steve ring

In my old life, before I was redeemed, I was a drug addict. The only thing I cared about was my next fix, my next high. Then one day something happened, I died. I had some teeth pulled and because of complications I passed out at my table and pretty much bleed to death. The Dr.'s told my family that there is nothing they can do I was going to die. But I didn't, the Lord redeemed me. He took me to His bosom and showed me that He loved me and always will. He help me to quit drugs and stay quit. And all He asked was my love in return. I have been completely redeemed through the healing blood of Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that if this wouldn't have happened I would not be alive right now. And worst yet I would not be going to be with my Savior in heaven when I do die. Washed in the Saving Blood of Christ.

We are holy because we have been adopted into the family of Christ. Through His limitless love He made us holy, sanctified by His blood. So when our day comes we stand before the throne of God washed clean by and through His blood. Though once we were lost, yet now we are found. Our Lord found us and made us pure. I can't wait til the day when I can stand before the throne of God and hear Him say Good and Faithful Child You May Enter. This could never happen without our becoming clean first. Without becoming a clean and blemish free lamb.

As a man and women adopt a child, it is by choice. They choose the child to be part of their family. This is the way the Lord is, he choose's us to be part of His family. From birth we are chosen to join Him with the family of Christ. I am encouraged because, even though I have a earthly family (I was not adopted) I also have a heavenly family. I have this family because the Lord chose to adopt me as part of His family. The only true family to be part of. For me life wasn't always this good. When I was younger I strayed away from Him, like some children do. But because of His love for me, He never gave up on me. And now He has welcomed me back in His arms as though nothing ever happened. What a truly loving Father.

Nothing is scary about predistination, but it is very comforting to know that God knew everything that was and is going to happen even before it happens. As the Old Testiment say's " I knew you before you were in your mothers womb". God knew us before we were even known to our own family, He knew what we were going to be and who. I think Paul brought this up because he wanted to let the Ephesians to know that God had a purpose in their lives, even before they knew about Jesus, and that He is now carrying out that purpose.

To me this mean that I am part of Him. Because He chose to be part of me, He is in me. The way I look, act and treat others is a direct reflection of Him. I am Him. It can also be looked at in the opposite He is in me. Once I took Him into me heart and life He entered me. Because of His grace and love He became one with me. Life is all kinds of different now that this happened. Thing's are happening that before He joined me, or I joined him, that never would have happened before and in a whole new way. Before I came to Him I had a hard time staying on the straight and narrow, In fact it was more like short and wide. I had a bad drug problem and until I almost died I never would or could "see the light", but then I did. Now life is so much better with Him. And it's not hard staying straight.