Our Daily Bread

Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name].

16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]–

21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Ephesians 4:1-3  

 

1 I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service,

2 Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.

3 Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.

Devotional

How To Walk

- Dave Branon
Dana and Rich went out for an afternoon bike ride expecting to come home refreshed. Instead, their lives were changed forever. As Rich rode down a hill, he lost control of his bike and crashed. His body was mangled, and he barely made it to the hospital alive.
Dana faithfully kept vigil by her husband’s side. He couldn’t feed himself, and he couldn’t walk. One day, as the two of them sat under a shade tree outside the hospital, Rich turned to his wife and said, “Dana, I don’t know if I’ll ever walk again, but I’m learning to walk closer to Jesus, and that’s what I really want.” Instead of shaking his fist at God, Rich reached out and grabbed His hand.
Sometimes in the midst of our trials, we need to think about someone like Rich to help us adjust our perspective— to remind us of the remarkable relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. This is the relationship we need most when the going gets the toughest.
We are not equipped to handle all the problems we face, but God is. That’s why He told us to give them all to Him— to “cast your burden on the Lord” (Ps. 55:22). As Rich found out, walking with Jesus doesn’t depend on our legs. It depends on our heart.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said;
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead. —Stanphill
We can walk through the darkest trials when we walk with God in the light.