"...when Paul said in Ephesians 2:20 (regarding the household or people that God is building in the present day) these words, "having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,..." I believe he was speaking of the Old Testament prophets. And thus if they were and still are part of the foundation the people of God today is being built on, then we best be familiar with them."

"...there is no role in Christ’s church more important than that of the elder or overseer. This is why when Paul reached Miletus he called for the elders of the church in Ephesus to come to him (Acts 20:17). These are the men who would decide more than any other whether the church in Ephesus would grow and thrive and accomplish its God given purpose and mission….or not."

So the Big picture of Ephesians is - - The path to much personal transformation is explained and expected before introducing the challenging and humbling righteous standard of oneness in marriage and then of honor, harmony and order in child and parent relationships. Put another way - - God always meant for His creation to walk out family life from the fullness of their relationship with Christ and with His people.

"... when God pours out His Spirit and thousands are swept into the church before Christ returns, who will shepherd them, who will disciple them, who will labor to present each of them complete in Christ with the character and motives that we see in Acts 20?"

Often rushing and hurrying about in a frenzy comes from unbelief. We rush and hurry because we think if we don’t get somewhere fast or get something done fast - bad or negative things will result.

The living God very much wants you to excel in prayer. He wants you to experience the joy of regularly seeing Him answer your prayers. Jesus revealed this when He said, “….ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.” John 16:24

One of the greatest needs of the church in our day is for men to be more vocal in corporate worship gatherings whether big or small about who God is to them and who God is to others. This was never meant to be left to the ladies brethren!!

One of the things you are going to discover sooner or later is that any church that honors Jesus as its Head has some formidable enemies to deal with. Those enemies are: the flesh (every person’s sinful nature), this evil world system formed and run by the devil and his demons, and the devil himself and his horde of demons. They hate God, they hate Jesus His Son, and thus they hate His church.

God is doing a wonderful thing in the earth today and despite all the enemy’s tactics to keep this from happening, many are entering the doors of local churches or congregations – some for the very first time. If you are one of those, you probably have lots of questions and a mix of emotions.

Friends, only Jesus’s words lead us to and enable us to experience the life of God or eternal life. Peter and the other apostles had heard the best of the best of the Pharisees and Scribes and I’m sure some false prophets and false teachers along the way. Only Jesus spoke words that opened eyes, and changed hearts.