Theme for Febuary

Bondage to the Past

Scripture Study: The Book of Ephesians

God desires recovery for us and has a plan for each of us since the beginning of time. His plan does not include bondage to sin or the past.

Reading: Ephesians 1-3

1. Since when did God love us and what is his plan for us? (Eph 1:4-6)

It is overwhelming to think God had a plan for each and every one of us before creation. Many of us come from homes that used God in a negative manner, or we may have just gone off track running from God's love for us. It is important to realize that God planned each one of us and he has a plan for our lives which does not include bondage to addiction or sin.


2. What is God’s mysterious plan? (Eph 1;9-11)

God's mysterious plan was sending his Son to live a life on this earth. Jesus represents God in a human form. Jesus lived a life on earth were he was tempted by sin by Lucifier himself.  He faced many trials and hardships yet he remained focused on God. By his blood shed for us we are able to be seen without fault in God's eyes when we accept Jesus Christ to be our personal saviour and allow him to wash our sins away and following his will for us. God's mysterious plan was to send his son to die for us so that we may have access to God our Father.

3. What do you think Paul meant by his prayer “flooded with light”? (Eph.1:16)

Paul's wish in his prayer was that the Church could be enlightned by God's plan for us. We have often heard someone say "when is he going to see the light?". In bondage we cannot see the "light" as we are dead in spirit. We are blinded by the layers of denial that keep us in bondage. When we accept Jesus into our lives our spirit becomes renewed and all of sudden we can see the "light" that Paul is praying for and the light is the hope of this world without there is no light.

4. When we are bound to sin or the past we are what according to God? (Eph.2:1-3)

According to this scripture we were dead, not physically (yet) but spirutually dead. In recovery we know that the bondage in our lives causes us to die. We've heard our ends are always the same Jails, Institutions and Death. Most of us were close to death in body before we came into recovery and for certain we were spiritually dead.

5. What can save us from our sin and past? (Eph.2:8-10)

Accepting Jesus Christ into our lives and confessing our sin and asking his forgiveness. Through the blood of Jesus we are saved and set free from our past sins by repentance and His grace. It is only through God's Grace that we are saved and this cannot be done by us or our will power.  It is a gift from God and all we need to do is accept it.