The Mystery of God's Will
Have you ever wondered about God's will for your life? Most Christians have wondered about His will from time to time. As a minister I have helped young couples seek God's will for marriage, career, and a host of things. It is not always easy to know what God would have us do. In Ephesians 1:9 Paul writes, "And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ." Paul then spends the rest of Ephesians giving us guidance in finding the mystery of God's will. This book will lead the reader through a verse by verse study of the entire book of Ephesians. Each chapter will help us find God's will in some area of our lives. Some verses of Ephesians when taken in isolation can be difficult to understand, but the book as a whole will lead the readers to a renewed sense of purpose for their lives.
Chapters in the Book.
1. The Mystery of His Will - Ephesians 1:1-10
2. Living for the Praise of His Glory - Ephesians 1:11-23
3. Alive in Christ - Ephesians 2:1-10
4. It is Christ Who Brings Us Together - Ephesians 2:11-22
5. Making God's Will Known - Ephesians 3:1-13
6. What God Can Do Through Us - Ephesians 3:14-21
7. A Life Worthy of Our Calling - Ephesians 4:1-16
8. Becoming Like God - Ephesians 4:17-24
9. Imitators of God - Ephesians 4:25-5:2
10. Light in the Lord - Ephesians 5:3-14
11. Be Careful What You Do - Ephesians 5:15-20
12. What Does Submission Really Mean? - Ephesians 5:21-33
13. Serving the Lord Wholeheartedly - Ephesians 6:1-9
14. The Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-24
15. A Final Thought
Reviewer: T in NC "T in NC" (Boone, NC)
Byron Scott takes the book of Ephesians, verse by verse, and provides his commentary based on his years of ministry in the United Methodist Church. His insights are profound, yet written in an understandable format - one that reads much like portions of a sermon. (I smiled as I could almost "hear" a pastor preaching to his congregation!) The author shares many of his life experiences to illustrate the truths of scripture as well as directs the reader to other passages of scripture to provide further understanding of Ephesians. This book would be a great tool for either personal Bible study of a family study. My husband and I regularly read through the Bible with our 5 children. When we read the book of Ephesians, we will use this book after reading the scripture to help them understand the passages better. Byron Scott provides so many rich examples of the blessings of being a Christian. He explains what it means to live like a Christian and follow Jesus. After reading the Mystery of God's Will, the reader will be inspired to want to live the Christian life and be better equipped to do so!
Book Review, by The Rev. James L. Sanders, Retired United Methodist Minister:
It was a stroke, resulting in serious heart failure, that Byron Scott, long time pastor in The United Methodist Church, discovered that God’s will is truly a mystery. He was in his third year as pastor of the church in Jesup, GA and the church had built a new parsonage. Wanting to retire in Jesup He had bought the old parsonage intending to rent it until retirement came. Little did he know how soon he would need a house. This has been but one of a series of events which have made clear “The Mystery of God’s Will” and caused him to write about it.
He chose the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians as the basis for his testimony because of its frequent references to this mystery. This book is a commentary on Ephesians written in a devotional style. In it he allows the Scripture to interpret itself as he relates Paul’s letter to many major themes in the Bible.
As you read this book you are reminded that The Letter To Ephesians is a very practical book. It touches on almost every aspect of human life. The
Rev. Scott draws liberally from his experiences in the ministry as well as from his life as a devoted family
man. In it all he is very orthodox, very evangelical and very Wesleyan.
Anyone commenting on the Letter To The Ephesians must decide what they will do with Paul’s writing on marriage and the matter of submission. He does not avoid it but seeks to have a balanced view. He says there are usually two extreme views. One is the men who see themselves in a very legalistic way being the head of the family and lord it over their wives and children. The other extreme is mainly the women who ignore the verses as though they did not exist. He has a balanced view in which he emphasizes
mutual submission based on Ephesians 5:21, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
“The Mystery of God’s Will” would have special appeal to pastors who need helpin starting their sermons. There are many seed thoughts scattered
through its pages. Also, the way the passages are outlined is also helpful not only to preachers but to lay personswho are teaching a lesson or leading a discussion group.
This is the first book The Rev. Scott, who sees himself as a better preacher than writer, has written. It has come out of a deep sense of call to be able to continue his ministry in spite of his disability. When the Lord says “preach” one has to do it either by voice or the written word. Byron has said, “I’m gonna preach when the Spirit says preach!”
By K. Morgan "K" (Georgia) -
I really enjoyed the insightful blessings of God's Word conveyed through this commentary of the book of Ephesians. Rev. Scott does a really great job of providing clear understanding of the truths in the book of Ephesians that can be practically applied to our daily living. He gives excellent examples to reinforce the insights that he brings forth throughout this commentary. I appreciated the summary of each chapter's main points at the end of the book. This is a very good resource for personal devotions or group study. I highly recommend this book!
