Making mention of you in my prayers (Part one)

Eph. 1:15-18

In this section of scripture, Paul begins a prayer for the saints at Ephesus, and because of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love unto all the saints, Paul ceases not to pray for them. Do you know of anyone that prays for you all the time? Do you pray for anyone all the time? The Ephesians had the apostle Paul praying for them! In this lesson we are going to look at the three things that he prayed for them, wisdom, revelation, and understanding. We will begin with wisdom.

[1Kings3:5-14] Solomon asked God for wisdom. [1Kings4:29-30] Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of Egypt (Egypt is a type of the world). Solomon’s example of asking for wisdom from God is one that all of us should follow daily. Wisdom is the ability to take knowledge and experience and put them to use to live in a way that pleases God.

[James1:5] God gives wisdom to anyone that asks, and he gives wisdom to all men liberally, meaning bountifully, more that necessary. God knows exactly the amount of wisdom you need in every circumstance and when asked, he gives it our liberally! The passage also states that God will not upbraid us for asking. To upbraid is to be charged with something wrong. God is pleased when his children ask for wisdom and will not ever upbraid you for asking. What a great prayer request whether you ask for yourself or for others!

[James3:13-17] We truly need Godly wisdom to live our Christian life. Worldly wisdom will steer you wrong every time, bitter envying, strife, confusion, and every evil work. How do we separate the two? The wisdom from above is not earthly, sensual, and devilish. It is:

First pure – It’s perfect

Then peaceable – It causes peace in the decision or action

Gentle – causes no strife or confusion

Easy to be intreated – It’s easily used or managed

Full of mercy and good fruits – always produces good results

Without partiality– God will not favor one party or one side of a question more than the other. Partiality springs from the will and affections (earthly), rather than from a love of truth and justice (Godly)

Without hypocrisy – Wisdom from God will never contradict his word.

Wisdom is a wonderful prayer request. We all need wisdom, and we need it all the time. God has promised to supply it liberally and defined what it looks like. If you have faith in the Lord Jesus, and a love for the saints as the Ephesians had pray for yourself and pray for others to get Wisdom.