Friday November 28, 2008 WHAT'S HIS PLEASURE?
How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ. Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:3-8 Have you praised God lately because He has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm? It is a good thing to do. If Paul did it, more than likely it is a good thing for us to do as well. When will we get the message that we are not our own, that our time is not our own, and that God really wants to use our lives in Kingdom work? When will we stop our self-centered living and start focusing on Jesus Christ? Maybe today? Several years ago I wrote a devotional for new Christians. As I sought the Lord's heart and what He would have me say I was blown away when He pointed out to me what pleasure He takes in us. I mean, He chose us to be His. He adopted heathen folks like us and made us holy and without fault in His eyes deliberately. It wasn't a random selection. I have a cousin who was adopted. When I went to sing at the wedding of her daughter several years ago God told me to just sit back and watch the relationships between Cindy, her mother, and Cindy's girls; who were all adopted. I was amazed at the love generated in that family. These girls knew they were chosen. Cindy's confidence was breathtaking. She is an inspiration. Now, of her three children, only one is rebellious. Two of her children are deeply appreciative of the fact that Cindy and Joe adopted them and raised them as their own. These children knew from an early age that they were selected and they grew up feeling very special. Yet, there is that one that continues to walk in anger and rebellion. Does that make Cindy and Joe love her any less? Absolutely not! God loves even the most rebellious child He has. He wants us to love them too. It is only love, God's love that changes people. Yet, until they are loved by one of His representatives they can't imagine being loved. Even so, occasionally we may come across one that we shower with love, but they reject the love we show. That does not exempt us from loving them. It has never exempted God from loving us! Father, I confess that I honestly don't understand how You can take pleasure in me. Teach me how to find pleasure in the person You created me to be so that I will have the character of love inbreed within me and not make-believe! Help me to keep on loving even when that love is rejected. ******************************************* O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] window live messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
