Friends in Christ Weekly Message
January 2, 2016

     It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
     It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free - signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
Ephesians 1:11-14 (Message*)

Many people devote much time and energy to "finding themselves." But the customary secular means of this don't have a very high success rate. Paul tells us that we don't find ourselves in ourselves; we find our true selves in Christ. This doesn't sound very sensible in the world's terms, but we who have truly experienced Christ know he's right.

God does have "designs on us for glorious living" which we can only realize through Christ. God will make us part of his overall purpose if we live in harmony with His plans for us.

Our walk through life can seem full of burdens and trouble. But we can be freed from that through the power of the Holy Spirit. It's not that life will be a bed of roses, but that we'll live very differently when we're united with God's purpose. Although our circumstances in life might not look that good to those living in the world, we will indeed have "a praising and glorious life." We will be thankful, and we'll know whom to thank.

Are you experiencing this praising and glorious life? If so, give thanks to God daily for it, and be faithful to Christ's leadings in your life. If not, be persistent in praying to God to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, transforming your whole life. And don't put any conditions on how that may happen, but be ready to accept it in whatever manner it comes.

Bill Samuel

* The Message version ©2002 by Eugene H. Peterson.

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