“Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20 – King James Version) My genuine hope and primary purpose for the Ephesians 3:20 Faith Encouragement and Empowerment Blog is to assist all people of faith, regardless of your prism of experience, to grow spiritually toward unconditional self-acceptance and develop personally acquiring progressive integrity of belief and lifestyle. I pray you will discover your unique purpose in life. I further pray love, joy, peace, happiness and unreserved self-acceptance will be your constant companions. Practically speaking, this blog will help you see the proverbial glass in life as always half full rather than half empty. I desire you become an eternal optimist who truly believes that Almighty God can do anything that you ask or imagine.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Inaugural Posting of Ephesians 3:20 Encouraging and Empowering Faith Blog

“Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20 – King James Version) That verse is the foundation for this blog. It encourages and empowers us to define and cultivate an affirmative, proactive and positive faith in Almighty God and the Lord Jesus Christ. My genuine hope and primary purpose for the Ephesians 3:20 Faith Encouragement and Empowerment Blog is to assist all people of faith, regardless of your prism of experience, to grow spiritually toward unconditional self-acceptance and develop personally acquiring progressive integrity of belief and lifestyle. Actually, I trust that we will grow together as faithful and steadfast seekers of genuine spirituality. God’s unfailing love, unquestionable faithfulness and unyielding grace extends to all persons. God reveals His majesty and mystery in the pluralism of race, ethnicity, culture, language, history and creeds of the world’s faith systems. The Ephesians 3:20 Faith Encouragement and Empowerment Blog aspires to encourage and empower genuinely spiritual people on the road to inner healing and wholeness. I pray that you will discover your unique purpose in life. I further pray that love, joy, peace, happiness and unreserved self-acceptance will be your constant companions.

For many years in my spiritual journey, my faith merely reacted to the prevalent fear and anxiety that plagued my life. I valued faith for its ability to lessen the emotional, and psychological, stress that I experienced. My faith centered upon redemptive suffering. I believed that God would enable me to surmount the latest crisis. With each prayer of thanksgiving for the victory over the latest challenge, I immediately prepared for the next battle. Admittedly, God utilized the pain and agony of each problem to strengthen my inner person. As I constantly lived in sequential afflictions, I was unable to relate more closely and genuinely to the love of God.

Additionally, I did not apprehend the “abundant and eternal life” that Almighty God offers in the revelation of Jesus Christ. I did not know joy or any of the other fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The “unspeakable joy and full of glory” that the biblical author posits each disciple should experience was a mere theory, if not wishful thinking. As I enter the “afternoon of life” in the words of one spiritual author and lecturer, I absolutely refuse to live as I have in the past. I steadfastly intend to live a life of affirmative, proactive and positive faith in the trustworthiness of Almighty God.

Practically speaking, this blog will help you see the proverbial glass in life as always half full rather than half empty. I desire that you become an eternal optimist who truly believes that Almighty God can do anything that you ask or imagine. During the school year, 2009-2010, I taught History at an “inner city” high school. The chairperson of the History and Social Sciences Department responded to every obstacle, inquiry and crisis by saying, “It’s all good.” No matter what the situation may have been, its origins or outcomes, he repeatedly replied, “It’s all good.” He especially recited this mantra if anyone came to him to complain about anything. In time, I grew to accept and more greatly understand his positive outlook on life. In fact, scripture teaches us that “All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Indeed, despite challenging circumstances and difficult people, everything eventuates into a vocationally successful, personally meaningful and spiritually empowering experience.

An encouraging and empowering life of faith just does not happen because we want it. Realistically, it requires daily practice of an assortment of spiritual disciplines which in time become a way of life. Rhonda Britten in her groundbreaking book, Fearless Living, offers the acronym RISK as a experiential process for a life of faith commensurate with the principles of Ephesians 3:20. Release your expectations. Invest in your intentions. Stand for the Truth. Keep love in everything that you do. Often, our dogged expectations prevent us from being open to God’s will. Egotistical desires, undergirded my self-seeking and self-centered fear, impede an open mind and sincere willingness to follow God’s will. A friend of mine refers to expectations as premeditated resentments. Releasing them is the first step to receiving the grand aims of Ephesians 3:20.

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