To the Praise of His Glory

It's has been a while since I blogged.

"Why?" you ask. "Nothing to say?"

No. Quite the contrary. I've got so much to say... so many thoughts and words from scripture, I could spend hours sharing. I do love sharing. I have refrained, because if I allow myself to blog as much as I would like I would get nothing else done.

"Does this have a point?"

Nope. Just a girl expressing her thoughts about her absence lately.

Let's get to the point, shall we.

In my Bible reading I am in Ephesians... chapters 1 through 3 to be exact. I just want to share some of the encouraging and uplifting words I read today.

"...according to the good pleasure of His will."

"To the praise of the glory of His grace..."

"...the mastery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself."

"...the fullness of times..." (I love this statement and the meaning of it. In HIS time.)

"...according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

"That we should be to the praise of His glory..." 

"...unto the praise of His glory." 

"And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power."

"...the fullness of Him that filleth all in all."

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ."

"According to the eternal purpose..."

And finally Ephesians 3:14-21... my Study Bible has the heading "Prayer for inner growth". How I crave this inner growth... like a sunflower reaches for the sun...
   
     "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His 
Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, 

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

I was in awe of these beautiful words and how they stirred my soul and swelled my heart with a desire to see His will accomplished - to see the beauty that He is bringing to pass.

His will.
His pleasure.
His praise.
His glory.
His time.
His grace.
His purpose.
His work.
His greatness.
His power.
His fullness.
His riches.
His love.
His power.
He is all in all.

It's all about Him.
What messes we make when we lose sight of that!

May I be to the praise of His glory!

Amy Raw Part 2: Help My Unbelief

One verse that really helped me in my recent struggle is Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

It was not until Thursday of last week that I realized this battle I was fighting was not with me alone. It was a serious spiritual battle. So, that was at least four days into it. It was then that I started to see light at the end of the tunnel. 

It continues to be a lesson in trust and a test of faith. I am thankful for it, because I like the person I am now so much better than the person I was three weeks ago. I know most of you may not be able to tell the difference, but I can. I'd rather live with this me than that me. I think the other people I live with would agree.

God used a number of different people, medias, and His Word to speak to me through my battle. What a blessing.

Words from a dear friend that at first caused me to struggle more. I didn't want to give in that way. It required trusting somebody else to do a job I considered mine. Not a job I enjoy, but being a control freak, a job I didn't trust anybody else with. When I realized the advice was right and what I need to do is trust God... Trust God to work through this other person to do the job right. Trust God to work though this other person to do this job BETTER THAN ME. Trust God with this job.

Again, similar advice was spoken to me from a CD I was listening to. 

Well, it was a lot of inner turmoil, and 
"God, I don't know if I can let go." 
"Amy, do you trust me?" 
After hours of "Yes, but..." Finally I was able to say, "Yes, I trust You fully. This is in Your hands." 

I am telling you! Almost immediate beauty in the situation. (And not only that one particular situation, but also a number of my heavy burdens during this time.) I stepped out of it, and... speechless!

What am I thinking! Stay out of God's way! 

God you are awesome! Thank You for proving Yourself to me again. Help my unbelief!

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

Ephesians 6:10-18