Spiritual Blessings In Christ

Ephesians 1:3 ‘’Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing’’ - means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God. Being chosen for salvation, being adopted as his children, forgiveness, insight, the gifts of the spirit, power to do God’s will, the hope of living forever with Christ. Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now. The Heavenly Realm means that these blessings are eternal, not temporal. The blessings come from Christ’s spiritual realm, not the earthly realm of the goddess Artemis.
Ephesians 1: 4 Paul said that God chose us in him to emphasize that salvation depends totally on God. We are not saved because we deserve it , but because God is gracious and freely gives salvation. We did not influence God’s decision to save us, he saved us according to his plan. Thus there is no way to take credit for our salvation or to allow room for pride. The mystery of salvation originated in the timeless mind of God long before we existed. It is hard to understand how God could accept us. But because of Christ , we are holy and blameless in his sight. God chose us, and when we belong to him through Jesus Christ, God looks at us as if we had never sinned. All we can do is express our thanks for his wonderful love.
Ephesians 1:5 Predestined means marked out beforehand. This is another way of saying that salvation is God’s work and not our own doing. In his infinite love, God has adopted us as his own children. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, he has brought us into his family and made us heirs along with Jesus. In Roman law, adopted children had the same rights and privileges as biological children, even if they had been salves. Paul uses this term to show how strong our relationship to God is. Have you entered into this loving relationship with God?
Ephesians 1:6 ‘’Freely given us in the one he loves’’ means that God graciously accepts us.
Ephesians 1: 7,8. Grace is God’s voluntary and loving favor given to those he saves. We can’t earn salvation, nor do we deserve it, no religious , intellectual, or moral effort can gain it, because it comes only from God’s mercy and love. Without God’s grace, no person can be saved. To receive it, we must acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves, that only God can save us, and that our only way to receive this loving favor is through faith in Christ
Ephesians 1: 9,10. God was not intentionally keeping his plan a secret, but his plan for the world could not be fully understood until Christ rose from the dead. His purpose for sending Christ was to unite Jews and Gentiles in one body with Christ as the head. Many people still do not understand God’s plan, but when the time is right he will bring us together to be with him forever. Then everyone will understand. On that day, all people will bow to Jesus as Lord, either because they love him or because they fear his power.
Ephesians 1 :11 God’s purpose is to offer salvation to the world, just as he planned to do long ago. God is sovereign, he is in charge. When your life seems chaotic, rest in this truth. Jesus is Lord, and God is in control. God’s purpose to save cannot be thwarted, no matter what evil Satan may bring.


Do the words of our prayers go along with the feelings in our heart.

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144,000 Sealed

Revelation 7:1-2. The sixth seal has been opened, and the people of the earth have tried to hide from God, saying, ‘Who can stand?’’ Just when all hope seems lost, four angels hold back the four winds of judgment until God’s people are sealed as his own. Only then will God open the seventh seal. A seal on a scroll or document identified and protected its contents. God places his own seal on his followers, identifying them as his own and guaranteeing his protection over their souls. This shows how valuable we are to him. Our physical bodies may be beaten, maimed, or even destroyed, but nothing can harm our souls when we have been sealed by God, for the seal of the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 7:3. God’s seal is placed on the foreheads of his servants. This seal is the exact opposite of the mark of the beast explained in 13:16. These two marks place the people in two distinct categories, those owned by God and those owned by Satan.
Revelation 7: 4-8. The number 144,000 is 12x12x1000, symbolizing completeness, all God’s followers will be brought safely to him, not one will be overlooked or forgotten. God seals these believers either by withdrawing them from the earth (This is called the Rapture) or by giving them special strength and courage to make it through this time of great persecution, the seal does not necessarily guarantee protection from physical harm, many will die, but God will protect them from spiritual harm. No matter what happens, they will be brought to their reward of eternal life. Their destiny is secure. These believers will not fall away from God even though they may undergo intense persecution. This is not saying that 144,000 individuals must be sealed before the persecution comes, but that when persecution begins, the faithful will have already been sealed and they will remain true to him until the end.
This is a different list from the usual listing of the 12 tribes in the Old Testament, because it is a symbolic list of God’s true followers, 1. Judah is mentioned first because Judah is both the tribe of David and of Jesus the Messiah. 2.Levi had no tribal allotment because of the Levites work for God in the temple, but here the tribe is given a place as a reward for faithfulness. 3. Dan is not mentioned because it was known for rebellion and idolatry, traits un acceptable to God’s followers. 4. The two tribes representing Joseph are here called Joseph and Manasseh because of Ephraim’s rebellion.
Revelation 7:9-10. Who is this great multitude? While some interpreters identify it as the martyrs described in 6:9, it may also be the same group as the 144,000 just mentioned. The 144,000 were sealed by God before the great time of persecution, the great multitude was brought to eternal life, as God had promised. Before , they were being prepared, now, they are victorious. This multitude in Heaven is composed of all those who remained faithful to God throughout the generations. Not true believer ever need worry about which group he or she will be in. god includes and protects each of us, and we are guaranteed a place in his presence.
People try many methods to remove the guilt of sin, good deeds, intellectual pursuits and even casting blame on others. The multitude in Heave , however, praises God, saying that Salvation comes from him and from the Lamb. Salvation from sin’s penalty can come only through Jesus Christ. Have you had the guilt of sin removed in the only way possible?
Revelation 7:16. God will provide for his children’s needs in their eternal home where there will be no hunger, thirst, or pain, and he will wipe away all tears. When you are suffering or torn apart by sorrow, take comfort in this promise of complete protection and relief.

Sometimes we need to swallow a spoon of sugar to dilute the bitterness we hold inside.

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The Armor of God.

Ephesians 6:10. In the Christian life we battle against rulers and authorities. To withstand their attacks, we must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of his armor. Paul is not only giving this counsel to the church, the body of Christ, but to all individuals within the church. The whole body needs to be armed. As you do battle against the powers of the dark world, fight in the strength of the church whose power comes from the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:12. These who are not flesh and blood are demons over whom Satan has control. They are not mere fantasies-they are very real. We face a powerful army whose goal is to defeat Christ’s church. When we believe in Christ, these beings become our enemies, and they try every device to turn us away from him and back to sin. Although we are assured of victory, we must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because Satan is constantly battling against all who are on the Lord’s side. We need supernatural power to defeat Satan, and God has provided this by giving us his holy spirit within us and his armor surrounding us. If you feel discouraged, remember Jesus’ words to Peter. ‘’On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Ephesians 6:18. How can anyone pray on all occasions? One way is to make quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Another way is to order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You don’t have to isolate yourself from other people and from daily work in order to pray constantly. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence. Praying for all the saints means praying for all believers in Christ, so pray for the Christians you know and for the church around the world.
Ephesians :19,20. Undiscouraged and undefeated, Paul wrote powerful letters of encouragement from prison. Paul did not ask the Ephesians to pray that his chains would be removed, but that he would continue to speak fearlessly for Christ in spite of them. God can use us in any circumstance to do his will. Even as we pray for a change in our circumstances, we should also pray that God will accomplish his plan through us right where we are. Knowing God’s eternal purpose for us will help us through the difficult times.

A candle with a bright flame does no good to those who are in the dark.

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