Ephesians 3
===Father God,
I bless Your name today. You're wisdom and power astounds me today. I just hope that You bestow that wisdom on me, that I may better love and live for You. Give me concentration to meditate on Your word. I ask all this in Your precious name.
Amen===
Paul constantly calls the word a mystery. That has always astounded me. I had never really thought of it that way. God in all His glory does great wonders just in having this precious word. Further still, the simplicity of God is harder to understand than the complexities of His word. The complexities in the word turn out to be simple. Why should little me ever think that I could ever understand the God who created me, fully? Further still why do I think that my God could be understood fully by the creation? I don't even fully understand myself, down to the cells and the organs and the atoms and everything. God mechanized it all and yet He still talks to little me.
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17)
Paul knew this well. He has made it clear in this letter to the Ephesians that his purpose it sharpen their iron. The Bible stands. It is my sword. It's important to know that that verse is not saying I can make the words any better. It only means that I can be better honed to do His will.
"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revalation He made known the myster (as I briefly written already by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)," (v. 1-4)
Note that Paul doesn't say he completely understands the mystery. He just wants to share with the Ephesians as much as he can. That's how I should be. Not holding back any edifying snipits from my Christian brothers that they may be able to use it for the building of His kingdom.
The servant's heart truly is the most humble. The very same type of heart that cause Royalty to become a carpenter and die on a tree in the ultimate discomfort just for me should humble into admission that I am nothing without Him who made me so I will live for His glory and not my own. Paul himself speaks humbly so as to point to the One who is deserving of all praise:
"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (v. 8)
Paul knows what he's supposed to be doing. Paul has made what he is supposed to be doing into what he desires to do. It is what he desires to do because of the love he has for the One who loved Him first and died to make him twice His. I am twice His. I love the story of the little boy who built a sailboat and went out to sail it in a river. He put it in the water and after a time the river took the boat and it was lost to the boy. The boy was very saddened and sullen because he loved that boat. One day the boy was walking down the street and he saw his boat a shop window. He examined it and looked carefully at the detail on the boat to confirm it was his. After ascertaining that it was, he shelled out every penny he had just to buy that boat. After leaving the store, the boy exclaimed in elation to the boat, "You are twice mine!" The same is with God, he created me, then lost me to sin, and He then bought me with the ultimate price tag. His only begotten Son. My Jesus is joy. What a wonder, a mystery that God would send His Son to die for wretched me, undeserving me, unworthy me, wicked me. God says I win. Forever I will praise His name!
===Heavenly Father,
-I just want to thank You for being so good to me. I am truly undeserving and unworthy. My purpose will ever be to bring praise to You because You are worthy of all the praise I sing, worthy of all the praise I exude, worthy of all the praise I bring to you. You are God!-
-Please, take away any sin I have between us. You have taken my sin and conquered it. Help me keep ballanced on that straight and narrow path so I do not stray.-
-I lift up Virginia Tech as they cope with all that's going on. The world is shaken by this large attack at the fabric of our serenity and our comfort. It is times like this that we remember You are our comfort.-
-Please help Rachel as she finishes her project and work that she may be able to relax and focus more on building Your kingdom, Lord.-
-I ask that you will bless me with a kinder heart that all who come in contact with me knowing come in contact with Your love. Let Your love flow from me like a fountain. I love you Lord. Teach me to love all those around me unconditionally.-
-Prepare me to deal with all of my campers that they may grow in You and grow to know and to show Your love. I lift up also the other counsellors as they are preparing to come to camp. I also want you to give comfort to Daphnee as she deals with my absence. Help her to remember that it is You that I am living for. She is second place, much as I love her. Comfort her to know that I do love her. Help her to grow in my absence.-
-Help Daphnee to grow in You. I pray that she finds her strength daily in wanting to know You more. Please help her pursue Your wonders and Your work. Help me to be a better me for her and help her to be a better her for me. I love You, Lord, for sending the love of my life.-
-Please keep my family and friends safe and full of love that they may be able to grow to know and love You more.-
-All these things I ask in Your Holy name-
Amen===
I bless Your name today. You're wisdom and power astounds me today. I just hope that You bestow that wisdom on me, that I may better love and live for You. Give me concentration to meditate on Your word. I ask all this in Your precious name.
Amen===
Paul constantly calls the word a mystery. That has always astounded me. I had never really thought of it that way. God in all His glory does great wonders just in having this precious word. Further still, the simplicity of God is harder to understand than the complexities of His word. The complexities in the word turn out to be simple. Why should little me ever think that I could ever understand the God who created me, fully? Further still why do I think that my God could be understood fully by the creation? I don't even fully understand myself, down to the cells and the organs and the atoms and everything. God mechanized it all and yet He still talks to little me.
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17)
Paul knew this well. He has made it clear in this letter to the Ephesians that his purpose it sharpen their iron. The Bible stands. It is my sword. It's important to know that that verse is not saying I can make the words any better. It only means that I can be better honed to do His will.
"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revalation He made known the myster (as I briefly written already by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)," (v. 1-4)
Note that Paul doesn't say he completely understands the mystery. He just wants to share with the Ephesians as much as he can. That's how I should be. Not holding back any edifying snipits from my Christian brothers that they may be able to use it for the building of His kingdom.
The servant's heart truly is the most humble. The very same type of heart that cause Royalty to become a carpenter and die on a tree in the ultimate discomfort just for me should humble into admission that I am nothing without Him who made me so I will live for His glory and not my own. Paul himself speaks humbly so as to point to the One who is deserving of all praise:
"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (v. 8)
Paul knows what he's supposed to be doing. Paul has made what he is supposed to be doing into what he desires to do. It is what he desires to do because of the love he has for the One who loved Him first and died to make him twice His. I am twice His. I love the story of the little boy who built a sailboat and went out to sail it in a river. He put it in the water and after a time the river took the boat and it was lost to the boy. The boy was very saddened and sullen because he loved that boat. One day the boy was walking down the street and he saw his boat a shop window. He examined it and looked carefully at the detail on the boat to confirm it was his. After ascertaining that it was, he shelled out every penny he had just to buy that boat. After leaving the store, the boy exclaimed in elation to the boat, "You are twice mine!" The same is with God, he created me, then lost me to sin, and He then bought me with the ultimate price tag. His only begotten Son. My Jesus is joy. What a wonder, a mystery that God would send His Son to die for wretched me, undeserving me, unworthy me, wicked me. God says I win. Forever I will praise His name!
===Heavenly Father,
-I just want to thank You for being so good to me. I am truly undeserving and unworthy. My purpose will ever be to bring praise to You because You are worthy of all the praise I sing, worthy of all the praise I exude, worthy of all the praise I bring to you. You are God!-
-Please, take away any sin I have between us. You have taken my sin and conquered it. Help me keep ballanced on that straight and narrow path so I do not stray.-
-I lift up Virginia Tech as they cope with all that's going on. The world is shaken by this large attack at the fabric of our serenity and our comfort. It is times like this that we remember You are our comfort.-
-Please help Rachel as she finishes her project and work that she may be able to relax and focus more on building Your kingdom, Lord.-
-I ask that you will bless me with a kinder heart that all who come in contact with me knowing come in contact with Your love. Let Your love flow from me like a fountain. I love you Lord. Teach me to love all those around me unconditionally.-
-Prepare me to deal with all of my campers that they may grow in You and grow to know and to show Your love. I lift up also the other counsellors as they are preparing to come to camp. I also want you to give comfort to Daphnee as she deals with my absence. Help her to remember that it is You that I am living for. She is second place, much as I love her. Comfort her to know that I do love her. Help her to grow in my absence.-
-Help Daphnee to grow in You. I pray that she finds her strength daily in wanting to know You more. Please help her pursue Your wonders and Your work. Help me to be a better me for her and help her to be a better her for me. I love You, Lord, for sending the love of my life.-
-Please keep my family and friends safe and full of love that they may be able to grow to know and love You more.-
-All these things I ask in Your Holy name-
Amen===