Daily Bread_December 2, 2013

Title: The Wonder of God's Love and Glorious Grace

Text:

Jonah 2:9 (HCSB)
⁹ but as for me, I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!

Ephesians 1:3-10 (HCSB)
³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
⁴ For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love
⁵ He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will,
⁶ to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.
⁷ We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His 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 that He planned in Him
¹⁰ for the administration of the days of fulfillment—to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.

Observation:

I am so thankful today and every day that I live that salvation is God's work, and not my works. If it was dependent upon my works I would be in big trouble. Salvation is a gift of God, and I gladly received His gift, by faith In the finished work of Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (HCSB)
⁸ For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift—
⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast.
¹⁰ For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

I will be forever grateful that God chose me, and gave me the gift of faith to receive His amazing gift of love and grace. The hymn writer expresses my awe and amazement.

"Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin."   - - - Author Isaac Watts

               

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, the words of the hymn writer expresses my wonder and amazement, but I choose to use my own words to express my appreciation to You.

Lord, I thank You for providing for my salvation; I thank You that it is all of You. Father, I thank You for the work of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. O the wonder and the depth of Your love, and glorious grace. In the name of Jesus I pray, with thanksgiving, Amen.

My Soul Sings (with George Beverly Shea): "The Wonder of It All"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS5-YJacjaI

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Proverbs 30:5 (ESV)
⁵ Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 119:11 (ESV)
¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/