Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Trust and Assurance
"A Game Changer"
“Father! Let loose your sword!” This was the cry of a young Arthur drawing the infamous sword, Excalibur, from a rock. In the movie, the sword was just a sword. Why all the fuss? Could Arthur not have found another sword for himself? Of course, he could. The difference with Excaliber was that the sword chose Arthur, and Arthur then went on to perform great deeds in his lifetime. Could another sword have served his purposes? I suspect not. I think something changed in Arthur on the day he realized Excalibur chose him. Something intangible, but something very real.
We, too, are chosen. We, too, receive a powerful gift. In fact, far more powerful than Excalibur! Do we fully realize what that gift is, and how to wield it? I think we sometimes forget this part of our redemption. It is also intangible, but it is empowering and very, very real. Let's examine what truth and assurance mean, and the implications for our lives as followers of Christ. Join me for Sunday's message, "A Game Changer."
