Ron Lutz ~ Ephesians 3:14-21 Sermon Quotes:

Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 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.

Step 1 – STRENGTH …strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…

Step 2 – LOVE …rooted and grounded in love… “The faith… that is able to warm itself at the fire of God’s love, instead of having to steal love and acceptance from other sources, is actually the root of holiness… We are not saved by the love we exercise, but by the love we trust.” -Richard Lovelace

Step 3 – KNOWLEDGE …strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth…

The love of Christ is broad enough to encompass all mankind, long enough to last for eternity, deep enough to reach the most degraded sinner, and high enough to exalt him to heaven. -John Stott

Step 4 – FULLNESS …that you may be filled with all the fullness of God… 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.

“Prayer is the way to experience a powerful confidence that God is handling our lives well, that our bad things will turn out for our good, our good things cannot be taken from us, and the best things are yet to come.” -Tim Keller

“Any prayer, no matter how desperate its origin, not matter how angry and fearful the experiences it traverses, ends up in praise. It does not always get there quickly or easily—the trip can take a lifetime—but the end is always praise…” -Eugene Peterson

Prayer is not primarily a way to get things from God but a way to get more of God himself.