From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Tue, Sep 24, 2024 at 5:10 AM

Subject: 9-24-24 THOUGHTS

9-24-24    THOUGHTS        

What a summary passage we read this morning.  The “BUT GOD” in the first of verse 4 interrupts the whole reading!  The grace of God saves us for righteousness! Having been saved in Christ Jesus, we have been “raised up and seated.”  God has marvelous things planned beyond all this, and it’s all in Christ Jesus!   We are God’s workmanship with a purpose.  We are taken from sin to heaven in these words.  Titus 2:11-13  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12  instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,  13  looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
 
Eph 2:1-10     And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,  2  in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  8  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

My Prayer:
O God of all, the words of eternal life are spread before us this morning.  Thank You for them, for by them we have eternal hope.  Help that hope to drive our minds and bodies and souls as we rejoice in serving you.  May we see clearly Your grace preparing us to complete Your purpose in us.  With responding love, help us to tell the gospel story and love our neighbors as ourselves.  May we be what we believe, O Father.  Give us a  powerful zeal,  that we might be real!       In the name of Jesus,     Amen.