To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Ephesians 1:6
As Thanksgiving draws near, how important it is for me to review the spiritual blessings which God has given.
The Scriptures are written in order that each individual might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that, in believing, he might have life through His name. When I come to God in repentance and personal faith in the shed blood of Christ, God clothes me in the garment of salvation and wraps me in the robe of Christ’s righteousness (Acts 20:21, Isaiah 61:10). He places His Spirit within me and gives me eternal life. In His infinite mercy, He regenerates me unto a living hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. From that moment forward, for the endless ages of a timeless eternity, I am accepted in the Beloved Son, with Whom God is well pleased. What a miracle of grace!
The spiritual blessings which God gives to His blood-bought children, in addition to the gift of eternal life, are many more that can ever be addressed in a few short paragraphs. However, I think of three basic ones:
1. In His Word, by His Spirit, He has given all things that pertain to life and godliness. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:1). In this life, He gives me His counsel, and when this earth-life is finished, He receives me into His glory (Psalm 73:24). His Word is His will, and His will is His Word; they are one in the same. As I delight in His Word, I receive His direction for every aspect of my life.
2. Through the privilege of prayerful communion with God, He freely gives His divine wisdom to me. It is available as I search His Word with all my heart in a desire to understand His heart, mind, will and purpose.
3. In my progressive conformity to Christ, when I sin, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, is my Advocate with the Father. He is my mediator with the Father in salvation and my intercessor with the Father in progressive sanctification.
May God help me today to be grateful for the spiritual blessings which God has given.
(C) 1992, 2014 N.A.Collins
Limited copy permission given for one personal file copy
Ephesians 1:6
As Thanksgiving draws near, how important it is for me to review the spiritual blessings which God has given.
The Scriptures are written in order that each individual might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that, in believing, he might have life through His name. When I come to God in repentance and personal faith in the shed blood of Christ, God clothes me in the garment of salvation and wraps me in the robe of Christ’s righteousness (Acts 20:21, Isaiah 61:10). He places His Spirit within me and gives me eternal life. In His infinite mercy, He regenerates me unto a living hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. From that moment forward, for the endless ages of a timeless eternity, I am accepted in the Beloved Son, with Whom God is well pleased. What a miracle of grace!
The spiritual blessings which God gives to His blood-bought children, in addition to the gift of eternal life, are many more that can ever be addressed in a few short paragraphs. However, I think of three basic ones:
1. In His Word, by His Spirit, He has given all things that pertain to life and godliness. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:1). In this life, He gives me His counsel, and when this earth-life is finished, He receives me into His glory (Psalm 73:24). His Word is His will, and His will is His Word; they are one in the same. As I delight in His Word, I receive His direction for every aspect of my life.
2. Through the privilege of prayerful communion with God, He freely gives His divine wisdom to me. It is available as I search His Word with all my heart in a desire to understand His heart, mind, will and purpose.
3. In my progressive conformity to Christ, when I sin, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, is my Advocate with the Father. He is my mediator with the Father in salvation and my intercessor with the Father in progressive sanctification.
May God help me today to be grateful for the spiritual blessings which God has given.
(C) 1992, 2014 N.A.Collins
Limited copy permission given for one personal file copy
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