Blessed be the God and Father of our

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, . . . ” Ephesians 1: 3 -10

“. . . having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, . . . ” Ephesians 1: 3 -10

“. . . according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, . . . ” Ephesians 1: 3 -10

“. . . that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (NKJV). Ephesians 1: 3 -10

“Blessed us with every spiritual blessing” How has God Blessed Christians? Ephesians 1: 3 -10

Have you heard the statement— “Have a blessed day”? What does that mean? • God as the source of blessing (Jas. 1: 17) • Hope for God’s blessing (Rom. 15: 13) God Has Blessed Us

How may one be assured of God’s blessing in his life? • The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5: 3 -11) • Hearing and doing (Luke 11: 27 -28) • Obedient at His coming (Matt. 24: 45 -47) • Serving others as Christ (Matt. 25: 34 -36) God Has Blessed Us

Those Blessed of God • Abraham—livestock (Gen. 24: 35) • Laban because of Jacob (Gen. 30: 27) • Israelites in the wilderness (Deut. 2: 7) • Obed-Edom care of ark (2 Sam. 6: 12) • Those in Messiah’s kingdom (Isa. 61: 9) God Has Blessed Us

How Are Christians Blessed? • Needs of life (Matt. 6: 31 -34) • Filling our hearts with gladness (Acts 14: 15 -17; 1 Pet. 1: 6 -9) • Assurance of God’s care (Matt. 28: 20; Heb. 13: 5; 1 Pet. 5: 6 -7) God Has Blessed Us

How Are Christians Blessed? “Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1: 3) “He chose us in Him” (1: 4; 1 Pet. 2: 9 -10) “Adoption as sons by Jesus Christ” (1: 5; Gal. 4: 4 -7) God Has Blessed Us

How Are Christians Blessed? “He has made us accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1: 6; Rom. 12: 2) “Redemption through His blood” (1: 7 a) “The forgiveness of sins” (1: 7 b; Isa. 1: 18) “Gather together in one all things” (1: 10) God Has Blessed Us

“Count you blessings, name them one by one” Are you blessed by the Lord? Are you enjoying all the blessings you could have in Christ? God Has Blessed Us