The Eyes of Your Heart

In one paragraph

Becca Block walked the women of First B through Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul's prayer for the believers at Ephesus. She built on the previous week's teaching about what God has done for us, turning now to what Paul wanted those believers to actually experience and understand. The whole message pressed on one question: do we know God, or do we only know about Him? Becca opened by noting that Paul says...

Read together

1. Ephesians 1:15-23 the main text read aloud and expounded throughout the sermon
2. 2 Timothy 3:16 quoted to establish that Paul's prayer, as scripture, was inspired by God
3. Philippians 3:7-10 quoted to show that knowing Christ was Paul's consuming passion
4. Colossians 1:10 quoted as a parallel prayer for believers to increase in the knowledge of God
5. John 7:37-38 quoted to illustrate the invitation to keep coming to Christ and drinking
6. 1 Corinthians 13:12 quoted to contrast our partial knowledge of God now with the full knowledge to come
7. Psalm 19:1-4 quoted to show that creation declares God's glory every day
8. Matthew 13:15 quoted to explain why people fail to see God's glory despite it being visible
9. Romans 1:18-25 quoted to describe people who suppress the truth of God seen in creation and whose hearts are darkened
10. Psalm 95:7-11 quoted as a warning not to harden hearts as the Israelites did despite seeing God's works
11. Numbers 14:24 quoted about Caleb having a different spirit and following God fully into the promised land
12. Proverbs 10:28 quoted contrasting the hope of the righteous with the perishing expectation of the wicked
13. Proverbs 11:7 quoted to show that the hope of the wicked perishes at death
14. John 17:24 quoted as Jesus praying that believers would be with Him and see His glory
15. Psalm 73:26 quoted to express that God is both our strength and our portion forever
16. 2 Peter 1:2-4 quoted to show that God's divine power grants everything needed for life and godliness
17. Ephesians 2:6 quoted to show believers are raised and seated with Christ in the heavenly places
18. Romans 11:36 quoted to affirm that all things are from, through, and to God, to His glory forever

Talk about it

1. Paul described constant prayer as something habitual and disciplined rather than sporadic. What would it look like practically for you to build prayer into your daily life the way you build in eating or sleeping?
2. Becca shared that her time in the Muslim world made it more precious to her that God actually wants to be known by us personally. Has anything in your own experience made that truth feel more real or more surprising to you?
3. C. S. Lewis described three responses people have to the deep longing nothing in this world can satisfy: chasing the next thing, suppressing the longing, or placing hope in heaven. Which of those three do you find yourself most naturally drifting toward, and why?
4. The story of the Israelites who had seen God part the Red Sea and yet hardened their hearts in the desert was held up as a warning. What do you think helps a person stay soft-hearted and keep remembering what God has done, rather than drifting the way that generation did?
5. Becca asked whether we are living like we are seated with Christ above all power, or whether we are still being defeated by sin as though we have no access to that power. How would you honestly answer that question for yourself right now?