Oh When the Saints, Go Marching In!

SCRIPTURE

All Saints Day
Ephesians 1:11-23 (NRSV)

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.


DEVOTION

As a pastor, I have had the privilege of sitting at many a bedside as people transition from this life to the next.

It is always an awesome thing to behold as a Christian, with strong faith, begins to take flight!

Although it is sometimes painful to watch a loved one laboring out of this world, and into their eternal life, we take great courage in the blessed assurance that God is waiting to "catch" them on the other side.

In Christ, we do have the incredible inheritance of eternal life! We are also strengthened as we reflect on our place in the body of Christ!

Often, I imagine that I can hear the strains of the song, "Oh when the saints go marching in...", as I watch a Christian take their final breaths.

Because we are in Christ, we know that they are going to a better and more wonderful place and that we will see them again one day.

God has been so gracious to us by giving Jesus to make atonement for our sin and gifting us with eternal life! As we put all of our hope in him, we know that our eternal lives are secure and we can plan to rest in peace!


Let us pray: Oh God, I feel great peace in knowing that my eternal life is secure in you. Thank you for Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that makes my blessed assurance possible. Thank you for all of the saints who have gone before me into Heaven and thank you that one day, I will join in that number! I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME...

*PLEASE take the time to listen to today’s song, “Oh how I love Jesus!” It will bless your life!

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 1:3-6 (NRSV)

Blessed be God, who chose us in Christ

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, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

DEVOTION

Oh my Lord and my God! How I love you!

Today’s Bible passage reminds us that as God hung the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, God was thinking of us. As God shaped the mountains, valley, and seas, God was anticipating our arrival. As God crafted the fish, fowl, beasts, and birds, God was looking forward to our existence! Finally, as God sat and crafted wo/man in God’s own image, God cradled us near to God’s heart as God gifted us with the breath of life!

Isn’t that amazing! But, let me tell you what is even more amazing—Even as God was creating us, God knew that we would sin and fall short of God’s glory. God knew that we would rebel and thus separate ourselves from our Creator, Sustainer, and Friend. But, God was not anxious, nor was God worried.

From the foundation of the world, God had a plan to bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, make us holy and blameless before God in love, and to adopt us--making us God’s own sons and daughters!

WOW! What awesome GOOD NEWS and it seems to me that our hearts’ natural response to this GOOD NEWS is to praise God’s glorious grace which has been freely bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus!

From time to time people ask me, “How do I know that God loves me?” My answer is always the same, “Look into the face of JESUS!” God loves us so much that God gave us Jesus! Jesus walked and talked with us, healed and fed us, and then went to an old rugged cross to die a gory and gruesome death, all in order to make it possible for God to sign our adoption certificates!

Doesn’t that just take your breath away?!

But, guess what? That is not all of today’s GOOD NEWS; there is more! Today’s scripture goes on to say that God did all of this for us “according to God’s good pleasure!” When we pray, “THANK YOU for Jesus”, God’s response is always, “My pleasure!”

There is no one who has ever—or will ever--love us more than God! You can cross the seas, scale the mountains, hike the deserts, look in the bars and clubs and internet chat rooms and you WILL NEVER, EVER, find anyone to love you the way God has loved us in Christ Jesus!

My friends, this kind of love will never give up, never say die, never throw in the towel, and never walk away. Even if you ASK God to leave you alone, God will not—and cannot—do it! God made you, knows you, and loves you. God knows the deepest longing in your heart to be unconditionally loved just for being you and so God will never let you go!

Today, God’s arms are outstretched to you in love! Run into those arms my friend, lay your head upon God’s shoulder, and trust that your Heavenly Parent is more than able and willing to take care of you no matter what may come in the days ahead…

Will you make time today to climb up into God’s lap and snuggle into God’s arms?

Loving God, you are amazing. My heart and soul cry out in astonishment that you love me so! I have never been loved like this…it takes my breath away! Please embolden me to help others to become aware of your great love for them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

You are invited to follow Pastor Yolanda on Twitter www.twitter.com/PastorYolanda

Good News has now added a Prayer Ministry. http://www.kindlejoy.com/groups/goodnews

COMING SOON: The Good News Living Book Club will be reading Hinds Feet On High Places by Hannah Hurnard during March. Please mark your calendars for our very first book club meeting to be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 9:00am.

You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.

EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right! Thanks for reading and please come again.

Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.

From Pastor Yolanda’s blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/