Thoughts for Life: #41 Giving God the Glory

Andrew Murray- "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, unto him be glory" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

In any discussion on Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we should emphasize the power of God and the place it is meant to take in the life of the Christian. All that we have learned about the Holy Spirit cannot have its full effect in our lives without a complete surrender to the almighty working of God's power. (Google image. The Spirit empowers)

Believers need to have an intense, personal, and abiding faith that God's power must be known and honored as the secret of living according to the New Testament standard. God will enlighten us by His Spirit that we may know the greatness of His power within us.

Paul gives special emphasis to the thought that our salvation is the result of the direct working of God's almighty power. He speaks of "the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Ephesians 1:11).

God does this, not only with regard to the great work of deliverance in Christ, but also in every detail in the daily life of the Christian. We think of Him as the omnipotent One, able to work mightily when He chooses. But the words suggest something far greater.

God works every moment, not only in nature with its every leaf and flower, but in His children, too. He provides all that they need for carrying out his blessed will.

Power Working in You

Nothing less than the power of the Father's might that raised Christ from the dead can meet the daily needs of your soul and accomplish what God longs to see in you.

The Holy Spirit gives you spiritual insight into the greatness of His power and enables you to know that God is working in you. Then He will be able to do for you what He has not yet done.

The Christian strives after the life that the Word puts before him. He prays that God would aid him in his weakness, but he fails to understand that only the greatness of God's power in him can do the work. "The weakness of God is stronger than man" (Corinthians 1:25). The strength of God is only found in the consciousness of utter weakness.

This was the mark of the working of the might of His power in Christ. Our Lord died, sinking down into absolute weakness, without a vestige of the power of thought or will.

He yielded Himself to the Father, and God's power raised Him out of absolute weakness to the place of power on the throne. Only the teaching of the Holy Spirit can enable us to know the greatness of God's power working in us.

As this thought masters us, we will understand the standard of the life Paul puts before us. By divine power, God will work in us to give us the courage to see and live a life pleasing to Him in every way.

Paul speaks of the grace of God given to him "by the effectual working of his power" (Ephesians 3:7). He experienced and counted on this direct working of God for all the grace he needed for his ministry.

He says in Colossians, "I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily" (Colossians 1:29). The man who believes in the working of God's power will cease seeking strength in himself. His whole attitude will be that of simple dependence and perfect trust in God.

(Chapter 20, pp.100-102, (Italics added)

Receiving Power from God

by Andrew Murray
Copyright © 1984

by Whitaker House

Used by permission

www.whitakerhouse.com

Let's pray-

"Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Teach us, Holy Spirit to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Let Your work be shown to us and Your glorious power to our children. Let Your favor be upon us and establish the work of our hands. Father, we are looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is our God. You will wipe away every tear from every eye and death shall be no more! O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" Germine Copeland

Scripture References:Psalm 90; Hebrew 11:10, 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21

Prayers That Avail Much dailyprayers@prayers.org

The Rabbi Who Found Messiah

True story of Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri

Today's Bible verses-

Psalm 7:17 (NLT) "I will thank the Lord because

he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the

Lord Most High.

Psalm 28:7 (NLT) "The Lord is my strength and

shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me,

and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs

of thanksgiving.

Today's quote-

~ Max Lucado- "You are the someone of God’s kingdom. You have access to God’s furnace. Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!"

Words of wisdom-

~ Our faith in God's word of promise may be severely tried by His dealings with us, but always remember that God cannot deny Himself, nor alter the word that has gone out of His mouth.

~ God's rebukes found in His Word, are humbling, yet are a welcome to the believer. He chides our backslidings, unveils our follies, checks our inconsistencies, and lays our pride, self-seeking and self-boasting in the dust.

Today's sermon spotlight-

Dating Maze: Week 3

The Dating Maze: God‘s wisdom to guide you through dating, courtship, romance, and relationships

February 10, 2020 • Rick Sinclair

List of recent sermons of CFC ministers. CFC Potsdam NY church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)