August 2006
 The
key to spiritual growth is to humble ourselves
to God's heavenly view, and to understand
how we fit into His big picture. It may
be hard for us to surrender our will,
opinions and view to the will and view
of God found in the Holy Scriptures. But
as we acknowledge the truth, a whole new
course of life will unfold before us.
The ability to surrender ourselves comes
as God reveals His plan to us by His Spirit,
who searches out everything and shows
us even God's deep secrets. 1
God's Secret Plan
We were all in bondage
to a worldly view, until God revealed
the power of our union with Christ. The
Apostle Paul was sent by God to reveal
His secret plan to us. He explained in
his letter to the Gentile [non-Jewish]
believers in Ephesus, how even before
God made the world, He loved us and chose
us in Christ to be holy and without fault.
His unchanging plan has always been to
adopt us into His family through His Son
Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great
pleasure. 2
As the Apostle Paul wrote
these words, he was in prison in Rome.
He said all of us who believe in Christ
should be praising God for the
wonderful kindness He has poured out on
us because we belong to His dearly loved
Son. He is so rich in kindness that He
purchased our freedom through the blood
of His Son and our sins are forgiven.
He has showered His kindness on us, along
with all wisdom and understanding. 3
Do you understand the love of God that
Paul spoke of?
Paul continued to explain
how God's secret plan has now been revealed
to us; it is a plan centered on Christ,
designed long ago according to His good
pleasure. And this is His plan: At the
right time He will bring everything together
under the authority of Christ -- everything
in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because
of Christ, we have received an inheritance
from God, for He chose us from the beginning,
and all things happen just as He revealed
long ago. 4
The Manifold Wisdom
of God
The word manifold is marked by
diversity or variety. It is the name for
a pipe fitting with several outlets or
connections. Like a pipe from God's throne,
His manifold wisdom has been shed abroad
through many outlets, displaying His divine
love. This love connects all mankind to
God the Father through Jesus Christ, Who
says: I am the Alpha and the Omega --
the beginning and the end. I am the one
who is, who always was, and who is still
to come, the Almighty One. 5
The Apostle Paul said
that God's purpose was that the Jews,
who were the first to trust in Christ,
should praise our glorious God.
And that the Gentiles, who believe the
truth of the Good News of Christ, are
predestined to be saved as well. He identified
the Gentiles as His own by giving them
the Holy Spirit, Whom He promised long
ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that
He will give us everything He promised
and that He has purchased us to be His
own people. This is just one more reason
for us to praise our glorious God.
6
The LORD not only purchased
both Jew and Gentile with His precious
blood, providing forgiveness of sin, but
He raised both from the dead along with
Christ, providing life. We are seated
with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm
-- all because we are one with Him. God
can always point to us as examples of
the incredible wealth of His favor and
kindness toward us, as shown in all He
has done for us through Christ Jesus.
7 He intended to
show His manifold wisdom in all its rich
variety to all the rulers and authorities
[Satanic unseen world] in the heavenly
realms. They see this when Jews and Gentiles
are joined together in His Church. This
was God's plan from all eternity, and
it has now been carried out through Jesus
Christ our Lord. 8
The Sevenfold Spirit
of God
The Holy Spirit provides
the ability for mankind to connect to
God for salvation. The Spirit of grace
is the One who works in us to make it
possible to experience God's presence.
He was with Adam and Eve in the Garden,
and reflected upon Moses face when the
Law was given to him. He was the Shekinah
glory in the wilderness tabernacle, and
the Spirit that dwelled in Jesus, Who
was full of wisdom, grace and truth. He
was the Spirit that raised Jesus Christ
from the dead. He is the Comforter that
dwells in us who believe. He is our ever
present help in time of trouble. He empowers
us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit as
the Body of Christ.
The prophet Isaiah saw
the LORD, sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up, and His train filled the
temple. 9 He told
of a time when a child [Jesus] is born,
a son is given to us. And the government
will rest upon His shoulders. These will
be His royal titles: Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince
of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful
government will never end ... The Spirit
of the LORD will rest on Him [sevenfold]
-- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the
fear [reverence] of the Lord ...
and with righteousness shall He
judge the earth. 10
The Spirit of the LORD
brought forth manifold wisdom, like pulling
open a telescope to reveal its many sections.
Wisdom's variety of forms branch forth
into completion. God's grace that brings
salvation has appeared to all men. Isaiah
saw the salvation of the LORD, and he
gave us a song of praise, singing: "Praise
the Lord! He was angry with me, but now
He comforts me. See, God has come to save
me. I will trust Him and not be afraid.
The LORD GOD is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation." 11
Jesus Christ, Our Salvation
Let us simplify God's
will, view and plan in a few words: JESUS
SAVED US! The word saved is the Greek
word sozo. This word means healed,
delivered, rescued, liberated, freed --
all past tense words. God sent His word,
and healed us, and delivered us from our
destruction. 12
The Word [Jesus] was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (and we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth. 13
It is time for everyone
to surrender themselves to the Lordship
of Jesus Christ. God saved us by grace
[His ability] through faith [an active
belief in your union with Christ's death,
burial and resurrection]. You can't take
credit for this; it is a gift of God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good
things you have done, so none of us can
boast about it. For we are God's workmanship.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so that we can do the good things he planned
for us long ago. 14
This plan of salvation
is for us today! We are so fortunate to
have the opportunity to partake of this
gift. As believers, we partake through
the Lord's Supper in remembrance of the
blood and body of Christ. Have you ever
confessed your belief in Christ. Something
happens when we confess Christ out loud
to ourselves and others. Some men and
women experience the presence of God through
the miracle of salvation for the first
time in their lives. Will you pray this
prayer out loud with me?
A Prayer For You...
Father, I need You. Thank
You for the sacrifice of your Son, whose
blood brings forgiveness of my sins and
for offering me Your righteousness and
resurrected life. I now accept by faith
Your gift of salvation. Through Your Holy
Spirit, teach me about Your love and grace
and about the new life that You have given
me. Begin the work of making me into the
person You want me to be. Amen!
Manifold Wisdom
of God Study Charts:
God's
Orchestrated Plan of Love for Mankind
The Redemptive Revelation of God
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
The Sevenfold Spirit of God
The Most Holy, Thy Habitation
The Royal Priesthood
The Ezekiel Wheel
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