Monday, October 1, 2012

Book of Ephesians


The Life Project: Ephesians
Candice Roberts


My very favorite passage of scripture is found in Ephesians. It brings me to tears nearly
every time I read it; such is the power of God’s Word. I wanted to share it with you
today.
 
Ephesians 3:14-21
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the
Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious,
unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And
I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.
May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have
the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high
and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so
great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life
and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work
within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or
hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through
the endless ages. Amen.
 
I think this passage of scripture means so much to me because it speaks of the
hugeness of God, of His plan, of His love. Scripture tells me the love of Christ is too
great for me to understand. God is too great for me to understand. I was talking with
a friend the other day at work. He is not a believer, and was a little put o

ff by some
arrogant Christians he had met. These Christians seemed to have a quick answer for
everything. They acted as if they had God all figured out. I told him that the God I
serve does not fit inside my intellect, and if He did, He wouldn’t be a God I would want
to serve. He wouldn’t be big enough. But Ephesians reminds us that God is infinite,
beyond human comprehension. Our only response to this God is to fall to our knees.
God’s plans for us are tremendous. I think one of the biggest lies Satan tells today is
that you have no purpose. This could not be further from what Scripture says.
Ephesians tells us that God can accomplish more through you than you even dare to
dream. Psalm 139 says that God knew each of your days before you were even formed
in your mother’s womb. It sure sounds like you were created on purpose for a
purpose. And that purpose is huge!! It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you
come from, where you have been, what you have done. God can do amazing things
through you because God Himself is amazing! God can do huge things through you,
because God Himself is huge!!
And if God’s plans are big, God’s love is even greater! It is wide, long, high and deep.
Some Bible versions of Ephesians say that God’s love is measureless! Measureless!!
God holds the expanses of the heavens and the depths of the sea in His hands, and yet
He calls His love for you measureless! That’s BIG. That’s extraordinary love. Romans
8:38 says, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death
can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our
worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.
Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will
ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our
Lord.” To be loved with a love so big, changes me, doesn’t it you? How could we be
the same after being recipients of that kind of love? And though Satan would like to
tell you that you are unlovable, Scripture clearly says that NOTHING, NO THING, can
separate you from God’s love. Not your past, not your addictions, not your pride, not
your sins, not your failures, not your lack of faith, I could go on and on and on. God’s
love is bigger than anything.
I am hoping this week we can allow our roots to go down deep into God’s love for us. I
pray that we will begin to dream of the plans that God can accomplish through us,
while realizing He can do even more than that. I pray that we can begin to understand
the fact that we will never be able to fathom how big our God is. And I pray that Christ
will be more and more at home in our hearts as we seek to trust in Him.


Life Group Questions



1. Do you feel sometimes feel
inadequate because you do not
understand God? When Paul says it
is impossible to understand God’s
love, His plans, what emotional
response do you have?
2. Have you ever felt like you have no
purpose? How do you discover
God’s purpose for your life? Is it a
great mystery to figure out or is it
simple? Or is it both?
3. What do you think about the
measureless love of God? How does
it change you?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I am always overwhelmed sometimes even to tears by God's greatness! He always gives me more than I can ever ask for or imagine. As for purpose, I think you feel peace when God speaks to you about your strengths and weaknesses. God has chosen to use a very dark place in my life to minister to others. My church offers a study called PLACE to find out what your gifts are and where you might want to serve!