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Ephesians 3:7-10 – “…I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; 10 so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” (NASB)

The Apostle Paul reminds us that as Christians we are not self-appointed servants of the king. We have been called by God and the gift of His grace makes us diakonos, from which we get the word deacon, servant. When God calls us into His service, He also empowers us for it. Paul’s ministry, like our ministry, will fail without divine enablement. To take up the ministry of Christ without His Spiritual power is miserable and generally ineffective. The Apostle Paul had a great resume’ revealing a person of great competence but it was the power of Jesus Christ at work in him and through him that made his ministry for Christ so effective. In and of himself, he was unknowingly doing great damage to the cause of Christ. With Christ, Paul accomplished more than he would have ever imagined.

God wants all people to be enlightened to the riches of Christ through us. The only way that will happen is if we are continually approaching our days in dependence on Christ and one another. The wisdom of God is revealed to heavenly beings through the church’s diversity of gifts working in unison, out of love, for one another, and all people.

Do you recognize what God has made you to be by His grace and the working of His power? When you do, you’ll enlighten people around you to His riches and His wisdom.

Prayer