Episode 938
Expansive Love: Breaking Free from Religious Constraints
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...
- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
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Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)
The discourse surrounding Ephesians 3:14-21 reveals a depth of understanding regarding the nature of divine love that extends far beyond conventional religious confines. The Apostle Paul’s prayer beseeches for a revelation of love that is not merely to be understood cognitively but experienced viscerally. It invites us to dismantle preconceived notions of divine power that often reinforce hierarchical structures, presenting instead an interpretation of strength that is rooted in collaboration and inner resilience. This redefinition encourages us to contemplate the implications of such an understanding on our personal experiences of authority and power within our spiritual lives.
As we engage with the vivid imagery presented in the passage, we are reminded of the significance of embodied spirituality. Paul’s invocation of dimensions such as breadth, length, depth, and height compels us to move away from a dualistic approach to spirituality that separates the physical from the spiritual. This holistic perspective asserts that our physical experiences are integral to our understanding of the divine. It challenges us to honor the entirety of our being in our spiritual pursuits, recognizing that our emotions, bodies, and souls are interconnected in our quest for divine encounters.
Moreover, the communal dimension of love articulated in this passage beckons us to consider the implications of collective spiritual engagement. Paul’s emphasis on experiencing love in unison with fellow believers underscores the necessity of fostering supportive communities that encourage mutual growth. This notion of collective liberation prompts critical inquiry into how we can cultivate environments that not only nurture individual spirituality but also advocate for justice and equity within our societies. Ultimately, we are called to take actionable steps that expand our love and commitment to our communities, reinforcing the idea that our spiritual journeys are intertwined with the collective journey towards justice and love.
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of experiencing divine love beyond traditional religious constraints.
- We explore the concept of inner strength as a collaborative divine power working within us.
- The discussion highlights the significance of embodied spirituality in understanding our divine encounters.
- Collective liberation is central to the teachings, encouraging communities to expand their capacity for love.
- Listeners are invited to engage in expansive love mapping to deepen their understanding of love's dimensions.
- A call to action is presented, urging individuals to identify and transcend their boundaries of love.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- voiceofgodddaily.com
- ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method
Transcript
Expansive Breaking Free from Religious constraints A study of Ephesians 3:14 21 on the Daily Bible refresh with Dr. Brad Miller hello good people.
Speaker A:Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh your daily walk through the New Testament of the Bible from a progressive perspective.
Speaker A:We read to you every day from the Revised Common Lectionary, the selective verse of Scripture for this very day.
Speaker A:We do in such a way that is understandable.
Speaker A:So we draw from the message version of the Bible relatable.
Speaker A:We give you some points to ponder applicable give you an action step to take.
Speaker A:We do all of this from our website, voiceofgodddaily.com that's the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A: million people, by the end of: Speaker A:Here's our reading for the day.
Speaker A:Ephesians 3:14 21 Reading from the Message My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth.
Speaker A:I ask him to strengthen you by his spirit.
Speaker A:Not a brute strength, but a glorious inner strength that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in.
Speaker A:And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly in love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love.
Speaker A:Reach out and experience the breadth, test its length, plumb the depths, rise to the heights.
Speaker A:Live full lives full in the fullness of God.
Speaker A:God can do anything, you know, far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams.
Speaker A:He does it not by pushing us around, but by working with us and within us.
Speaker A:His Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Speaker A:Glory to God in the church.
Speaker A:Glory to God in the Messiah in Jesus.
Speaker A:Glory down to all generations.
Speaker A:Glory through all millennia.
Speaker A:Oh yes.
Speaker A:Well, my friends, today we're exploring a text that invites us into an expansive literature liberating understanding of God's divine love that breaks free from traditional religious boundaries.
Speaker A:Paul's prayer here envisions a love so vast that it requires our whole being to begin to comprehend it.
Speaker A:This isn't about doctrinal correctness, but about experiencing the revolutionary power of boundless love.
Speaker A:So let's get into some points to ponder.
Speaker A:The first one has to be about going beyond hierarchical power.
Speaker A:Notice that divine strength isn't about brute strength, but glorious inner strength.
Speaker A:This challenges traditional images of God as some sort of a controlling patriarch.
Speaker A:Instead, we see divine power working collaboratively with human agency, quote not by pushing us around, but by working within us.
Speaker A:So how might this understanding reshape our understanding of both divine and and human power?
Speaker A:A second point to ponder is about embodied spirituality.
Speaker A:This text uses physical language.
Speaker A:Quote both feet planted, breadth, length, depths, heights.
Speaker A:All those imagery challenge some sort of a dualistic spirituality that separates body from soul.
Speaker A:How might we recover our more holistic spirituality that honors our bodies, emotions and our physical experience as sites of our divine encounter?
Speaker A:A third point is about collective liberation.
Speaker A:Paul emphasizes taking in love's dimensions quote with all followers of Jesus.
Speaker A:So this isn't about individual spiritual achievement, but it's about collective liberation.
Speaker A:So the question is, how do we build communities that support each other in expanding our capacity for love and justice?
Speaker A:Here's your action step for the day.
Speaker A:Practice what we might call expansive love mapping.
Speaker A:And as each day focus on one dimension that's been mentioned here in the Scripture.
Speaker A:Breadth, length, depth, height.
Speaker A:And think about that.
Speaker A:Maybe even journal about how love is is understood in those means and how love feels somehow constrained in that dimension.
Speaker A:And identify a boundary of love you want to push beyond.
Speaker A:So take some concrete action to expand your love in that direction and maybe share your journey with others and maybe be an inspiration to others in the process.
Speaker A:We'll come back in just a minute with a prayer, but I did want you to know that we have a great resource for you.
Speaker A:It is called the ABC123 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A:You simply go to our website voiceofgoddaily.com you'll find several places there to link in.
Speaker A:To find our free resource the the ABC1, 23 Bible study method for your daily at home Bible study.
Speaker A:Pick it up there at our website voiceofgoddaily.com here's our prayer.
Speaker A:Oh God, you are the source of boundless love.
Speaker A:When our hearts feel small, expand them beyond comfortable borders.
Speaker A:When fear makes us rigid, help us bend toward justice.
Speaker A:Break open our limited understanding until love flows freely through us.
Speaker A:Plant our feet firmly in your love so we can dare to reach further, dive deeper and rise higher than we might have imagined possible.
Speaker A:Make us brave enough to love expansively even when it cost us everything.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:It's always great to be with you here on the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:As part of the joy of my everyday life, I did want you to know that the Daily Bible Refresh is completely listener supported.
Speaker A: rs that's a million people by: Speaker A:Just go to voiceofgodddaily.com, scroll to the bottom of the page.
Speaker A:There's a link there for your gift of any amount, which is always appreciated.
Speaker A:We appreciate you so much.
Speaker A:We hope that you enjoy.
Speaker A:Join us now by subscribing to the podcast and inviting someone to join us.
Speaker A:We'll see you again tomorrow here.
Speaker A:My name is Dr. Brad Miller, and remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.
