When you pray, what do you find yourself asking God for most often?

For many of us, that is an easy answer. Current life circumstances dominate our conversation with God:

• Health issues. 
• Relational difficulties. 
• Stressors at work or at home. 

While these are important (and valid) issues to bring to our Heavenly Father, we must pay attention to the fact that the Apostle Paul’s prayers in scripture often had a different emphasis. On Sunday we will examine one of his prayers for the Ephesian church. As we do so, we’ll see that Paul is most concerned with the Ephesians’ deepening heart-level knowledge of God, which comes through the Holy Spirit’s illumination.  

Ask yourself today: how much time do I spend asking for God to reveal himself to me (and others) compared to the amount of time I spend asking for my (or others’) life circumstances to change? 

As we let God’s Word shape our prayers, what we ask for will broaden, and our requests will increasingly reflect God’s heart. As you prepare for Sunday, spend a few minutes praying using Ephesians 1:15-23 as your guide. 

See you soon,

Pastor Eric