"...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man." Ephesians 3:16
The term "strengthened with might" is literally become mighty by His power. This verse has majesty in it - that "He would grant" paints a picture of being at the throne of God and having requests granted. The requests are not answered in a tightwad way, but answered from "the riches of His glory." Adding to that "becoming mighty in His power through the Holy Spirit" working in the inner man. Wow, what majesty, what an awesome privilege to be honored by the Almighty God in such a way.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Take Every Thought Captive
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5
"Take every thought captive" is such a great visual picture. In my thought life, I think I have it all under control and then a 'thought' will 'get away' from me. It seems to have a life of its own. It stirs stuff up, puts words in my mouth and the mouths of others, and soon there is war going on in my own head and heart. It affects how I feel about others and it leaks out.
So how do I take every thought captive? Learning to do this is a work in progress. Once I recognize my thoughts are out of control, I put on the brakes in my thought life. Then I try to assess where the thoughts went wrong and if I have crossed lines of wrong thinking. If so, I confess and repent of any "sin" that I have been a participant of. If it happened in my heart, it counts. Second, if I 'see if there is any wicked way in me'(psalm 139:24). I ask myself what fueled the thought? Pride, anger, insecurity, confilct murmuring and complaining?
What is at the bottom of it, what is in the basement? What base need do I have that became the fuel the fed the thought? Was it insecurity, lack of love, lack of provision, lack of importance?
By dealing with the sin, then allowing the Lord to heal my perceived base need I find victory in Christ. He is my All in All. I am hidden in Christ. Take captive the thought and make it obedient to God's word. The process is good to get the bottom of the stuff in my life that needs to be transformed to the image of Christ.
"Take every thought captive" is such a great visual picture. In my thought life, I think I have it all under control and then a 'thought' will 'get away' from me. It seems to have a life of its own. It stirs stuff up, puts words in my mouth and the mouths of others, and soon there is war going on in my own head and heart. It affects how I feel about others and it leaks out.
So how do I take every thought captive? Learning to do this is a work in progress. Once I recognize my thoughts are out of control, I put on the brakes in my thought life. Then I try to assess where the thoughts went wrong and if I have crossed lines of wrong thinking. If so, I confess and repent of any "sin" that I have been a participant of. If it happened in my heart, it counts. Second, if I 'see if there is any wicked way in me'(psalm 139:24). I ask myself what fueled the thought? Pride, anger, insecurity, confilct murmuring and complaining?What is at the bottom of it, what is in the basement? What base need do I have that became the fuel the fed the thought? Was it insecurity, lack of love, lack of provision, lack of importance?
By dealing with the sin, then allowing the Lord to heal my perceived base need I find victory in Christ. He is my All in All. I am hidden in Christ. Take captive the thought and make it obedient to God's word. The process is good to get the bottom of the stuff in my life that needs to be transformed to the image of Christ.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The Love of God
What does that mean to know something that surpasses (NIV) all knowledge? The New Living Translation says it this way, "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
Or
"...that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
To me,this verse is an impossibility. I am reminded of when I was a child and was trying to grasp the meaning of eternity or of God immeasurable, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent. I used the numberline that reaches to infinity. Infinity was the big concept.
But God is bigger than a one demensional line that goes on in both directions forever. His multi-dementional infinity--width, depth, length, height and maybe a few more demensions not yet revealed to us.Yet this verse refers to HIS love--his infinite,eternal,immeasurable, surpassing knowledge, great love of God. Who can one know something that is too great to know or to be filled with "all the fullness" of an immeasurable God? It's impossible for man! Only God can answer this. As I meditate on this verse, there rises in me the deep desire to know this love that passes all understanding and, in knowing it, to know the fullness of God's life and power; to be "made complete."
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