<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Ephesians 4;8-10<div><br></div><div><b>8. &nbsp;Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”</b></div><div><b>9. &nbsp;(In saying, “He ascended”, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?</b></div><div><b>10. &nbsp;He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the&nbsp;heavens, that he might fill all things.)</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The <i>“host of captives” </i>whom&nbsp;Jesus <i>“led” </i>is all&nbsp;who believe in him and follow him. &nbsp;These are not ‘unwilling captives’ but joyous, thankful Believers who have been delivered from the powers of sin and darkness. &nbsp;We rejoice to now belong to him.</div><div><br></div><div>The <i>“gifts” </i>Jesus gave to us are first of all repentance, then faith, then&nbsp;forgiveness, then the Holy Spirit.</div><div>He gives us his own death to sin and his resurrection to eternal life in our baptism into him. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It is us,&nbsp;who were prisoners in the darkness us sin, unbelief, and death, whom he has captured and set free&nbsp;with the Gospel.</div><div><br></div><div>In this freedom his gives us himself, not just on the cross, but himself to be filled with. &nbsp;This is true eternal life, Christ Jesus cleansing and indwelling us, inspiring us to live for the praise of his glory in the lives of good works the Father has prepared for us to live. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>We live these lives not by human strength or will, but by faith in Christ indwelling us. &nbsp;<i>“For&nbsp;God is at work&nbsp;in you, both to will and to work for&nbsp;his good pleasure.” &nbsp;</i>(Philippians 2;13) &nbsp;<i>“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” &nbsp;</i>(Galatians 2;20)</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, increase my understanding of who you have made me now in Christ; filled with his gifts and himself. &nbsp;In Jesus I pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Ephesians 4;8-10
8.  Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”9.  (In saying, “He ascended”, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?10.  He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
The “host of captives” whom Jesus “led” is all who believe in him and follow him.  These are not ‘unwilling captives’ but joyous, thankful Believers who have been delivered from the powers of sin and darkness.  We rejoice to now belong to him.
The “gifts” Jesus gave to us are first of all repentance, then faith, then forgiveness, then the Holy Spirit.He gives us his own death to sin and his resurrection to eternal life in our baptism into him.  
It is us, who were prisoners in the darkness us sin, unbelief, and death, whom he has captured and set free with the Gospel.
In this freedom his gives us himself, not just on the cross, but himself to be filled with.  This is true eternal life, Christ Jesus cleansing and indwelling us, inspiring us to live for the praise of his glory in the lives of good works the Father has prepared for us to live.  
We live these lives not by human strength or will, but by faith in Christ indwelling us.  “For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”  (Philippians 2;13)  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  (Galatians 2;20)
Prayer:  Merciful Father, increase my understanding of who you have made me now in Christ; filled with his gifts and himself.  In Jesus I pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”

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