Immeasurably More

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 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. 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.

Ephesians 3:16-20 (NIV)

What is it about the lingering effect of Easter? I LOVE IT.

For a weekend, we dial in to “the Passion of the Christ” and drink deeply. It’s Monday and the echoes of this past weekend continue strong. A fade will come, but I pray it is a long time in coming.

My wife, Robin, shared that verse with us yesterday, Easter morning. What a prayer from Paul to his friends. It is the fruit of Easter… the results. He lives and He takes up residence in us… doing a work from the inside out… teaching us how to Love. Love is the official language of His Kingdom and a fierce and courageous Love it is. I heard Billy Graham once say,

It was “Love" that sent Christ to the cross. Not Pilate. Not the Pharisees… Love.

As we turn into the days between the Resurrection/Ascension and Pentecost, I want to invite you to pray with us Ephesians 3:16-20… for power, experiential love, fullness and transformation! We have a big weekend ahead, The Heart of a Warrior Weekend, April 7-10. Let’s pray…

Dear God, Holy Trinity, you are glorious in all your ways. We celebrate you today. We celebrate Love! You are Love and you have loved us so deeply… transformationally. Thank you for this glorious story you have written each of us into. A love story in the midst of a great battle. You are powerful, fierce and mighty… and you live within each of our hearts, working with us to see your Kingdom come and your will be done.

Jesus, thank you, thank you, thank you… a thousand, million times thank you. There are none like you. We see and declare the courage and passion of your life and how you stayed true to your mission, to the Father’s will and way for ransoming and redeeming us. Moving through the cross, laying down your life so we could have one… AMAZING. We pray, Jesus, that your life would infect us, be truly experienced, not just a factual story but an encounter with you within our very being.

Holy Spirit, come and bring knowledge AND power that we might enjoy you and allow you to enjoy us. Holy Spirit, we pray over and for the upcoming men’s Heart of a Warrior Weekend. We pray for the last days of inviting and recruiting. Fill the weekend with men exploring their hearts and your heart for them. Fill the room, every seat, with hopeful men.

Father, we praise you and thank you for loving us. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to reconcile us and bring us into your family… rooted and established in love. WE pray you would do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. Great and glorious are you, Father, and is your love for us. We receive it again today and give it total claim to our lives.