Series Outline

•A Mile High and a Mile Wide Aren’t Enough.•Deepening Your Faith in God.•Deepening Your Love of God.•Tapping into God’s Power.•Experiencing the “Fullness” of God.

Deepening Your Love of God

First PointOur love for God deepens as

we consider the permanency of His promises.

Ephesians 3

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17a so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Hebrews 11:9

9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

2 Greek Words for “dwell; live”

κατοικέω (kat-oikeō)

To dwell permanently

Eph. 3:17

παροικέω(par-oikeō)

To dwell temporarily; to live

as a foreignerHebrews 11:9

Ephesians 3

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell permanently in your hearts through faith.

Second Point

Our love for one another deepens our love for God.

Ephesians 3

17bAnd I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.

Ephesians 3:17b

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

ἐν τα ς καρδίαις ι̂+ ὑμ νω̂� , ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι

All plurals, referring to believers in their relationship with one another

Rooted in Love

ῥιζόω / rhē-zo'-ō

to cause to strike root, to strengthen with roots, to render

firm

“Founded” in Love

Θεμελιόω / The-me-lē-o'-ōTo lay or construct a

foundation; to found upon; to establish

Love is Death

“It’s a wise groom who has to be dragged to the altar. He knows what love is. It’s death. If lovers don’t know this, they are headed for trouble.”

Love is an Exercise in Frustration

“Love is an exercise in frustration. You leave the window up when you want it down. You watch someone else’s favorite TV program.

Love is an Exercise in Frustration

You kiss when you have a headache. You turn the music down when you like it loud. You learn to be patient without sighing or sulking.”

The One Isn’t You

“Love’s doing things for the other person. In marriage two become one but the one isn’t you. It’s the other person. You love this person more than you love yourself. ”

The One Isn’t You

Acceptance. We ask ourselves frankly what that impulse is that makes us want to redesign a person. It isn’t love. We want the other person to be normal like us. But is that loving the other person or ourselves?

The One Isn’t You

Love brings out the best in people. They can be themselves without artificiality. People who know they are loved glow with beauty and charm.

Question to Ponder

If loving one another truly deepens our love for God,

what could we do in church in order to grow in our love for

each other?

Third PointAs our love becomes selfless

and sacrificial, we gain the supernatural ability to

appreciate Jesus’ love.

Ephesians 3

17b And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —

To grasp…

•how wide: a measurement of extent.•how long: a measurement of distance.•how high: a measurement of stature.•how deep: a measure of penetration.

How wide?

•God's love is wide enough to include every person.

David Guzik

How long?

•God's love is long enough to last through all eternity.

David Guzik

How deep?

•God's love is deep enough to reach the worst sinner.

David Guzik

How high?

•God's love is high enough to take us to heaven.

David Guzik

2 Questions to Ponder

1. Would you say that you are deeply in love with Jesus?

2. If you do say so, would you be telling the truth?