Verse of the Day 5/13

Verse of the Day 5/13

Ephesians 1:4-5    even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,    English Standard Version (ESV)

I try not to repeat verses very often in these posts, but as I read a devotional by John Piper about Charles Spurgeon's conversion and still had the thoughts of "And Can it Be" running through my mind, I couldn't help but go back to these verses.  That He "chose" us and "predestined us" in love does not go over well with many in today's society and even within many churches and in today's "Christianity".  But the thought of God's sovereignty are foundational to the Christian faith.

The other day we considered the question "who is Jesus"?   Today we'll consider "how did we become a Christian"?  John Piper shares Charles Spurgeon's testimony:

"One weeknight, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it.    The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment — I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so?    Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God."   Charles Spurgeon    Today we celebrate Mother's Day. Most of us, unless we were adopted, we weren't chosen specifically, we are the the product of our earthly parents.  But God, chose us before the foundation of the world, through our parents.  Today we celebrate our mother's love, and the love of our wives for our children, and rightfully so. We honor them and praise them for their selfless, steadfast love.  We also celebrate the love of God, the source love, as Spurgeon wrote "at the bottom of it all."    Amazing love, how can it be?  'Tis mercy all, immense and free;  For, O my God, it found out me.  'Tis mercy all, immense and free;  For, O my God, it found out me.      

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Ephesians 1:1-6 The Message (MSG)

1 ^1-2 I, Paul, am under God's plan as an apostle, a special agent of Christ Jesus, writing to you faithful believers in Ephesus. I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.

The God of Glory

^3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.