“Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ]. In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace.”
Ephesians 1:3-7 AMP
Grace Perspective:
The apostle Paul reminds us in this passage to remember how blessed we are. He encourages us to praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because we have every spiritual blessing in Him. Paul wants us to think highly of our Father in Heaven, to praise Him for all He has done. He has chosen us, adopted us, redeemed us, and forgiven us according to the riches of His grace. We have many reasons to praise our Father in Heaven for His gracious blessings. How will you praise Him Today?
A Touch of Grace:
List ways God has blessed you.
How can you bless God?
Grace Application:
In this short passage of Scripture, we see numerous blessings described:
*We have blessings in the heavenly realm that we can’t even fathom this side of eternity. Imagine what it will be like when we enter the gates of Heaven and see Jesus with our own eyes. That’s just the beginning of the blessings that await us in Heaven.
*We are blessed because He chose us in His love. He actually selected us as His own before the foundation of the world. (Ponder that for a while and let it sink into your heart)
*We are blessed because, in Christ Jesus, we are set apart for Him, blameless in His sight.
*We are blessed because we have been adopted by Him, and nothing and no one can ever separate us from Him.
*We are blessed by His glorious grace and favor, which He freely pours out on us.
*We are blessed because we are redeemed by the Savior’s blood from the penalty of sin.
*We are blessed because our forgiveness and pardon is complete, wholly secure because of His rich grace.
These are only a few of the innumerable blessings God gives us through Jesus Christ, our Savior. In this season of Thanksgiving, let’s take time to remember how richly we are blessed and praise our Father in Heaven.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to You in the precious name of Jesus Christ, thankful for You. You are worthy of all my praise. Thank You for the spiritual blessings that are in Heaven that I can’t even imagine. Thank you for choosing me to be Your daughter. Thank You for adopting me, for setting me apart for Your purposes. Thank You for Your grace and favor. Thank You for redeeming me with the blood of Jesus and forgiving all my sins. Thank You, Father, for Your steadfast love and mercy. Holy Spirit, help me live a life of continual praise for Your glory so others may know Your gracious blessing. Amen
**Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know for sure you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubts, please call out to God so that all doubt is erased. Today is a good day to be assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**