Praise God
As disciples of Christ, we have countless things to be thankful to God for, however, Paul takes twelve verses in the book of Ephesians to help us know what his top fourteen things are. Let’s enjoy learning from Paul what He was thankful for and give God praise for them in our daily lives!
Ephesians 1:3-14, “3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. 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.”
FOURTEEN THINGS PAUL WAS THANKFUL TO GOD FOR:
- Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing, (v. 3).
- Chosen to be Holy & Blameless, (v. 4).
- Adoption to Sonship, (v. 5).
- Glorious Grace, (v. 6).
- Redemption & Forgiveness, (v. 7).
- Lavished with Wisdom & Understanding, (v. 8).
- Knowing God’s Mysterious Will, (v. 9).
- Unified with Christ, (v. 10).
- God’s Plan, (v. 11).
- Made to Praise God’s Glory, (v. 12).
- The Gospel, (v. 13a).
- Marked & Sealed by the Holy Spirit, (v. 13b).
- Guaranteed Inheritance, (v. 14a).
- God’s Possession, (v. 14b).
FOURTEEN THINGS PAUL WAS THANKFUL TO GOD FOR:
- BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING: “Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (v. 3).
- CHOSEN TO BE HOLY & BLAMELESS: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (v. 4).
- ADOPTION TO SONSHIP: “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (v. 5).
- GLORIOUS GRACE: “To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (v. 6).
- REDEMPTION & FORGIVENESS: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (v. 7).
- LAVISHED WITH WISDOM & UNDERSTANDING: “That he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding” (v. 8).
- KNOWING GOD’S MYSTERIOUS WILL: “He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ” (v. 9).
- UNIFIED WITH CHRIST: “To be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (v. 10).
- GOD’S PLAN: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (v. 11).
- MADE TO PRAISE GOD’S GLORY: “In order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory” (v. 12).
- THE GOSPEL: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (v. 13a).
- MARKED & SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT: “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (v. 13b).
- GUARANTEED INHERITANCE: “Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption…” (v. 14a).
- GOD’S POSSESSION: “Who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (v. 14b).
Ephesians 5:19-20 (NIV) 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.