Sunday February 20, 2022
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Ephesians 3:18- “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”
THE POWER TO UNDERSTAND HIS LOVE IS NEEDED WHEN
1. Things happen I don’t Understand
When this all powerful, all knowing, always present and always loving God allows negative things to happen in my life, I DON’T UNDERSTAND!
And it gets even more frustrating when I ask God WHY and He doesn’t tell me.
He just says “TRUST ME BECAUSE WHAT I NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU!”
Psalm 25:1-2 – “O Lord, I give my life to you, I trust in you, my God!…”
Proverbs 3:5,6- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
HERE’S WHAT GOD IS REALLY SAYING:
“When things happen you don’t understand, don’t allow it to pull you away from Me but allow it to push you closer to Me and discover how wide, how long, how high and how deep my love is!
The power to understand God’s love is needed when things happen I don’t understand!
2. I must fight to keep my focus on God
What happened to Peter when he was walking to Jesus on a stormy sea? His FOCUS shifted to the stormy sea and he started to sink.
HAVE YOU FOUND YOURSELF SINKING CONSUMED WITH THE THINGS YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND?
Just like Peter all you have to do is call out to Jesus and He will help you.
Just because you’re not focused on God doesn’t mean He’s not still there focused on you!
Hebrews 13:5- “…….“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
AND HERE’S THE PROMISE OF GOD, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND:
Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
AND WHEN MY FOCUS IS ON GOD HERE’S WHAT I DISCOVER: HOW WIDE, HOW LONG, HOW HIGH HOW DEEP HIS LOVE IS!
3. God’s Presence Changes Everything
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
When I’m focused on God and Who He is and just how much he loves me, I’m reminded of WHO I am because of WHOSE I am!
Romans 8: 15,16- “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
Without even realizing it we can become slaves of what we don’t understand!
BUT GOD’S PRESENCE CHANGES EVERYTHING BECAUSE I’M REMINDED I’M HIS CHILD AND NOT A SLAVE!
And a TURNAROUND begins! GOD I AM YOURS AND YOU ARE MINE!
Psalm 16:11- “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
“I’m trading my sorrows I’m trading my shame I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord!”
Psalm 30:11,12- “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
“God rewarded Job, but never gave him answers. Job encountered God and no longer needed answers.”
When we experience God’s presence we experience the power to understand how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is!
THEN WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND NO LONGER CONSUMES MY LIFE AND I REALIZE.
4. God still has a plan for my life.
When things happen you don’t understand the following verse is really important.
Philippians 1:6 – “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
If you’re still breathing God is still working………IN YOU AND FOR YOU!
Jeremiah 29:11-13- “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
“If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.”
When things happen we don’t understand God still has a plan. I just need to understand how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is!
AND I NEED TO UNDERSTAND
5. I can start dreaming again.
Because God has a plan for my future I can DREAM…..AGAIN!
AND DON’T DREAM SMALL DREAMS!
Matthew 19:26 – “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. BUT WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.”
If God can take Jesus three day dead body and resurrect it to life, there’s nothing He can’t do in your life!
ONLY GOD CAN TAKE A CROSS AND TURN IT INTO A RESURRECTION!
ONLY GOD CAN TAKE A CROSS AND TURN IT INTO A CELEBRATION
Ephesians 3:18-19- “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
CONCLUSION: Love Like This! Where does it come from? It comes from our Heavenly Father, displayed in His Son Jesus Christ and fully revealed in our hearts through the power of His Holy Spirit.
Do you know this love? Have you allowed what you don’t understand from pursuing an understanding of God’s love? What is happening in your heart right now?