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 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?Angels are the unseen attendants of the saints of God; they bear us up in their hands, lest we dash our foot against a stone. Loyalty to their Lord leads them to take a deep interest in the children of his love; they rejoice over the return of the prodigal to his father's house below, and they welcome the advent of the believer to the King's palace above. In olden times the sons of God were favored with their visible appearance, and at this day, although unseen by us, heaven is still opened, and the angels of God ascend and descend upon the Son of man, that they may visit the heirs of salvation. Seraphim still fly with live coals from off the altar to touch the lips of men greatly beloved. If our eyes could be opened, we should see horses of fire and chariots of fire about the servants of the Lord; for we have come to an innumerable company of angels, who are all watchers and protectors of the seed-royal. Spenser's line is no poetic fiction, where he sings-- "How oft do they with golden pinions cleave The flitting skies, like flying pursuivant Against foul fiends to aid us militant!" To what dignity are the chosen elevated when the brilliant courtiers of heaven become their willing servitors! Into what communion are we raised since we have intercourse with spotless celestials! How well are we defended since all the twenty- thousand chariots of God are armed for our deliverance! To whom do we owe all this? Let the Lord Jesus Christ be forever endeared to us, for through him we are made to sit in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. He it is whose camp is round about them that fear him; he is the true Michael whose foot is upon the dragon. All hail, Jesus! thou Angel of Jehovah's presence, to thee this family offers its morning vows. Daily Light on the Daily Path Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood--John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 1 Corinthians 6:11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 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. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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