August 19, 2013

Read Ephesians 3:20-21

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.

Answer these questions from the verses you just read: You may want to read this entire prayer of Paul to gain context - Ephesians 3:14-21.

• Who is able to do immeasurably more?
• According to what?
• Who is the power at work within?
• Who receives glory?

So many times in our lives we try to limit God, especially in our prayer lives. We come to Him with a litany of things we think He needs to do for us, half-heartedly believing that He'll respond. Often, we take things into our own hands even after we've "released" them to God.

Do you have any idea why we do that? I believe, in part, it is because we fail to stop and remember two important things ... Who God is, and that He is able.

I know I often get so caught up in my own pride, my own abilities and my own self-sufficiency that I forget that HE can do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine. Is this true of you?

It's important that we all remember that He is God and we're not! He is all- powerful, almighty and all-knowing. He is El Shaddai, the all-sufficient one. He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. He is a God that loves us in a way that we can't fully understand!

Verse 20 goes on to say that He does all these unimaginable things according to HIS power at work within us. His Power ... that tells me that what is accomplished all rests in and on Him, not in and on me. He does it, I don't. And why is that? Verse 21 tells us, "... to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen."

He does it; He gets the glory, and all I do is pray, believe, and obey. It's all ... Unto Him!

• List areas in your life where you are limiting God?
• Are you praying with expectancy, believing God's power to accomplish His will in your situation? If not, why not?
• When you see God accomplish an amazing work, do you give Him the glory?

In your prayer time this week, meditate on Ephesians 3:14-21. Boldly ask the Lord 

to do immeasurably more than you can imagine, believing He will accomplish it.

For more information on learning to meditate on God's Word, click here.  

   

Jacqueline C. Heider 

Director of Discipleship & Women's Ministry

April 8, 2013

Soaring Through Your To-do List

I am a doer, a task oriented person. I like to make a list and check things off. In fact, I 'm so bad that sometimes if I do something and it's NOT on my list, I write it down just so I can have the satisfaction of checking it off.

Do you ever grow weary of doing good, though?  Maybe you're a mom with young children or teenagers. Perhaps you work outside of the home or volunteer on a regular basis. Maybe you're faced with caring for a loved one or spouse who is ill or you may be single and all of the responsibilities of life fall on you. The point is that none of us has a shortage of things to do.  If anything, we have a huge surplus, and sometimes we just get weary!

About a year ago as I was having my quiet time one morning, I was telling the Lord just that.  I told him how tired I was and how absolutely exhausted I felt, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. Then my eyes came across Galatians 6:9 that says this:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give.

The word for weary in that verse means to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out and exhausted. 

That was exactly how I was feeling about my life - my job, my family, my friends, my house - everything! Then it hit me.  My day-to-day activities had deadened my heart. I was going through the motions and everything was becoming mundane and lifeless.

Now don't get me wrong, I was still reading my Bible, praying and doing all sorts of "good things." They were all on my list so of course I was checking them off!  But my heart was not engaged, and it certainly wasn't at rest. I had gotten so busy running around the altar serving God, that I hadn't taken the time to sit at the altar, ponder His greatness and worship Him.

So Psalm 27:4 became my prayer:

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in his temple.

God began to remind me of something I had forgotten.  He reminded me that the one thing that absolutely had to be on my list each day was truly worshiping Him. He showed me that in worshiping Him my strength was renewed, my heart was revived, and I could soar through tasks with more joy than ever before. Basically, my work became an overflow of my worship as I allowed my heart to be fully engaged with the wonder of God.

Isaiah 40:31 says ...

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they will walk and not faint.

The word that is used for wait in that verse means to attach one's self to. That tells me that as I attach myself to the Lord daily through worship and the Word, I will be renewed, gain strength and soar!

Are you wearied and burdened today?

Does your to-do list seem never-ending?

Have you lost your energy and focus? 

Try putting down the to-do list and concentrate on "one thing" today - worshiping Jesus! Sing, read your Bible, pray, sit and ponder the greatness of God. As you purposefully accomplish God's to-do list rather than your own, something amazing will begin to happen. You will watch the wonder return, feel your energy restored and feel your heart begin to soar!  

Have a joy-filled week!

Jacqueline Heider

Women's Ministry