JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Word of Encouragement is “Blessed.”
One definition of “Blessed” is a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.
To be blessed by God is to receive His favor. His face is turned toward us in relationship, and we enjoy the benefits of His grace.
While God will bless us with material things, His spiritual blessings have far greater value that last forever.
Ephesians 1:3 says, “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.”
What follows is a list of specific blessings: Adoption, Redemption, Forgiveness, Acceptance, and the promised Holy Spirit. These are blessings that reflect God’s unfailing love for us.
Find encouragement in the blessing of being united with Christ in the Year of Endurance.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on Galatians 3:26.
“So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.”
Each member of God’s family has many spiritual blessings to celebrate. We are connected to the people of God. He places us in a spiritual family with His believers. That spiritual family is called the church. There are times of rich fellowship together as we share what God is doing in our lives.
The most precious blessing is that we belong to God as one of His children. He is our Father. Jesus is our Savior. The Holy Spirit is our Counselor. We live with an awareness that the One who made us is the One who loves us with an everlasting love.
Jesus is our Source of Good News, leading us to a place of belonging to God and His spiritual family in the Year of Vision.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Ephesians 1:7.
Speaking of Jesus, “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.”
These are some of the spiritual blessings that we experience in Christ-Redemption, Forgiveness, and abundant Grace.
To be redeemed is to be set free from the power of sin. Chains are broken when we follow Jesus out of the darkness into His wonderful light. To have the forgiveness of sins is to be cleared of guilt. According to Psalm 32:2, “Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.” These are some of the blessings of God’s grace that we enjoy when we are in Christ.
Spiritual blessings are promises of hope for those who follow Jesus in the Year of Trust.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
