Category: You (All) Are Rooted

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.

“This doxology sums up the intent of the first half of the letter [of Ephesians]. We should praise God for his astounding work in Christ Jesus…[It] invites us to meditate on God, the One who is much more powerful than we anticipate. This is not an invitation to think up self-centered grocery lists of tasks for God to do…God does not fit the limitations of our expectations…Rather, it is a call to realize God’s unanticipated power to effect change in us, in keeping with the power already working in us…God is at work and eager to work in us to achieve his purposes for salvation.” [Snodgrass, Ephesians (NIVAC)]

The Holy Spirit’s power, Christ in us, the vastness of His love and power, the fullness of God filling us, and knowing that God is at work and eager to work in us His purposes, the “immeasurably more” is simply the norm for our Christian life together as the Church!

As we pray, let’s worship to, “Yours (Glory and Praise)” by Elevation Worship (Click here).

Prayer/Commitment: God our Father, the One who does immeasurably more then all we ask or imagine, according to Your power we will live and love to glorify Christ in our churches, ministries and families! In Jesus’ name Amen.

– TR

Ephesians 3:17b-19 – And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

“In experiencing Christ, Christians experience the fullness of God, his presence, and power. In experiencing that fullness they themselves are made full by Christ. That is, they partake of God’s own being and are made like him. This is an ongoing process.” [Snodgrass, Ephesians (NIVAC)]

The fullness of Christ is at work in you, and “out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given” (Jn 1:16). Out of Jesus’ grace we are filled with His love. Knowing this fullness comes as we participate in His grace, relying on the Spirit’s work of Christ in us in all that we do, say, and think. Fullness = Loving God and loving others.

How can you live in the fullness of God today and this upcoming weekend?

What ‘old’ ways of ‘filling up’ can you replace with intentional demonstrations of love toward God and those you interact with?

As we pray, let’s worship to “Fill This Place” by Red Rocks Worship (Click here).

Prayer: God our Father, may we know Christ’s love today, being filled to the measure of all your fullness in Him, and now at work in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

– TR

Ephesians 3:17b-19 – And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.

The vastness of Christ’s love for us is what we are “rooted in” and “established” or grounded upon. Another way to understand the magnitude of Christ’s love and power is this: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39).

What cracks your conviction of God’s love for you? What ways wear you down and bring doubt or guilt into your thoughts about God’s powerful work in your life?

“Grasp” the vastness of Christ’s love and the Spirt’s power for you in those areas by spending time praying Ephesians 3:14-21 and declaring Romans 8:38-39 over your life when these moments begin to affect you. And then intentionally love – love God and love others.

As we pray, let’s worship to, “The Goodness of God” by Bethel Music (Click here).

Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, we bow our hearts and thank you for the magnitude of love we have in Jesus. I pray we will grasp this love and power today and love the Church, our missional groups, and our campus ministries with this love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

– TR

Ephesians 3:16-17a – 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.

As Dwight Moody (1837–1899) was struggling with his own personal shortcomings, God met him one day in New York. He later wrote, “I can only say God revealed himself to me, and I had such an experience of his love that I had to ask him to stay his hand.” Christ does not make our lives easier. He makes our lives wonderfully harder as he cares for us with a love so great that we need strength to endure him. [Ray Ortlund]

When Christ ‘dwells’ He sets up His home and His ways. They can be so powerfully displacing that at times it hurts. But it is good…wonderful.

Have you experienced Christ in you in such a way that He overwhelmed your heart?

In what ways have you been resisting the powerful Presence of Christ in your life?

As we pray, let’s worship to, “Only Jesus” by Bethel Music (Click here).

Prayer: God our Father, we bow our hearts to You today, and we pray that out of Your glorious riches, strengthen us with power by the Spirit deep within us so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. Father, we want Christ to flourish in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

– TR

Ephesians 3:14-17a – For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 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.

This prayer is so different than many of our typical prayers. We might tend to pray prayers that focus solely on our current situation. This is when we are simply asking God to change our circumstances and make our lives easier. There is a time for this kind of prayer. There is another kind of prayer that focuses on God changing us rather than Him changing our situation. This is how Paul prays. These are prayers where we are asking God to make us and those in the Church “complete in Christ.” [This] prayer often gets at the eternal prerogatives of God. We must, therefore, pray prayers that are aimed at this ultimate end. Otherwise our community is in danger of degenerating into, “God, would you please continue to make us more and more comfortable in every situation in our lives?” [Brad Watson, Ephesians: How Jesus Creates New People in a New World]

Using Ephesians 3:14-21, let’s pray for our Church, Missional Group, and Campus Ministries. And as we pray let’s worship to “Here I Bow” by Brian & Jenn Johnson (Click here).

Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, we pray that out of Your glorious riches, strengthen us with power so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

– TR