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104 illustrations
Ephesians 3
1For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,
2if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you;
3how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
4whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
5which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
6that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
7whereof I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
8To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,
11according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus, our Lord;
12in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
13Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.
14For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ,
15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
16that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19and to know Christ`s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
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"The disinherited imagine survival; God gives flourishing. We ask for endurance; He gives victory. The oppressed cannot imagine full liberation; God does immeasurably more. The power at work has brought us this far; it will take us further than we dream." — Howard Thurman.
"The POWER at work within you is RESURRECTION POWER! The same Spirit that raised Christ! Ask for healing; expect MIRACLES! Dream of breakthrough; receive REVIVAL! God is the God of IMMEASURABLY MORE! There is ALWAYS more in His presence!" — Bill Johnson.
"Our mission strategies are too small! God does immeasurably more than we plan, more than we expect, more than we imagine possible. The power at work in mission exceeds our programs. Expect God to surprise; He is doing more than we know." — Lesslie Newbigin.
"In Christ Jesus our Lord—all abundance is Christological. The power at work is resurrection power; the glory is Christ's glory. We imagine salvation; God gives Christ Himself, immeasurably more. He is the fullness beyond our asking." — Karl Barth. Christocentric: Christ as fullness.
"Immeasurably more—now and forever! In this age, God exceeds our expectations; in the age to come, abundantly more. Glory in the church throughout all generations—this spans ages, dispensations, eternity. What begins now overflows forever." — Warren Wiersbe. Dispensational: eternal abundance.
"The poor imagine bread; God gives banquet. They ask for justice; He gives kingdom. Liberation exceeds revolution—immeasurably more. The power at work among base communities accomplishes beyond their dreams. God's abundance includes and exceeds our justice work." — Gustavo Gutiérrez.
"The church imagines peace; God creates reconciled community exceeding our dreams. We ask for faithfulness; He gives witness beyond our courage. The power at work among us together exceeds what any individual could imagine. Communal life overflows." — Stanley Hauerwas.
"The gospel exceeds! We ask for forgiveness; God gives righteousness. We imagine acceptance; He gives sonship. We hope for mercy; He gives inheritance. Immeasurably more—this is grace upon grace. God's giving always exceeds our receiving." — Martin Luther. Lutheran: gospel overflow.
"To Him be glory in the CHURCH—the Body of Christ is where God's abundance flows. Through sacraments, through community, through service, God does immeasurably more. The Church is not limitation but location of divine abundance. Expect more; the Spirit is at work." — Pope Francis.
"We imagine restoration; God is doing new creation—immeasurably more! The power at work is resurrection power; the result is renewed cosmos. We ask for healing; He gives new bodies. We imagine heaven; He gives heaven and earth united. Always more." — N.T.