I Paul – the prisoner of Jesus Christ

for you Gentiles

If you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God

which is given me to you-ward

How that by revelation HE made known to me

the mystery (as I wrote afore in few words – whereby

when you read – you may understand my knowledge

in the mystery of Christ)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men

            as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets

by the Spirit

Unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christverses 6-7

 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs – and of the same body

            and partakers of HIS promise in Christ by the gospel

                        whereof I was made a minister

according to the gift of the grace of God

given to me by the effectual working of

HIS power

Paul chosen by God to reveal mysteryverses 8-10

 To me – who am less than the least of all saints -is this grace given

            that I should preach among the Gentiles the

unsearchable riches of Christ

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery

            which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God

                        WHO created all things by Jesus Christ

To the intent that now to the principalities and powers in

heavenly places might be known by the church the

manifold wisdom of God

Church to know manifold wisdom of Godverses 11-13

 According to the eternal purpose which HE purposed

 in Christ Jesus our Lord

In WHOM we have boldness and access with confidence

by the faith of HIM

Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you

which is your glory

Paul prayer for all to understand love of Godverses 14-19

 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

of WHOM the whole family in heaven and earth is named

That HE would grant you – according to the riches of HIS glory

to be strengthened with might by HIS Spirit in the inner man

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith

that you – being rooted and grounded in love

may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the

            breadth – length – depth – height

And to know the love of Christ – which passes knowledge

that yoe might be filled with all the fullness of God

Benedictionverses 20-21

 NOW to HIM that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above

all that we ask or think – according to the power that works in us

to HIM be glory in the church by Christ Jesus

throughout all ages world without end   AMEN 

COMMENTARY: 

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 3        How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words.  (3466 “mystery” [musterion] means hidden thing, secret, not obvious to the understanding, hidden purpose, secret will, or something above human intelligence)

DEVOTION:  Paul was called in a unique way. He was on his way to Damascus to arrest those who were followers of Jesus Christ. He was almost there and he saw a great light and was spoken to by Jesus Christ. After this revelation he realized that God was working HIS plan to reach the world with the message of Jesus Christ.

After spending time in the wilderness for three years he started his public ministry. The LORD revealed to him that not only were his fellow Jews to be reached with the gospel but also the Gentiles. Peter had received this revelation with a vision on a rooftop while waiting to eat. God told him to reach out to the Gentiles as well.

So Paul informs the church in Ephesus that God wants both Jews and Gentiles to hear the message of salvation. No group of people were to be left out regarding the offer of salvation.

This was something that was not known in the Old Testament even though there were prophets who were called to witness to Gentile cities and peoples.

Now we know that God intended for us to reach every nation with the gospel message. There is no one left out today. Our missionaries are to travel to every country they can to spread the good news of the Gospel to everyone who will listen. 

Today there are Messianic Jews who are reaching those of the Jewish faith with the message of Jesus Christ. There are a majority of Christians reaching their neighbors who can be both Jewish and of other nations.

We are to reach those who believe in other gods today as well. There are many nations that are closed to missionaries who believe in a false god who has his own missionaries who are trying to even reach those in our nation with their false teaching.

We need to be able to love people from all nations while telling them the truth of the Word of God. All nations should be on our prayer list for the spreading of the true gospel of salvation through the blood of Christ alone.

CHALLENGE: Are you presently studying with the goal of reaching anyone with the truth of the Word of God. Some are going to be hostile but we still have to show them the love of God.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 7        Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. (1753 “effectual working” [energeia] means functioning, operation, strong, operative power, efficiency, power, or energy)

DEVOTION:  Paul was converted on the Damascus road. He was a persecutor of the Christians. He was an enemy to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That all changed after his conversion.

He was given a gift from God to go to the Gentiles and spread the gospel. He knew that there was a union of Jews and Gentiles in the church. This had been a mystery before it was revealed to him. He acknowledged that he was the least of the apostles or the smallest of the apostles because he was a persecutor that became a believer. God had given him grace. He was thankful for this grace.

The second gift he was given was a commission to spread this truth that in the church there could be Jews and Gentiles. The good news of the gospel was what could join them together. He was the servant that was going to travel with this message. At present, he was in jail. He was writing them to assure them that he was still serving the LORD.

He could serve the LORD even in jail because the grace of God had given him the operative power to spread the Gospel through his writing. He was training people even from prison. He had power. He was informing them that he was a minister with God’s energy manifested in his life.

There are two words used in this verse for power. We are talking about the power of God. Paul was given the “energy of his dynamite.” Paul had explosive energy to do the work the LORD had given him to do among the Gentiles.

We have the same energy available to us through HIS Spirit in us. Each of us has a gift or charisma given to him at the point of salvation. We are not all given the gift of pastor/teacher but we are given at least one gift to manifest in the church. Paul was manifesting his gift to the glory of God in the churches he started and served.

Are we manifesting the “energy of his dynamite” in our local church? Are our churches full of the zeal of the LORD? There is only one type of church that the LORD wants to see. That type of church is full of the energy of dynamite from HIM. Remember this power comes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

CHALLENGE: Each morning ask the LORD to give you power to be the witness the LORD wants you to be. Then use the power to witness to those around you. Don’t waste the power!!!

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 8        To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. (39 “saints” [hagion] means a person of God, understood as a person dedicated to God(morally, ritually, or by devotion), God’s people, holy ones, set apart to, consecrated, morally pure, blameless, sacred, or reverend)

DEVOTION: Paul considered himself the least because he was one who was chosen after the death of Jesus Christ. He saw Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus but it was not like spending three years with HIM while HE walked on the earth.

He spent three years in the wilderness learning more about HIM. He returned to meet with the other apostles or send ones. At first the apostles didn’t trust him but Barnabas helped them understand that his salvation was genuine.

They understood also that he was sent to the Gentiles. They commissioned him to do the work of an missionary evangelist. He was to report back to them all that took place in the Roman world they live in.

What he preached to the Gentiles that there was endless treasures available to them in Christ. It was a great message. It is a message we need to hear and understand today.

We can’t comprehend all the blessings the LORD has in store for us as we faithfully serve HIM. We are not just talking about possessions or bank accounts. We are talking about eternal blessings.

Too often preachers concentrate on blessings here on earth rather than eternal blessings reserved in heaven for all those who serve faithfully. Many people want only the present blessings rather than the treasures that can be laid up in heaven. We tend to be so shortsighted.

Individuals who give their heart to the LORD because of our witness should bring more joy than all the money or possessions in the world.

CHALLENGE:  Reaching others and seeing them grow brings great pleasure to all those who genuinely love the LORD.

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: 11      According to the eternal purpose which HE purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (4286 “purpose” [prosthesis] means plan, the quality of being determined to do or achieve something, will, setting forth, proposal, aspiration, or a setting forth)

DEVOTION:  Remember we keep reading the word “purpose” as it relates to God and HIS plan for the world. HIS plan was made up before the foundation of the world. HE created the world with a plan already in place. Nothing takes HIM by surprise. There is not a plan B. There is only a plan A.

Now another part of HIS plan has been revealed. Part of HIS plan was to reach all the nations of the world through the seed of Abraham. Christ came and died on the cross which gave enough blood for all the sins of every nation of the world. Every individual has salvation available to them. No one is left out. All will stand before God one day and give an account of what they did when they were offered the gift of salvation. Most will be confronted with the fact that they rejected Jesus Christ.

Those of us who have made a personal commitment to the LORD will realize that we continue to be sinners after our salvation but we have access to the LORD because of our faith. This access gives us an opportunity to confess our sin and ask the LORD to forgive us so that we can keep in close fellowship with HIM.

Once we have restored our fellowship we can have boldness to ask HIM for the ability to manifest our gifts or gifts in HIS service through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

We can also have boldness as we enter into prayer to the Father for gifts HE is willing to give because of our relationship with HIS Son. Our prayers should be mainly that we can be given opportunities to witness to those in our world with the result of their salvation.

Our need is for revival in a desire to really reach those around us with the message of salvation. Too often we leaving that to others and lose a blessing. Stop losing your blessing – reach out and touch those around you with the message of Jesus Christ.

Our confidence level will build the more we witness to others. It is a learning experience that only matures with use. Yes there will be times that we fail to answer questions we never heard before but that is when we ask the LORD for more wisdom which HE promises to give to those who ask.

CHALLENGE:  Are you and I asking for this wisdom regularly???

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Paul praysverses 14-21

Bow my knees

Extent of prayerverse 20

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Revelationverse 3

Mysteryverses 3, 4, 9

Revealed unto holy apostles and prophetsverse 5

Gospelverse 6

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Godverses 2, 7, 9, 10, 19

Grace of Godverses 2, 7

Revelation of mysteryverse 3

Promiseverse 6

Creatorverse 9

Wisdom of Godverse 10

Fatherverse 14

Father of our Lord Jesus Christverse 14

Grant in HIS riches of HIS gloryverse 16

Able to do exceedingly abundantlyverse 20

Above all we can ask or thinkverse 20

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Jesusverses 1, 9, 11, 14, 21

Christverses 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 17, 19, 21

Jesus Christverses 1, 9

Mystery of Christ verse 4

Promise in Christverse 6

Unsearchable riches of Christverse 8

Created all thingsverse 9

Lordverses 11, 14

Christ Jesus our Lordverse 11

Lord Jesus Christverse 14

Love of Christverses 18, 19

Breadth, length, depth and height

Passes all knowledge

Christ Jesusverse 21

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Spirit verses 5, 16

Spirit reveals verse 5

Spirit strengthensverse 16

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Principalities verse 10

Powersverse 10

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Gentile’sverses 1, 6

Other agesverse 5

Sons of menverse 5

Fellowheirsverse 6

Partakers of HIS promiseverse 6

Beginning of the world hath been hid in Godverse 9

Earthverse 15

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Faintverse 13

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Graceverses 2, 7, 8

Giftverse 7

Powerverses 7, 20

Saintsverses 8, 18

Preachverse 8

Fellowshipverse 9

Know manifold wisdom of Godverse 10

Boldnessverse 12

Accessverse 12

Confidenceverse 12

Faithverses 12, 17

Not faintverse 13

Tribulationverse 13

Strength in inner manverse 16

Christ dwell in heartverse 17

Rooted and grounded in loveverses 17-19

Saintsverse 18

Filled with fullness of Godverse 19

Give glory to Christverse 21

Israel(Old Testament people of God)

Church (New Testament people of God)

Paulverses 1, 7, 8

Prisoner of Jesus Christ

Minister

Preach

Dispensation of the grace of Godverse 2

Holy Apostlesverse 5

Prophetsverse 5

Gentiles fellow heirsverse 6

Gentiles partakers of promiseverse 6

Ministerverse 7

Preachverse 8

Fellowship of the mysteryverse 9

Churchverses 10, 11

Know manifold wisdom of God

Know eternal purpose

Whole familyverse 15

Saintsverse 18

Church of Jesus Christverse 21

Last Things (Future Events)

Eternal purposeverse 11

Heavenverse 15

All agesverse 21

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QUOTES regarding passage

he first gift for which prayer is made here is strength. So it was in 1:19, and, as there, this power of God is not expressed by just a single word (cf. also 6:10 and Col. 1:11). That they may be strengthened with might, the apostle prays. The verb krataiōthēnai speaks of being made strong or capable. A person can be made strong in love, or knowledge, or some other quality; at this point the prayer is that Paul’s readers may be equipped with the power (dynamis) that makes them able to stand firm in Christ, and to live and work for him (cf. 1 Cor. 16:13; Phil. 4:13). This prayer, however, speaks further of the means and the sphere of operation of this power. It is the constant assumption, or specific emphasis, of the teaching of the New Testament, that strength for the Christian life comes by the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes into the ‘inner being’ (neb). The expression is used which in 2 Corinthians 4:16 speaks of the contrast with all that is external, as Paul says ‘Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day’. It may include, or at least it affects, all that the New Testament means when it speaks of heart, mind, will and spirit. It is the deep seat of the personality, where the Spirit seeks to have his dwelling and so transform the whole life of a human being. (Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 109). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

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16 Paul now sets out the content of his prayer in three items, each introduced by “so that” (hina) in vv. 16, 18, 19. As in Ephesians 1:17, 18, the prayer is concerned with the appropriation of God’s provision in Christ through the Spirit. The divine resources that make this possible are described as “his glorious riches” (cf. Rom 9:23). “Riches” have already been mentioned in Ephesians 2:4, 7 and “glory” in 1:6, 17. Paul asks that God will endow his readers with spiritual blessings on this lavish scale.

In Ephesians 1:19 Paul used three terms—dynamis, kratos, and ischys—to indicate aspects of God’s power. Now he reverts to them in the context of what is made available to the believer. The verbal form “strengthen” (krataiōthēnai) is the opposite of “he discouraged” (enkakein) in v. 13. It is a common expression in LXX and occurs four times in the NT. The agent of this enablement is the Holy Spirit. No repetition of Pentecost is implied but instead a continuous provision through the Spirit (cf. Philippians 1:19). “Inner being” (ho esō anthrōpos) is perhaps a Pauline invention, modifying Plato’s ho entos anthrōpos (the man within). It contrasts with the outward man, which is wasting away, whereas the inward man is daily renewed (2 Cor 4:16; Col 3:10). The preposition “in” (eis literally, “into”) suggests the depth of the Spirit’s penetration. (Wood, A. S. (1981). Ephesians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 51). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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(3:16) Paul prays that “God might grant to you (the Ephesian saints) according to the measure of His glory, with power to be strengthened through His Spirit (this strengthening entering) into the inner man.” “The glory is the whole revealed perfections of God, not merely His grace and power … The measure of the gift for which Paul prays on behalf of the Ephesians is nothing short of those perfections of God which are revealed now in their glorious fulness and inexhaustible wealth” (Expositors).

The preposition “in” is eis (εἰς), “unto,” and is a preposition of motion. “The strengthening was to take effect by means of power imparted or infused, and this impartation of power was to be made through the Spirit of God into the inward man. The ‘inward man’ is viewed here as the recipient, that into which the strengthening was to be poured, or the object towards which the gift was directed” (Expositors). The inward man refers here to the personal, rational self, the moral I, the essence of the man which is conscious of itself as a moral personality (Expositors, Vincent). Paul is here speaking of the fulness of the Holy Spirit. The reader is urged to study the author’s work on that subject in his book Riches from the Greek New Testament. (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Eph 3:14–16). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.)

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That he would grant you (ἱνα δῳ ὑμιν [hina dōi humin]). Sub-final clause with ἱνα [hina] and the second aorist active subjunctive of διδωμι [didōmi], to give. There are really five petitions in this greatest of all Paul’s prayers (one already in 1:16–23), two by the infinitives after ἱνα δῳ [hina dōi] (κραταιωθηναι, κατοικησαι [krataiōthēnai, katoikēsai]), two infinitives after ἱνα ἐξισχυσητε [hina exischusēte] (καταλαβεσθαι, γνωναι [katalabesthai, gnōnai]), and the last clause ἱνα πληρωθητε [hina plērōthēte]. Nowhere does Paul sound such depths of spiritual emotion or rise to such heights of spiritual passion as here. The whole seems to be coloured with “the riches of His glory.” That ye may be strengthened (κραταιωθηναι [krataiōthēnai]). First aorist passive infinitive of κραταιοω [krataioō], late and rare (LXX, N. T.) from κραταιος [krataios], late form from κρατος [kratos] (strength). See Luke 1:80. Paul adds δυναμει [dunamei] (with the Spirit). Instrumental case. In the inward man (εἰς τον ἐσω ἀνθρωπον [eis ton esō anthrōpon]). Same expression in 2 Cor. 4:16 (in contrast with the outward ἐξω [exō], man) and in Rom. 7:22. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Eph 3:16). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)

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Strength (v. 16). The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life is evidence of salvation (Rom. 8:9); but the power of the Spirit is enablement for Christian living, and it is this power that Paul desires for his readers. “Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you” (Acts 1:8, literal translation). Jesus performed His ministry on earth in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1, 14; Acts 10:38), and this is the only resource we have for Christian living today. As you read the Book of Acts, you see the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church, for there are some fifty-nine references to the Spirit in the book, or one fourth of the total references found in the New Testament. Someone has said, “If God took the Holy Spirit out of this world, most of what we Christians are doing would go right on—and nobody would know the difference!” Sad, but true.

The power of the Spirit is given to us “according to the riches of His glory” (Eph. 3:16). Christ returned to glory and sent the Spirit from heaven to indwell and empower His people. It is not necessary for us to “work something up.” The power has to be sent down. How marvelous that God does not give the Spirit’s power to us “out of His riches” but “according to”—which is a far greater thing. If I am a billionaire and I give you ten dollars, I have given you out of my riches; but if I give you a million dollars, I have given to you according to my riches. The first is a portion; the second is a proportion.

This power is available for “the inner man.” This means the spiritual part of man where God dwells and works. The inner man of the lost sinner is dead (Eph. 2:1), but it becomes alive when Christ is invited in. The inner man can see (Ps. 119:18), hear (Matt. 13:9), taste (Ps. 34:8), and feel (Acts 17:27); and he must be “exercised” (1 Tim. 4:7–8). He also must be cleansed (Ps. 51:7) and fed (Matt. 4:4). The outer man is perishing, but the inner man can be renewed spiritually in spite of outward physical decay (2 Cor. 4:16–18). It is this inner power that makes him succeed.

What does it mean to have the Holy Spirit empower the inner man? It means that our spiritual faculties are controlled by God, and we are exercising them and growing in the Word (Heb. 5:12–14). It is only when we yield to the Spirit and let Him control the inner man that we succeed in living to the glory of God. This means feeding the inner man the Word of God, praying and worshiping, keeping clean, and exercising the senses by loving obedience. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 31–32). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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3:16 that He would grant you. Paul’s prayers are almost always for the spiritual welfare of others (cf. Php 1:4; Col 1:9–11; 1Th 1:2). according to the riches of His glory. They are limitless and available to every believer. strengthened … His Spirit in the inner man. Spiritual power is a mark of every Christian who submits to God’s Word and Spirit. It is not reserved for some special class of Christian, but for all those who discipline their minds and spirits to study the Word, understand it, and live by it. Although the outer, physical person becomes weaker with age (cf. 2Co 4:16), the inner, spiritual person should grow stronger through the Holy Spirit, who will energize, revitalize, and empower the obedient, committed Christian (cf. Ac 1:8; Ro 8:5–9, 13; Gal 5:16). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Eph 3:16). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

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Ver. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, &c.] Or according to, and out of that rich, plenteous, and glorious fulness of grace and strength in Christ Jesus. To be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man; this is the petition which the apostle puts up on his bended knees to the father of Christ, that he would strengthen these saints, that so they might not faint at the tribulations which either he or they endured. Believers in Christ need fresh supplies of strength to enable them to exercise grace, to perform duties, to resist Satan and his temptations, to oppose their corruptions, and to bear the cross, and undergo afflictions cheerfully, and to hold on and out to the end: this is a blessing that comes from God, and is a gift of his free grace; a grant from him who is the strength of the lives of his people, of their salvation, of their hearts, and of the work of grace in their hearts: the means whereby the saints are strengthened by God, is his spirit; who strengthens them by leading them to the fulness of grace and strength in Christ, by shedding abroad the love of God in their hearts, by applying the promises of the Gospel to them, and by making the Gospel itself, and the ordinances of it, useful to them, causing them to go from strength to strength in them: the subject of this blessing is the inner man, or the spirit, or soul of man, which is the seat of grace; and this shews that this was spiritual strength which is here desired, which may be where there is much bodily weakness, and for which there should be the greatest concern; and that this strength is not naturally there, it must be given, or put into it. This last phrase, in the inner man, is joined to the beginning of the next verse in the Arabic, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, in the inner man Christ may dwell, &c. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 3, pp. 82–83). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!

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Matthew 3

After His baptism by His forerunner, John, Jesus’ ministry is validated by God the Father.

INSIGHT

No matter when, no matter where, repentance is necessary when meeting God for the first time. To repent means to change your mind.

If you have been living your life without God, you must change your mind about Him. You must stop thinking of Him as something less than Sovereign Lord of the universe. You must acknowledge His right to define what is right — and wrong — for you. And you must trust Him to reconcile you to Himself through His only begotten Son.

If you were transported back to John’s time and heard his message, would you repent?

                                                (Quiet Walk)

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WHAT OUR LORD PRAYS FOR

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.    John 17:15

The primary object of Christ’s prayer is not so much that His followers may be one with one another as that they may be kept in true unity with Him, with God the Father, and therefore with each other. That is the nature of communion. Obviously this has to be worked out in greater detail, and never perhaps was this more necessary than today.
The next thing He prays for them is that they may be kept from the evil one—the devil, the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air—and the evil that is in the world as the result of his activities and efforts. Our Lord does not pray that they may be taken out of the world. We sometimes wish we could pray that; the idea of monasticism is somewhere down in the depths of all of us. We want to retire out of the world and arrive in some magic circle where nothing can disturb us. There is a longing in the suffering, persecuted Christian to get out of the world. But our Lord does not pray that they may be taken out of the world in any sense, nor that they may be taken out of it by death, but rather that in it they may be kept from the evil.
Your business and mine as Christian people is to be in the midst of this world and its affairs and still remain true and loyal to God and be kept from the evil. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,” says James, not to retire out of every vocation in life, but rather “to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James1:27). The task of the Christian is to be in the midst of this world and its affairs in order that he or she may do this work of Evangelism.
A Thought to Ponder: Our Lord does not pray that they may be taken out of the world but rather that in it they may be kept from the evil.
                  (From Safe in the World, pp. 14, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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