Purpose! Newsletter - July 2025

The End of Ephesians

With Paul, we have reached the end of our study in Ephesians. Each month, for the last year and a half, we have brought you teaching from Ephesians starting in Chapter one and now to the end of chapter six. It has been an enlightening spiritual journey. We hope you have enjoyed it and benefitted from it. Let us now conclude our study.

In review, we have been considering the Sevenfold Armour of God. Last month we ended with reflections on Truth, Righteousness, Peace, and Faith. Now let’s look at the other three elements and the conclusion of the letter.

Ephesians 6:17-24

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Salvation

You would’ve thought Paul would have listed this first. The helmet of salvation. After wrestling in the first four arenas you may begin to wonder if you are even saved. Make sure your helmet is on and the chin strap is tight. The liar in chief will attack your mind with doubt concerning your salvation. Keep your faith fixed on what Jesus has done at the cross. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8). Receive the gift and keep the gift. Once saved you stay saved by faith in Christ and Christ alone.

Solus Christus. Keep the helmet on.

The Sword of the Spirit

Stay in the Word. Believe the Word. Memorize the Word. Confess the Word. Wield your Sword and plunge it deep into the satanic attacks. Speak it out as Jesus did when he was tempted. The devil will depart from you too. (Matthew 4:11) Amen.

Prayer

Prayer is our communication weapon. Talk to God often. As a matter of fact the directive is to pray always. And we are told how to pray. Pray in the Spirit.

He speaks here of praying in tongues, or as some refer to it, using your prayer language. Jude refers to it as praying in the Holy Ghost. (Jude 1:20) There is great benefit in such a practice.

Furthermore, Paul directs on who to pray for. He tells us to perseverance and supplication for all saints. That is, be in prayer for other brothers and sisters in the faith. Don’t give up prayer and seeking God on behalf of others although at times our prayer seems to not be working. Some folks need a little more prayer than others. And some people’s circumstances require more prayer as we pursue the breakthrough on their behalf.

Interestingly, Paul concludes with his own prayer request.

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The preacher needs prayer too. Utterance and boldness were requisite to declare the new message of the mystery of the gospel to the Jewish religionists and the heathen Gentiles. He is in prison as he writes because of his preaching, and he would continue to share the message, to be an ambassador, even in the Roman prison system. That was a difficult task requiring the prayer support of the church.

Pray for your minister, your Pastor. Pray for the Evangelists. Pray for the Missionaries. Pray for those preachers you know about. The saints often call for prayer from those who oversee them. The overseer sometimes could use the prayers of the saints. The road goes in both directions. Pray for us here at Purpose! Ministries. Thanks.

In Conclusion

Tychicus is the mail carrier on this occasion, as he has been on other occasions. But he is not just the one delivering the letter but is also a beloved brother. He is first mentioned in Acts 20:4 where he is one of several men that made up Paul’s entourage. Obviously, he has become a dear brother in the Lord to Paul and has been assigned to go to Ephesus with the Apostle’s communication.

Apart from that Paul declares Tychicus to also be a minister in his own right. He is a faithful man that can be trusted with this assignment and also with the intimate information concerning Paul’s life in prison. He is to deliver not a “woe is me” report but a report that will comfort the hearts of the church. Paul was in a Roman prison, but more so, he was the prisoner of Jesus Christ as he declares in Ephesians 3:1. As a prisoner of Jesus Christ he was in good hands and still able to comfort others. The letter itself is one of magna encouragement, and his personal account would be no less. What a man of God.

The final benediction is the crescendo of the great quartet sounding out from God himself and the Lord Jesus Christ to all who love Jesus in sincerity. Peace, love, faith, and grace. These can still be received by all saints today. Amen. -By PJ Flores-

Greek references are from Blue Letter Bible.

And now a word from Pastor Shirley…

Faith Like A Child

Matthew 18:1-3

“ At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

When I became a parent I began to see these Bible verses in a new way. Everyday things become clearer how we (older folks) should become as little children as Jesus says in the verses above. Here are a few:

1. Children are dependent on their parents for everything. They cannot provide anything for themselves.

2. Children can sense when their parents have moved from one room to another. They will stop what they are doing to go find their parents because they don’t feel safe unless they know where their parents are.

3. Once you say you’re going to do something (or get something) for your child, they expect it to be done. There is no question about it happening, as far as they are concerned, it is already done.

4. If children don’t get a response right away, they will keep asking until they do.

5. Children will proclaim what you have said to anyone, at any time, even if it doesn’t fit in the conversation.

6. Children are quick to call out a lie.

7. Children are not afraid to be loud, especially when they are singing.

8. Children do not sugar coat anything.

9. Children are not afraid to look silly or foolish.

10. Children will tell every detail.