Filled to the Measure of all the Fullness of God

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Ephesians 3:16-19

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 high and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love surpasses knowledge -that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

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Out of Your glorious riches, Lord, I have been strengthened with the power of You, Holy Spirit, in my inner being.  Jesus, You dwell in my heart.  And it is through faith that I believe this.  Being rooted and established in your love, I have power,  together with all the saints, to grasp how high and long and wide and deep is Your love, and I know that this love surpasses knowledge!  I am filled to the measure of all the fullness of God!  

I am filled with all the fullness of God?

Yes!  Scripture says it.  I believe it!

And I will testify to it!

This makes perseverance possible.

Based on what I know about You, from my past, I can persevere because I know that You are faithful and have filled me with Yourself.

Open me up even more!  Let the world see that inside of me is only You.  Help me to make my death complete so that all the world sees is you, no matter what!

Tuesday Word Bytes; Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm!

I LOVE words!  I think language is the best part of being a human.  There's nothing as good as taking a new word and rolling it around the inside of my mouth and feeling how it tastes.

Todays word;

Enbrangle (en-brang-gul)

From the French;  "branler", to shake.

But may also be a conglomeration of the two words; 
wrangle + brawl.

To embroil or entangle.
To shake, waver or confuse.

To cause to be in a state of complete confusion.

A riot might be seen as an enbranglement.

And, admit it ladies, how many times have we gone to a prize fight and had a hockey game break out?

Of course, when Godzilla meets King Kong, enbranglement is sure to ensue! 

I'm thinking avoiding enbranglement is a worthwhile employment.

How about you?

Tuesday Word Bytes; Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm!

I LOVE words!  I think language is the best part of being a human.  There's nothing as good as taking a new word and rolling it around the inside of my mouth and feeling how it tastes.

Todays word;

Dulcarnon (dull-car-non)
From the Arabic;  dhū 'l karnein, meaning "lord of the two horns,"

It was an appellation given to Alexander the Great, who claimed to be the son of Amon, an Egyptian God, depicted with rams horns.

It's also attributed to Euclid, in describing the Pythagorean Theory.

Now, it's interesting that the definition of the word Dulcarnon makes it a noun; a person who finds himself unable to make a decision.

The first anecdote I thought of was... "on the horns of a dilemma", but that's not what Dulcarnon means.

To be on the horns of dilemma signifies not being able to choose between really bad options.

To be a Dulcarnon is to not be able to choose between two things, good or bad.

So, you can see that it's a natural assumption, the whole "horns" thing!

What's your favorite word this week?

Instead of Worry, There is Wonder!

Philippians 4:5-7

Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds.

See?  When you realize your value then you understand what a waste of time anxiety is.

Two years ago the Lord told me he  was sending me to Nigeria.  Immediately I started to obsess about how I was going to get there, where the money would come from.  And the funds came, and there was no hardship involved.  He had work for me to do and I was more than willing to go and do whatever he wanted me to do.  And there was great joy in the going and in the doing.

Now he’s told me I’m going to Italy and I believe him when he says he’ll provide the funds.  Instead of worry there is wonder!  Five weeks away and 1/3 of the funds required have been paid.  I’m going to Italy!  I have no doubt.  And I look with excitement to how he will accomplish it!  He is completely trustworthy!  And I can trust him when he tells me he has big plans for me!

The narrow path is the path of thanksgiving.  With every step give thanks.  Thanksgiving is the key that opens the door you’ve been trying to kick in.

Tuesday Word Bytes: Mmm, Mmm, Mmm!

I LOVE words!  I think language is the best part of being a human.  There's nothing as good as taking a new word and rolling it around the inside of my mouth and feeling how it tastes.

Todays word;

Desiderium (dess-eh-dehr-ee-um)

From Latin:  desiderare, to desire.

A feeling of loss or grief for something you once had or knew but which you can longer have or know.

Desiderium is a stronger sensation than Nostalgia, which is described as a wistful longing for a place or time in which we believe we were happy.

I had a teddy bear.  I got him when I was very small.  I never went to sleep without him when I was child and even brought him on my honey moon.

When my children were born they slept with their teddy bears and I slept with mine.

What did my husband think?  He was never jealous.  I think he thought it was quirky and cute.

In 1992 our family flew to Florida on a winter vacation.  Teddy was in a tote bag under my seat.  Halfway through the flight my husband and I switched seats to share the care of our toddler and grade school son.  We each forgot to check under the seats when we disembarked and Teddy was lost forever.

I was 32 years old.

I mourned the loss of that Teddy bear deeply and long.  Sometimes I still long for him, even though I'm now 55.  My dear, sweet children tried to comfort me with their own stuffed animals.  

This is just what he looked like!

At 32 years old, the Lord decided that it was time for me to put childish things behind me. 

BUT!  I was in very good company!  My bear had a famous cousin.  He looked just like Radar O'Reilly's Teddy bear, except his was 2 toned and mine was solid brown.

We all have things, places, people that we long for, that we mourn for.

The Lord is our comforter.  When we place our mourning at his feet he can turn it into gladness.

He Calls Things That Are Not As Though They Were

Romans 4:7

As it is written, “ I have made you (Abraham) a father of many nations.”  He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed - the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Abraham was really old.  He’d been married to Sarah for many, many years. She never conceived.  

He had taken his destiny into his own hands, at one point, and gotten himself a son through Hagar, Sarah’s maid.

So, how can it be said that his faith was credited as righteousness?  

Because, God, in his grace, didn’t snatch his blessing away because of Abraham’s sin.  God remained faithful even after Abraham’s faith failed him!

God pointed out Abraham’s failure, but he didn’t hold it against him, and , when God told him Sarah would still be a mother, despite his sin, he believed him!

“…and calls things that are not as though they were.”  Calling is a creative act for God.  It’s not calling a chair a chair because it is one.  It’s calling things into existence, which only God can do.

Abraham knew that nothing is called into existence by the word of man.  But he knew that God was the Creator, and that the Word he called into existence was a New Word.

Because he forgave Abraham, a whole nation, a whole people group were called into existence that hadn’t been there before.  Because God forgave him, he  became the “father”  of the Messiah!

A new thing!  Something that was not, but then was. (Moses and the law)  Something that was not and now is! (the New Covenant)

Before Isaac was conceived, Abraham blew it.  He fathered a son that was outside the promise.  And the consequences have certainly been far reaching.

But God is even using that to  bring his kingdom to earth.  it is part of the tapestry.  It is part of the beauty of his plan.