(Eph 1:6) “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”  I have been saved now for 45 years. When I first came to the Lord Jesus I had nothing to offer but a sinful heart and mind. I was accepted in the beloved. Today I still have nothing to merit this great salvation. I stand still today accepted in the Beloved!

(Eph 1:6) “ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”  Let the sin forgiven, born again Child of God give the Lord glory for His grace upon you! Grace – favor bestowed but not deserved. That is true of me and my life! Praise Him for His grace upon my life!

(Eph 1:5) “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”   We have each heard it said, “We (meaning every person in the world) are all God’s children.” Not so! The Lord Jesus said of the Jews, “Ye are your father the devil”. We are adopted into God’s family at the point of our salvation experience. The word, “adopted”, states by implication: “I was once not of His family, but He has brought me into it”! Praise His Name!

(Eph 1:5) “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”  The predestination here is not referring to the individual, but to the means “by Jesus Christ” as verses 3 & 4 attest. The Lord desires each of us to respond to His act of sacrifice and love to the suffering and death of His Son. He never makes a person love Him. Do you? Will you?

(1Ti 1:2)  “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.”  “Grace” – favor bestowed but not deserved; “Mercy” instead of what is deserved which is judgment; and “peace” with the One that was offended – God.

(Eph 1:4) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”  This is referring to our position as saved, not the practical living side of our salvation. Yes, we are to bring the old nature under the control of the new, becoming more holy (separated), loving and being loved by Him. But, as a saved person, through the death and resurrection of my Lord, in Him I am made “holy” (separated as a Child of God) and “without blame” which is “justification”: just as if I never sinned before the Throne of the Righteous Judge of the earth!

(Php 1:6) “ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”  This is written unto the church or churches – saints, their pastors, and deacons. So, each person is being singled out. This is speaking of the work of salvation! Having begun by making alive the spirit and putting a new nature in us, He will continue this work all the way until we step into eternity to be with God! 

Most understand that a bishop is a pastor of a local church. Yet, they do not realize that an “elder” is not a godly elderly man, but is referring to the pastor. Elder, pastor, bishop, are the same office, (Tit 1:5) “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: (6)  If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. (7)  For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God;  Further proof is to compare the qualifications here with those of the bishop in 1 Timothy Chapter 3. We do not have the right to take that office and apply it to non-pastors.

(Col 1:5) “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,….”  There is laid up, kept for us, blessings beyond human imagination, just waiting for our arrival! Why then do we seem to dread the thought of going! Some say, “I want to go to heaven but I am not in any hurry to get there.” Somehow that doesn’t seem right to my mind. If we are sold on the fact that it is better and wonderful, then why not look forward to it?!

(1Th 1:1) “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians…(2) We give thanks to God always for you all…”  The church are the saved people gathered together. We get so caught up in our own world of me and mine (our church) that we fail to realize there are such congregations all over the world. Give the Lord thanks for the true churches out there! They are also your brothers and sisters and need your prayers.