AMAZING the WILL and PLAN of THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, who, BEFORE the foundation of the world CHOSE us to share in HIS GRACE, LOVE, and MERCY! It is nearly unfathomable for humans to embrace, yet, IN CHRIST JESUS, IN THE WORD, we SEE TRUTH as it awakens us, includes us, and perfects us...
We are bid to IMITATE HIM, and to put all behind which is carnal! We ARE given the necessary knowledge, and WISDOM TO be open to being built UP into HIM, THE CHURCH! The TRUE believer is an ACTIVE partaker IN HIS WILL, and shall align more, more, and more TO HIS instructions which exist FOR our own good, safety, and provision!!!
It IS ALL ABOUT LOVE: HIS LOVE for us, and our LOVE FOR HIM! When we receive HIM, we become ONE WITH HIM, and HIS HOLINESS, which means we now go forward as HEAVENLY citizens, abiding by the HOLY WISDOM OF THE KINGDOM! We WON'T adapt perfectly, yet HE WILL continue to perfect us!!!
No matter what, there is NOTHING more imperative, nor more beautiful than HIS LOVE, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and HIS WORD, as we are being LED through this valley, and ultimately HOME to EVERLASTING JOY, and PEACE! ONLY IN HIM is there HOPE! PRAISE HIM ALWAYS! WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS! REJOICE IN HIS LOVING CARE for us! HONOUR HIM IN ALL your ways, ALL your days! ALLELUIA, HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY!!!
EPHESIANS 1: 3-14...
3+++Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4+++just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5+++He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6+++to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7+++In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8+++which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
9+++He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
10+++with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
11+++also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12+++to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13+++In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14+++who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that high relation to himself.
The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardoned sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father. His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not his own Son, and brought believers to hear and embrace this salvation. It was rich grace to provide such a surety as his own Son, and freely to deliver him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement to evil, but shows sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divine mercy.
Blessings were made known to believers, by the Lord's showing to them the mystery of his sovereign will, and the method of redemption and salvation. But these must have been for ever hidden from us, if God had not made them known by his written word, preached gospel, and Spirit of truth. Christ united the two differing parties, God and man, in his own person, and satisfied for that wrong which caused the separation. He wrought, by his Spirit, those graces of faith and love, whereby we are made one with God, and among ourselves. He dispenses all his blessings, according to his good pleasure.
His Divine teaching led whom he pleased to see the glory of those truths, which others were left to blaspheme. What a gracious promise that is, which secures the gift of the Holy Ghost to those who ask him! The sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit seal believers as the children of God, and heirs of heaven. These are the first-fruits of holy happiness. For this we were made, and for this we were redeemed; this is the great design of God in all that he has done for us; let all be ascribed unto the praise of his glory.
LWINSOR © 2018
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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