We are examining the components of our earthy inheritance bequeathed to us by Jesus Christ through His death on the cross to pay for our sins and His resurrection to defeat death for us.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul describes another component of our inheritance: showing the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers in heavenly places.

Ephesians 3:⁷Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. ⁸Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; ⁹And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: ¹⁰To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, ¹¹According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Imagine! God is showing to the fallen angels and the devil and the angels in Heaven His manifold wisdom.  How much love for God to devise the plan of salvation and grace for Him to provide the solution to our sin problem! That solution put the penalty on Jesus and freed us from the penalty.

Ephesians 3:^12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Why you and I can have confidence as we approach God

He has born our griefs and carried our sorrow – Isaiah 53:⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted., that is no longer per

Jesus knows exactly the difficulties you and I face living in this fallen creation that is no longer perfect and not even good. He knows what it is like to be tempted by the devil. He knows what it is like to face accusers and betrayers. Jesus understands exactly how you and I feel.

We are healed with His stripes – Isaiah 53:⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

The wounds we encounter from our own sin and the result of another’s sin can be healed.

We are blessed with all spiritual blessings- Ephesians 1:³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

We are chosen in Jesus to be holy and blameless before Him before He created the world – Ephesians 1:⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

We are predestined to be His adopted children – Ephesians 1:⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

We are accepted in the Beloved – Ephesians 1:⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

By His grace we have redemption from sin and forgiveness – Ephesians 1:⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

His wisdom and prudence abound toward us – Ephesians 1:⁸Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

We know His will because He purposed it to be so – Ephesians 1:⁹Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

We will be gathered together with Him – Ephesians 1:¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

In Jesus we have obtained an inheritance – Ephesians 1:¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:¹²That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise – Ephesians 1:¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti