Blessed beyond Measure

Today has been a pretty good day.  When I tried to get out of bed this morning, I couldn't hardly move.  I gotta say, Eve needs to be in protective custody for all eternity.  Ugh.  Sometimes I *hate* being a girl.  But I am SO thankful that God saw to it that Midol was created.  Midol is a miracle medicine in my house.  Anywho.......
Because my cramps were so bad today (TMI?!  Sorry) I couldn't get to church.  So, I stayed home and watched church online.  And I am ever so thankful.  I watched the streaming services of Elevation Church.  I have been a fan of Steven Furtick for a few months.  Today though, he had a guest speaker {James McDonald} who spoke of generosity and giving.  Something I have struggled with here lately.  And I am ever so grateful that I was able to catch it and listen, be blessed, and be convicted by what I heard.  He made so many good points and actually talked about things in ways that I have been battling them in my own mind recently.  It's so awesome how God works.

And I'm so thankful that I have started listening to men and women of God who, just a few years ago, I would never have listened to because they weren't "using the right Bible" and I would've considered them to be "liberal, therefore their points of view to be wrong and irrelevant".  Woohoo.  I'm so grateful that God doesn't care what "religion" or "denomination" you are ~ just that we believe that He is the way the truth and the life!  How awesome is that!  And I know so many who would now deem me (because of this) to be "liberal and ecumenical".  And I say ~ Yes, I am.  Thanks!  I'm so thankful for how He's been working in my heart and in my life.  Oh, it is such a beautiful thing!  Woohoo!  I truly am blessed beyond measure!!

I can't remember if I blogged about this before ~ but I joined a Bible study (I think I have talked about it) study in the book of Ephesians.  Well, I had gotten so busy (how terrible am I?!) on Thursday and Friday that I had forgotten to do the work of it.  So I got caught up today.  Woah.  Monday through Friday, we read and studied Ephesians 1:1-14. 
 

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God's holy people in Ephesus,t the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love5 he predestined us for adoption to sonshipt through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,9 het made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen,t having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

 {niv}

Now, I'm not gonna bore you with all my observations and applications, but I'm gonna give you a few highlights :D    The thing that I've been getting blessed beyond measure about is the fact that I am Chosen.  He chose me  ~ before the world was even created.  He chose me.  I wasn't an afterthought.  He included me and Chose me.  He spoke the voice of truth to me and when I accepted the Gospel of Salvation He sealed me for all eternity.  I am His child, chosen.  And because we are His, He lavishes blessings on us.  And He doesn't expect anything from us except Praise.  And I think I can do that.  Oh, this is so wonderful.  I will praise Him all my days!  For it's the least I can do. 
And this is why I *love* every single song that I have in my playlist over to your left here.  Such awesome praises those songs sing.  And those are my praise songs to my Creator, Redeemer, and Chooser!!!  Thank you Jesus!!!!!!