EPHESIANS ~ Chapter 3/Thursday Bible Study

 

In this Chapter, Apostle Paul is explaining why he is in prison … and why persecution for the preaching of the Gospel is to be expected and a cause for joy.

 

Instead of running to the government of this world to stave off persecutions, Christians need to read Ephesians 3, for a clear understanding of the cost of Christianity.

 

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Ephesians ~ Chapter 3/Thursday Bible Study

A Believer to Be a Steward of Elohim’s Grace

“And why am I prisoner? It is because I am for *Yeshua Ha’Mashiach; it is because of my work for you **Gentiles. I assume that you have heard that ***Elohim appointed me to be a steward (agent, guardian, custodian) of His grace (kindness, mercy, favor, benevolence/generosity, blessing, good will) intended for you. You know, too, how He made known His mystery (secret, complexity) to me by a direct revelation (disclosure, eye-opener), about which I wrote a brief account once before. By reading that, you will be able to understand my insight into this mystery of Christ. It was not disclosed to the sons of men in other generations as fully as it has now been to His holy apostles and prophets by the ****Ruach HaKo’desh. That mystery is this – that through Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, the Gentiles are joint-heirs (meaning co-heir; a person who inherits jointly with another heir) with the Jews, and are members of the same Body (group, society, essence, majority), and share the promise with them. (vs. 1 – 6)

The Church (Body of Believers in Christ) to Preach the Gospel to All Mankind

I was made a minister (preacher, monk, holy person) of this Gospel, according to the grace Elohim gave me and by the exercise of His power. To me, least of all the saints, this favor (gift, permission, pleasure, good turn, approval) was given, namely, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable (deep, profound, bottomless, vast) riches (resources, treasures, assets, possessions) of Christ, and to make all mankind understand the meaning of this secret, which *****Elohei Ha’Elohim, the Creator of all things, kept hidden for ages. Through the Church the supreme (highest, ultimate, absolute, extreme, matchless, unmatched, dominant) wisdom (understanding, insight, discernment) of Elohim must now be made known even to the angelic powers of Heaven. Such was His eternal purpose, fulfilled in Christ Yeshua our Lord. And because we are in union (cooperation, agreement, treaty, relationship, partnership, bond, wedlock) with Him and believe in Him, we have access to Elohei Ha’Elohim in boldness and confidence. Do not, then, lose courage because of my sufferings on your behalf, for it all does you honor (value, respect, approve, dignity, credit, badge). (vs. 7 – 13)

Paul’s Intercessory Prayer for the Church

So, I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord (Peer of the realm, Master) Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. It is from Him that every family in Heaven and on earth takes its name. So I ask Him, then, that from His wealth (abundance, large quality) of glory (splendor, greatness, grandness) He will give you His Spirit to strengthen you with power within your heart. I ask also that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith, and that your roots may be deep and your foundations strong, because of love. And that you and all your fellow-Christians may receive power to grasp (hold onto, comprehend, awareness, sense, take in) the dimensions (extents, aspects, elements, factors) and to understand Christ’s love, which is really beyond human understanding, so that you may be filled with the fullness (flavor, detail, abundance) of Elohim. He who exerts (uses, applies, wields, utilizes) His power within us is able to do in full measure far more than all that we ask for- or can think of. May He be glorified in the Church, through Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, to all generations, forever (continual, endless, constant, always, at all times, indefinitely, no sign of stopping) and ever! Amen.” (vs. 14 – 21)

*Yeshua Ha’Mashiach: is Hebrew for “Jesus the Messiah”; the name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua.

Christ (from the Hebrew word, Ha’Mashiach ישוע המשיח & the Greek word, Christos/khris-tos) = The Anointed, Yeshua the Messiah, in both languages.

**Gentiles = people who are not Jewish.

***Elohim (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים, romanized: ʾĚlōhīm: [(eloˈ(h)im]) is a Hebrew word meaning "Gods – Father, Son, & Holy Spirit". Although the word is plural in form, in the Hebrew Bible it usually refers to a single deity “Behold, the Lord – the Lord is One”, particularly the at God of Israel.

****Ruach HaKo’desh: In Hebrew, the Holy Spirit (רוח הקודש, Roo-ahk hah-Koh-desh) refers to the divine force, quality, and influence (aka, power) of God.

The Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16 & 11:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 1:13 & 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:8; Titus 3:5; and Jude 1:20), is referred to more than 90 times in the Brit Chadashah.

*****Elohei Ha’Elohim (Hebrew word: אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים)) = God of gods; above all gods.

**Ephesians 2: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/09/ephesians-chapter-2thursday-bible-study.html

SEEING RED - In A Good Way 😊

Fall comes around every year … and so does Fall prep. This Fall, the front porch steps needed attention; they were painted in the Spring of 2019, but foot traffic has scarred them and that needed to be tended.

I’ve been procrastinating with the task.

I don’t like people watching me – but here, at Heron Pointe, where houses are literally within a stone’s throw from each other there’s no way to avoid someone watching every move you make. It’s unnerving.

This morning I had to ignore the busybodies and just “get to it!”

So, I gave myself a few pep talks while I drank my morning coffee … then I got the leftover paint from the shed and got busy.

I also wanted to overwinter the garden hose in the shed, so I would need the wheel barrow (the hose basket is bulky to heft and carry); so, I loaded the wheelbarrow with the paint can, a broom (to sweep the steps clean), and a heavy-duty hammer maul … then I moved the geranium bins so I could get through the breezeway with the wheelbarrow.

Overwintering bins for my geranium collection.

I had noticed the other day while lifting the geranium pots from the porch steps, that the top step board looked like it was starting to pull away, so I thought I’d hammer it back onto place before I started painting.

Poor craftmanship - I never noticed this before today.

That was not as easy as assumed it would be! I struck with force several times (I have mentioned in several posts that I am not a gentle person) – but the hammer just bounced back; and the spent energy was useless ☹ The board was not budging.

The hammer just bounced off - the board never moved at all.

So, I placed the hammer back in the wheelbarrow … opened the paint can, stirred the paint, and got busy. Whoever was peeking out their window to see what the widow was up to, had a pretty good view of my jean-clad-ass-end for a half hour.

Just paint touch-ups today, so rot doesn't set in.

Much better.

The steps weren’t the only things that needed refreshing: while the steps dried, I switched out the Summer-themed porch decors to Fall updates – and I trashed the owl rug. It no longer {fits}.

This porch rug was tossed ... it no longer fits my life.

Harvest Wreath & Harvest Welcome sign; front porch.

Scarecrow Rug; moved to the carport porch.

And the coho bench will be sold. The bench no longer {fits} either: I bought the bench for Bob … and Bob is no longer here. I have been sitting on it, but in all honesty, it is just taking up space; and I am not comfortable having it around. I know that sounds silly, but that’s the long and short of the situation. So, it has got to go. I am pretty confident that it will quickly find new home, to be appreciated by a new family.

The bench represents Bob, and as much as Bob is still very much part of my life – he is not here, he will never be here again, and I have got to move on with my life. The bench will be replaced with something that fits my personality: something new for a New Life.

It has taken a loooong time for me to come to this point; I am “moving forward” in ways that make sense to me.

FALL CHANGED IT ALL

It was the Fall of 1966. Specifically, the September of 1966.

Fall was in the air, and Cupid was everywhere, being kept very busy by the students in both schools.

The High Schooler’s would walk down to the Elementary Grade School cafeteria for lunch; they would walk down after the younger students had finished their lunches. I was standing by the corner of the building, watching some of the Middle School kids playing tennis … AND THEN … Bob walked past me.

Bob’s Graduation Picture; 1967.

ALL of my attention was snagged by his presence. He was pure masculinity, and delicious eye candy: my heart whispered, “He’s the one.” The entire school year, I took up residence at the corner of the school building, just to watch him walk past me in the noontime hour. I was a skinny little thing – not noteworthy at all, and Cupid’s dart with my Name on it never struck the heart of the Love of My Life. 1966 eventually morphed into 1967 with the New year, and HE (aka, The Face) graduated. He never walked past that school corner again ☹

I did date before Bob, but none of the other fellas ever touched my heart the way HE did; two came close … but my heart would always whisper, “They are not him. He is the One”. Those poor guys never knew they were being pitted against a face without a Name. LOL

I had grown up quite a bit between 1966 and 1974: I wasn’t a little skinny waif, anymore. And by an ironic twist of fate, I met HIM again 7 years later – and this time, he DID notice me 😊 Joy and jubilation!

We dated exclusively, every night after Bob got off work as well as weekends; my parents and siblings never saw me unless it was a dashing blur as I changed clothing. By the end of August, we were married; we shared 44 Autumn’s together, before the last Autumn of 2018 began his journey Home Beyond the Clouds.

Wedding Pic; August 27th, 1974.

Riverside Park in Lexington; the last place Bob ever walked this side of Heaven. We had been walking here for decades – September 2018.

My nose still burns, and my eyes tear up, when Autumn rolls around … but, I’m getting better at dealing with this time of year. I’ve aways enjoyed Fall and Winter, and I’m starting to enjoy those seasons again. They are strange to experience without Bob, but in a way, I AM still experiencing them WITH Bob: Bob will always be a part of me. As long as I breathe, the memory of Bob will always be a vital part of me; everything I think, feel, say, contemplate, and enjoy – is immediately infused with a memory I shared with Bob. It can’t be helped. That’s just the way it is. From the first moment Bob came into my life, he WAS the main focus of my life; it was an instantaneous, living thing: I loved him, I loved him, I loved him.

And death has not killed it. I loved him then. I love him now.

But I am beginning to embrace a New Life, and the realities of a life without Bob in it. That is what Bob wanted – and expected of me. I’m sure he is smiling and nodding his head in approval, with these new steps I’m taking forward. They are awkward but painstakingly necessary. They are scary, yet exciting. They dovetail the Past and the Present, making space for a Future.

And I am learning to love Fall and Winter all over again, too.

ATTITUDE OF POSITIVE EXPECATION

The months are getting longer, but the days are getting shorter.

The shorter days are getting cooler.

Fall is arriving – tomorrow is actually the First Day of Fall.

So, this morning while drinking my morning coffee, I ran a list of things through my thoughts that have to get done before frost arrives; last year Jack Frost came early, and I’m hoping to outwit him this year 😉

It’s a tight-rope walk. The nights are definitely cooling down – but the afternoons are still quite warm (mid-70’s to upper 80’s). So, while drinking my coffee and contemplating what needs doing, I decided to wash the spotty dust off the car: surprise rainfall at surprising locales on my drives had pitted the dusty residue (from dusty gravel driveways) on the Highlander. It needed washing. I may be able to get another washing in … but if sneaky Jack decides to repeat what he did last year, at least the car got washed today; before frosty weather makes it dangerous to do so until warmer Spring days.

After that task was completed, I hauled the garbage bins back from the pick-up curb. I also took the pruning shears out of the shed and gave the decorative maple tree out front a trim; new-growth-limb suckers were looking unattractive – and overhanging limbs were seriously overstretching the curbside. All that needed to be cut back. I took out some dead limbs, too: and ended up promptly filling the emptied garbage bin half full, again. Oh well …

Then, I gathered all my potted geraniums off the front porch and trimmed those back so they fit nicely into their overwintering bins placed in the carport breezeway. I transplanted the trimmings and set them in a livingroom window, so I have ‘spares’ if some of my potted plants die (some do, no matter how safely they are stored); some of the original red flowering stock is 29 years old; the fancier strains are somewhere around 10 years old: nothing lasts forever – eventually things need to be replaced with younger stuff 😉

After placing the transplants in the window bin, I noticed that one of my cactuses have blossomed! It’s early, but it’s nice to see 😊

Geranium transplants.

Early-blossoming White Christmas Cactus.

Tonight, is the night I drive across the boundary line, and spend time with my Kelso friends – I was pushing it timewise: I had just enough time to wash the dirt out from under my fingernails (the polish was ruined, and no time to fix that), and wash/dry my hair, before I had to rush out of the house and across town.

I like spending time with these new friends … and there’s space for them in my life because I am currently rearranging some things in my life. And that’s okay. Life is always changing course, and we have to go with the flow: things change, people change – life goes on.

Different Depths of Love Post:

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/09/different-depths-of-love.html)

It was a busy day today.

It was a day rife with an attitude of positive expectations.

It was a day of satisfied accomplishment, and self-encouragement, that feeds hope for this new life of mine.

DEMONRAT ELITIST HYPOCRISY

Yesterday, I heard on the Highlander’s radio (it sounded like carly simon was speaking – or rather, complaining) about the “injustice of losing our peace, here.”

Welcome to reality, princess your music is great; your politics stink.

From what I could make out … the elitists demonrats, communists, socialists, and other forms of deadhead morons do not like – at all – the policies, practices, and {laws} they insist the rest of us live by.

My opinion on the matter? Let the people of Martha’s Vineyard (you know: the rich and privileged, as well as the clintons, the obamas, the pelosi’s, the bidens, ect.) experience real life firsthand … the life they insist we all must conform to and live to be considered “compassionate, kind, gentle people”.

‘Crisis’ on Martha’s Vineyard doesn’t hold a candle to what’s coming: https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/3653858-crisis-on-marthas-vineyard-doesnt-hold-a-candle-to-whats-coming/ 

They get no sympathies from me – they wanted this influx; let them learn how to deal with their wishes and demands they forced on the rest of America.

Elitist Crybabies: https://www.masslive.com/politics/2022/09/federal-lawsuit-filed-against-florida-governor-alleges-sending-migrants-to-marthas-vineyard-was-fraudulent-and-illegal-scheme.html

DISASTROUS ELITIST {SOLUTIONS}

The elitist {solutions} really make my temper rise – it’s always a situation being forced on society that they themselves would not tolerate.

So, here’s my solution:

How about locating the homeless camp and vagabond trailer inhabitants in the parking lot of City Hall ... and in the Mayor's back yard? That sounds like a {reasonable} solution.

That way, the local keystone cops can monitor them – and the deadbeat demonrat “leadership” can personally identify with The People; as they always claim to do.

If the foolishness below is actually passed into law, I WILL NOT be taking my business downtown. If I wanted to experience a walk through violent and mindless junkies, diseased prostitutes, and hordes of mental cases that have been turned out of institutions and left to wander aimlessly on the streets … I’d move to Portland, Seattle, L.A., New York – or across the Pond, to Amsterdam, Sweden, France, or London.

The elitist-mentality “solution” to an issue they created IS NOT OKAY!

Three years ago, the city council tried to establish a tent city homeless camp in Willow Grove; MY backyard. That was shouted down, and so then the city council started demanding large tracts of private land be opened up for “Development” of low-income apartment buildings and trailer courts along the west-end of Ocean beach Highway: again, MY backyard. No one bothered to ask me if I wanted to live next door to prison parolees, no-jail-term druggies, violent pimps and diseased prostitutes, or the violent and aimless wandering mental cases that roam Washington State since the mental institutions were closed and shuttered. I DO NOT. And if the governor of this state … the mayors of this state … and local leadership does not have to, then neither do I.

There are Shelters for the homeless: the people in homeless camps do not want to adhere to the simple rules of those shelters – what makes the asinine state {leadership} morons think they will adhere to societal rules, when it is blatantly clear they already do not.

Catch-and-release nonsensical arrests to junkies is the height of nonsense; and does nothing to make life “easier” for anyone. Drugs kill. And so do junkies when desperate enough – putting them back on the street only increases the threat of danger to ALL of society.

The skin trade has always been present in society … but it has not always been front and center, except in the lowest levels of cities – has ALL of America become that low, since the 2009 obama coup (now continuing via biden)?

People with serious mental issues should be cared for by professionals trained to deal with the issues, instead of being left to aimless wander the streets putting themselves – and others – at risk.

The elitist-mentality of demonrat political “solutions” to societal issues they created, IS NOT OKAY!

While I applaud the governors of Texas and Florida for their bold moves in forcing accountability from the DC deadheads, and their local governing counterparts … I am angry that I am forced to accept the deterioration of MY State because insleeze insists on making Washington State a ‘sanctuary state”. I was not asked how I feel about his decision: he just rammed it through to fit his warped political agenda.

On the West Coast, we are literally watching civilization crumble, as the political nonsense escalates.

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Tomorrow the Longview City Council is proposing to move half of the Alabama homeless camp to the parking lot directly behind MiLL CiTY GRiLL. This is the lot that you all park in to support our business and other downtown businesses. This is the lot our staff parks in and walks through after dark. This lot is in a business district.

The City Council is also proposing to turn the 1140 Commerce lot into homeless parking lot for sleeping in vehicles and trailers. This lot is in between many reputable businesses. This lot is in a business district.

Recently The City Council voted in agreement to limit nonprofit and social service providing through zoning. This entire area is a zone for conducting business, for profit, for commerce.

Our downtowners have worked diligently over the last ten years to revitalize our beloved downtown. If this is voted through it will sabotage our efforts and damage the reputation that we have been successfully repairing.

WILD THINGS

I had planned on spending time with friends at Oak Point this afternoon, but as I was finishing up my makeup, I got a phone call – David was driving to the Beach to pick up a fish order and was wondering if I’d like to join him: (((YES!))) and thank you 😊

D: “Hey, what’cha doing?”

Me: “Getting ready to drive out to Oak Point; why?”

D: “Is that something you can change? I have to drive to the beach, and I could use some company; wanna come along?”

M: “Sure … I could do that – a drive to the beach sounds fine.”

D: “Okay; see you in a few minutes.”

I had been hoping to get to the beach before the weather turns, and this call was a golden opportunity. I had time to get my hair done before the doorbell rang.

Pink & glittery, from head to toe.

My new friends out at Oak Point would just have to understand when I explain about today’s no-show.

When David picked me up, he jokingly teased, “Aren’t you ever home?” And I replied with a smile, “Not if I can help it” (I have every day of the week booked with out-of-house activities) 😊

I asked him to drop by Pam’s house so I could give her the salad greens she would be making supper salad with – I was supposed to go out there around 1’noon to visit and stay for a fried chicken supper with her and her family, but since I didn’t think I’d be back from the Beach by 1 PM, I needed to tell her that. David drove out there, and Pam understood.

Ilwaco from Longview; 1 hr 21 min (66.2 mi) via US-30 W

Fish Wholesaler at Ilwaco Landing.

I had no idea tuna were big, fat, fish!

I was curious about the long, skinny fin ... so I went online at home to see what it looks like when it's not frozen solid.

Underwater Tuna:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-R-wXScoA0)

We did the loop drive (going in the back way, and coming back home driving the scenic highway way) past houses, side roads, restaurants, ect. … we did mental kickbacks, and shared our separate memories about spending time at each place; these are milestones in our lives – the crazy wild time of youthful teen years spent at the Beach, and in all the little hamlet towns in between: people we knew lived in the houses/grew up in those houses, and got married in those houses – and we played ‘remember’? Stopping for a sandwich in Longbeach, David pointed to a building across the street with fancy-stained glass windows, and said, ‘That used to be a pretty nice restaurant; now it’s a Hotel’. When we drove past Doug and Steve’s Grandma’s old house in Graysriver, I asked David if he ever sees anyone from our old crowd, he said, ‘I saw so and so recently, and my son works with them now’: I told him that ‘Bob’s niece’s ex-boyfriend’s father is married to so and so … so, in a half-assed way, Bob’s sister and her daughter is kinda-sorta related to so and so’. Leaving Graysriver, we reminisced about his Aunt Susie’s property on Fossil Creek Road – I remembered David married his first wife, Marla (my best friend as long as she walked this Earth; our kid’s grew up together – and later when she had her second son, my granddaughter spent time with him when she came to visit. I miss her ☹), in his Aunt’s house (Bob and I went to the wedding); David told me about all the summer’s he would spend there while growing up. He said that Graysriver is his happy place – it holds a lot of good memories for him; and I told him that I feel the same way (I make the drive from here to there every week, as long as weather permits and the KM is not sliding).

We got back to Longview a little past 1 PM, so I could still drive out to Pam’s and enjoy time spent in the country with good friends 😊

David and Pam & Frank are friends from my youth and teen years. They were quick to circle the wagons around me after Bob’s graduation to heaven: and they stuck. Spending time with either (today, I got both!) is a blessing. I’m glad Elohim made time for both today.

And I got to experience a bit of wild life during the beach trip (frozen tuna and youthful memories), and again, out Cold Creek after Supper 😉

While chatting on the patio with Pam and the guys, a doe and her yearling fawn dropped in for a quick bite, too 😊

Mama doe and this year's youth, keeping the grass trimmed.

Always lending an ear to perceiving danger.

And, while watering my thirsty outside plants after I got home … I spotted my furry friend, trying to blend in with the neighbor’s sideline fence.

Another visit by my furry friend; home.

Rabbit! Post:

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022_08_11_archive.html)

Today was a good day 😊