Ephesians 1:15

Ephesians 1:15 says, Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,  Paul told the church at Ephesus that he had heard of their faith in Christ.  As stated before, news did not travel that fast in Paul's day, but news of their faith had reached Paul.  He said that he had not only heard of their faith in Christ, but also of their love for all saints, or Christians.  We need the same testimony to be ours today, and that is that through Christ we love all people, and especially that we love all fellow believers.  Verse sixteen adds, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;  Paul said that he gave thanks to God for their faithful obedience to God and that he prayed for them.  I believe that when Paul said he made mention of them in his prayers that it meant more than just saying their name, but that he sincerely lifted them up to God that He might strengthen them.  We should be thankful for all fellow Christians and sincerely pray for them.  Verse seventeen continues, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus would grow in their knowledge of God.  They could only do this as they looked to God to increase their knowledge of Him.  The Holy Spirit will lead us to a better understanding of what we should be as followers of Christ if we allow Him to.  Verse eighteen states, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  This is just a further expansion of what was said in verse seventeen.  We will see life in the hope of God's calling with the riches of the glory of the inheritance that God will give us.  This is not a promise of the temporary riches of the world, but of the everlasting riches heaven.  Verse nineteen adds, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  I believe that Paul was saying that even as the Holy Spirit leads us to a better understanding of God that we still fail to understand the greatness of God's riches and power.  Verse twenty continues, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  Paul tells us that God revealed His power and greatness through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  What the world viewed as a defeat of Christ really only led to His victory over sin and death, not only for Himself but for all who put their faith in salvation through Him.  Verse twenty-one says, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  Paul tells us that the power of Christ is not only greater than any power of this life, but His power is greater than any in the world to come.  We belong to and are protected by God forever if we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-two adds, And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head overall things to the church,  Paul tells us that everything is placed under the feet of Christ, or ultimately under His redemptive power.  This is especially true of the church, of which Christ is the head.  If we allow any person to become the source of authority in the church, other than Christ Himself being the authority, then something is wrong.  Verse twenty-three continues, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.  Paul was still referring to the church, with Christ as the head and the believers as the body.  We, as the church or the followers of Christ, are to always be under the leadership of God through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.