Resources Included

Ever see an ad for a computer that sounded too good to be true? $299 for desktop computer? You go to the store and ask to see it and the sales clerk says, "Let me show this one first." They show you the computer that is 4x that amount of money--one with all the bells and whistles. When you finally see the $299 model, you ask, "Where's the display?"
"Oh you want a display? That's extra."
"Oh you want software on it. That's extra."
"Oh you want a power supply? This model doesn't come with that."

Yesterday, while teaching on Eph. 1:1-6, I talked about how the world might operate that way, but not God. God offers us "every spiritual blessing in Christ." All the options are included. All the resources are there:

• to love your wife, if you're married (Eph. 5.25.)
• to obey your parents, if you're still at home (Eph. 6:1)
• to put away wrath (Eph. 4:31)
• to stay away from sexual immorality (Eph. 5:1-3)

All the commands that Paul gives us in chapters 4-6 can be accomplished in our lives if we get the understanding of these beginning verses:

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 should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:3-6, nkjv)

What if you were to drink deeply of this truth every morning and every night? Before your feet hit the floor? Before you close your eyes at night? Mull over it. Meditate it. Think on it. Dream about it. Pray something like this:

"Father, these three things I'm praying: 

1) God, thank you that you chose me--you adopted me. 

2) You predestined me to be holy and blameless. 

3) Help me to live like an adopted son/daughter in Christ."

Behavior is linked to your perception of self-value. It's knowing who you are that will change your behavior.

Rock on, chosen and adopted ones!

Pastor Shawn