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About-Him.Com Devotional 07-08-2017 Http://About-Him.Com Thoughts of the Book of Ephesians Ephesians 1:1-6 - We Are Accepted in the Beloved - Audio We are repeating this series on the book of Ephesians, which I find to be very rich and deep in spiritual concepts. You’ve probably noticed how that it has many connecting phrases that build one on another. Sometimes you have to read more than you intended in able to find a stopping point. It is not a book to be read lightly. It must be read, word by word and phrase by phrase until the apostle has finished expressing one thought, and is about to continue to another. It's only six chapters, so it doesn't take long to read it all in one sitting. In our written and recorded devotionals, it is impossible to catch all that any one verse is conveying. We simply offer some thoughts on the matter, but by no means do we consider our thoughts to be exhaustive. Hopefully in adding your own thoughts to our thoughts, you will be blessed. Ephesians 1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul asserts his spiritual authority and gives his apostolic blessing to all who have believed in Christ Jesus. 3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: We bless the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and we recognize that He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Note the word "all." God has blessed us with "all spiritual blessings" in heavenly places in Christ. We sometimes have trouble comprehending the meaning of the simple word, "all," don’t we? I least I do. Do you always feel like you are sitting in heavenly places? I hope that you do, but I don’t. Sometimes quite the contrary. But, the word says I am sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I choose to believe the word rather than my senses and feelings. Obviously there is a lot more at my disposal than I am accessing. 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: The word says that I was chosen in Him before the foundations of the world. Chose who? Chose me? You must be kidding! Why would God choose me? What good thing did I ever do to merit His attention? I can’t think of any. But the word says that God chose me, and He chose me for a purpose; that I might be holy and without blame before Him in love. 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Before time ever began, God determined that you and I would be sons and daughters of God. Before He called for light, he knew our name. He knew every mean and despicable thing that we would ever do and in spite of all that, He still determined to call us sons. 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. All of this "to the praise of the glory of His grace." As the song says: Grace, Grace, God’s grace - Grace that pardons and cleanse within Grace, Grace, God’s grace - Grace that is greater than all my sin Grace, God’s unmerited favor. I don’t understand or even to begin to comprehend God’s grace, but I thank Him daily for it. Because it was in His grace the He made me accepted in the Beloved, that is in Jesus. Yes, I am accepted in Him. Not because I am somebody, because I am nobody. However, God decided in eternity past (Ephesians 1:4) to cover me with His love and allow me to be called a son of God (I John 3:1). The devil would have me doubt, but God’s word affirms that I have been accepted and approved in the sight of God because I have believed in and accepted what Jesus did on my behalf. When I received Him I was born of God (John 1:12-13). That’s just the beginning of the journey, but the God who brought me this far will finish the work He has started. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Next Week: Redemption Through His Blood. Song: My God, My King and My Redeemer "Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us." - Abraham Lincoln Our Expository Studies Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@About-Him.Com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe to About-Him Devotional Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries
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