Spiritual Blessings for New Jerusalem (5)

God’s blessings to us are for the accomplishing of His goal, His good pleasure, to head up all things in Christ. Today Christ is heading up the members of His Body; later we will see His heading up of all things. In eternity He will be on the throne in New Jerusalem at the center of a fully headed-up new creation.

Ephesians 1:11 begins, “In whom [Christ] also we were designated as an inheritance” or “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance.” Today God is our inheritance and we are His inheritance. Although this may not seem obvious now, in the coming age and in New Jerusalem it will be very clear.

Verse 1:11 continues, we have “been predestinated according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” Again predestination is mentioned. Our predestination is for God’s purpose, not for any human goal we might have. Ultimately we are predestinated for New Jerusalem with God’s glory.

Today it seems that the world is in turmoil, but the infinite God works all things to reach His goal. We should have this realization in our lives—everything is according to God’s will, even if we don’t understand how it is.

The goal of working all things according to His will is “that we would be to the praise of His glory who have first hoped in Christ” (Eph. 1:12). God’s glory will be expressed through us, resulting in praise from all creation to God. Although the praise is limited now, it will be much greater in the coming age and tremendous in New Jerusalem in the new creation.

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.

Posted by Don on July 10, 2024

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2024/07/10/spiritual-blessings-for-new-jerusalem-5/

Editor's Picks

Chris Carpenter
The Crossmap Podcast's Top Episodes 0f 2024
For those who might not know, The Crossmap Podcast features inspiring heart-to-heart conversations with Christian newsmakers of the day including authors, experts, pastors, and entertainers on topics that are good for the entire family while honoring your faith-based values.Crossmap managing editor Chris Carpenter engages guests in thought-provoking but light-hearted banter...
5 min readCrossmap Podcast Top Episodes Spiritual Accountability Sharing the Gospel Overcoming Anxiety
Vaneetha Risner
The Manger is Part of the Miracle — Vaneetha Risner
The manger highlights the way God uses our deepest pain, the things we wish were different, the despised and the lowly, to bring him the greatest glory. God’s kingdom is upside down. The last shall be first, the weak shall be strong, and the foolish shall shame the wise. And God incarnate will be la
6 min read
Brenda Seefeldt
Why Teens Aren't Rebelling Anymore - Bravester
I began my writing career having been inspired by this quote back in 1990 from film director John Waters (Cry-Baby, Hairspray) from a backpage article for the special edition Newsweek issue to kick off the last decade before the Twentieth Century. "Sex, drugs and rock and roll all seem so old hat
4 min read
Chris Chu
Finding Light: A Prayer for Hope When Facing a Medical Crisis
Life can often feel like a series of highs and lows, but few moments test our faith and resolve like a medical crisis. Whether it’s a personal diagnosis or a loved one’s illness, these situations can leave us feeling vulnerable, fearful, and overwhelmed. But, even in these darkest moments, there...
4 min read