Joy's Thoughts and Prayers

I’m Adopted!
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. Ephesians 1:4-6 (NLT)

Regardless of your past, you can be adopted into God’s family and loved and accepted by Him. God loved us, God chose us, and God decided to adopt us….which was His plan from the beginning. What a gracious God He is! With God doing all of this for us, what is our part in receiving this adoption which makes me “without fault in His eyes?” Respond to Him…have faith in Him, and believe in Him. We can just let Him do what He wanted to do, for this adoption is the love of God in action in which He brings us into His family. This gives Him great pleasure, even as my children will bring me.

Resting in Him, Joy

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. Eph 1:3

Do you ever just sit and praise God for everything you have? So often I find myself looking around and realize just how blessed I am. But when I think of being “blessed” it seems like more often than not I am looking at what I have, where I live, family I have, etc. I look at the beautiful ocean waters every day and say I am blessed, but who wouldn’t? It is easy for me to say I am blessed! But what about those who have nothing; broken relationships; no family, lost their job; bad health … are they blessed? Can they look at life at say, I am blessed?

This scripture talks about spiritual blessings; what are these spiritual blessings Christ has brought us from heaven? We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ! If we have a personal relationship with Him, we have received everything there is necessary to our salvation: redemption, forgiveness, peace, adoption into His family…these are blessings that God has given to us! He is the author and giver of all blessings. Every good and perfect gift is given to us by God alone. (James 1:17) No matter how you look at what you have today, if you are in relationship with the Lord, you are blessed with … His grace, His mercy, and His peace. These are all blessings from Him. You are blessed!

A Mother’s thoughts from your father’s heart, Resting in Him, Joy

A Great Place To Live
Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 (New Living Translation)
First, I want to summarize “Grace, mercy, and peace” together, and then conclude with the end of this verse, “who live in truth and love.”

God’s grace gives me special favor; He has compassion (mercy) for me; and if I abide in His grace and His mercy, the result is peace within. If we accept Christ as our Savior, and trust Him as Lord of our life, He will give us peace within, regardless of the circumstance we are in. He may not change my circumstance, but He will change me, if I let Him.

The end of this verse says to us that living “in truth and love” will bring grace, mercy, and peace. The phrase “truth and love” is not found anywhere else in scripture. So what is this truth and love that brings so much to us? The Bible tells us God and His word, (scripture), is truth and also that God is love. Christ also gave us a new commandment to “love one another.” Love then is the basic ingredient of true Christianity. How can I live in this truth and love that the writer John speaks of? Simply put, if I am living in Christ I am living in truth and love…and Christ will live in me. The result is grace, mercy and peace.

A mother's thoughts from "your father's heart," Resting in Him, Joy

MERCY
Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 (New Living Translation)
In my previous sharing of greetings found in the New Testament letters, the greeting used was “grace and peace.” This one by John, (in 2 John 1:3), is different than the greetings used by Paul the Apostle. John adds “mercy” in his greeting. What is the importance of this “added” mercy? According to the New Living Translation (NLT) dictionary, the definition of “mercy” is: forgiving; compassionate; and the withholding of punishment that our sins deserve.

Mercy is said to be acts of kindness towards those who are afflicted or in a very difficult circumstance or condition. This may be those having a hard time physically, or those with hurts that aren’t as easily seen, such as mental or emotional hurt and pain. Mercy feels and acts, He feels and acts. Mercy is not pity, it is higher than pity. Mercy is the compassion and love that one feels from the heart…it is what God feels for me. It is what He feels for you. His mercy does not always take away our circumstances…but it can give us rest in the circumstance. That is…if we will receive it.

Resting in Him, Joy

PEACE
“May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.” Ephesians 1:2 (NLT version).
The word peace occurs 361 times in 338 verses in the New Living Translation. What is “peace”? Peace is said to be the absence of strife, quietness and rest. In the New Testament peace conveyed the idea of harmony, safety, and prosperity; so to wish one peace was the same as to wish them these things. But, the word “peace” is also used in contrast with that state of agitation and conflict which a sinner has with his conscience and with God. It is stated in Isaiah 57:20 that the sinner is like a troubled sea, which cannot rest. Once we have been reconciled in our relationship with God, He gives us grace, and we can now have peace.

I like the way Chuck Smith, (Calvary Chapel), describes grace and peace: They are the “the Siamese twins of the New Testament. They are always coupled together, and always in that order. Why? Because you cannot really know the peace of God until you have experienced the grace of God.”

For the New Year consider these thoughts: Have I established a relationship with Him? Is my trustin Him where I give Him my concerns daily? Do I live in peace, or in a state of agitation? The Christian is at peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

Resting in Him, Joy

DEPENDABLE
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)
The Christmas season is upon us and excitement is in the air. The many preparations are being made…cookies and treats are made, decorations are hung, cards are mailed out, and the stores are busy with those shopping for Christmas gifts. We watch children wait in anticipation for the gifts under the tree. We hear “I wonder what I am getting?” as they shake the packages.

I've learned one thing is certain; the material things we get don’t last. Last years model is outdated this year; this years’ model will be outdated next year. There is one “Gift” that is constant – Jesus – the greatest gift of all; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Merry Christmas to you and your family and remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season.Resting in Him, Joy

DEFINING GRACE
I can’t help but notice throughout the Bible many words that are mentioned repeatedly. The word "grace" in the New Testamentt is used 89 times in 88 verses in the NLT (New Living Translation). Many of the books begin with the salutation “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” First, what is Grace? Grace means “favor”; good will; divine influence on the heart; the happiness which Christianity confers on its friends; the free unmerited love and favor of God; the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from Him.

My prayer for you is as Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:2. "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace." (NLT version). Thank you Lord for your grace; your grace is sufficient for me.

Resting in Him, Joy