Dear Faith Family, 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:3). 

Well, this happened.  Last week the General Assembly convened in Memphis, Tennessee.  The hotel that held our reservations overbooked by just a few too many rooms (I was told some 300 rooms overbooked!).  They moved us to another hotel one mile down Main Street, on Beale Street.  To appease us transplants, they offered free shuttle services and concession vouchers for the convention center. 

So many vouchers!  With too many vouchers in hand, I approached the concession line and loaded up with some fruit cups, some fruit drinks, and (wait for it) a lot of candy bars (3 Musketeers, Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups).  Wow!  I was like a kid in a candy store (see what I did there?!)!  Even after giving some away, I still have candy bars!  How great is that?! 

How much greater are the spiritual blessings that Paul wrote about?  You know, the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us!  The whole idea is having more than enough (like too many vouchers!)  What, you might ask, are the spiritual blessings?  Paul gave us a couple of those blessings in Ephesians 1. 

He chose us to be His children!  Adopted.  That’s a big deal considering that we were children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)!  Now we bear His Name.  Now we have a new identity.  No longer objects of His wrath, we are securely and eternally loved by the Creator Himself! 

Lucy, our beloved (cough, cough – just clearing my throat) cat, was rescued from a life on the streets.  We chose her from the shelter and gave her the life of a queen.  She hit the jackpot.  She eats food that we purchase.  Drinks water that we provide for her.  Sleeps in our air-conditioned home.  Enjoys the toys that we purchase for her.  All because she is our cat.  We adopted her.  Sound familiar? 

Not only are we adopted, we also have redemption.  Jesus Christ, Himself, paid the ransom with His blood to purchase us out of slavery to sin.  Our sins, all of them, have been forgiven!  Let that sink in.  When, not if, we sin today, His blood has already paid the price.  No, that doesn’t make sin ok.  It does, however, free us from slavery to sin.  We ought to be like kids in a candy store! 

With a full heart, 
Pastor Karl