Ten Reasons to Give God Praise, Part 3

Today Chuck Swindoll provides a list of reasons to give God praise you have what you have with the grace of God, you are what you are, but the grace of God. You do what you do for the grace of God and you go over your goal ultimately with the grace of God. Never, ever, ever forget.

Never cut it short never diminishing. Use the word often remembered when dealing with others.

Grace God's grace, grace because that's the only reason we draw becoming a strong Christ follower is not a testament to our personal commitment as a Christian every blessing that comes our way is rooted in and depended upon the grace of God today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues our study in Ephesians called becoming a people of grace in this series were reminded that God gives to us what we could never earn and in his opening statement to the Christians in Ephesus. Paul provides an impressive list of spiritual blessings that God lavishes on his children.

Chuck title.

Today's message 10 reasons to give God praise that is we have been predestined. Don't miss the first two words that come at the end of verse four. They go with verse five in love. He pre-destined us to adoption the motivation of the actors love the results of the act's adoption.

You see, Jesus is God's son by nature, being sinless, we are God's sons and daughters by adoption.

He walked through the slave market of sin, and he stopped and looked into our sad eyes and saw our pathetic tragic situation before we were ever in existence and he said your mind in Roman law, which is part of Paul's background writing here adopted children, just like an American law adopted children have all the rights and privileges of biological children and so it is here we are predestined and as adopted children, we have the same rights and privileges as the son who is a part of the father that great thought when were we adopted when we believed John 1516 should be in the margin of Ephesians 15 John 1516 you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain.

Let's understand who's initiating this it's the father. Let's put the father back where he belongs in our minds and that's enthroned in charge and sovereign.

He has chosen us. He has predestined us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will. We give him praise verse seven that he has redeemed us look at the word put in the margin of your Bible. If you like taking notes to purchase and set free by paying a price that's what redeem means to purchase and set free by paying a price.

The price is sometimes called a ransom ransom. You and I were born not right with God, but wrong before God. You and I were enslaved facing we were slaves to sin is the Spirit's leading in this that the father is initiated and it's all happened because the sun has redeemed us look at how it's worded in him we have redemption through his blood, we have redemption through his blood, number five, because he has forgiven us our transgressions, look at the end of verse seven we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, love it, the forgiveness of our trespasses, not most of them. Not all but the very worst, all of them passed present, future forgiven.

Psalm 103 begins to list all the blessings of God and he says he forgives you all your trespasses and little later says, as far as the east is from the West so far has he removed your transgressions from you.

You know what that says. It says you don't have to live in shame. You don't have to live in guilt there removed their forgiven and we are freed from the sin that once held us. That's good news, forgiven, and for that we praise him.

Why, why would a holy pristine, perfect God reached his hand into humanity and pick somebody like you or me of all people.

It's right here. According to the riches of his grace, which he lavished on us.

Reason number six. I praise him is because he has lavished his grace on us. Love the word lavish. Don't you love it, yet elaborate, she does like to say it lavish like being in a big tub lavished with bubbles not sprinkled. Reminds me of a football coach at the end of a winning season and his players have worked hard and he set a strategy that paid off and he go to the championship game and he stands there, you'll see it the day when the champion wins you'll see the coach. He's there in the last 10 seconds and some of the players. It is a big job, sticky Gatorade and its ice cold in the Gulf and Dublin packet at 4° outside in his. I just think the guy that everybody else's having a great time in the locker room. He got this sticky Gatorade all over and that they poured down his back. What did they do, they lavished him with Gatorade not got better news and we got losing seasons one after another, year after year, day after day soon after San and he finds us and he lavishes his grace is doesn't make good sense you're not calling the shots. You're not grace I'm not Gray's. I find the wrong focus on it because that long haunts me to not God. God, in great grace by his own choice says I will lavish my grace on my own people, and out it pours. That's why life is becoming what it is for you and for me. Remember that Plaza Dallas seminary we we had the interesting times in the what was called a mailroom was a small school back then, or about 325 students so most of us gathered in our blue books came back from our tests. I don't know if you took tests on blue books, but that's the way we did not graduate studies, and I remember going down to go to the mail is for the putsch test back you get to test back from your profit mailroom and you and you get pulled it out it could hardly stand the liquid to give us that you know some guys get a B and that is what you get on number four well number four answers will answer the same thing you tell I was wrong. What you get what you got a name I got bit about his comparative one of our classmates never look to the grade he just pulled out the blue book and wrote grace cross and put it in and what is that great. The fact that this school is Christ the fact that I can. That's the way life is.

Whatever happens, he has lavished his grace upon you, and it falls into that category of unmarried you have what you have with the grace of God, you are what you are, but the grace of God. You do what you do with the grace of God and you go where you go ultimately with the grace of God. Never, ever, ever forget it. Never cut it short never diminish use the word often remembered when dealing with others.

Grace grace God's grace twice written and are in our document as a church we want to be a church of race grace with people because that's the only reason we draw breath, he lavished his grace on sin, wisdom, and my peers number seven he made known the mystery of his will. The mystery of his will stay were Jan is a Greek word, we get our word mystery from it or something else to write down a truth, once hidden, but now made known.

That's the word mystery in the New Testament it's a truth that was once hidden, but now it's made no he made known to us the mystery of his will.

His again. According to his kind intention, which he purposed in Christ and describes this and puts it all together in the heavenly's in it in the next verse that follows it it it it it's a wonderful thought. What is the mystery. I believe it is the mystery of God's plan running its course putting together those who would form his body.

Those who would be a part of his plan.

He's now made it known to us that there is no line of demarcation between male or female bond or free Jew or Gentile.

We are one in Christ one man put it this way, we are able to share in the secret that God will one day unite everything in Christ, ever since sin came into the world.

Things have been falling apart first man was separated from God.

Genesis 3 and then man was separated from man Cain killed Abel Genesis 4 people tried to maintain a kind of unity by building the Tower of Babel.

Genesis 11 but God judge them and scattered them across the world. God called Abraham and put a difference between the Chu and the Gentile, a difference that was maintained until Christ's death on the cross is the secret Santa staring everything across apart, but in Christ.

God gathers everyone together in the culmination of the ages. We are a part of this great eternal program that wasn't known before. If you and I lived in the Old Testament era. Everything would've been on the basis of are you Jew are you Gentile, you didn't mix you did in school together. You didn't play together. You can partner together in business. Your Jewish your Gentile year among God's favor here among the outcast or the dog's Jews and Gentiles never mixed until Christ and the. The veil was torn in the temple from top to bottom and it was as if God was saying in that demonstrative object lesson. There was no longer a line between the two in Christ.

You are one.

The ground is level at the cross look around the room. You may see Jews you may see Gentiles you don't know you can tell by looking.

Even if there were a Star of David on the lapel saying my my roots are Jewish. If you are in Christ. You are one with the other and we with you. It's a secret. It's the will. That's now made no he goes into that much deeper. Chapter 3 because he is blessed us with all spiritual blessing. We praise him because he has chosen us in Christ we praise him because he has predestined us. We praise him because he has redeemed us at the cross. We praise it forgiven us relieved us of our sins we praise it because he's lavishes grace on us because he's made known the mystery of his will look at verse 11, number eight because he's provided an eternal inheritance, having obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to his with his purpose who works all things after the counsel of his will look at the words having obtained an inheritance, did you know that you have an eternal inheritance due to your position in Christ. You are a co-heir with the son crate look at the riches you have before God obtained and ended your revocable we deal all the time behind closed doors with revocable in your revocable wills at Dallas seminary we get gifts from people that are often connected to their wills and we get notice of them before the person has died and were told, and in some case it's your revocable meaning.

The children, the mate, the friend, the attorney no one can change it.

It's coming to the school. It's known in the inner circle as money in our pockets. We don't say that in our appeal letters but that's that's what you think this is money that God is provided it's kind of hard to know how to pray as a person still living, but that's another that's another subject, don't go there. Don't go. The point is it is it is an inheritance that is ours to claim your revocable.

You know the good news. This is an eternal inheritance. No one will ever take away no one will ever diminish. No one will ever cheap and it's yours. It's got your name on it and you get no more than anyone else, are no less.

The skull grace and as part of the reason we praise and let's look at the empowering work of the spirit quickly as we close, he has sealed us and for this we praise him. Verse 13 in him you also look at the process. After listening to the message to wonder about how to know Christ. Here is you listen to the message of truth, the good news of Christ's death and resurrection. You hear that, and then second, having also believed, please observed. These are these are participles leading to the main verb if you will.

Having heard. Having listened. Having believed.

Now, you were sealed sealed time permanently eternally secure site you believe that you believe that if a person believes in Jesus Christ. He is secure for ever. Now I really do.

I believe it is impossible for me to tromp God's gift to somehow diminish what God has done, having called me brought me into his family chosen me, especially when I read that I am sealed.

This means the transaction is complete.

In the ancient days it was a piece of wax and the king would press his ring into the wax and would bear the mark of the king giving that authority.

God has pressed his ring into the wax sealed sealed your you know if I didn't believe that I couldn't sleep at night. Furthermore, if you don't believe that I have never been able to get people who don't believe it. To answer how bad do you have to be to lose the always go well, that's not the point is the point. It is the whole point. If you can't be good enough to get it and you can't be bad enough to lose it. It's a gift none of us deserve it and when he reaches us and wins us and causes his own. There's nothing we can do to remove it. It's ours. It says we are sealed and is called the Holy Spirit of promise.

Think of your wedding ring when you get to this last one. Here's the last one we have the guarantee of our future. He has given us a given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own position.

We were redeemed. We have now. We now live redeemed and we will one day be in face-to-face relationship with God fully redeemable the benefit of its guarantee, not unlike an engagement ring when you fall in love and you bet your partner for life and in you.

You put a ring on scalding engagement ring. It was a promise, and it was assured that there would be from that the wedding yet to come. The face-to-face joys of a life lived together and that's what the pledges in the old version and call. It was called in earnest or a down payment. The spirit of God who empowers all of this is the down payment of to come all to the praise of his glory there. You have 10 reasons if you're still awake. 10 reasons to give God praise couple of very practical thoughts and work through first since they all start with God is the initiator since they all start with God than all the glory goes to God and a great heaven will not be peopled with individuals comparing themselves with one another as we used to do with our with our tests after class is not gonna be like that will all be so thrilled with life will have grace written all over us. Having been a libation grace all the glory goes to God, since it all starts with here's the second since they all center on Christ and everything revolves around his death on our behalf, believing it, believing it started with a moving story and I want to go back to it because I found this fascinating. I had not known of Lee's conversion. He was such a good man. I'm sure many would have thought why the world would he need help with how good he lived his life late.

I was relieved to find that at age 46. Something happened.

A man as good as Robert E Lee July 17, 1853. He confessed the faith that was in them rights. Wilkins, his biographer to Lee. It was a vowed never to be broken.

There was no spectacular conversion experience for Lee. He had rather an increasingly strong attraction to the Savior, whom he had known from his you that that was his mother and and an invalid mother where he learned to serve so well.

He served his mother for years he had heard of Christ through his mother is faithful and devotion, faithfulness and devotion to Christ became more overt and increasingly the dominant aspect of his life. Those who served under him saw it as he often called into prayer and is he saying the hymns with them. Remember the old hymn soldier saying that ran across the mountains and down to the coves and caves of Virginia remember that if you love the him you know the words that they saying the soul that on Jesus had leaned for repose. I will not, I will not desert to his foes that sold though all hell should endeavor to shake never know.

Never know never forsake eternal security but bow together close her eyes know this is where the father the son the spirit do the work. I told you the truth you've heard it from the Scriptures, the very words of Scripture have been set forth. Now it's your move. This is your opportunity to believe and find the relief that comes through Christ right for your sitting. Give him your heart. You could even say I don't understand all of this that I've heard, but I know I'm lost.

I know that I'm without hope. And if I died I would have nothing to merit myself before you.

I need the blood of Christ to cleanse me from sin. Today I cleaned placed me in Christ Lord as I turned to him today. Thank you Lord for the truth of the word of God and thank you that even in a passage this deep and profound. There is such encouragement for living in this culture that has long since lost its way.

Thank you for the quiet hope we can claim the echoing message of the gospel that comes down through the centuries has saved the lives of countless millions who have. Thank you for your grace with father. Jesus and originally presented in the year 2000 to the congregation in Frisco Texas where Chuck Swindoll serves as senior pastor.

He titled his message. 10 reasons to give God praise. This is insight for living. To learn more about this ministry. Be sure to visit us online@insightworld.org was much more wisdom to glean from Paul's letter to the Ephesians, so be sure to stay with us for the next program because Chuck will be presenting a practical message titled praying like we mean it. In addition to the daily study notes for each message posted on our website. You'll be glad to hear that Chuck wrote a commentary on Ephesians effect this particular volume in the collection of Swindoll's living insights is paired with Galatians as well.

When digging deeper into God's word. Any student of the Bible can benefit from a trustworthy commentary in the format Chuck developed is chock-full with helpful cultural context cross-references suggested, prayers, and of course plenty of opportunity to apply what you've learned to purchase Swindoll's living insights commentary on Galatians and Ephesians. Call us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org/store.

In closing, let me say a word of thanks to our monthly companions and all those who give generously you're accomplishing far more than you'll ever know because your gift not only allows us to provide these daily visits with Chuck, a small portion is multiplied overseas in our ongoing pursuit of vision 195 vision 195 is our stated mission to reach 195 countries of the world in order to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Just as he commanded to spread the word about God's amazing grace to give a one time donation today. Call us listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8880. Again, 1-800-772-8888 or step up your level of support by becoming a monthly companions you can do that when you go online to insight.org/monthly companions telling message old praying like we mean it. Join us Thursday here insight for living. The preceding message 10 reasons to give God praise is copyrighted in 2000 2001 2008 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited