Inductive Bible Study
Ephesians - The Ecclesia In Operation
Ephesians 6:23-24
December 19, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:23–24
I'm not sure how we managed to finish our inductive Bible study for the book of Ephesians with the ending of the calendar year, but this is our last verse-by-verse study. I hope this study has been as rewarding for you as it has for me in delving into the relationship that Paul, an apostle of Christ, enjoyed with a group of people to whom he presented the gospel and good news of Yahshua. I thought I knew all about the letter to the Ephesians, being one of my favorites, but coming to a realization that there is so much more as you dig into the deeper meaning of the message Paul was conveying to his dear loved ones in the faith. Today's passage covers his final farewell but is chocked full of meaningful words that one must understand from a kingdom perspective to derive the full measure and meaning of what the Spirit was saying through Paul. I hope you've enjoyed this study and I would love to hear some feedback. Also, don't worry if you weren't able to dig into these studies week-by-week...they are timeless truths that will be waiting on you when you get the time. Blessings, Atm mailto:atm@therocknwa.com
Ephesians 6:19-20
December 12, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:19–20
“The Advent of Yahshua the Christ (Christmas) is the acknowledgment and subsequent celebration of Yahshua’s first coming (appearing) and signals a preparation for His second coming.” As apostle Paul finalizes his letter to the ecclesia at Ephesus, his attention turns to not only their protection through the armor of YHWH by putting on Christ, but also their continuation as an ecclesia, affecting and influencing the region through Kingdom culture. Paul reminds them of their identity as ambassadors and the paramount importance of preaching the gospel of the kingdom with boldness. While the gospel is the good news of Yahshua's life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, Paul also introduces the spiritual mystery that religion would explain away by institutionalizing and organizing kingdom expression through the "church" and doing away with the oikos (household of faith) and ecclesia (governmental, legislative and judicial expression of the King and His kingdom). Finally, if our goal is not to prepare the earth to receive her KING and His kingdom come, then preaching the gospel is nonsense and establishing the ecclesia is futile. Consequently, Paul is leaving his beloved Ephesians with a prayer request for boldness to continue, despite one's circumstances. He is thoroughly convinced of Yahshua's return and is preparing a remnant people to be faithful from generation to generation. Blessings, Atm
Ephesians 6:17-18
December 5, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:17–18
Our inductive Bible study of the book of Ephesians is coming to a close. Historically, the writer of an epistle leaves very important instructions to be considered toward the end of the letter to make sure they are remembered. Paul is definitely doing the same with his readers to prepare and be equipped with the full armor of Yahweh by PUTTING ON CHRIST. Each piece of armor is a feature and facet of Christ that is indispensable to our success in presenting Christ in His fullness to a desperate and lawless world. Now, more so than any other era in time, we need to be fully protected and empowered by the Christ anointing. Unity within our ranks is of paramount importance. Maturity for every member of the body is necessary for successful completion of the assignments with which we've been entrusted. Come on sons and daughters...let's get this done for KING YAHSHUA!!!
Ephesians 6:15-16
November 28, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:15–16
As the apostle Paul finishes his letter to the Ephesians, being a faithful fathering leader, he wants to make sure the ephesians are prepared and protected for the mission of establishing a strong ecclesia and producing mature sons and daughters of Yahweh for generations to come. Today's passage focuses on the spreading of the gospel and the divine protection from all the schemes, attacks and demonic accusations of the enemy. In this passage, Paul finds another creative way to approach how one identifies and appropriates Christ in this familiar imagery associated with the armor of a Roman soldier. Make no mistake here, Paul is providing another perspective to "putting on Christ". Everything Yahweh has to offer us is found in Christ and that's why it is so important to not only put on Christ, but also reject and deny anything that is contrary to you in Christ and Christ expressing Himself through you. Blessings. Atm mailto:atm@therocknwa.com
Ephesians 6:14-15
November 14, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:14–15
The apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians concludes with a bang. His final instructions include the fact that as kingdom agents, we are constantly at war with demonic powers trying to subvert and undermine the kingdom of Christ being expressed on every level in this world. Paul explains for us to "stand", we must PUT ON the whole armor of Yahweh, who is CHRIST. I find it interesting that the first piece of armor is TRUTH. Wow!! If there is anything under demonic attack today it's truth. Of course truth can only be revealed and known by the Spirit of Truth and therein lies the problem. Additionally, our core organs, heart (blood/Yahshua) and lungs (air/Holy Spirit), must be protected by Yahshua's righteousness, not our own. Well this week's study will give you a great opportunity to dig deeper into these areas and fully understand, identify and appropriate the fullness of Christ and not only stand, but advance! Blessings, Atm
Ephesians 6:10-13
November 7, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:10–13
The first three chapters of Paul's letter to the Ephesians outlines what the Ephesians should know and believe about Christ and His kingdom come. The final three chapters deal with how to put on and live out the Christ life in an idolatrous and anti-Christ world. Today's passage is really power-packed with putting on the whole armor of YHWH, which is Christ. Yahweh has nothing else to offer us for empowerment and protection than His Son. Everything we need to overcome and live victoriously as kingdom change agents and manifested sons/daughters in the earth today is in Him. Therefore, let us identify, appropriate, activate and apply all things Christ to the life we choose to live today. It's time to bring our humanity and Christ's divinity together as ONE as true disciples of Christ. Blessings, Atm
Ephesians 6:5-9
October 24, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:5–9
While the overriding theme of the letter to the Ephesians from the apostle Paul was unity that leads to maturity, interpersonal relationships are of paramount importance to this successful outcome. In chapter five, Paul addresses the marriage union. Chapter six begins with the relationship between parents and children and this week's passage deals with employers and employees. When the enemy of Christ wants to disrupt the kingdom's forward progress, it usually begins with conflict and confusion in these relational areas of life. So it's definitely important to continue to prophesy, declare and appropriate all that Christ provides to keep these relationships protected and joined by the Spirit to further perpetuate the kingdom of Christ without interruption. Blessings, Atm http://atm@therocknwa.com
Ephesians 6:1-4
October 17, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 6:1–4
Chapter six of the letter to the Ephesians continues Paul's focused attention on the relationship within the body of Christ to secure the unity of the faith that leads to the fullness of the stature and maturity of the body. The body of Christ has no hope of completing its assignment to 1) prepare the way of the LORD and 2) prepare the hearts of the people to receive LORD Yahshua without unity, love, value, respect and honor for one another. This unity is only possible through Christ. Today's study focuses primarily on the relationship between fathers and their children. This in no way diminishes the influence and importance of mothers. However, most adults with any kind of childhood angst will point back to issues with their father, those appointed to represent the fathering nature of Yahweh Himself. So you can see why the enemy puts so much effort in undermining this relationship between fathers and their children. Along with the two characteristics noted above, The spirit and power of Elijah also must include the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and vice versa. Without the completion of this dynamic relationship, the earth will struggle to manifest the glory it was created to reveal. (Malachi 4). Blessings, Atm
Ephesians 5:22-33
September 20, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 5:22–33
Today's passage is both lengthy and complex. It includes words that are greatly misunderstood and misrepresented in the body of Christ and therefore have been the cause of great confusion. Understood within the greater context of the letter to the Ephesians, along with an understanding of unity and oneness, I believe this passage reveals the essence of the foundation, framework and function of the body of Christ. I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts relative to this passage so let me know what you conclude.
Ephesians 5:15-21
September 12, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 5:15–21
In this very direct chapter five of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he has addressed the enemy within and the very real temptations without in the first fourteen verses. In today's study, Paul begins to describe the relationship we should enjoy with one another within the body and how to go about it. As we've been releasing in the house lately, we all have a choice to receive and submit to Christ as the head of the body, become a viable member of the body and rightly relate and value one another as the body becoming the mature bride of Christ. Glory!! Blessings, Atm http://atm@therocknwa.com
Ephesians 5:8-14
August 29, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 5:8–14
The apostle Paul has built the case for the unity of the body of Christ masterfully throughout the first four chapters of the letter to the Ephesians. Chapter five now becomes even more detailed so there is no mistake in what Paul expects of the lifestyle from these former pagans. I intentionally skipped verses 3-7 so that we could move beyond Paul's detailed list into his more specific instructions to bring everything out into the light and not to consort with those who whisper in secret places. Remember John 1:4: "In Yahshua was life, and the life was the light of men." Atm
Ephesians 5:1-2
August 22, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 5:1–2
As we begin our study of the fifth chapter of Ephesians, Paul continues on with the subject matter of chapter four and how we relate to one another and then begins to relate this same evidence of laying down our lives to marriage and just about every other relationship. To read Ephesians, you cannot escape how important it is for the body of Christ, on all levels, to be joined and jointed by the Spirit to adequately and accurately express Christ and His ecclesia. There is no doubt that the success and powerful impact of the ecclesia in Ephesus was built on the foundation of oneness and unity, tightly guarded by the apostles and fathering leaders assigned to this powerful expression of the kingdom of heaven being established in the earth. May we be just as focused and committed to the unity of our ecclesia and the body of Christ at large!! Blessings, Atm
Ephesians 4:29-32
August 8, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 4:29–32
If there was ever a scripture worthy of memorization, Ephesians 4:29-30 would top the list. "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." As kingdom sons and daughters, it's unthinkable to live one moment without the abiding presence, the guiding wisdom and manifested power of Holy Spirit. According to Paul, the fastest way to grieve the Spirit is to speak to and about others in a corruptible way, a way that does not edify, build up and exhort the hearer to continue on in Christ. Today's study focuses on this all-important attribute of an ecclesia and cannot be ignored both privately and corporately as a body of believers. As we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, let us protect the body with words of life and grow each member with words of love. Blessings, Atm
Ephesians 4:25-28
July 27, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 4:25–28
Today's study includes verses that are sandwiched between “putting off the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and to put on the new man which was created according to God” and grieving Holy Spirit. Therefore, you can surmise that these verses are important indicators to evaluating what you believe about yourself so you can present Christ in His fullness without reservation. Along with the entire six chapters of Ephesians, Paul is proving over and over that we must fully appropriate Christ if we want to live a prosperous, productive and peaceful life. Trying to accomplish the former apart from the gift of Christ is futile and short-lived. Paul is masterfully laying it all out for us to see how to live a victorious life in Christ rather than a victimized identity in self. Atm http://atm@therocknwa.com
Ephesians 4:20-24
July 19, 2022 • Apostle Todd Murner • Ephesians 4:20–24
Wow!! Ephesians 4 just keeps getting better and better. If you've missed any of the previous inductive studies for this chapter, please do yourself and the body of Christ a favor and go back and allow the Spirit of Christ to make a rich deposit into your Spirit man from Paul's message to the ecclesia at Ephesus. Today's study fits perfectly into the ongoing Word of the house as we focus on becoming a new man (Ephesians 4:22-24), a new creation (2 Cor. 5:16-21), the newness of life (Romans 6:4-6) and the new covenant (Hebrews 9:11-15). Emphasis http://being...new. We have no desire to try to accurately and authentically present Christ mixing the old and the new together to present a hybrid version. By faith in Christ's finished work and by fully appropriating all He has secured for us through the cross, 3 days in the center of the earth, the resurrection from the dead, the 40 days of appearing, the ascension to the Father and the launching of the Ecclesia He built to usher in the kingdom of heaven into the earth, we must allow the Spirit to totally change us from old to brand-spanking new. Love and Blessings, Atm