Forgiveness – Praying Pint

38.x. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God”

From Compelling Truth

Judges 15:14 But the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon Samson

Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

1 Chronicles 12:18 Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty

1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.

Ezekiel 11:5 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on me, and he told me to say:

John 14:17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Colossians 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1 John 4:15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Romans 8:15–17 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

John 3:1–8 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

1 Corinthians 2:12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Romans 8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Galatians 5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

Romans 8:26 n the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is God taking up permanent residence in the heart of those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would come intermittently upon the saints, empowering them for service but not necessarily remaining with them. The Spirit “rushed upon” Lehi and “clothed” Amasai. The Spirit was with David and able to be removed from him, and the Spirit “fell upon” Ezekiel and spoke to him . The Spirit, who had once been with King Saul, “departed from” him, removing His influence and guidance from the king .

It wasn’t until Pentecost that the Spirit began to indwell those who belong to God through Christ. Jesus predicted the coming of the Spirit who would live within His people, as well as the new role the Spirit of Truth would play in their lives. Prior to the resurrection and Pentecost, the Spirit was with the disciples and influenced them, but He did not yet indwell them, as Jesus explained to them: “he dwells with you and will be in you”. John 7:39 explains further: “Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

The apostle Paul reiterated the same truth about the Spirit’s indwelling: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body”. Because believers have been purchased for God by the blood of Christ, shed on the cross for our sins, our bodies become a living temple where the Spirit of God resides.

The image of the believer’s body being a temple is reminiscent of the Old Testament tabernacle, in which the Spirit of God lived. There, God’s presence would appear in a cloud and meet the high priest, who came once a year into the Holy of Holies. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest brought the blood of a slain animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. On this special day, God granted forgiveness to the priest and His people.

The Jewish temple in Jerusalem no longer exists. Now the believer in Christ has become the inner sanctum of God the Holy Spirit, as the believer has been sanctified and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. In fact, Scripture also says that the believer is the dwelling place of all three Persons of the Trinity. Along with the Spirit, Jesus Christ is in us, as is God the Father.

The purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is many-faceted. First and foremost, the Spirit creates new life in believers (), producing the same new birth Jesus spoke of in . The Spirit confirms to us that this new birth is real and that we truly belong to God (). He also imparts to believers spiritual gifts to be used to build up the body of Christ and glorify God (1 Corinthians 12:4–11). Further, as the author of Scripture through the writers He inspired (), the indwelling Spirit helps believers understand what He has written and how to apply it to daily life ().

Other functions of the indwelling Spirit include interceding for believers in prayer, leading us in the ways of righteous living, producing His fruit in our lives, and installing believers into the universal church of Christ, also called the baptism of the Spirit.

One of the indwelling Spirit’s most encouraging functions is to seal believers for eternity by placing His own mark upon us. Doing so assures our arrival in the Lord’s presence when we die (Ephesians 1:13–14, 4:30). The Holy Spirit’s presence within us is the guarantee that we have been purchased by Christ and redeemed from our sins. We can never lose our position as a prized possession. Until we die, the Spirit remains within us, renewing and sanctifying us, comforting us in trials, and sustaining us in afflictions. With the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are never alone, never lost, and never without His power.

38.v. “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.”

Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

1 Corinthians 2:14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2 Timothy 2:26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Ephesians 4:17-18 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Romans 5:6-11 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Ephesians 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

I read this statement this morning on “Regeneration” Faith/Repentance

“Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. “Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him and Lord and Savior.” Regeneration is necessary because the Bible describes unbelievers as the walking dead. Not only are they spiritually dead, but they are depicted as natural / without the Spirit; blinded in their minds; bound by Satan; alienated from God; enemies of the Lord; condemned in their unbelief; and in spiritual darkness.

29. “Open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light”

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 26:18   to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Hebrews 2:14   Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

Psalms 119:18    Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Isaiah 53:11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Acts 10:43   To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 13:38-39    Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,  and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Psalms 130:3-4   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

“The domain of darkness”. In the darkness, we truly do not see what is happening, though we might hear it. We don’t perceive what may happen, leading us to fear. We may get confused, angry, and anxious. In the darkness, a starving person does not see the tree with fruit on it which would give them hope and life. In fact, they may even think what is close by is evil and something to be feared, when in fact it is what will save their life. Darkness can make us feel vulnerable and alone. Darkness can lead you to believe something is there that is not and something is not there that is. If others are in darkness with us we may be lead to think this is what life is meant to be like. We do not clearly see but we certainly can hear and may even join in with whatever it is the group is doing. We may not even know what it is or why they are doing it, but because everyone is doing it we perceive it to be alright to do. However, we may know exactly what we are doing and may believe that what we are doing in darkness can’t be seen, giving us the courage to do in darkness which would never be done in the light. Adultery, pornography, child abuse, lying, stealing……. would not be done in the light. It is done when it is perceived to be in darkness and not exposed where others could readily see it.

Without the Light of Jesus Christ, we are in darkness. We will do things in darkness and think it is alright. We may be given to fear, confusion, and anger because things around us seem out of control, without purpose and meaning. Without Jesus Christ, we live in darkness. We live void of light and our actions, whatever they are, we perceive to be right and worth doing. God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save us from the darkness, Sin. He came to bring light to the darkness and redeem, forgive, and transform those from darkness to light. Light will expose what is done in darkness in both thought and action. God’s Word is light to our souls. It exposes darkness “sin”. God’s Word does not stop with just exposing sin, it explains God’s grace, mercy, and love. It gives us the light of hope when all around us is darkness. It reveals to us that God is in control. It reveals to us that we are never alone. It promises and gives us courage, hope, and peace. God’s Word tells us that many choose darkness over the light and are choosing Hell over Heaven. They reject the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died for their sin and offers redemption, salvation, forgiveness for what they have done in darkness, and eternal life.

Do you think your life is free from darkness – ask God to expose your thoughts, words, and actions to the light of His Word.

28.z. “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small”

Colossians 1:11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Isaiah 45:24   “Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.

Ephesians 3:16    that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 4:13     I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

2 Corinthians 4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Proverbs 24:10     If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

2 Corinthians 6:4-6   but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities  beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;  by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;

Hebrews 12:1-2   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

His strength is there to help us meet all of life’s challenges and to endure and overcome problems with circumstances (patience) and people (long-suffering) with joy. We find it easy to be patient and long-suffering when everything in our lives is free from trials and troubles. In other words, we think we will be patient and long-suffering when they invade our lives. We think we will be strong, steadfast, face it with courage, and will honor and glorify Jesus Christ through it, and then, Bam!! life happens and just the opposite happens. Our greatest failure is trying to or thinking that we are facing the trial or trouble alone and in our own strength. When we do, subconsciously we may know it is beyond our ability, but still, we plod on trying to overcome it in our self-reliant way. We may even consciously concede to the fact that is beyond our ability, but we still try to rely on ourselves. Why is that? Sometimes it is because of our spiritual growth or lack thereof, living in sin, not having a desire to surrender it into God’s hands, shallow faith in God’s power, thinking that we are not worthy of God’s help, or a host of other reasons. It is hard to yield to God’s power, strength, purpose, and plans. It is hard to wait on the Lord. Should it be? All throughout our lives, we must continually grow in faith, hope, trust, reliance, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. Learning to do this takes continual practice, surrender, and yielding. It is with an intentional choice and desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do that we find learning applicable. God’s Word becomes more than food for our souls. It satisfies, fills, empowers, and we learn to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How do we begin to apply this in our lives? Commit and Discipline yourselves to be in His Word and then practice surrender, yielding, seeking, and waiting on the Lord. Will we fail at times? Yes. However with continual practice, we will become more and more steadfast and resolute in our daily lives, and when trials and troubles fall upon us our natural reaction will be to place it in God’s control, power, purpose, and plans.

26.g. “How then can man be in the right before God?”

Galatians 2:15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Job 9:2-3   “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

Job 25:4     How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?

Psalms 130:3-4   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

Acts 4:12     And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 20:31    but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

We all grew up observant to do what is right and good. Yet somehow we think we are considered right before God because of doing right and good – justified – by these works of the flesh that we did. We should know that we, even though we grew up as observant of doing right and good, we are only considered right before God by faith in Jesus Christ. It will be a sad day for those who, in self-reliance, trust in doing right and good on judgment day.

“‘Faith in Jesus Christ’, then, is not intellectual conviction only, but personal commitment. The expression in the middle of verse 16 is (literally) ‘we have believed into (eis) Christ Jesus.’ It is an act of committal, not just assenting to the fact that Jesus lived and died, but running to Him for refuge and calling on Him for mercy.” (Stott)

Self-righteousness and self-reliance will never justify a person before God. There is but one way – belief in and through Jesus Christ. This belief is more than a piece of intellectual knowledge, it is a life surrendered. Casting away any thoughts of self-reliance and self-righteousness, and clinging to, relying on, trusting in, following, obeying, and living to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

20.i. “We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

Romans 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Leviticus 26:41   so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity,

Daniel 9:6-9     We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.  To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.  To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

Revelation 3:17-18  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

Isaiah 64:6   We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Has mankind changed over time? Have they gotten smarter, wiser, more ingenious? Have they been able to do greater and greater advances in science, industrial, technology, physics, chemistry, medicine, social and cultural understanding? And yet, a man finds, at the end of all of their efforts, they are not closer to God or closer to understanding and knowing Him. For all of the advances, man has made they seem to think it was because of their great self-knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Do they ever wonder who it was that gave them this understanding, wisdom, and knowledge? Was it not from God? I think some, over the history of mankind, have sought God for His help to accomplish an advance in science, industrial, technology, physics, chemistry, medicine, social and cultural understanding, and they were blessed by God to accomplish it and they gave God the honor and glory for the accomplishment. I fear far too many others sought it out for their own glory and honor. Because they did not seek God’s help for God’s honor and glory, they end up thinking that they are capable of accomplishing major advances on their own, without God. Credit is given over and over again to men and what they have accomplished – The Nobel Peace Prize. Over time a man thinks God is not real and not needed. Some may even use what they have accomplished to prove God does not exist.

There are others who see and hear about the accomplishments of various people and over history apply the same approach to being right with God. “Being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” We need to be very careful of what social and cultural influences we use to view God and His plans and purposes for salvation, redemption, forgiveness, heaven, hell, and eternity.

14.p. ““I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,”

John 1:19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Malachi 4:5    “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Matthew 11:13-14     For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Matthew 17:10-12   And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”  He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.  But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

Luke 1:17    and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1:76-79     And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,  to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,  because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high  to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

With emphasis, John told the Jewish leaders who he was not. He did not come to focus attention on himself, because he was not the Messiah. His job was to point to the Messiah. John rejected any claim that would elevate himself above the coming Messiah. His purpose was to prepare the way not to get in the way.

Do you ever wonder if your life, the way you think, speak, and act points to Jesus Christ or prepares people to meet Jesus Christ through the Gospel? We get lost in our day to day lives, lost in living, lost in self, lost in pride, lost in hate, lost in jealousy, lost in fear of rejection, etc…. and at the end of the day no one we have come in contact with is any closer, and quite possibly, is further away. It is as if our shadow blocks the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The light of Jesus Christ should permeate out of us like the sun in a clear sky. I think what happens is that we absorb the light of Jesus Christ but it does not shine through us. Grace, mercy, love, hope, faith, joy, peace, godliness, kindness, gentleness, patience, truth, reliance, and obedience are the rays of light in our lives that should shine bright and point those we come into contact with to the reason for the hope that is in us, Jesus Christ. The light of Jesus Christ gets absorbed and darkens when there is pride, greed, selfishness, hate, fear, worry, lust, and coveting things this world has to offer over humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following, trusting, and obeying Jesus Christ. If you look into a mirror of the life you live does the light of Jesus Christ blind you or is it so dim you have to squint to make out the slightest glimmer of a spark of light? There is no better time than right now to confess and repent of the shadows in your life blocking the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an intentional choice to dim the light of self and shine bright the light of Jesus Christ. This light will grow brighter and brighter as you spend more and more time in His Word. It will grow Brighter and Brighter day by day as things of this world grow dimmer and dimmer in the light of His Word. Spend more time in His Word with a heart, mind, and soul-deep desire to shine for Him today and every day until we unite with Him in eternity.

17. We have only done what was our duty

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

2Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Ephesians 3:1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Luke 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Luke 17:9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

I read this in Compelling Truth and share it with you this Thanksgiving holiday time.

There are so many reasons to thank God, and yet it is a far too rare practice for many. Complaining and grumbling come all too easy for us. Rather than look at what is lacking in our lives, may we learn to thank God in everything realizing that God owes us nothing and yet has graciously given us all things in Jesus Christ. Jesus pointed out both the importance and the rarity of thanksgiving when only one of the ten lepers that He healed returned to thank Him. We would do well to imitate that one former leper. For in a spiritual sense, we are all born lepers with the disfiguring and alienating disease called sin. Yet, Christ voluntarily took on the punishment due our ingratitude, the bruises due our iniquities, and the stripes due our sins.

We have done and can do nothing to deserve these gifts. We are forever debtors to God and to His grace which reached its zenith in His sacrificing His only Son for our salvation. The eternal life that we have received through faith in Jesus deserves an eternity of gratitude.

The entrance and unfolding of His word

“Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Psalms 119:129 Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Luke 1:77-79 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Ephesians 5:13-14 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

2 Peter 1:19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

Proverbs 1:22-23 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

“Let us not enter into the testimonies, as a dry task, or an ordinary study; but let us concentrate our minds, our faith, humility, and prayer, in a more devoted contemplation of them.” (Bridges)

“obedience in more than outward action; it was obedience in soul.”

“It is painful to remember how much light may be shining around us on every side, without finding an entrance into the heart.” (Bridges)

“The word finds no entrance into some minds because they are blocked up with self-conceit, or prejudice, or indifference; but where due attention is given, divine illumination must surely follow upon knowledge of the mind of God.” (Spurgeon)

Securing an eternal redemption

“Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,”

Psalms 111:9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!

Psalms 130:7-8 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.

Exodus 15:13 “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Ephesians 1:14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Hebrews 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

1 Peter 1:18-20 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Exodus 15:11 “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Our redemption came at a cost, in an act of love, full of grace and mercy. What action would you associate in the form of thankfulness for this great gift of remotion? Would it come in the form of trust, hope, patience, love, faith, and peace? Would it inspire actions of good works. Would it come out in the from of praise? Would it sing songs of praise? Would it speak kindly? Would it seek to be nearer and nearer to God’s presence? Would it promote forgiveness? It does us good to consider all that is found in Christ and live so that His light is seen.