Ephesians 3:20, 21 says...
Today's verses are Ephesians 3:20, 21, which read,
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Paul ends his prayer. He is humbled that he is being used by God to share God's gospel of grace through the cross of Christ with the Gentiles. In the process of doing this, it is opening up the mystery to the Jews of God's grace to every tribe and nation. It is explaining in real time and action the fulfillment of those Scriptures that spoke of this. With the realization of this mystery also comes an acceptance of each other, even those of different nationalities, as brothers and sisters "in Christ." Christ's church is made up of those who believe He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and not made up of just one nationally.
Paul has been praying that they would grow even more in the knowledge of the love of God that has been shown to them through salvation. He has also been praying that their actions will show that depth of knowledge and love of God to others and each other. All of this is for the glory of God and so now he ends his prayer in this vain.
What Paul has asked for is asked of the One who can do even beyond what is being asked. God is able to do "more abundantly beyond" what we think, maybe better yet would be what we daydream about. My daydreams get pretty big and far-fetched at times but they, if they were in the will of God, would not be for God. There is a power within us because it was put there by Him through the cross of Christ to accomplish more than what we could dream or think up, not because of us but because of Him.
This glory of God is to be seen through the church as we continue to see sinners become believers in Christ Jesus. This glory of God is to be seen through the church as those sinners now believers are coming from all generations in unity that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Tomorrow will go from this fact to putting it in practice because the first word of chapter 4 is "therefore." Paul has established the fact that we are to be a people of unity, a church of unity, in the fact of God's grace offered through the cross of Christ. We are not to divide but unify under Him, focused on Him, speaking of Him, and following after Him. All this is for His glory and not our own. All this bring glory to God.
Have you seen the opposite of this? I have. I have seen such division within the church and guess what? It doesn't bring glory to God. It is always ugly but not uncorrectable. I think that is a new word that I just created. God is even big enough to correct what we have messed up. It just takes us following Him and His ways to see it become a reality.
"Lord, help us keep our focus on You. Help us to see Your hand at work in our lives and the lives of others. May we be amazed and humbled by the use of us in Your plan of grace to others as it was to us. May Your grace and the message of Your grace through the cross of Christ be the focal point of our church. May You and to You be all the glory. Amen."
Pastor Adam
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Paul ends his prayer. He is humbled that he is being used by God to share God's gospel of grace through the cross of Christ with the Gentiles. In the process of doing this, it is opening up the mystery to the Jews of God's grace to every tribe and nation. It is explaining in real time and action the fulfillment of those Scriptures that spoke of this. With the realization of this mystery also comes an acceptance of each other, even those of different nationalities, as brothers and sisters "in Christ." Christ's church is made up of those who believe He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and not made up of just one nationally.
Paul has been praying that they would grow even more in the knowledge of the love of God that has been shown to them through salvation. He has also been praying that their actions will show that depth of knowledge and love of God to others and each other. All of this is for the glory of God and so now he ends his prayer in this vain.
What Paul has asked for is asked of the One who can do even beyond what is being asked. God is able to do "more abundantly beyond" what we think, maybe better yet would be what we daydream about. My daydreams get pretty big and far-fetched at times but they, if they were in the will of God, would not be for God. There is a power within us because it was put there by Him through the cross of Christ to accomplish more than what we could dream or think up, not because of us but because of Him.
This glory of God is to be seen through the church as we continue to see sinners become believers in Christ Jesus. This glory of God is to be seen through the church as those sinners now believers are coming from all generations in unity that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Tomorrow will go from this fact to putting it in practice because the first word of chapter 4 is "therefore." Paul has established the fact that we are to be a people of unity, a church of unity, in the fact of God's grace offered through the cross of Christ. We are not to divide but unify under Him, focused on Him, speaking of Him, and following after Him. All this is for His glory and not our own. All this bring glory to God.
Have you seen the opposite of this? I have. I have seen such division within the church and guess what? It doesn't bring glory to God. It is always ugly but not uncorrectable. I think that is a new word that I just created. God is even big enough to correct what we have messed up. It just takes us following Him and His ways to see it become a reality.
"Lord, help us keep our focus on You. Help us to see Your hand at work in our lives and the lives of others. May we be amazed and humbled by the use of us in Your plan of grace to others as it was to us. May Your grace and the message of Your grace through the cross of Christ be the focal point of our church. May You and to You be all the glory. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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