Sermon Central
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God's Faithful Blessings P3 Series
Contributed by Bruce Landry on Feb 25, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: We will continue learning how we are to walk in "newness of life".
“God’s Faithful Blessings 3"
God’s will Revealed
God’s Inheritance granted
God’s Holy Spirit given
God’s will Revealed
Ephes. 1:9-10 (NIV)
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
God has blessed us by making known to us the mystery “hidden to the rest of the world” of His will.
The word translated mystery “musterion”, Gk., would in this case be better translated secret.
God makes His “secrets” known to the people who have a relationship with Him.
When God bolts the door, don’t try to get in through the window. The will of God never will lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.
Source Unknown.
Many choose daily to do as they will, then blame God for the mess they get themselves into, instead of realizing God desires to give them the blessing of knowing and doing His will.
Are you seeking God’s eternal purposes through Christ in your daily life?
God makes known to us His secrets so that we can get “God’s house” in order.
The word translated is “Oikonomia”, Gk., and means dispensation, but is a household term, i.e. getting ones house in order.
This is where having a “Godly World View” is all important.
Do you see the world and all things around us as being under God for His eternal purpose?
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:4-6).
God has appointed Jesus Christ as Head over the new creation and new order.
Jesus is
Head over the church
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church “ekklesia”, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephes. 1:22-23).
Head over the new creation
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:18 (NIV)
The “ekklesia” is to be God’s instrument of “reconciliation and peace” for a world separated from God.
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5:19-20 (NIV)
Let’s not neglect this great blessing of God…
God’s Inheritance granted
Ephes. 1:11-13 (NIV)
In him we were (we have received an inheritance)also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, [12] in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. [13] And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
As great as the idea and heart behind “Eskimo adoption” is, I thank God that His adoption is eternally greater.
In fact the word translated inheritence “kleroo” klar-ra-o, Gk., means heritage.
This means God takes us and makes us His own heritage and His very own possession.
This might seem scary to this “rights” infused generation, but nothing about it should seem frightening to a child of God.
“Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm” (Deut. 9:29; cp. Exodus 19:5).
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine” (Exodus 19:5).
“For the lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel [believers] for his peculiar treasure” (Psalm 135:4).
“...I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
“And they [believers] shall be mine, saith the lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him” (Malachi 3:17).
And again,
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:7).
