Paul addressed his Ephesian epistle, “To the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” The people addressed were in Ephesus, and they were likewise in Christ. What did it mean to be in Ephesus? Ephesus was one of the great centers of paganism. It was adorned with costly and magnificent temples. It was rich and voluptuous. Both private and public life were utterly corrupt. Even the religious practices of the Ephesians were unspeakably vile. This city was a moral bog, a sink of pollution, filled with all corruption and reeking vileness. It was a second Sodom. Vice stalked abroad everywhere and was honored and worshiped.
We might therefore well say, “Can any good thing come out of Ephesus? Can Christianity flourish in such surroundings?” But there were saints in Ephesus and faithful ones, too. They were such, in their lives and characters, as to win the commendation of that great apostle to the Gentiles. Out of that obnoxious mud of iniquity were growing the pure and white lilies of Christian character. That is the glory of Christianity and of Christ. Those who were now Christians were not superior to the other Ephesians; they were not by nature different. In fact Paul tells them that they had been the children of wrath even as others, and that they had been such by nature. What a triumph of divine grace that raised these people up out of such unspeakable filth and made them faithful saints! And yet that is the power of our great Christ.
Heart Talks by: C. W. Naylor
Link for book in bio.
Again he says, “Nor height, nor depth.” It matters not, if God is in heaven, high above us. It matters not, if He is so great, so majestic, so powerful. His height above us shall not prevent His love from reaching us and holding us up. “Nor depth.” It matters not to what depth we sink, whether it be depths of discouragement or depths of fear or depths in the feeling of our own helplessness. It matters not if God is very high, and we are very low; if He is very great, and we are very small; our depth shall not separate us from His height. His love will bridge the gulf.
Oh soul, trust in that love. Rely upon it. It will never fail you. It will securely hold you in the gales of life. Tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or perils or storms—none of these things shall be able to separate you from Him. And the apostle continues to say, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Verse 37.) Love will bear us up as with eagles’ wings. It will make smooth the rough paths. It will give strength to the fainting heart. It will preserve us while in the midst of temptation, and even when we have come short of our expectations, when we realize that we have in a measure failed, that love will not cast us off but will hold us safe and secure until the end. Let us look to that love and be confident, and rest in full assurance of faith knowing that... When the storm-winds rage, and the rain falls fast, And the clouds hang low above,
I shall be secure till the storm is past,
For I trust my Savior’s love,
And He knows the way, and He holds my hand, And He will not let it go;
He will lead me home to that better land
Just because He loves me so.
Heart Talks by: C.W. Naylor
https://www.churchofgodeveninglight.com/.../Heart-Talks.pdf
Then he says, “Nor things present.” Oh my brother, sister, do you believe that? Do you believe that the things of this hour, whatever they may be, cannot separate you from the love of God? “Things present.” How many things there are present. How many things there are that press in upon us! How many discouragements there are in life! How many perplexities! How many things that trouble! How many things that would draw us away! Yet, if we keep our trust in God, none of these things will be able to separate us from His love. None of these things will make Him turn His back upon us.
“Nor things to come.” Do you look into the future with dread? Do you see with forebodings the things that appear there? Do you think, “How shall I ever pass through it? How shall I ever overcome?’ Ah, those things that are ahead of you cannot separate you from God’s love. That love is going to securely hold you through them all. That love is going to be your strength and your safeguard, your hope and your all. Cast away your forebodings. Look to God with confidence until the confidence of Paul enters your soul, and you can say with the same assurance that he did, “I am persuaded.”
Heart Talks by C.W. Naylor
https://www.churchofgodeveninglight.com/.../Heart-Talks.pdf
Paul says, “Neither death nor life.” If death should lay his icy fingers upon us, it would be but to usher us into the more immediate presence of that great love. But if we must continue to live on in our earthly circumstances and surroundings, that very life cannot separate us from the love of Christ, for He will love us through it all. Through various changes, through all the trying situations that may face us, that love will hold us fast. Time and change cannot make that love grow cold. Again, he says, “Nor angels.” God is in heaven surrounded by the angels but He wants us to understand that those angels cannot take up so much of His time and attention that He will forget us. Nor can those evil angels, that hate God and hate us, separate between us and His love. Even satan himself, their leader and master, has not power to come between us and the love of God. Ah, soul, do not be afraid. Satan has no knife sharp enough to cut that love. He has no strength to tear its tendrils out of our hearts. He cannot burn those cords that hold us. Even all his legions cannot touch that love, if we trust it and trust ourselves in God’s keeping.
Heart Talks by C. W. Naylor
#devotionals #devotional #dailydevotional #dailydevotions #scriptureoftheday #christiandevotional #morningdevotional #inspiration #bible #freebooks #christian #motivationalquote #inspirationalquote #churchofgod #devo
Link for book in bio.
Paul uses the term “persuaded” in the sense of assurance. When he said that he was persuaded of a thing involving God’s attitude, he meant that he was fully convinced that it was as it was stated to be. He meant that to him it stood out as a reality. It was a thing that he no longer questioned. In Romans 8:3839, he speaks of one of the things of which he was persuaded. He did not seem to feel about it as some feel, and when they read what he says, they realize that they do not feel just as he did. He says, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Some people are all the time worrying lest they should be separated from that love, lest God’s love should be turned into hatred against them. They walk before Him with fear and trembling. They are all the time questioning whether their conduct merits His approval. They are ever fearful lest they might do something that would bring His wrath upon them. Their life is a life of fear and of bondage. Paul had no such fears and no such feelings. He knew that the great heart of God is a heart of love, a heart of tender pity, compassion and sympathy. He knew that God is tender toward His earthly children. Why, even when we were sinners, Christ died for us! And the Father so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son. This love was for rebels. How much greater His affection for His sons! Instead of thinking that he might be easily separated from the love of God, and that he should have to be exceedingly careful lest he should be, Paul cries out, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Verse 35.) By this he means, Who or what shall be able to separate us?
Heart Talks by C. W. Naylor
#devotionals #devotional #dailydevotional #dailydevotions #scriptureoftheday #christiandevotional #morningdevotional #inspiration #freebooks #bible #christian #motivationalquote #inspirationalquote #churchofgod #devo
Link for book in bio.
There is a purpose, a moving purpose, in every life. There is one thing, above all other things, that is the chief purpose of our life. In many cases, that purpose is to please self, to follow out a course of our own choosing. The dominant purpose in the heart of every true follower is the same as it was in the life of Christ–to do the will and work of the Father. He who shrinks from either may hesitate to call himself a true follower. Christ sacrificed all, even His life. A “whithersoever” follower has the same spirit of sacrifice; he will not withhold himself nor that which is his. The early church rejoiced “that they were counted worthy to suffer” for Christ. Let us today look into our own hearts and see if we are animated by the same spirit. That spirit is a very different spirit from that which is seen in those who are offended by a word or a look and who are ready to resent the slightest act that encroaches upon their rights. How empty the claim of many who profess to be real followers! They follow where it pleases them, but as soon as something happens, not to their liking, they are ready to draw back.
Christ had not where to lay His head. We have no record that He ever owned anything save the clothes He wore. A “whithersoever” follower is not ashamed of the poor, and if he himself is poor, he is not ashamed of his poverty. But Christ was not always poor. We read that “he became poor.” He sacrificed that others might be enriched. The same spirit of sacrifice will make us willing to sacrifice what we have for the enrichment of others. If there were more “whithersoevers” among us, we should not hear of ministers’ being kept out of the work through lack of support or a lack of funds to carry on the Lord’s work. Think of a stingy “whithersoever!” Can you imagine such a combination? Yet many professed followers fail in their duty to give to the cause.
Heart Talks by C. W. Naylor
#devotionals #devotional #dailydevotional #dailydevotions #scriptureoftheday #christiandevotional #morningdevotional #inspiration #freebooks #bible #christian #motivationalquote #inspirationalquote #churchofgod #devo
Link for book in bio.
There is a purpose, a moving purpose, in every life. There is one thing, above all other things, that is the chief purpose of our life. In many cases, that purpose is to please self, to follow out a course of our own choosing. The dominant purpose in the heart of every true follower is the same as it was in the life of Christ–to do the will and work of the Father. He who shrinks from either may hesitate to call himself a true follower. Christ sacrificed all, even His life. A “whithersoever” follower has the same spirit of sacrifice; he will not withhold himself nor that which is his. The early church rejoiced “that they were counted worthy to suffer” for Christ. Let us today look into our own hearts and see if we are animated by the same spirit. That spirit is a very different spirit from that which is seen in those who are offended by a word or a look and who are ready to resent the slightest act that encroaches upon their rights. How empty the claim of many who profess to be real followers! They follow where it pleases them, but as soon as something happens, not to their liking, they are ready to draw back.
Christ had not where to lay His head. We have no record that He ever owned anything save the clothes He wore. A “whithersoever” follower is not ashamed of the poor, and if he himself is poor, he is not ashamed of his poverty. But Christ was not always poor. We read that “he became poor.” He sacrificed that others might be enriched. The same spirit of sacrifice will make us willing to sacrifice what we have for the enrichment of others. If there were more “whithersoevers” among us, we should not hear of ministers’ being kept out of the work through lack of support or a lack of funds to carry on the Lord’s work. Think of a stingy “whithersoever!” Can you imagine such a combination? Yet many professed followers fail in their duty to give to the cause.
Heart Talks by C.W.
Link for book in bio.
It is our privilege to share in His glory, His triumph and His exaltation, but if we have a part in these, as true followers, we must also follow Him in His humiliation. Are we willing to follow Him when the multitude laughs and mocks at Him? When His cause is unpopular? When for praise, we have reproaches? When for smiles, we have sneers? Then comes the test whether we will follow Him all the way.
On one occasion, after He had preached, the multitude forsook Him, and only the twelve were steadfast. In these days, many are offended at the Word. Are we willing to accept it all? Are we willing to listen to it all? Are we willing to obey it all? God wants “whithersoever” men and women, who will hear the whole Word, believe the whole Word and obey the whole Word. If we shrink from obedience to any part, we lack just that much of being “whithersoever” disciples. Christ lived a dedicated life; he was dedicated to His Father’s will and accomplished His work; He gave Himself solely to this. He allowed nothing to come between Him and the fulfillment of God’s purpose. With Him, nothing counted except that He should finish His work.
Heart Talks by C. W. Naylor
#devotionals #devotional #dailydevotional #dailydevotions #scriptureoftheday #christiandevotional #morningdevotional #inspiration #freebooks #bible #christian #motivationalquote #inspirationalquote #churchofgod #devo
Link to book in bio.
