Bible League: Living His Word 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.Our verse for today says that God the Father has blessed all those who are Christians. What does it mean to be blessed by God? It means that one has been favored by God to receive a good of some kind. Our God is a gracious God who blesses His people with all sorts of things. In the beginning, for example, God blessed Adam and Eve so that they would be fruitful and would increase in number (Genesis 1:28). What specific blessings, however, does the Apostle Paul have in mind in our verse? He says we have been blessed with every "spiritual blessing." What does this mean? It refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit, every specific gift of the Spirit, and every fruit of the Spirit we have been given. We receive these spiritual blessings because of God's divine decree to choose us "before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" (Ephesians 1:4-5). Where have we been blessed? Paul says that God has blessed us in "the heavenly realms" (or "heavenly places"). In the heavenly realms, where God has spiritually seated us with Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:6), we have been blessed by receiving God's gift of the Spirit, including the specific gifts and fruit of the Spirit, all in accordance with God's divine decree. These spiritual blessings have been given to us "in Christ." That is, we have these blessings because we are Christians, because we are spiritually united with Christ as members of His body. Jesus Himself said, '"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.' By this he meant the Spirit" (John 7:38-39). Given the spiritual blessings we have received through Christ in the heavenly realms, we should give praise to God the Father. After all, He is the one who decided and decreed all this in His infinite wisdom and love. Today, then, stop for a moment and consider the spiritual blessings God has given you – and give Him praise for all of them. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 27, 28 Isaiah 27 -- The Deliverance of Israel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 28 -- Woe to Ephraim; Warning to Judah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 -- Be Imitators of God; Love and Respect between Husbands and Wives NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.Insight Standing firm is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus. Endurance is not a means to earn salvation; it is a by-product of a truly devoted life. Endurance grows out of commitment to Jesus Christ. In Matthew 10:22, Jesus predicted that his followers would be severely persecuted by those who hated what he stood for. In the midst of terrible persecutions, however, they could have hope, knowing that salvation was theirs. Times of trial serve to sift true Christians from false or fair-weather Christians. Challenge When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don't do it. Remember the benefits of standing firm and continue to live for Christ. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Hebrews 2:18 He himself hath suffered being tempted.It is a common-place thought, and yet it tastes like nectar to the weary heart--Jesus was tempted as I am. You have heard that truth many times: have you grasped it? He was tempted to the very same sins into which we fall. Do not dissociate Jesus from our common manhood. It is a dark room which you are going through, but Jesus went through it before. It is a sharp fight which you are waging, but Jesus has stood foot to foot with the same enemy. Let us be of good cheer, Christ has borne the load before us, and the blood-stained footsteps of the King of glory may be seen along the road which we traverse at this hour. There is something sweeter yet--Jesus was tempted, but Jesus never sinned. Then, my soul, it is not needful for thee to sin, for Jesus was a man, and if one man endured these temptations and sinned not, then in his power his members may also cease from sin. Some beginners in the divine life think that they cannot be tempted without sinning, but they mistake; there is no sin in being tempted, but there is sin in yielding to temptation. Herein is comfort for the sorely tempted ones. There is still more to encourage them if they reflect that the Lord Jesus, though tempted, gloriously triumphed, and as he overcame, so surely shall his followers also, for Jesus is the representative man for his people; the Head has triumphed, and the members share in the victory. Fears are needless, for Christ is with us, armed for our defence. Our place of safety is the bosom of the Saviour. Perhaps we are tempted just now, in order to drive us nearer to him. Blessed be any wind that blows us into the port of our Saviour's love! Happy wounds, which make us seek the beloved Physician. Ye tempted ones, come to your tempted Saviour, for he can be touched with a feeling of your infirmities, and will succor every tried and tempted one. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Corinthians 12:5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.1 Chronicles 27:25-27,31 Now Azmaveth the son of Adiel had charge of the king's storehouses. And Jonathan the son of Uzziah had charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers. • Ezri the son of Chelub had charge of the agricultural workers who tilled the soil. • Shimei the Ramathite had charge of the vineyards; and Zabdi the Shiphmite had charge of the produce of the vineyards stored in the wine cellars. • Jaziz the Hagrite had charge of the flocks. All these were overseers of the property which belonged to King David. 1 Corinthians 12:28,11 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. • But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 1 Peter 4:10,11 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. • Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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