TIM AUSTIN

I believe that adoption is a fitting illustration of his relationship with us because it singnifies his love for mankind. When potential parents go to an adoption agency to adopt they specifically choose the child they want. God specifically chose mankind in his mind & redeemed us with his blood. To know that the creater of all the universe picked you out is fantastic. That should be enough to encourage anybody. This is the gospel that needs to be preached. That God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, & whosever believith in him should not perish, but have everlasting life!

To be holy means to be seperated or sanctified to God. To be set apart. Ones personal conduct must resemble Jesus. You must walk in the spirit & live a life in which you are striving towards perfection. I believe that perfection is righteousness. We must work to be humble & possess a loving spirit. Developing a serving character. I beleive it is a process. It doesn't come over night. When you study the man Jesus he was always serving. He never condemned anyone. The truth he spoke always did the condemning. I'm trusting that if our faith remains in Jesus & we remain pliable in his hands we will make it. We must "stay under the blood" because Jesus truly is the only one blameless. If we do this, God sees Jesus & not us. It is me oh LORD standing in the need of prayer!

Predestination would be scary only when one adopts the theory or theology of Calvanism. His belief that God has predestined certain humans to eternal life or death. I believe it is heresy to believe that. Jesus wouldn't have given us (Christians) the great commission if that were so. The apostles wouldn't have spent there entire lives furthering the gospel if it were so. It is a "who soever will" thing. The gospel is preached & then it depends on how the heart responds. One will show penitence or have a stoney heart. It is about the seed & what type of soil it falls on. God is a gentleman. He gives us all a choice. Gods plan of salvation is what was predestined. Because he is omnicient he foreknows who will recieve the truth & orchestrates his plan. What is comforting about predestination is that God is in control. It is refreshing to know that! All I have to do is obey & resist the enemy. Then & will God be able to use my life when ever he desires. It's about him getting the glory! I believe that Paul was praising God because by revelation he understood what he had done for those who were of the house hold of faith. Gods plan was to redeem us from the beginning. Paul believed he would recieve the end of his salvation & those at Ephesus if they could endure to the end. That is something to praise God for. Lisiten, the life that you lived before Christ, think back & remember where he brought you from. I don't care who you are. If you truly believe you should constantly have a praise in your mouth. We should be a praise in the earth!

To be in Christ means that I have recieved salvation by grace through faith. To believe that he is the son of God & that he was the propitiation for my sin & the whole worlds. Once initial salvation has taken place; he will fortify my spirit by his word & through prayer to be conformed into his immage. I will be born again when he fills me with his spirit & then have power to live a life that is pleasing to him. To live a life that is holy & exceptable. Other wise I wouldn't be able to do. My whole intent is to please him. In order for this to have taken place I would have to be adopted. Then I can cry out abba father! I believe that this is being in Christ.

HI, I'M TIM FROM ST. LOUIS, MO. I WAS GOOGLING EPHESIANS ONE NIGHT WHEN I RAN ACROSS THIS STUDY. AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING STARTED WITH THIS STUDY!