Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - I
February 03, 2008
John Ryan

"Truth to me was dead, God had never lived, life was full of pain, and death was the end of life. As a young Atheist, I sincerely believed that man had created God to fill the gaps in knowledge that would never be spanned by experience, reason, or science. In 1983 the God who pursues those who deny him interrupted my existence, he captured my soul with raw love. Two decades later, God's tangible friendship still amazes me. To deny his existence I'd have to first deny my own."

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - II
Ephesians 1:7-14
February 10, 2008
John Ryan

I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.
(H.G. Wells – English Historian and Writer 1866-1946)

Ephesians 1:7-8 7 In him we have redemption through his blood ...

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - III
Ephesians 1:13-23
February 17, 2008
John Ryan

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
(Oscar Wilde –Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)

Recap - in Christ we are ...
1) A Part of God's Eternal Plan - chosen before the foundation of the world to be in Christ restored completely to God. (vs. 4, 8-10)
2) Fully Acceptable before holy God - holy and blameless before Him. (vs. 4)

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - IV
Ephesians 2:1-10
February 24, 2008
John Ryan

Inigo Montoya: He's dead. He can't talk.

Miracle Max: Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.

Inigo Montoya: What's that?

Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

(From the movie "Princess Bride" - 1987)

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - V
Ephesians 2:11-22
March 02, 2008
John Ryan

"In peace the sons bury their fathers, but in war the fathers bury their sons." - Croesus
-- (Historical King of wealth and wisdom of the city-state of Lydia amongst the Greek city states - 595 BC – 546 BC)

Ephesians 2:11-12 11 Therefore remember ...

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - VI
Ephesians 3:1-13
March 09, 2008
John Ryan

If you don't have it here (pointing to the heart), it doesn't matter what you've got here (pointing at the head).
Dicky Fox (Jerry Maguire's Mentor)

"When a young man complains that a young lady has no heart, it's pretty certain that she has his."
George Dennison Prentice (American newspaper Editor and Writer, 1802-1870)

"Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will."
A W Tozer (Pastor, Preacher, Writer, Magazine Editor 1897-1963)

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - VII
Ephesians 3:13-14; 4:1-6
March 16, 2008
John Ryan

Not Losing Heart - Part II

"The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet."
Fredrick Buechner (Teacher, Writer, and Defender of the Christian Faith 1926-?)

Ephesians 3:13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ...

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - VIII
Ephesians 3:14-21
March 23, 2008
John Ryan

"Deep in my heart I'm concealing things that I'm longing to say. Scared to confess what I'm feeling - frightened you'll slip away."
From the movie Evita

"Love ... I think that deep down all I have been looking for is to be accepted and liked by as many people as possible."
Paul Giamatti - Actor

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - IX
Ephesians 4:1-16
March 30, 2008
John Ryan

We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers. (Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963)

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Jesus - John 13:35

Oneness - What Does It Look Like?

Ephesians 4:1-6 1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ...

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - X
A Study in Ephesians
Ephesians 4:17-24
John Ryan

"A man can never really change who he is - it is impossible."
Dr. Gregory House from the show "House"

How We Once Lived - or Now Live Without Christ?
Ephesians 4:17-19 - 17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you ...
The "Gentiles" in this context are all those apart from Christ.

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XI
A Study in Ephesians
Ephesians 4:25-32
Kory Tedrick

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XII
April 20, 2008
Ephesians 5:1-16
John Ryan

IMITATE GOD???
Ephesians 5:1-2 - 1 Therefore be imitators ...

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XIII
April 27, 2008
Ephesians 5:17-25
John Ryan

If I could be like that, I would. Give anything just to live one day, in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do ... what would I do
Now in dreams we run ...
"Be Like That" by Three Doors Down 1999

Idols and False Heads
Ephesians 4:22-24, 5:3 22 Put off the old self

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XIV
Part I
May 04, 2008
Ephesians 5:22-25
John Ryan

"Of course I have a secret identity. I don't know a single superhero without one. I mean, who wants the pressure of being super all the time?"
Mr. Incredible from the Movie "The Incredibles"

Christ our Head
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Through his death and resurrection, Jesus implemented and became the head for God's covenant relationship with mankind.

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XV
Part II
May 11, 2008
Ephesians 5:22-25
John Ryan

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XVI
May 18, 2008
Ephesians 6:1-9
John Ryan

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts
A Study Through Ephesians - XVII
May 25, 2008
Ephesians 6:10-20
Brandon McCain