This post has been on my mind for a while, and I finally have a moment to sit and write it out. About a year ago I began a part time job. My wife and I had been thrown out of a rough ministry assignment, and abandoned by people we thought genuinely cared about us. I had been unemployed for several months and finally got hired at Home Depot. I was working in the Garden Department for the first couple months there so it wasn't that bad. The pay was lousy, and the hours weren't always the greatest, but I had a job that allowed me to be outside and learn about things I actually wanted to know about.
I survived the first cuts from temp to part time, and actually got moved to a slightly better position in that it came with a set schedule, and a raise (or so I was told). But I began to get really restless. Already I had been there longer than I wanted, and I was getting discouraged. Life was changing, and I wasn't making enough to be able to support my family, and my hours were beginning to be cut. I learned that at the end of the year they let most of the part time people go, and then begin the cycle all over again, that way they avoid giving raises.
I wasn't worried, but I was getting desperate for something better. I began to pray, and I told God, "I just want a forty hour a week job that allows me to provide for my family." Enter Ephesians 3.20-21, "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 the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
I had met a guy through our Life Group at church and he helped me begin the process of seeking a new job with the company he worked for. When I applied I thought I was simply applying to a job that would give me forty hours Monday-Friday and as a bonus help me get my Master's completed. And then I got to work the first day. As I sat in orientation I began to watch God go above and beyond.
What I'm about to say isn't meant to be bragging, but a testimony of praise that is long overdue.
My new job gives me a set schedule Monday-Friday and salary pay that is more than double what I made at Home Depot. I don't have to clock in or out. My wife and I get Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage at no premium, and they also give great life insurance to me at no cost. After I work 1,000 hours in a year they pay into a retirement account for me, and they also give cash profit sharing bonuses at the end of the year. And on top of all of that, they will pay for 100% of my schooling, books included, no matter what my field of study is.
I didn't know that jobs like this existed, and therefore had no way of even asking God for something like this. My prayer was simply for a forty hour work week that allowed me to make enough to provide for my family. God did that, but He did so much more than I ever thought possible. And for that I'm writing this post to give Him the glory He deserves.
I'm not doing what I want to be doing with my life, but I have found contentment in the moment. God is providing for my needs, and He is paving my way back into full time ministry, and even providing for retirement now. I don't know what comes next, but He's starting to give me a vision for that, and during this time of preparation I'll be seeking His guidance for that, with the hope and expectation of it being far greater than I can imagine.
That is how God works when we trust Him. He is able to do it, but if we never give Him the chance we get stuck because we limit Him. Pray big, but pray with the right motives, and watch God take care of you in ways you never thought possible. And when He does, give Him the glory.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Showing posts with label Ephesians 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ephesians 3. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2014
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Glorify the Lord
Proverbs 3.5-8, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."
Philippians 4.6-7, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Two verses I've been reading a lot recently. The command to trust and the results from trusting. Then we have instructions on how to trust and more of the results. But perhaps the greatest proof of our trust in God is found in the third verse on my list.
Ephesians 3.20-21, "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 the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
I've been reading this one a lot this year, trying to remind myself of the great things God is able to do in my life. Things that are greater and far beyond my wildest imagining. It shouldn't come as a surprise that God can do more than we think, after all we are finite and He is infinite. We are temporary, He is eternal. And yes, God should be glorified for the things that He has done and will do. But today as I thought about this section something really hit me, I am to glorify God for the things He is able to do, that is what this is saying.
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think," God is limitless in His power and potential. The only limit is the faith and the trust we put in Him, because it limits what we are able to receive from Him. But if we dream big, if we pray big, if we hope and trust big, then God is able to do bigger and beyond, because we are willing to trust Him as He leads into the unknown. We must realize that everything, even the things beyond our expectations, is simply a glimpse of all that God can do.
"According to the power that works within us," God is at work in us. Philippians 1.6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." God is at work in us to mold us into the image of Christ. The deeper we go, the more trust is required, but I think in some ways it becomes easier to trust. The more we see God come through, the more confidence we have in Him to come through again. The more we trust and rely upon Him, the more like Christ we become. God is at work in us to do abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.
"To Him be the glory in the church in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." And so to God alone be the glory simply for who He is. Let God be glorified simply because of all that He can do, whether He chooses to act or not.
As I wrote that last line my mind went to Daniel 3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego are sentenced to be thrown into the furnace for refusing to bow before the image Nebuchadnezzar set up. When given a final chance to bow and save their lives they respond, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Daniel 3.17-18). They know that God can save them, and they glorify Him for that. But even if He chooses not to act on their behalf, they still praise Him.
Right now my wife and I are in a situation where if God doesn't come through for us, I don't know what's going to happen. I know that God is able to do everything for us and work everything out, and for the last few days I have been crying out to Him in deep desperation. I know God can do far more than I am asking, and if He does I will praise Him. But what if He doesn't, will I have the same response?
It's human nature to be bitter and feel sorry for ourselves when things don't work out. But I am called to be like Christ. I don't want to be resentful if things don't work out the way I am hoping they will. I want to give God the glory that He alone is worthy of no matter the outcome.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Philippians 4.6-7, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Two verses I've been reading a lot recently. The command to trust and the results from trusting. Then we have instructions on how to trust and more of the results. But perhaps the greatest proof of our trust in God is found in the third verse on my list.
Ephesians 3.20-21, "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 the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
I've been reading this one a lot this year, trying to remind myself of the great things God is able to do in my life. Things that are greater and far beyond my wildest imagining. It shouldn't come as a surprise that God can do more than we think, after all we are finite and He is infinite. We are temporary, He is eternal. And yes, God should be glorified for the things that He has done and will do. But today as I thought about this section something really hit me, I am to glorify God for the things He is able to do, that is what this is saying.
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think," God is limitless in His power and potential. The only limit is the faith and the trust we put in Him, because it limits what we are able to receive from Him. But if we dream big, if we pray big, if we hope and trust big, then God is able to do bigger and beyond, because we are willing to trust Him as He leads into the unknown. We must realize that everything, even the things beyond our expectations, is simply a glimpse of all that God can do.
"According to the power that works within us," God is at work in us. Philippians 1.6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." God is at work in us to mold us into the image of Christ. The deeper we go, the more trust is required, but I think in some ways it becomes easier to trust. The more we see God come through, the more confidence we have in Him to come through again. The more we trust and rely upon Him, the more like Christ we become. God is at work in us to do abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.
"To Him be the glory in the church in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." And so to God alone be the glory simply for who He is. Let God be glorified simply because of all that He can do, whether He chooses to act or not.
As I wrote that last line my mind went to Daniel 3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego are sentenced to be thrown into the furnace for refusing to bow before the image Nebuchadnezzar set up. When given a final chance to bow and save their lives they respond, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Daniel 3.17-18). They know that God can save them, and they glorify Him for that. But even if He chooses not to act on their behalf, they still praise Him.
Right now my wife and I are in a situation where if God doesn't come through for us, I don't know what's going to happen. I know that God is able to do everything for us and work everything out, and for the last few days I have been crying out to Him in deep desperation. I know God can do far more than I am asking, and if He does I will praise Him. But what if He doesn't, will I have the same response?
It's human nature to be bitter and feel sorry for ourselves when things don't work out. But I am called to be like Christ. I don't want to be resentful if things don't work out the way I am hoping they will. I want to give God the glory that He alone is worthy of no matter the outcome.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, April 22, 2013
Ephesians 3.20-21
I know I've mentioned this verse a lot recently (some of it in conversations), but I can't stop thinking about it.
"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 the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
These two verses tell us some incredible things about God and about us. Recently this verse has been a huge source of hope for me. It tells me that God is working in me. God's power is at work in my life. He is using me to bring about His Kingdom. He is molding me into the image of His Son. And He is using me to help others see who He is and how to become like Christ.
That in itself is an incredible blessing. That in and of itself is more than enough. But that information is second in this verse. It begins with the statement that God, who is working in us, is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. Not simply what we ask and think, but far more. And not just far more, but far more abundantly.
That word, abundantly, means, "present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient". In Greek the word is huper, and it means, "in behalf of, for the sake of; over, beyond, more than; more, beyond, over". God isn't able to just meet our needs, but to far exceed them in ways that go beyond what we would ever hope to imagine. And since He is at work in us already, God wants to do far more than we ask or think.
God wants to do great things in my life. God wants to do greater things than I could ever begin to think of in my life. And God is at work to bring them about. And He is doing the same thing in you. God wants to do far more abundantly beyond all that you ask or think. He wants to be oversufficeient. He wants to go over and beyond what you could ever ask Him for.
This thought just came to me. I had a friend who died of cancer almost six and a half years ago, (that's hard to believe it's been that long). So many people prayed for her healing. And God answered those prayers in a way that was greater than we had asked. He took her home, and healed her permanently. That was greater than anything we had asked for. Rather than giving her more time here, where countless illnesses and injuries could come, God took her to heaven, where she will never experience pain or sadness again.
Right now in life I'm focusing on these two verses. I have plans that have seemed perfect, but they haven't worked out. But I'm reminded that God has something far greater in mind. It might require some big changes, but it will be better than anything I could ever have imagined. That is the God I serve. He is God who doesn't do the minimum, but goes above and beyond. He doesn't hold back, but is incredibly generous. And so that leads to the question, why aren't things better?
Maybe you are imagining enough. Maybe you aren't asking. Maybe you're focused on the wrong thing or with the wrong motive. And maybe you're withholding praise.
This statement about God also comes with instructions to us. To God who is able to do far more abundantly than what we ask or hope for, "to Him be the glory". God must be glorified for what He has done, and more than that, simply for who He is. It isn't my job to make things happen. It isn't my job to complain when things don't work out. It is my job to glorify God, dream big, pray big, and watch Him work wonders beyond all of that. And for that I glorify Him all the more, and until it gets to that point, I glorify Him now.
God will do great things, and God will be glorified for the great things He does. Christianity is not about a God who does enough to get by. Look at salvation. There was a system in place that worked. For every sin a sacrifice had to be offered to pay for it. The Jews did it for thousands of years, and it was enough. But God went above and beyond. He became a man and offered Himself as the final sacrifice for all sin. That is how God works, that is who God is.
Glorify God, dream big, pray fervently, watch Him do incredible wonders.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
"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 the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
These two verses tell us some incredible things about God and about us. Recently this verse has been a huge source of hope for me. It tells me that God is working in me. God's power is at work in my life. He is using me to bring about His Kingdom. He is molding me into the image of His Son. And He is using me to help others see who He is and how to become like Christ.
That in itself is an incredible blessing. That in and of itself is more than enough. But that information is second in this verse. It begins with the statement that God, who is working in us, is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. Not simply what we ask and think, but far more. And not just far more, but far more abundantly.
That word, abundantly, means, "present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient". In Greek the word is huper, and it means, "in behalf of, for the sake of; over, beyond, more than; more, beyond, over". God isn't able to just meet our needs, but to far exceed them in ways that go beyond what we would ever hope to imagine. And since He is at work in us already, God wants to do far more than we ask or think.
God wants to do great things in my life. God wants to do greater things than I could ever begin to think of in my life. And God is at work to bring them about. And He is doing the same thing in you. God wants to do far more abundantly beyond all that you ask or think. He wants to be oversufficeient. He wants to go over and beyond what you could ever ask Him for.
This thought just came to me. I had a friend who died of cancer almost six and a half years ago, (that's hard to believe it's been that long). So many people prayed for her healing. And God answered those prayers in a way that was greater than we had asked. He took her home, and healed her permanently. That was greater than anything we had asked for. Rather than giving her more time here, where countless illnesses and injuries could come, God took her to heaven, where she will never experience pain or sadness again.
Right now in life I'm focusing on these two verses. I have plans that have seemed perfect, but they haven't worked out. But I'm reminded that God has something far greater in mind. It might require some big changes, but it will be better than anything I could ever have imagined. That is the God I serve. He is God who doesn't do the minimum, but goes above and beyond. He doesn't hold back, but is incredibly generous. And so that leads to the question, why aren't things better?
Maybe you are imagining enough. Maybe you aren't asking. Maybe you're focused on the wrong thing or with the wrong motive. And maybe you're withholding praise.
This statement about God also comes with instructions to us. To God who is able to do far more abundantly than what we ask or hope for, "to Him be the glory". God must be glorified for what He has done, and more than that, simply for who He is. It isn't my job to make things happen. It isn't my job to complain when things don't work out. It is my job to glorify God, dream big, pray big, and watch Him work wonders beyond all of that. And for that I glorify Him all the more, and until it gets to that point, I glorify Him now.
God will do great things, and God will be glorified for the great things He does. Christianity is not about a God who does enough to get by. Look at salvation. There was a system in place that worked. For every sin a sacrifice had to be offered to pay for it. The Jews did it for thousands of years, and it was enough. But God went above and beyond. He became a man and offered Himself as the final sacrifice for all sin. That is how God works, that is who God is.
Glorify God, dream big, pray fervently, watch Him do incredible wonders.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
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