Ephesians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will .
Observations for living today:
It is God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the source of all blessings we receive as Christians. Everything Jesus did when He was “made in human likeness” pointed us to the Father; Jesus could do nothing on His own and had nothing that did not first come from God His Father (Jn 5:19) – He knew everything in His life was “God working in Him to act according to His good purpose” (Php 2:5-12).
For those with “Faith” in God, i.e., who believe like those cited in Heb 11, with certainty God exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Heb 11:1-6), Paul’s words are a source of superior strength for living today. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, THEY HID FROM THE LORD GOD AMONG THE TREES when they heard the sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. But God called to them, “where are you?” (Gen 3:8) Once mankind came to know good and evil; once their eyes were opened mankind tries to hide from God. Nevertheless, since before time began, God loved man and even now He calls to those trying to hide from Him.
Reality in Christ:
Being a Christian is awesome. Just as God worked out His purpose in the life of His Son Jesus, He continues to work through His adopted sons and daughters, albeit to different specific goals and objectives: God only needed one sacrifice for sin, one Christ. In God’s plan however, as a Christian, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation declaring the praises of Him as the people of God living in His wonderful light (1 Pe 2:9-12). Before creating everything we see and know around us, God in His love gave us every spiritual blessing that would ever exist. In love He determined in Christ to adopt us completely as His children (Jn 1:9-14), holy and blameless in His sight. God did not want to be worshipped with “sacrifice and offerings” nor was He pleased/satisfied with them; He wanted a body that would do His will. His only begotten responded, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” And so, God in the body of Christ, made perfect forever those who are being made holy. There is a new covenant with God today, established before the creation of the world, which is drawing us out of our hiding places toward the Father through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God Himself is putting His laws in our hearts and is writing them on our minds (Heb 10:5-18).
Can you hear God calling to those hiding in sin when in John 6:35-47 Jesus said:
- It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me.
- All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
- No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth; he who believes has everlasting life.
God wants to teach you Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ. What Jesus has given us is the testimony of the invisible God. In the past God spoke to us through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His being (Heb 1:1-4).
If any doubt remains that God loves you, listen to part of Jesus’ prayer before He went to the cross:
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (Jn 17:20-23).
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will .
Observations for living today:
It is God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the source of all blessings we receive as Christians. Everything Jesus did when He was “made in human likeness” pointed us to the Father; Jesus could do nothing on His own and had nothing that did not first come from God His Father (Jn 5:19) – He knew everything in His life was “God working in Him to act according to His good purpose” (Php 2:5-12).
For those with “Faith” in God, i.e., who believe like those cited in Heb 11, with certainty God exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Heb 11:1-6), Paul’s words are a source of superior strength for living today. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, THEY HID FROM THE LORD GOD AMONG THE TREES when they heard the sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. But God called to them, “where are you?” (Gen 3:8) Once mankind came to know good and evil; once their eyes were opened mankind tries to hide from God. Nevertheless, since before time began, God loved man and even now He calls to those trying to hide from Him.
Reality in Christ:
Being a Christian is awesome. Just as God worked out His purpose in the life of His Son Jesus, He continues to work through His adopted sons and daughters, albeit to different specific goals and objectives: God only needed one sacrifice for sin, one Christ. In God’s plan however, as a Christian, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation declaring the praises of Him as the people of God living in His wonderful light (1 Pe 2:9-12). Before creating everything we see and know around us, God in His love gave us every spiritual blessing that would ever exist. In love He determined in Christ to adopt us completely as His children (Jn 1:9-14), holy and blameless in His sight. God did not want to be worshipped with “sacrifice and offerings” nor was He pleased/satisfied with them; He wanted a body that would do His will. His only begotten responded, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” And so, God in the body of Christ, made perfect forever those who are being made holy. There is a new covenant with God today, established before the creation of the world, which is drawing us out of our hiding places toward the Father through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God Himself is putting His laws in our hearts and is writing them on our minds (Heb 10:5-18).
Can you hear God calling to those hiding in sin when in John 6:35-47 Jesus said:
- It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me.
- All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
- No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth; he who believes has everlasting life.
God wants to teach you Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ. What Jesus has given us is the testimony of the invisible God. In the past God spoke to us through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His being (Heb 1:1-4).
If any doubt remains that God loves you, listen to part of Jesus’ prayer before He went to the cross:
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (Jn 17:20-23).
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