God & His Blessings
Ephesians 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing Christ.”
- Notice vs. 5 – our adoption into God’s family was “in accordance with his purpose and will.”
- Verse 7, our redemption through Christ’s blood is “in accordance with this the riches of God’s grace.”
- Verse 9, he revealed the mystery of the gospel with us, “according to his good pleasure.”
What do those phrases tell you about the nature of God and his gifts?
Micah 7:18: “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”
If we realize the greatness and goodness and generosity of our God, how can not help but thrive? If this God is for us, who can be against us?
Spiritual Blessings We Enjoy Today:
- _______________________________. “ We have redemption through his blood.” (vs. 7) A dictionary definition: “The action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.” GOD AND HIS BLESSINGS Series: THRIVE #3 © Kevin Withem
- _______________________________. “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, …” (vs. 7) The Deep Sea Promise: “…you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19) The East West Promise: “… as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
- The _________________ ___________________. “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” – I Corinthians 2:9
“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits — who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” – Psalm 103:2-5
QUESTIONS & EXERCISES
For Daily Devotionals or Bible Study Group
- Read Ephesians 1:3-9 and Micah 7:18. What do these passages tell you about God’s nature, purpose, pleasure, and will? Paul begins his section in Ephesians 1:3 praising God, the giver of all spiritual blessings. As if you were writing a letter to a friend to praising God as Paul does, how would you complete this sentence: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has ….”
- Based on Micah 7:18, what are the reasons why our Holy God would find delight in showing mercy by forgiving sin? How does this help you in your relationship and closeness with God?
- Write out or discuss what it means to you be a “redeemed” person? Why did your redemption require the shedding of the blood of Christ?
- Forgiveness is a precious, undeserved gift and blessing. Ephesians 1:7 says that our redemption is based on the forgiveness of our sins. Read Micah 7:19 and Psalm 103:12. Why do you believe that the writers use these metaphors (casting our iniquities into the depths of the sea; removing our sins as far as the east is from the west) to help us to understand our forgiveness?
- Paul said that the Holy Spirit “is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (vs. 14). How would you describe our “inheritance,” promised to each of us by the Spirit’s presence in our life? Why is understanding this critical to our ability to thrive spiritually?
