Boxing in God
Here is the first of many word pictures to come. I hope that these will touch your heart as well as the way you think about God.Picture…a beautifully wrapped box sitting on the table. But it is moving around like there is something trapped in it trying to get out.
Hear…the Lord say, “My people have placed me in a box, they have restricted me with boundaries. They have hindered what I can do for them and through them because of their own feelings of failure. They limit me because they really don’t know me well enough to totally trust me. They limit me because of disappointing experiences in the past. They have developed a criterion by which to judge the way I will move in the future by what they know of me from their limited and frustrating past. They believe “this is how it will happen, in this order, and with this results.” They couldn’t be more wrong because they really don’t know me at all. I am straining to break out of their mindset box. I want to be set free to do creative and powerful things. Children, open the lid and release me to do things beyond your experience and understanding. I want to do miracles beyond anything that I’ve ever done before in your lives. I want to speak to you and through you. I want to use you in ways that you have yet to imagine. Let me out! ”
Consider: I don’t think that we set out to put limits on God. Who in their right mind would want to limit God? Not me…and probably not you. I think the real problem is that we are unaware of the restrictions that we have placed on God. They have just sort of developed through past life experiences, the good the bad and the ugly. Have you ever used a pattern to cut out a number of items? During the years I was involved with children’s ministry I have cut thousands of pieces of ribbon, construction paper hearts and flowers and a sundry other items using a pattern. What I found was if you use the same pattern over and over again, eventually the pieces will get smaller and smaller. Perhaps you’ve noticed the same thing with wallpaper, 2x 4’s, and/or costume patterns. The point is, if you don’t keep re-measuring or creating new patterns, your final cuttings will be far different than the original. We need to re-evaluate our expectations. We need to look closely at what we are accepting now as just a part of life, and what we HONESTLY think God will do for us. Then rip the top off the box and release God to do what He wants to do.
“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," Eph 3:17-20 NKJV
Hear…the Lord say, “My people have placed me in a box, they have restricted me with boundaries. They have hindered what I can do for them and through them because of their own feelings of failure. They limit me because they really don’t know me well enough to totally trust me. They limit me because of disappointing experiences in the past. They have developed a criterion by which to judge the way I will move in the future by what they know of me from their limited and frustrating past. They believe “this is how it will happen, in this order, and with this results.” They couldn’t be more wrong because they really don’t know me at all. I am straining to break out of their mindset box. I want to be set free to do creative and powerful things. Children, open the lid and release me to do things beyond your experience and understanding. I want to do miracles beyond anything that I’ve ever done before in your lives. I want to speak to you and through you. I want to use you in ways that you have yet to imagine. Let me out! ”
Consider: I don’t think that we set out to put limits on God. Who in their right mind would want to limit God? Not me…and probably not you. I think the real problem is that we are unaware of the restrictions that we have placed on God. They have just sort of developed through past life experiences, the good the bad and the ugly. Have you ever used a pattern to cut out a number of items? During the years I was involved with children’s ministry I have cut thousands of pieces of ribbon, construction paper hearts and flowers and a sundry other items using a pattern. What I found was if you use the same pattern over and over again, eventually the pieces will get smaller and smaller. Perhaps you’ve noticed the same thing with wallpaper, 2x 4’s, and/or costume patterns. The point is, if you don’t keep re-measuring or creating new patterns, your final cuttings will be far different than the original. We need to re-evaluate our expectations. We need to look closely at what we are accepting now as just a part of life, and what we HONESTLY think God will do for us. Then rip the top off the box and release God to do what He wants to do.
“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," Eph 3:17-20 NKJV
Pray: “Lord, I want to remove any and all boundaries that I may have inadvertently placed on you through the course of my walk with you. Whatever they are, they are definitely not intentional. I want to remove the limits, take off the lid and destroy the boundaries that I have placed on you. Help me to see you with new eyes today. Help me to trust you as never before. I give you permission to ‘rock my world.’ Help me to change the way I process your Word so that it becomes alive in me. I love you and I want to turn you lose today, in Jesus name, A
posted by pastorc @ 8:00 AM
8 Comments:
It's so cool that you're sharing these insights with others in this format. I've had the chance to see your prophetic gifting up-close-and-personal for years, and I'm glad that now others will get to share the benefit of those snapshots you get. Love you babe,
Jerry
Wow!! How God moves. A few months ago, I was talking with some friends about taking God out of the box, and then this morning that thought came to me again. I just want to echo Pastor Chris. Let God out of the box
Dawn Craan
Hi Pastor Chris!! I am one of the people who needs to let God out of the box! I was blessed by your words. Thank you! Opal
Thank you Pastor Chris. What a beautiful message. I am working daily to let God run freely in my life.
Fran Starks
Pastor Chris,
This messsage is so-o- beautiful and timely for me. I appreciate the gift of God in you and thank you for sharing it in a format that really speaks to my learning style.
May God continue to bless you as go forth in this ministry.
Maria Crawford
WOW, talk about timing. Just this week the Lord worked something out on my behalf in a way that I would have never dreamed of. Thank you for allowing God to use you to bless others!
Patricia Earley
Wow and Amen.
Pastor Chris - What a powerful picture. I am sharing it with members of my staff. They are also being blessed by it. Keep on letting God speak to us through your pictures.
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