Immeasurably More

Pastor Del has been teaching Sunday School on Ephesians.  It is fantastic.  These are my favorite gleanings from his teaching the last two Sundays.

First Thought-

Ephesians 3:14-19  Paul shares a prayer that he prays 

For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you , being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints , to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Del shared that after Paul wrote the above, he then wrote a doxology and it is not at the end of the letter.  Del shared that it is as if Paul was so overwhelmed by the power of God , he couldn't help but bust out a Doxology

vs 20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. 

I thought that was so cool.  Those are some of my favorite verses and now I understand them even more.  Sometimes when I are so overwhelmed by God and things HE does for me, I do go to this doxology and it speaks things my heart can't even begin to describe.

Second thought

In Ephesians 4:2  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Del shared that as Christians we must do something more than the 'right' thing.  We need to take care of others before we take care of ourselves.  

He shared a story- I believe he said it was from Watchman Nee

   A Christian Chinese man shared with his Christian friends that his neighbor was stealing water from the Christian man to water his field.  The group prayed and they came up with the answer- water your neighbor fields first and then your own.  The man who was stealing the water finally asked why this was being done and the Christian man shared why.

Wow, I  was blown away. 

I am going to get on my knees and pray that I'll be able to water my neighbors field before mine.