Blogged Bible Study- Ephesians 2-in the heavenly places

Ephesians 2:1-6 
 And you were  dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following  the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body  and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But God, being  rich in mercy,  because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and  seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.


Lord, in our immortality, we have so much trouble just seeing what it is you saved us from. We can quote words, but when it comes to a heart connect, we struggle. As  I read this again, I stuck fast to these few verses... While we followed your enemy the prince of the air, while we were dead in our sin, your great love made a way for us to be alive together with Christ.  How great is your love for us! Because of your grace we are saved from eternal separation from you. As hard as it is at times for me to grasp this love that you have, i can not wrap my head around the fact, that we are already raised up and seated with you in the heavenly places in Christ.  Just another awesome thing about you! You see the whole picture, you already see how it all ends, and how eternity with you begins and goes on and on..we are already seated in the heavenly places with you, in Christ.  That is quite enough for this princess, understand it fully-no, believe it-yes. Thank you Lord for saving us, and even as we followed your enemy...This GRACE, this LOVE, such MERCY...YOU alone are worthy of all my praise, what priceless gifts you have given to us, we can't comprehend.  Your princess who is now pondering on the heavenly places.

Blogged Bible Study- Ephesians 1-our identity in Christ

I am part of a blogged Bible Study, to find other writers and the days which they post go here.


Ephesians 1:3-8 (NIV)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he  predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.


* we are blessed with every blessing in the heavenly realms-we have no reason to live in defeat!
* we are chosen to be holy and blameless in his sight-doesn't say in the worlds eyes, what HE thinks is most important
*we are adopted-into his family through what Christ did for us.
*we are redeemed-no reason to wear the reproach that the world continues to want us to wear.
*we are forgiven of our sin-does anyone not feel a joy with in knowing they are forgiven?
*we are loved-in his love for us he did this, and not just mildly...HE lavished it on us! Love that it was HIS great pleasure to do it!


If we would think on this each day, and apply it to our lives daily, wonder what kind of powerful, contented, and all round different our lives would look like.  I need to look at this lots! in my human-ness I tend to forget who I am in Christ, and the name Christ trumps all other names, so who I am in HIM, is definitely more important than what anyone else(including myself) may think of me, and you!

Seasons are changing

Seasons are changing, and not just outside my door, but in my heart as well. I know that YOU LORD, are constantly at work in me. At times being the clay is wonderful and your caressing smoothing affects are very enouraging. At times being the clay is painful. I know YOU are molding me into who I am to be in YOU. So although I squirm, and at times jump from the table, I know its all part of your plan, and its not to hurt me but to bring the greater good.


This weekend you brought some friends back into my life that have been gone for a very long time. From a time when I did not know or love you. As much as I love them, I felt the emptiness of YOU not being part of that relationship. So I beg you to bring them closer to you, and for me to show them YOU, through me.


It seems like the closer we are to YOU, or the more desire we have for YOU, the more the internal war wages. I am sorry for not being the Princess that you have made me to be, and for so very often longing for the life YOU took me from. I can't ever return there, not and know what I know now. So I take you hand, climb back on the table, where you will continue to mold me into something that is more of a likeness of you. Your squirmy princess!

now i lay me down to sleep

Father God,
today, i realized how quickly our children grow up, and how quickly life changes.  It truly scares me to watch them grow into young adults, and begin to make some tough decisions.  Again I put them in your hands, where you know the plans you have for them.  Asking that you will protect them, and help them make good choices. Asking that the partner you have for them, created just for them, is also being prepared to follow hard after you.


Altho its been a good day, mixed with deep thinking..my heart sings to you "how great is my God"... we are so undeserving of all that you do for us.  Please give me a grateful heart, a heart that desires you above all else.


"now i lay me down to sleep"...thank you for being here with me always, thank you for being the night watchmen, my strong tower, for singing over me, keeping me close..there is no place sweeter than wrapped up in you.  Your princess, who knows how lost she would be with out You

I need another do-over

LORD,

today i sit at your feet, and beg for you to open your mouth and speak. Returning to the road, YOU have set before me, and knowing that you only want the best for me. Although life is hard at times, its always easier walking with YOU. YOU are my King, YOU have adopted me into your family. YOU have loved me with a never ending, unfailing love. YOU have forgiven me for straying so far away from the only ONE who truly matters. Everything is about YOU, and nothing is about me. Nothing or no one has the right to be called Amazing, or Awesome, because you trump every name and title this world has to offer. There is none that compares to YOU, this world has nothing for me, I belong to Heaven, I am part of the KINGdom, and serving is YOU is my great delight! Thank you for your patience, and your consistently pulling me back where I belong, right here by YOUR side! Your Princess who truly is grateful for yet another Do-Over..

Where R the Prophets?

Lord, i have been pondering "where are the prophets of today? the ones you send to warn us to repent, and move from our complacency?" There are so many churches, and so many denominations, and lots are doing awesome things in your name, but few are speaking loudly to repent, or that your Kingdom is here, at work. Recently i have realized that we are your modern day prophets to a lost world. Help us to be bold, and to speak only when you tell us.

Your message to the world is more than the precious love you have for us, it is a call to repentance, a call to bow before you, and to take our place in your Kingdom. Its Kingdom living. We need you to direct us. How in the world did we get so far from what you have sent us to do?