Soul Exploding!!

"16 I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves,17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, 18 so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love. 19 Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God." Ephesians 3:14-19 GNT

There is so much in these verses, but I feel that the Lord just wants to us to keep it simple.

Read these verses, one at a time and really pray over what God wants to reveal to you and for you to receive. I say this because when I read it all at once, I get so many promises and information that I can't really receive it all--because it is so big and soul exploding!

As you read, what are you receiving? For me, the common thread is love. That my heavenly Father loves me so much that I can't really wrap my emotions, faith or brain around it. I keep saying to myself, "But I'm a sinner. I fall short all the time. I don't deserve this type of love." And then, if I was to be truly honest, I can find myself thinking, "Yes, I can receive this love, but what if I get all used to it and then He whips it away from me? What then? Can I truly trust in this love? People on this earth love me and then all of a sudden it seems, they take it away--what if God's this way too?"

But these verses are also about faith and faith is believing even if you don't see. Faith is doing something even in fear, if your God is telling you that should. So, if I was to simplify these verses for God's gift to me, it would be this: I can be loved and receive His love on the faith that He is true to His word. And it is not anything that I can earn or un-earn. It just is. And with that love, faith and the holy spirit inside me, I can be as bold and courageous as God created me to be. And I have to do some housecleaning--in this case, I need to take that hot, soapy water and Brillo pad and scrub my old thought pattern--old hurt--away. I can't receive my new thought pattern if my old one still has it's grip on me--do you see?

How about you? What was spoken was for me, but God may be speaking something different to you. And again, truly search your spirit when you read these verses one by one so that you can receive the whole gift that God has waiting for you to receive and to own. Be prepared for the possibility that you may have to do some "housecleaning"--clean out that old hurt, habit or hang-up--in order to fully receive your gift. That may be a little messy but so well worth it in the end.

And then watch out!! You may find that your heart, mind and soul will soon be exploding all over the place! 

 "20 To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of:21 to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21 GNT