Let’s get cookin’…………

Ephesians 1:1-14

New Living Translation (NLT)

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.

I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus,who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

² May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Spiritual Blessings

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. ⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵ God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ⁶ So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. ⁷ He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. ⁸ He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

⁹ God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. ¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. ¹¹ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

¹² God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. ¹³ And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. ¹⁴ The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

The Lord will have His way, whether we believe in His sovereignty or not.  His plan is far bigger than we can grasp, and it was designed in a way that will glorify Him while revealing our need for Him.

That fateful line was from the In Touch devotional of a couple of days ago, and it is very revealing!  God has a plan, He has always had a plan, and His plan has not changed.  Part of the Master plan is an individual plan for you!  While God has not spelled out all His plans, He has made it clear in His word several things we can count on;

1. He wants us to trust in Him, and and accept His forgiveness!

2.  He is trustworthy, and worthy of our trust and praise!

3.  He proved His love for us when He sent His only Son to die for us!  Our forgiveness rests in that act!

4.  Even though we, often, cannot see it, all things do work for our good if we love and accept Him.

5.  He promised He would never leave us or forsake us, and He won’t!

God will reveal His will for you if you seek Him.

Blessings,

the pilgrim