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, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. Ephesians 1:3-4 NASB
On this Thanksgiving day, Americans stop to take inventory of all things for which they are thankful. Let’s take a look at just a few of the spiritual blessings we who are in Christ can be thankful for.
God has chosen you! Even before He laid the foundation of the world, He had you in mind. He desired relationship with you, so He decided right from the start, to make a way for you to stand before Him holy and blameless. No matter how many times you’ve tried to be holy and have failed, when you stand before God at the end of your life, He will see you as holy and will blame you for none of the mistakes you have made! Wow! This is a reality for everyone who is in Christ!
In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5-6 NASB
He chose from the very beginning to adopt you into His family, to treat you as if you were His own child. When you entered into a relationship with God through Jesus, He was no longer just your Creator, but on a more personal level, He became your Father. Although we’ve done nothing to deserve His favor and kindness, He freely bestows it on us!
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7-8 NASB
Why will we be able to stand before Him without blame? Because Jesus has redeemed us. He took the punishment we deserved for all the sins we committed upon Himself when He shed His blood for us on the cross. So instead of answering to God for all the times we broke His laws and His heart, we will stand before Him holy, with our sins forgiven and forgotten. That’s what grace is all about, receiving favor from God even though we don’t deserve it. And He has lavished His grace on us!
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 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. Ephesians 1:9-10 NASB
We have the benefit of understanding the mystery of God’s will, which is to have all of us experience His kindness through Jesus. At the end of time, it’s God’s desire that every person will be in Christ. Isn’t it encouraging to know that God is routing for your success. He wants you to be able to stand before Him blameless! That’s an awesome thought!
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:11-12 NASB
You have an amazing inheritance waiting for you! After all, you’ve been adopted into His family.
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, 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. Ephesians 1:13-14 NASB
As long as you are in Him, you’re inheritance is guaranteed by a pledge from God! Perhaps you are reading this today and have not yet entered into a personal relationship with God through Jesus. His invitation awaits you. God wants to lavish His grace upon you, so that you too will be able to stand before Him blameless and holy. That’s His will. That’s His desire. If you’d like to know more about how to accept His invitation, I’d be happy to share that information with you. Just email me at gripthesword@gmail.com. Happy Thanksgiving!