“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
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This is a precious promise from God’s Word. Our living God has planned from eternity to give us every
spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus . All of us who are redeemed by the precious blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ have the privilege of claiming these blessings and then the Lord Himself will teach us
how to be qualified for these blessings. First of all we have to believe that this is the Word of God and not
man’s word and that it is meant for all of us and not just for the apostles or God’s servants. These words
are meant for all those who believe in the Lord. Howsoever foolish, weak and ugly you may be, if you can
truthfully say that you are redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have every
right to claim that promise. That is how we can enjoy all the spiritual blessings because unto Him you are
very precious.
Because the Lord Jesus Christ bought us with His blood, we have become more precious to Him than the
angels or heavenly beings. So by thanking Him for such love and salvation we understand more and more
how to enjoy all spiritual blessings and that is why we find the apostle Paul thanking the Lord on behalf of
the Ephesian believers. “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph.
1:16). This is the very first thing we should learn, to go on thanking God. We can begin every day in the
same way. “Yes Lord, even though I am weak and foolish, worthless and useless, in Thy sight I am very
precious because of Thy precious blood and that is why I thank Thee”.
Secondly, we should learn to seek God’s face even for small matters by prayer. In Col 4:2, Paul exhorts the
believers to continue in prayer. In Eph. 6:18 also we have the same thought. “Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for
all saints”.
Thirdly, we have to go on claiming divine wisdom to understand divine mysteries. “That the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him” (Eph. 1:17).
Fourthly, we need to have our blind eyes opened. “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened…”
(Eph. 1:18). To understand heavenly things we need heavenly vision and that is why we have to pray,
“Lord, open my eyes and let me see more and more from Thy wondrous Word.” The mysteries hidden
from the wise and prudent will be revealed to babes, that means, those who have simple faith. We can
dig deeply into God’s Word and always find something new. It is the Word of God and not man’s word. It
is like a very deep mine of gold. We have to go very deep into God’s Word. Then we will be able to enjoy
all blessings in heavenly places.
daily devotional
Practice of Christ’s principles
Jan 16
I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
—Habakkuk 3:18
Christians are supposed to be happy persons! Our generation has become well versed in Christian terminology, but is remiss in the actual practice of Christ’s principles and teachings. Hence, our greatest need today is not more Christianity but more true Christians. The world can argue against Christianity as an institution, but there is no convincing argument against a person who, through the Spirit of God, has been made Christlike. Such a person is a living rebuke to the selfishness, rationalism, and materialism of the day. Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” This sin-sick, disillusioned woman was the symbol of the whole race. Her longings were our longings! Her heart-cry was our heart-cry! Her disillusionment was our disillusionment! Her sin was our sin! But her Savior can be our Savior! Her forgiveness can be our forgiveness! Her joy can be our joy!
Recent Devotions
Father’s good pleasure
January 15
“…Christ … is our life”… (Col. 3:4).
In Col. 3:3 we read, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God”. If we sincerely desire to
possess the life of the Lord Jesus Christ we must be willing to die, because unless we die to our old life
and corrupt nature, that life cannot come into us. In order to have this experience we have to repent of
all our sins, put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as our personal Saviour. Many people
say they believe in the Lord Jesus, but in fact they do not know what it means to believe on Him and know
Him. They repeat some words and phrases such as, “I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour” but
they do not enjoy the blessings that God wants to give them so freely. This is all because of their own
negligence and carelessness.
As far as God is concerned He offers every blessing to us in His Son. “Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph.
1:3). “All spiritual blessings” means everything we can think of. While theoretically all spiritual blessings
are ours, we do not seem to enjoy them in a practical way. The reason is we do not really know what it is
to believe in the Lord Jesus. We do not spend sufficient time in reading the Word of God, and we do not
mediate on it to understand its meaning. The Lord says in Luke 12:32, “…it is your Father’s good
pleasure to give you the kingdom”. He is ready not only to forgive our sins, but to give us His kingdom
which means all that He has. We must know these blessings in order to enjoy them. We have to study
and dig deep into the Word of God, by reading it prayerfully upon our knees.
Recent Devotions
David conquered Zion
January 15
“Nevertheless David took the Stronghold of Zion: the same is the city of David ….” (2 Sam.
5:7, 9a).
The day when David conquered Zion was another occasion for rejoicing. Joshua had failed to
drive out the Jebusites from Zion. These began to mock at David, but by God’s grace and
strength he drove them out. Yes, the day when he did so was a happy day for him, because
then he began to see something more of the purpose of God in choosing him. He began to
see something of God’s heavenly plan for his people, and how it could not be accomplished
while the Jebusites remained in Jerusalem. It was part of the heavenly plan that they should
be driven out only by God’s people who had come out of Egypt. He had chosen His people to
be His co-workers and partners in judgment. God relies upon you, His people, to fulfill His
heavenly plan.
Recent Devotions
Become a Christian
Jan 15
When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
—Psalm 61:2
When you become a Christian, it doesn’t mean that you will live on a perpetual “high.” The Psalmist David went down to the very depths, and so did the Apostle Paul. But in the midst of all circumstances God’s grace, peace, and joy are there. The tears will still come, the pressures will be felt, and so will the temptations. But there is a new dimension, a new direction, and a new power in life to face the circumstances in which you live.