We have been pondering the revelation of God. We have spent some time considering the questions of “Do I or Do I Not” decide to believe in Him and “Do I or Do I Not” make the decision to accept His Son Jesus as my personal Savior? These are extraordinary choices and decisions to be considering and making. It is very apparent that there is an overwhelming amount of information out there upon which we can utilize, not utilize when making it. It is truly head shaking!
Pondering: “Is God Alive?” or “Is God Dead?” “Is God Real? or “Is God a Myth?”
So, we went back to the beginning yesterday with but the briefest examination of Genesis 1:1-5. We get a introduction to God’s awesome creative efforts on our behalf. God speaks! And God creates literally everything from literally nothing! What is so hard about grasping such a magnitude of that Biblical Passage, it that we, as mankind, cannot even begin to imagine what depth of nothing quite literally everything which we survey right in this exact moment of this day. We quite literally cannot survey it all – this universe – because there is too much of it to survey, quite literally we can never travel to these expanses in any lifetime.
Sometimes, after we consider a passage like Genesis 1, there is nothing left for us to do except praise “someone” for starting and completing such a magnitude of work. So, why not praise God even if we do not know a nickels worth of info!
Consider this, mankind dreams of doing a lot for the earth. and maybe, just maybe sometimes dream of doing great things for God and his Kingdom, the dreams we have are not and can never be as big as God’s plans. While we may be richly talented, influential, powerful, or ultra rich, they would still never be enough! These are merely tools in God’s hands, not symbols of our sufficiency.
“God is able” has to be one of the best and most accurate phrases in the Bible. But this time, it’s said about his work in you in me. He is able much more than we imagine to work through and in us. What can we say to that? Hallelujah!
Ephesians 3:20-21 AKJV
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Amplified
20 Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.
The Word of God for the Children of God. In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
What Does Paul Mean when he writes to the followers at Ephesus by ‘God Is Able to Do Immeasurably More Than All We Ask’?
Paul had just previously written of “God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles,” Ephesians 1:11-14
The key verses we are learning about today are included in the prayer that followed. “God’s love for us goes farther than even time itself,” (3:14-21)
We need to ponder exactly how His love for us is a love that does not hold back.
We need to ponder exactly how His love gives everything, to the point of sacrificing his very own Son …This is unquantifiable, immeasurable love.
We need to ponder the revelation of God, who He is and what He does, will do, and has done is immeasurable. We can only see and know the slightest slice of the whole pie in the sky. And we can know a lot about God! As we are deciding the role or roles He will have in our lives, we need to remember He is not afraid of our questions, frustrations, and the weight of all of the empty promises we have suffered, experienced. When we seek Him with all of our hearts, we’ll find Him.
Gerald Peterman, Professor of Bible and Director of the Master of Arts, Biblical and Theological Studies at Moody Bible Institute explains;
“The closing doxology encourages readers and praises God, First, with language reminiscent of Ephesians 1:19 they are reminded that He has the power to grand such bold requests and more still. Second, glory is given to Him, who alone deserves it”
Ephesians 1:7-10 NIV
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[a] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
All we ask of God isn’t all He intends to do through us. The more time spent with God in His Word, the Bible, and in prayer and worship, the more we begin to see through His perspective. But no matter how much we grow in our faith, our hope and in our love, we still can’t see the next day, or always understand fully why certain things happen to us and the ones we love in this life.
The Lord is able to transform hopeless, loveless angry people into peaceful ones; sad people into content believers; despairing individuals into his own hopeful children who are confident that they are a bigger and better story.
What Kinds of Things Does God Do That We Don’t Think to Ask For?
Ephesians 3:20-21 The Message
20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
God’s purposes are greater than ours. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is God; we are not. So, there are infinite ways He does things we don’t know to ask for. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
When I held the woman who would become my wife for the first time, I could not believe God would bless me in such a way after too many wayward years I had previously stumbled out of. I remember the way God provided for my new family when I answered His call to spread the Gospel, to Pastor a legacy church to God’s desired end and the blessing of becoming a Grand Father. I remember the miraculous way He is covering a disease within my body in a healing I knew He was capable of and I hoped for allot, but did not expect the way that it came.
Time after time in our lives, He is there to blow us away with beautiful sunrises and blessings beyond anything we could imagine. Life comes with hardships, and we can’t just explain away our pain even when we know God works all things for good. It’s too hard. But in peering back at what we’ve come through, we can see His hand on our lives. God’s mercies and blessings line our lives in the places we least expect or know to ask for them. Do we dare to imagine them?
What Does ‘God Is Able to Do Immeasurably More’ Teach Us about God as Infinite vs. Man as Finite?
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
God is all-knowing, everywhere and unchanging. The earth and everything in it began with Him, and all things lie under His sovereign control. In the beginning of Paul’s prayer to end this passage, he wrote,
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives it’s name….” Ephesians 3:14-16
We are limited in our knowledge of God, even in close relationship with Him as we grow and are sacrificed in our faith. There is no way for us to know what lies ahead, but God can. He goes before us, and prepares the way.
Paul wrote, “to him be glory.” The NIV Study Bible explains glorifying God is, “The ultimate goal of our existence.” Faith is trusting in God’s plan over our agenda because we recognize He is infinite, and we are finite.
Ephesians 3:20-21 brings to light there are things we cannot even imagine which God already knows will come to fruition. We can trust in the unknown details of our lives because God is good. He is love. We are created in His image to bring glory and honor to our Father.
What Should We Be Asking God For?
Ephesians 3:20-21 The Voice
“Now to the God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine though the power at work in us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen.”
Everything, and all of the things we can’t imagine. We can pray big prayers to God. He is God! He may not answer every prayer to the tune and timing of our desires, but He hears every single one and does answer according to His will.
Take some quality time to reflect on God promises to provide for us in time of need, You can rest assured as a child of God that if He leads you to it in life, God will provide the strength and hope and unconditional love that we all do need.
Pondering: “Is God Alive?” or “Is God Dead?” “Is God Real? or “Is God a Myth?”
Dare to imagine the limitless magnitude of that which God is able to do for you.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Let us imagine God, Let us enter into a time of Prayer and thanksgiving for His unyielding creativity.
Father God, You are our good Father.
Your love and goodness are responsible for every good and beautiful thing in our lives and that which surrounds us. Thank You for lacing our lives with blessings. We pray You point them out to us when we are rushing through our days and on to the next prayer request. Slow us to seek more of You, God.
We want to believe in and grasp and experience more than we can ask for or imagine to come to fruition in our lives. Help us to learn how to walk with You daily, through Christ Jesus, fill us with the power of Your Holy Spirit, Father, so we can experience Your unimaginable life to the full as Jesus died to give to us.
We want to know what comes next, Father. We want to plan and predict. You call us to work hard with the talents You’ve given us, to trust our lives in Your caring hands, and expect You will do great and good things through us.
Father, we pray the Living Water running through our souls always directs our paths. We pray for previously unimaginable boldness and courage to follow You when You ask us to do the unimaginably hard things, trusting Your plans for us are immeasurably more than we can ask for or imagine. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 