“TO HIM!”

 

Ephesians 3:20-21                 (ESV)

“[20] Now “TO HIM” WHO IS ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, [21] “TO HIM” be glory in the church and in CHRIST JESUS throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

This morning, while going over the Scripture that I wrote about previously, I observed a passage displaying the WORDS “TO HIM”???  I hardly ever “take the time” to delve into exactly what each word delineates, but I researched them and discovered something that still has me in awe of HIS MEANING for “people who have ears to hear”!!

To understand precisely WHO “TO HIM” is referring to causes this “brain damaged” soldier of the cross to S-L-O-W D-O-W-N and “take in” exactly what GOD is saying to me?  The GODHEAD (FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT) is trying to get me to ABSORB (soak in) in this time of my life.  I have always been SO HURRIED in my actions that GOD “used” a seventeen day coma to illustrate HIS TOTAL and COMPLETE OMNIPOTENCE over EVERYTHING!!!  

GOD IS NOT required to do ANYTHING too quickly OR slowly to PROVE HIS AWESOMENESS to HIS CREATED people!!!  WHO is GOD?  The Bible describes for us WHO GOD is. GOD is the All-Powerful Creator of the universe.  The LORD is ONE in THREE DIVINE PERSONS, FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT.  HE is holy, loving, and perfect. GOD is totally trustworthy and safe. HE ALONE is our salvation.  John 1:3 PLAINLY states “ALL THINGS were made through HIM, and without HIM was NOT ANY THING made that was made.”  HE IS LIFE and we must have our EYES OPENED to SEE that!!!

“Now “TO HIM” WHO IS ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US” are simply words to most people, but TO HIS CHOSEN they are WORDS that say that “TO HIM” lives inside of me and HE wants to make that KNOWN to “this world”!!!

“HIM WHO IS ABLE!”

 

Ephesians 3:20-21                 (ESV)

“[20] Now to “HIM WHO IS ABLE” to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, [21] to HIM be glory in the church and in CHRIST JESUS throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Having your restful sleep interrupted at 2:00AM is something that is very unsettling.  When you have your EYES OPENED to SEE the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT directing your thoughts in a way that is unmistakably BEYOND your capabilities, you tend to LISTEN more intently to HEAR what HE is SAYING to you!

The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD is ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US!  We tend to LIMIT what HE does in our lives because we don’t have the capacity to SEE what HE is capable of doing???  

Nineteen years ago, from July 12 through July 29, my body was having a war fought within me where I was TOTALLY removed from assisting in the outcome!  GOD didn’t require me to interfere with HIS HANDIWORK, as a matter of fact, HE needed me to “get out of HIS WAY”!!!   Around 1:30AM of July 25, GOD SUPERNATURALLY intervened in my life and temporarily healed my body.  HIS PLAN has kept me alive since, even though I am the worst of them (HCSB)!!!

GOD is STILL working in my life nineteen years later……NOT because I am worthy, but because of HIS MERCY AND GRACE!  It is my PRAYER that I will YEILD to HIS PLAN for my life and do PRECISELY what HE has LAID OUT for me to accomplish!  

Why did HE CHOOSE me to do such a MIRACULOUS WORK in my life??  Andreá

Crouch wrote a song in the early 1970’s entitled “I don’t know why JESUS loved me”.  Well, I don’t know why JESUS CHOSE a wretch soul such as I to perform such a work in my life???  All I can say is “HIM WHO IS ABLE” was the only ONE WHO could save me back then, and HE STILL IS WORKING ON ME!!!

“HE SAW A POOR WIDOW!”

 

Luke 21:1-4                 (ESV)

The Widow’s Offering

“[1] JESUS looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, [2] and “HE SAW A POOR WIDOW” put in two small copper coins. [3] And HE said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. [4] For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.””

A challenging portion of each devotional I write is the selection of the TITLE for each subject I write about.  As is listed above, Luke 21:1-4 are the verses I am writing about this morning.  

HOWEVER, Luke 20:46 needs to be read beforehand to adequately address the focal passages! “BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,” is something that needs to be addressed BEFORE looking at today’s MESSAGE from GOD!

BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES talks about the larger gifts given by those with a lot of wealth.  They gave to make a show about their wealth.  But “HE SAW A POOR WIDOW” give everything she had as an offering, something that the SCRIBES had no concept about doing!  

Proverbs 15:3 plainly states “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, KEEPING WATCH on the EVIL and the GOOD.”  Since HE SEES EVERYTHING, I prefer HIM to observe my smaller offering than a larger amount that is out of abundance and doesn’t cost me anything!   When THE CREATOR SEES me, I prefer “HE SAW A POOR WIDOW” rather than a wealthy scribe!!!

“BY HIMSELF TO PRAY!”

 

Matthew 14:22-33                     (ESV)

JESUS Walks on the Water

“[22] Immediately HE made the disciples get into the boat and go before HIM to the other side, while HE dismissed the crowds. [23] And after HE had dismissed the crowds, HE went up on the mountain “BY HIMSELF TO PRAY”. When evening came, HE WAS THERE ALONE, [24] but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night HE came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw HIM walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately JESUS spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

[28] And Peter answered HIM, “LORD, if it is YOU, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] HE said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to JESUS. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “LORD, save me.” [31] JESUS immediately reached out HIS hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshiped HIM, saying, “Truly YOU are the SON of GOD.”

Reading this passage of Scripture in its entirety displays to me that JESUS had characteristics that were undoubtedly DIVINE!  JESUS had JUST fed 5,000 men, plus women and children, and HE went “BY HIMSELF TO PRAY”!  “When evening came, HE WAS THERE ALONE”!  

Making sure that the 5,000+ people who were just fed had no issues wasn’t a concern.  HIS forerunner, John the Baptist, had just been beheaded by Herod due to the request of Herod’s stepdaughter.  HIS disciples were already on the Sea of Galilee battling a ferocious windstorm!!!  Yet THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES was spending time with HIS FATHER IN PRAYER!!!

What LESSON do I need to be able to GLEAN from this scenario?  For someone who is being TAUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT to SLOW DOWN, I need to understand that if JESUS HIMSELF took time out of HIS busy schedule to PRAY, this humble servant DEFINITELY needs to SEEK HIM before breathing, no matter how “busy” my schedule becomes!!  There is NOTHING more critical in life than to be IN TUNE with GOD in my life!!!

JESUS took time to be “BY HIMSELF TO PRAY”, even when HIS schedule was crowded with the cares of “this world”……no matter what came up!!!  I MUST SEE this more CLEARLY!!!

“WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”

 

Matthew 14:22-33                     (ESV)

JESUS Walks on the Water

“[22] Immediately HE made the disciples get into the boat and go before HIM to the other side, while HE dismissed the crowds. [23] And after HE had dismissed the crowds, HE went up on the mountain BY HIMSELF TO PRAY. When evening came, HE was there alone, [24] but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night HE came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw HIM walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately JESUS spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

[28] And Peter answered HIM, “LORD, if it is YOU, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] HE said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to JESUS. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “LORD, save me.” [31] JESUS immediately reached out HIS hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, “WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshiped HIM, saying, “Truly YOU are the SON of GOD.”

There will be SEVERAL commentaries regarding the passage of Scripture written above!  There are several “lessons” that I can see already, and I am almost excited about what these verses have to say to us!  

JESUS had just fed “about five thousand men, besides women and children”, so it should make sense that HE was weary from what is known as “ministerial duties”.   HE came WALKING ON THE SEA to HIS Disciples and Peter asked to walk with HIM.  Peter did fine, until he took his eyes off of JESUS, then he began to sink!  JESUS promptly asked Peter, “O you of little faith, “WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”, causing him to begin to sink?  

The words “WHY DID YOU DOUBT” really struck home with this humble servant!  Nineteen years ago this morning at 5:30AM, I woke up and was experiencing “a massive brain hemorrhage”!  Many have heard me bragging about what GOD did for me over the next two years, but it is something that I REFUSE to be silent about!  

Like the Apostle Peter, I sometimes have to answer to GOD “WHY DID YOU DOUBT” when things don’t go as smoothly as “I prefer” that they should! HIS PLAN is FAR BETTER than my wildest imaginations!  I never would have dreamed in my feeble mind I could survive something so potentially devastating, but I was NOT in control!  HE WAS!!!

The fact that HE IS IN CONTROL should give me PEACE, because HE has already proven to me that HE needed me out of HIS WAY before HE could do what ONLY HE COULD DO!!!

“WITHDRAW!”

 

Luke 5:15-16                 (ESV)

“[15] But now EVEN MORE the report about HIM went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear HIM and to be healed of their infirmities. [16] But HE would “WITHDRAW” to desolate places and pray.”

WITHDRAW: to draw back, away, or aside; take back; remove.

JESUS, GOD IN FLESH, THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING THAT EVER WAS OR EVER WILL BE, more than likely had no need to “WITHDRAW” from anything!  HE CREATED everything, so HE has the ability to sustain EVERYTHING??  HE also has the capacity to NOT sustain anything (John 1:3)!

Why, then, would JESUS SO OFTEN “WITHDRAW” TO DESOLATE PLACES??  JESUS CHRIST came to earth to pay the unimaginable price for my sinful behavior, for my less than Godly decisions!  HE desires for us/me to spend more time with HIM, thus HE SET AN EXAMPLE by “WITHDRAWING” from the cares of “this world” and praying to HIS FATHER!!!  The ONLY TIME that HE was separated from HIS FATHER was when HE was separated from the FATHER……because of my sins!!!

SACRIFICIAL LOVE doesn’t adequately cover describing the price that was paid for the SALVATION of mankind!  The sinfulness of EVERY SINGLE BELIEVER was PAID IN FULL by our REDEEMER on Calvary’s cross!  I need to FREQUENTLY “WITHDRAW” from the cares of “this world” and CELEBRATE the SACRIFICE made by JESUS CHRIST for my wretched soul!!!

“NOT YOUR OWN DOING!”

 

Ephesians 2:8-10                 (ESV)

“[8] For BY GRACE you have been saved THROUGH FAITH. And this is “NOT YOUR OWN DOING”; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, [9] NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD prepared beforehand, that WE SHOULD WALK in them.”

There is NO REASON why ALMIGHTY GOD should have CHOSEN me to be in HIS KINGDOM for eternity!  Even the yearning to go to heaven is a GIFT from GOD!  We get SO CAUGHT UP in the cares of “this world” that our finite minds are blinded to SEE TRUTH!  The pace at which we live our lives TESTIFIES where our priorities are set.  

Humanity has to be BORN AGAIN (John 3:3) to experience Heaven, according to JESUS HIMSELF!  So why do we think that living a “good life” is critical to our salvation??  I am a sinner saved by GRACE, nothing less will suffice!  ALMIGHTY GOD CHOSE ME BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4), or I would be WITHOUT HOPE!!!

There is a song written a few decades ago entitled “I don’t know why JESUS loved me” by André Crouch that I reflect on frequently!  Why did JESUS CHRIST leave HEAVEN for three plus years for someone as vile and wretched as this humble servant?  It was DEFINITELY “NOT YOUR OWN DOING”, but TOTALLY HIS GRACE AND MERCY!!!