ChosenBeforeTheWorld | Kristi's Morning Devotional

I saw an image similar to the one I’m using this morning on a friend’s FB page yesterday. I had never seen this verse like this before.

“For unto us a child is born, and unto us a Son is given.” The reason the Son came was to forgive!

As I lay in the dark this morning so many thoughts came swirling through my mind.

“In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. ⁵And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. ” Ephesians 1:4-5 ERV

In Christ we were chosen by God the Father before the world was made! In Christ, we can stand before the Father and He sees us as faultless. We are forgiven.

“And I will forgive the wrongs they have done, and I will not remember their sins.” Hebrews 8:12

“Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14 ERV

“Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. ⁷Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. ⁸But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.” Romans 5:6-8 ERV

In God’s eyes I have no past. He has forgotten my failings, my sins. He sees me completely cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus.

“His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. ¹²And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. ¹³The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children.” Psalms 103:11-13 ERV

Completely cleansed, forever forgotten.

That’s the message of Christmas. “For unto us a child is born, and unto to us a Son is given.”

We are forgiven and our sins are forgotten because of Christ. His gift to us is forgiveness. I pray you have received it and are sharing this wonderful gift with others.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to share with a ladies’ group at a church in the Phoenix area. The teaching the Lord gave me was “Chosen Before the Foundation of the World”.

“Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. ⁵God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. ⁶God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.” Ephesians 1:4-6 CEV

Stop and think about that. Before God said, “Let there be light”, He choose us to be His adopted children.

That truth is more than enough to drive out any feelings of insignificance or low self-esteem. We were chosen before there was anything in this universe but God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

There has never been a time that we haven’t been part of God’s heart and His plan.

Now, more than ever before, those words “chosen by God” strike a deep chord whenever I read them in the Bible. I am chosen and you have been chosen by God!

Not ever the most popular, best dressed, prettiest or the best at sports, I remember the hurt of not being chosen. But that hurt was healed long ago. It was healed when I realized that God’s love and acceptance was enough. It became my mission, my calling, to let others know of God’s unconditional love.

This morning, while I was reading the last of Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, the admonition he gave them jumped off the page and touched my heart. I hope you don’t mind but from time to time when I come across these “chosen” verses I will be sharing them with you.

“My friends, we ask you to be thoughtful of your leaders who work hard and tell you how to live for the Lord. ¹³Show them great respect and love because of their work. Try to get along with each other. ¹⁴My friends, we beg you to warn anyone who isn’t living right. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone. ¹⁵Don’t be hateful to people, just because they are hateful to you. Rather, be good to each other and to everyone else.

¹⁶Always be joyful ¹⁷and never stop praying. ¹⁸Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.

¹⁹Don’t turn away God’s Spirit ²⁰or ignore prophecies. ²¹Put everything to the test. Accept what is good ²²and don’t have anything to do with evil.

²³I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ²⁴The one who chose you can be trusted, and he will do this.” I Thessalonians 5:12-24 CEV

Encourage anyone who feels left out. Be patient, be joyful, be prayerful, be filled with peace.

We have been chosen and the One who chose us can be trusted!

Tag: ChosenBeforeTheWorld

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