Thoughts for Life: #7 Experiencing Life in Him

Andrew Murray- "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in all heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).

A study of the letter to the Ephesians will help us discover the New Testament standard of devotion. The opening words of the epistle not only give us a blessed summary of the truth of the gospel, but they reveal out of the depths of Paul's experience, what the true Christian life is. (Google image, Live with devotion and hope)

First let us consider the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Him. The expression in Him is the keynote of the epistle, occurring more than twenty times.

The words of our text are the beginning of a sentence which continues through verse 14. We find we are chosen in Him, foreordained through Him, accepted in Him, and redeemed in Him.

The purpose of God is in Him, and all things are summed up and "made into an heritage in Him." In Him we believed, and in Him we were sealed with the Holy Spirit.

All our blessings are treasured up in Christ, so truly is our life in Him—the two are inseparably intertwined. Abiding in Christ means abiding in the heavenly places and in all the spiritual blessings God has given us in Him.

Faith in Christ is meant to be nothing less than unceasing dependence upon him and fellowship with Him. From Him we receive every grace the soul can possibly need. Your soul may be kept in blessed fellowship with Jesus as constantly as you live and breathe.

This is what Scripture means by the words, "Christ, who is our life" (Colossians 3:4). "Christ liveth in me' (Galatians 2:20), "To me to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21). That riches of grace these are!

God's Gift of Love

Christ was the Father's gift to us, and all blessings are given by Him. God's purpose was to bring us back to Himself as our Creator. Our happiness can be found in His fellowship and glory alone.

God satisfied the love of His own heart by bringing us into complete union with Christ, so that in Him we can be as near to God as Christ is. Oh, the mystery of the love of God!

Our next says, "God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings." More than one believer has found in these words the key that unlocks the treasury of blessing.

As the light of the Spirit shines on these words, they come alive with new meaning. In Christ, God has blessed me with all spiritual blessings. Faith and wholehearted surrender are free to claim them in Him, and the heart finds itself in the very center of blessing.

The revelation of the blessings and the faith that claims them lead to the adoring benediction—"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

It is the fountain from which the stream of blessings flows through the epistle. In our life, too, may it be an unceasing song of praise, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1).

Spiritual blessings are simply the blessings of the Holy Spirit. He has the divine office of imparting to us all the fullness of blessing and blessedness in the divine life.

He reveals them to us. He enables us to see, delight in, and accept them. He communicates them to our heart, and we become spiritual men clothed with the power of the Spirit.

Where the heart is fully yielded to Him, the Spirit does more than influence our thoughts and actions. He dwells within us in divine reality and power, making our heart the temple of Christ.

He imparts every grace and virtue that is in Christ to us. The seed sown in the earth needs the warmth of the sun and the rain from heaven to make it grow.

Even so, as we believe that the seeds of grace and virtue are within us, we look up to Christ to whom our life is. In the sunshine of His love, the spiritual blessings grow into our very being.

In the epistle, the Holy Spirit is mentioned twelve times in different aspects of the work He does in the believer. As we study these, we will find a wonderful revelation o f what God meant the life of His children to be.

If we desire to discover the New Testament standard of true spirituality and devotion in our life, we must have the courage to set aside every human standard and make God's purpose our only aim.

(Chapter 4, pp. 20-23)

Receiving Power from God

by Andrew Murray
Copyright © 1984

by Whitaker House

Used by permission

www.whitakerhouse.com.

Let's pray-

Father, as we study the letter to the Ephesians, we'll discover the New Testament standard of devotion. Paul's opening words give us a summary of the truth of the gospel, revealing the depths of his experience of what a true Christian life is.
We are to consider that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is Your expression, and that You've blessed us with all spiritual blessings to be found in Him.
Christ was Your gift to us, and all blessings are given by Him, Your purpose being that He would bring us back to You, our Creator. Our happiness can be found only in His fellowship and glory alone.

By bringing us into complete union with Christ, we can be as near to You as Christ is. Do help us understand this great mystery!
His Spirit is given to our fully-yielded hearts and does more than influence our thoughts and actions. He indwells us in divine reality and power, making our hearts the temples of Christ.
May we desire the New Testament standard of true spirituality and devotion to Christ, and have the courage to set aside our human standards, to make Your purpose our only aim.
Help us to maintain devotion to Jesus, and to allow Him to enlighten our lives, so as to glorify You, our Father. We ask this in His name. Amen

Today's quotes-

Rich Carmicheal- "Of course, the blessings of fellowship with Him are incredible. When we abide in Him and He in us, the potential of what can happen in us and through us is measured not by our fallen nature and puny resources, but by His glorious nature and infinite resources. After all, we are talking about the Son of God in whom all of God's fullness dwells (Co. 1:19).

He is full of creative and sustaining power (Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:3),

full of life and light (John 1:4-5),

full of grace and truth (John 1:14),

full of love and compassion (Eph. 3:19; Matt. 9:36).

(Taken from his article in HERALD of HIS COMING, Christ Invites Us to Draw Near, a monthly magazine free of charge, December 2019 issue, p. 2)

~ Max Lucado- Our passionate prayers move the heart of God. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). Prayer does not change God's nature; who he is will never be altered. Prayer does, however, impact the flow of history. God has wired his world for power, but he calls on us to flip the switch.

Words of wisdom-

~ The Lord's Presence enables us to face each day with confidence. You'll be aware of the visible would around you but as you keep focused on Him, He'll guide you through each day safely.

~ To receive abundant grace for the day, realize the Lord is with you. This is the most important fact of your existence. He will give you energy sufficient to live it to the full.

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