Getting The Most From Your New Life

Ephesians 1:15-23

Older forced air furnaces were quite simple in design. Most were designed to work at about a sixty five to seventy percent efficiency, and used a simple limit switch to prevent the fire box overheating. If the temperature reached a preset level, the gas to the burner was turned off until it reduced to a safer level. As a result, changes in airflow were unlikely to be noticed by the homeowner, and the furnace would be assumed to be operating properly. To save on their fuel bill people would block off airflow to unused rooms.

New high efficiency furnaces, on the other hand, are much more complex and are designed to run at a specified airflow level, while maintaining a much narrower temperature range. Reduced airflow will cause the furnace to overheat, resulting in a total shutdown. To prevent this, one cannot shut down unused rooms, and duct sizing is much more critical.

It is frequently necessary to retrain people in the use of their furnace to avoid constant complaints. The customers have been used to doing things a certain way, and when it doesn’t work with the new unit, they assume the unit is malfunctioning. Understanding some of the differences avoids such complaints, and helps the customer get the maximum benefit from their new unit.

Understanding what Christ has done in our lives , why he has done it and how utilize his working effectively to obtain the maximum benefit of our salvation. While Paul rejoices at their salvation, he is concerned that they will learn how to obtain that benefit. Without such teaching, they may well wonder if their salvation is even real, and what the benefits are to them. They well might decide the old was better because they knew what to expect.

“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 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: 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, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 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: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Many people view salvation as just a fire escape from hell. It is much more than that. There are effects in our daily life here on earth. We are no longer subject to sin and judgment here on earth. Our attitude changes, and our actions as a result. Some people think heaven will just be eternally sitting around playing a harp, rather boring. While God hasn’t told us a lot about it, we understand that we will no longer have to deal with today’s problems, but that we will be sharing everything with Jesus Christ. Understanding that he is the king of the entire universe, we begin to understand a little of what he is offering.

Our inheritance and power are far above anything we have ever known, but it is all through Jesus Christ. We can only understand it as God gives the ability. Every thing we used to know has changed. Until we know what the is available, we don’t know to expect the benefits. Until we know how to attain them, we do not get to experience them. Paul’s desire is that we might know what is offered, and how to attain it.