God’s Heart Poured Out
God’s Heart
Open your heart to the verses we read together from God’s Word. Opening your heart to God’s Word is a beautiful, life-altering experience. His Word reveals the very heart and character of God to us. God’s Word is His heart. As we read it and reflect upon it, the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and guides us according to His perfect will for our lives.
We serve a God who literally poured His heart out for us. What greater act of love is there than the shed blood of Jesus upon the cross? It is out of Jesus’ act of love on the cross that we believers have become family with God and all of His people. When we say yes to Jesus, a whole new world opens to us. Out this radical act of love comes Sonship for the believer, and from Sonship comes authority, privilege, and power.
Ephesians 1:5:
he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will
As we dig into God’s Word, we clearly see how this radical act of love has changed everything for us. The apostle Paul sums up the redemptive work of the cross in the life of the believer beautifully in Ephesians 2.
Ephesians 2:1-7:
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
The words “But God” (v. 4) introduce what is often referred to as a glorious contrast. Bible commentators remark that these words are possibly the most powerful two words in spoken language. As the apostle Paul describes what God does for us through the work of Christ on the cross, we cannot help but marvel at the contrast between where we were before Christ and where we are now.
We have gone from being children of wrath by our very nature, held captive by our sins, to being made alive, raised up and seated with Christ. We have gone from being dead to having an abundance of life, from having nothing of eternal worth to having everything that Christ Himself has. Let’s look at the position and power that the unfathomable love of Christ for His people has gained for us through the shedding of His precious blood.
Ephesians 2:1-7 explicitly describes the spiritual position of each one of us before we knew Christ, in stark contrast to our spiritual position after we accepted Him as Savior. It is here that we see the power of the blood of Jesus at work in the life of the believer. It is His blood that cleanses us from sin (1 John 1:7) and brings us, who are separated from God because of our sin, near to Him (Ephesians 2:13).
1 John 1:7:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Ephesians 2:13:
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
In Ephesians 2:5-6, we see that three actions occur in the life of the believer through the hand of God because of His love and mercy:
God, the Father - 1) makes us alive (together with Christ); 2) raises us up (with Christ); and 3) seats us (with Christ).
It is very important for us to notice that none of these actions occur in isolation. God does not act in these ways for one who does not have Christ - who does not believe in Him as Lord and Savior. They are all based on the believer’s union with Christ, which occurs because of His saving act upon the cross. It is the power of His blood that allows for this union.
We also see in these actions that what the Father did in Christ parallels what He does in us. We are essentially given everything that Christ Himself has. Not only are we made alive - given eternal life, as well as an abundant life in Him here on earth - but we are also provided with the resurrection power. That same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells and operates within us here on earth, and will one day result in our own resurrection.
Additionally, we are seated with Christ. The Word teaches us that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. It is a position of power and authority. Therefore, because of our union with the exalted Christ, we too possess power and authority in this world. Christ has power and authority over all things, and because of the power of His blood in our lives as Christ-followers, so do we.
Through His blood, we share in His Sonship, and therefore also share in His privileges, His honor and His authority as the Son of God. The power we have as Christ-followers because of His shed blood should spur us on in all that we do. We are fully equipped to take on any challenge through the power of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord - not only to combat the evil that exists in this world, but to participate in the furtherance of His Kingdom as well.
Paul shows us the reason for this life-altering contrast; it is “because of the great love with which He loved us” (v.4). In Ephesians 3:19, Paul says that the love of Christ surpasses all knowledge. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that Christ comes to dwell in the hearts of believers in order for us to have the strong faith to truly grasp the breadth and length and height and depth of His love.
In Ephesians 2:7, Paul points to the result of His gracious act of love toward sinners. It is “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” His love and grace point us to His glory. The measure of His love and the reach of His mercy and grace extend beyond the grasp of our human minds and emotions.
The truth is we will spend all of eternity glorifying His name, marveling over this amazing love! It is such an extraordinary love that those who are saved will never truly plumb the depths of it. It is unfathomable, and it is unending. His love will fill eternity, and as believers, we will get to partake of it forever. It is ours right now and into forever!
Share Your Heart
Consider the following discussion starters as you share your hearts with one another:
Do you think you fully grasp the power of the blood of Christ as it operates in your life?
Do you think of yourself as being made alive, raised up and seated with Christ?
How might it change the way you approach life knowing that as a Christ-follower, seated in the heavenly places with Him, you share in His privileges, His honor, and His authority?
Do you think you fully grasp the depths of the Lord’s love for you? Do you think receiving His mercy and grace can help you to grasp His love?
The Cries of Your Heart
At Hearts Together Women, we believe that the Lord hears the cries of our hearts.
We also believe in prayer partnership because God’s Word teaches us that partnering with one another in prayer is powerful.
James 5:16 says, “Therefore…pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
And Jesus encourages us, “When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there” (Matthew 18:19-20, The Message).
What amazing promises!
Here is how prayer partnership works at a Hearts Together Gathering:
After we share in the Word and discussion, your facilitator will ask each woman for her prayer requests. All you need to do is share your own requests - the cries of your heart - because we all have them.
We encourage you to request prayer for 1) your own needs; 2) the needs of your family and loved ones; and 3) the needs you see around you - in the workplace, the school, the neighborhood or even the nation.
After the requests are shared, your gathering facilitator will lead in a prayer for the needs that were put forth.
In the following days, we encourage you to pray for the requests of the other women in your gathering. They will do the same for you. That’s what prayer partnership is all about!
As we unite in prayer, we trust the Lord will meet with us, dwell among us and answer us in accordance with His perfect will.
Your Heart to His
Maybe you felt the Holy Spirit stirring something in your heart during this gathering. It doesn’t have to end here. Take it home. In the followings days, continue to pursue Him. Spend some time alone and quiet, away from the noise of life - just you and Jesus.
Tell Him the cries of your heart. He is listening; He cares, and He does answer. Praying is kind of like having a conversation with your best friend. He created you, so He already knows everything about you. He just wants to be with you.
After you pray, reread the Scriptures and thoughts under God’s Heart. Reflect upon the verses and how they speak to you and your life.
Here are some things you might contemplate and pray about:
Consider your position in Christ, seated in the heavenly places with Him. Reflect upon the authority you have over the schemes of the enemy because of the power of the blood of Jesus. Ask Him to reveal areas of your life where you should take this authority. Also, spend time reflecting upon the depths of God’s love for you. Open your heart to His deep and abiding love for you.
This is just between you and Jesus - your heart to His. Make space in your busy days to spend some time with Him.
