Good morning,
It seems hard for us who have grown up under a dark cloud of accusations from family, friends, enemies and the constant pressure of an inner accuser to see ourselves as someone worth loving. Many in our present culture have given in to despair, while others demand that they be treated with respect no matter what choices they make in life. Neither way works because we are kept so busy looking at ourselves that we don't look over the fortress walls in our hearts to see how the Giver of Life designed us for a life time of effective service. The fact that our world has been poisoned by sin doesn’t stop God from giving us a life marked by joy and peace. We are tempted to think of God as being sorry that he started the process of our lives because we cause him so much trouble. I have also heard people say that they are afraid that they are bothering God because they keep talking to him about the challenges they are facing. Could it be that the Lord arranges the challenges of our lives so that we will keep talking to him and in so doing, we will grow into a deeper more intimate personal relationship with the Lover of our souls?
God allowed the Apostle Paul to see through and beyond this dark cloud of sin to see God's heart as he planned for us to be a part of his family for time and eternity. God chose us based on the finished work of his Son, Jesus, who would willingly pay the full price for all of our sins. It gave God great pleasure as he planned to adopt us rebels into his family and then when our work here is done, to bring us to live with him in his eternal home. God loved the idea of pouring out his perfect grace on us so that we could now start living in the light of his accepting love even though the ungodly can’t understand what we are talking about and refuse the reality of his gracious loving plan. Dear Lord, please open our hearts and minds to this wonderful truth so that what we say and how we live matches the reality of your plan. Please Lord, help us to live lives marked by genuine praise for the adventures you have planned for us as your beloved sons and daughters.
Ephesians 1: 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.
Roy Wisner
It seems hard for us who have grown up under a dark cloud of accusations from family, friends, enemies and the constant pressure of an inner accuser to see ourselves as someone worth loving. Many in our present culture have given in to despair, while others demand that they be treated with respect no matter what choices they make in life. Neither way works because we are kept so busy looking at ourselves that we don't look over the fortress walls in our hearts to see how the Giver of Life designed us for a life time of effective service. The fact that our world has been poisoned by sin doesn’t stop God from giving us a life marked by joy and peace. We are tempted to think of God as being sorry that he started the process of our lives because we cause him so much trouble. I have also heard people say that they are afraid that they are bothering God because they keep talking to him about the challenges they are facing. Could it be that the Lord arranges the challenges of our lives so that we will keep talking to him and in so doing, we will grow into a deeper more intimate personal relationship with the Lover of our souls?
God allowed the Apostle Paul to see through and beyond this dark cloud of sin to see God's heart as he planned for us to be a part of his family for time and eternity. God chose us based on the finished work of his Son, Jesus, who would willingly pay the full price for all of our sins. It gave God great pleasure as he planned to adopt us rebels into his family and then when our work here is done, to bring us to live with him in his eternal home. God loved the idea of pouring out his perfect grace on us so that we could now start living in the light of his accepting love even though the ungodly can’t understand what we are talking about and refuse the reality of his gracious loving plan. Dear Lord, please open our hearts and minds to this wonderful truth so that what we say and how we live matches the reality of your plan. Please Lord, help us to live lives marked by genuine praise for the adventures you have planned for us as your beloved sons and daughters.
Ephesians 1: 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.
Roy Wisner
