Great Plains Daily Devotional for 7/19/2019

Ephesians 3:14-21 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Paul continues with a beautiful prayer for the Ephesians. Reading this passage has brought my mind wandering about the United Methodist Church. I think about the Great Plains Conference. Personally, whatever side you are on, is up to you and God. It does not matter to me at all. What does matter is that we become great disciples, great leaders, great churches and that we transform our communities and world for Jesus Christ. That is what it means to claim the name Christian and to be a disciple.

Because that is my mandate, every single one of our mandates, this is why I kneel before the Father … This is why I pray the beautiful words of Paul for each of you, I ask that He will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of His glory through the Spirit. I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God. God to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by His power at work within us; glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.

Prayer for Reflection

Amos 7:7-17
Psalm 82
Colossians 1:1-14
Luke 10:25-37