Discover Together Ephesians: Sit and Pray, Eph. 1:15-23

God asks us to live in a constant attitude of prayer. We are to include God in our inner conversations of our hearts and minds all day long, Edwards says.

You might want to think of your own prayer life. Do you have that constant attitude of prayer? If not, how can you cultivate it?

Paul's first prayer in this epistle is in our reading today (Eph. 1:17-19). Look over his prayer and consider what he prays would be true of the Ephesians. Compare that to your own experience and to how you pray for others. Sometimes reading the prayers of Paul, and other Bible characters, helps us put our own prayer life in perspective.

Another aspect of this passage Edwards highlights in her video is the power we have for daily living (Eph. 119). It is incomparably great. It is so great that Paul uses four different Greek terms to describe it, terms related to dynamite, energy, mighty, and strong. This power was great enough to raise Christ from the dead. It is the kind of power we can see in our own life – power to overcome, to persevere, to love.

How do we access that power? By knowing God (Eph. 1:17b). The Greek word Paul uses for “know” means a “close” knowing. We have to know God through experience. And that brings us back to sitting in His presence and to prayer. We rest in Him, talk to Him and listen to Him all during the day.

Watch the lesson 2 video by Sue Edwards here.

You find out more about the study series at www.discovertogetherseries.com and see the video clips at www.discoveryseries.net. You can follow the discussion on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DiscoverTogetherSeries.

My comments on the Introduction and Lesson One.

Sue Edwards is an associate professor of Christian education at Dallas Theological Seminary. She brings over thirty years of experience to the classroom as a Bible teacher, curriculum writer, and overseer of several women's ministries. She is the author or co-author of several books. She has a D.Min. From Gordon-Conwell theological Seminary and a master's in Bible from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her husband have been married for forty years, have two married daughters and five grandchildren.

Kregel Publications, 127 pages. See the publisher's product page for more information about the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Open Book Promotion for the purpose of blogging this study.