Philippians 3:14-15 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude ; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
Ephesians 3:19-21 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
When Paul wrote to the Philippian church he spoke of pressing forward for the prize of the high calling. Though he was physically content whether rich or poor, [Philippians 4:11] the apostle was not content with his spiritual condition, but constantly seeking a deeper, more intimate, and fruitful walk with the Lord. Paul had great expectations for his own lifetime, and he accomplished tremendous things, yet if he'd known while writing his epistles that they would edify the lives of billions of people for 2000 years, I think he'd be saying to himself, "This I could never even have imagined!"
I was reading a quote by legendary preacher, D.L. Moody; "We honor God when we ask for great things. It is a humiliating thing to think that we are satisfied with very small results."
Why do we honor God when we ask for great things or expect more from Him? Simply because He is great, far greater than we can imagine, but also because we are made in His image. His greatness is glorified by what He performs through our lives. If we desire great things, it's because we're reflecting His awesome nature. It is in us by nature to seek more and greater things -- just as Paul and D.L Moody did. We should not be ashamed of it when our motives are pure, because our Lord will be glorified all the more. Not seeking fame or fortune, but the glory of Yeshua (Jesus) crucified and risen, will be a lifetime of pressing forward, and accomplishing more than we ever could have imagined!
Allow your mind and your heart to think and to dream of great accomplishments for Yeshua. He Himself said through Paul that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, so let's honor God by seeking the greatest things and then watch Him fulfill more than we could ever have imagined!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]People read this verse, and think God is telling them to be passive — to overlook what happened. That is not a bad thing — but it isn’t exactly what Yeshua (Jesus) was saying. Turning the other cheek is not about being passive. It’s about being active! So active that it actually confounds your enemy! Turning the other cheek is about taking an action so revolutionary, so shocking, so out of the ordinary that it shocks everyone around. It confounds the world — and can also change it!
In the 4th century lived a Christian named Telemachus, in a remote village, tending his garden, and spending much time in prayer. One day, he believed he heard the voice of God telling him to go to Rome, so he obeyed, setting out on foot. Some weeks later, weary from his journey, he arrived in Rome about the time of a great festival.
Nature provides us with an illustration that closely parallels the insidious tactics employed by our adversary. According to scientists, Arctic polar bears feed almost entirely on seals. To enjoy such a meal, they sometimes resort to a cunning bit of trickery.
Whew! What must the disciples have felt back then as they saw the waves crashing against their boat? They we’re being swayed from side to side in the deep dark sea. They were afraid for their lives! But our Lord was there all along. He just wanted them to trust.
One of my heroes of the faith, Watchman Nee, once said something profound about entering the rest of God. He said, “Carnal Christians crave works; yet amid many labors, they are unable to maintain calm in their spirit. They cannot fulfill God’s orders quietly as can the spiritual believers… their hearts are governed by outward matters. Being “distracted with much serving” (Luke 10:40) is the characteristic of the work of any soulish believer. They have not yet entered the rest of God.”
Thousands are gathering in Washington D.C. today to pray for the inauguration of the new president of the United States. I know a number of people who will be there and I think it’s a good thing, but this reminds me of a story I heard once.
We arrived at the airport late Thursday night with our bags and our kiddos only to find out that our flight was canceled because of a freak accident — a tractor ran into the plane, of all things! So we repacked our ourselves tightly into a small rental car to make the two hour drive to get back home to Arad in the middle of the night. Our flight was postponed till Sunday.