Bible Study & Devotional 267
Guiding Scripture: Ephesians 3:17, ‘so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,’
Be Deeply Rooted
written by: Torrie Slaughter
Opinions. They have a way of dividing and often conquering the intended outcome. Some hold tightly to their preferences, while others just want to give up. And then there are those in the middle who pray for resolution, the peace-makers.
Opposition
The Word tells us that division will come because of disagreements about Christ (Luke 12:49-53). People will need to decide whether they believe in who Jesus claims to be. And as Paul declares to the Christ-followers in Ephesus, uniting Jews and Gentiles into one family is a priority. However, Paul doesn’t just leave it at his words. He lets the Ephesians know that he is praying for them and his role pertaining to the Gospel (Ephesians 1-7;4-19).
Verified Source
In Ephesians 3:17, Paul points to Christ as a well-established root in the Kingdom of God. He wants the readers to understand the mysterious depth of love God has for His people. While Paul conveys this message of passion Jesus has, he invites us to partake in the productive method of surrender. Even while Paul is in prison, he does not want the readers to fret because he has faith that the message of Christ will richly dwell in their hearts (Ephesians 3:13).
Prayer
Paul also knew the effects of prayer and how it changes the response to the principalities at work. Intercession on behalf of their hearts needed the full cooperation of God, and we learn this as well. To have a settled down, profoundly rooted faith, our source must be in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray as Paul and hope that Jesus will make His permanent home in your hearts.
As you read Ephesians 3 and the assigned passages for today, please don’t miss the declaration of God’s love. Faith, prayer, and the redemptive restoration we receive make it possible to press forward. I don’t know your circumstances, but I can reassure you that God loves you and sees you.
What is God’s love according to Ephesians 3?
God’s Love IS:
- Working within us- Ephesians 3:16-17
- Wide. Deep. Long. –Ephesians 3:18
- Surpassing Human Knowledge- Ephesians 3:19
- Complete and Endures Forever- Ephesians 3:20-21
This devotional was written by Torrie Slaughter, the founder of, Our Given Purpose®.
The Bible In A Year Daily Reading Plan
Isaiah 43:14-45:10, Ephesians 3:1-21, Psalm 68:1-18, Proverbs 24:1-2
Download or Print the One Year Bible Reading Plan
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Torrie is a media ministry consultant who works with churches and faith driven organizations to build their ministry team. She is the Blueprint Specialist uncovering root problems to construct solutions. Want to hear more? Tune in and listen to A Daily Purpose Bible Study & Devotional a podcast by Our Given Purpose and on Fridays to Talking on Purpose with Torrie the Podcast. Torrie also hosts a YouTube channel of the same name.
