Paul, a devout Jew, was soundly converted to be God’s messenger of grace. The Lord used him to reveal His mystery. Ephesians 3:10 says, “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the  church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”

There is more. Verse 11 says, “According to the  eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. Until it was time for the church to be birthed, the mystery remained hidden.

When I think of God’s manifold wisdom, I picture a kaleidoscope. One slight turn and the whole scene changes. Every trial that we go through is part of His manifold wisdom ~ displaying His church before our defeated enemy! Verse 12 says, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”

God hid His eternal purpose in Himself. That is just so delightful. Ephesians 3:9 says, “…the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God…” 1 Corinthians 2:8 says, “Which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Crucifying Jesus was part of God’s eternal purpose. Through His death, burial, and resurrection we have the gospel message.  Read these two verses carefully and then shout hallelujah! 

Ephesians 1:9-10 says, “Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”

James 3:18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” It is a spiritual blessing that is imparted when we ask.

James 1:5 says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it. He will give it to us liberally. Proverbs 2:7 gives us a qualifier. It says, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright…” The fear of the Lord is reverential trust, and the beginning of wisdom. How do we walk upright? We shun compromise.

Intimate communion sets the stage for impartation. Psalm 25:14 Amplified says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.”

I have been meditating on Ephesians 1. This chapter is so full of delightful truths. I camped on verse 3 for several days. Anything that we have from the Lord is supernatural. It cannot be produced by man. Neither can the fruit of the Spirit. It is bestowed, gifted, or imparted by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

John 15:16 says that He chose us. There was nothing on our part. Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us before He ever laid the foundation for the world. We are predestined ~ chosen and appointed beforehand. 

We are made in His image for relationship. At salvation we are made holy and without blame. According to the good pleasure of His will, according to the riches of His grace, according to His purpose, according to the counsel of His will, and according to the working of His resurrection power.

Grace is God’s provision for every aspect of our lives. Ephesians 1:8 in the Amplified says of His grace, “Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence).”

It starts with His choosing us. Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us before the foundation of the world. Verse 5-6 says, “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

Chosen. Adopted. Accepted. Redeemed. John 1:16 Amplified says, “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received (all had a share and we were all supplied with) one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift (heaped) upon gift.” I read this verse like a domino effect.

I was reading Psalm 99. In verse 6 Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were mentioned. Verse 8 says, “You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds.”

Psalm 130:3-4 says, “If You Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who can stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Jesus’ death brought forgiveness of our past, present, and future sins. When He cried out, ‘It is finished!’ it meant that the full payment for our sins was complete. Yet, the consequences for our sins were not wiped out. What do we do with them? They are trials we must endure, because they are purifiers of our faith. 1 Peter 1:7.

Romans 12:16 Amplified says, “Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to (people, things) and give  yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.”

The  NKJV says, “…associate with the humble…” Humble folks walk in grace ~ grace dwellers. Practically it looks like 2 Corinthians 9:8. It says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward  you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” Though the context is finances, we can make personal applications ~ living with companions in grace.

Psalm 131:1 were David’s words we can implement. It says, “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me.” Trying to figure out things that we have no control over ~ mental gymnastics.

Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for good. When a new trial stops us in our tracks, do we balk or embrace it? If we balk, then we have a hidden lie that controls our life.

When the newly created butterfly emerges from the cocoon, it is really weak. Its body is swollen because it is full of liquid. In order for it to fly it has to go through a tremendous struggle.

When we begin our process of renewing our mind from an erroneous belief, there will be a struggle. In that struggle we will be ‘proved’ or tested so that the dross from the lie surfaces. The dross is discerned as we implant His word. It reveals it and crowds it out so that it has to come out of hiding. We then acknowledge the lie and renounce or disown it. The implanted word rushes in to fill that space. Our behavior changes because our belief system has become new.

Transformation through mind renewal is a divine exchange. Think of the caterpillar who spins the cocoon. Inside that dark night of the soul it melts. The butterfly is formed from that liquid. 

1 Peter 1:15 says to be holy in all our conduct. Verse 17 says, “…conduct yourself throughout your stay here in fear.” Amplified says holy reverence. When our behavior does not exemplify the Lord, we need to renew our mind in that area of behavior. Our belief system is faulty. 

What we do behind closed doors, when no one is watching, reveals our character. Are we the same visually as we are when hidden? 1 John 2:6 says, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Do your actions agree with what you say you believe? Inner transformation melts the old so the new can emerge.