Are you smarter than a First Grader

Are you smarter than a First Grader? Isn't it amazing how smart children are? Now I know you're saying isn't that a fifth grader? No, they start thinking they know it all by then. Jesus said if we come to him as a little child. That means a child that still trust, loves, forgives and is humble Matt 18:3,4 Amp. I believe attitude has a lot to do with faith. We get to the place we think we know it all and that we can tell God how it should be done. If you had a bright idea from the day you were born until you died at 100, you still have fallen way short of what God intended for you. Why? Because we don't know it all! Only God himself knows everything. So why not trust him who knows the best for your life? Maybe next time we think we have it all together. Go outside pull up a blade of grass and see if you can reproduce that to cover the whole earth. God did in one day. Ephesians 3:20-21 KJV Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Out of this World

Out of this World. That's right! The relationship that God wants to have with you, is out of this world. It's bigger than you can ever imagine. His blessings and favor are higher than you can get over, deeper than you can get under, wider than you can get around. You cannot get away from God's great Grace and love. I mean consider our galaxy. If our solar system out to Pluto were the size of a quarter, the Milky Way galaxy, that we are part of, would be 1200 miles diameter. You see God is so awesome your mind cannot comprehend the vastness of what he can do he's a big God. He can handle your life if you just trust Him. Ephesians 3:18-19 KJV May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Yum Yum is that good

Yum yum is that good. Yeah I figured that would help you to start reading today's devotion. I really wanted to use Healthy spiritual appetite. Yeah that's what I thought if you seen healthy you might would have skipped it. Haha! Dealing with our spiritual inheritance in Christ. We have talked about it's free, God is not hiding anything, and you can have confidence in God. Today let's look at the spirit. If we are going to get the full benefits of our inheritance then we have to get our spirit in better health. We cannot be controlled by the desires, passions and lust of this world. God gives us the glory of his inheritance so our inner man, our spirit, may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. For what reason? So that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith. You see faith is strengthened by the Word of God. But if you continue to feed your flesh, before your spirit, the enemy comes to steal the inheritance and the purpose God has for your life. So take time to get in the word and to pray. God is looking for a relationship with you that is abundant. We will pick up there tomorrow. Ephesians 3:16-17 KJV That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Confident Access

Confident Access. That is what we have in our inheritance. Because of Jesus our inheritance is very powerful and the benefits are out of this world. Therefore you do not have to be faint or weak of heart to receive the blessing that God has for you. Paul writes that we can come with boldness, assurance or confidence before God in Jesus. That whatever you are facing you have the full backing of heaven on your side. Don't give in just keep the faith God is faithful. Ephesians 3:12-13 NKJV in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

knowledge of inheritance

The knowledge of our inheritance. Alot of the time people do not know they are receiving an inheritance or that their name is in a will. When the awarding comes they are surprised. Paul by the Holy Spirit writes to us and says God has made known this mystery. He is not hiding it from you. God wants you to have all the promises that are for you in His Word. He wants you to search out and read about this great future, both now and in eternity, that He has planned for those who love him. Ministers are like the lawyers reading a will. They help you to search out and to study the things of God. This is why we go to church so we can walk in the divine purpose and plan that God has in store for us. Your victory depends on the knowledge you have about God's unlimited grace. Ephesians 3:3-7 NKJV how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery,... by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known....as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

Free Free Free

Okay it's free free free, it's a gift you cannot pay for it. Who in their right mind tries to pay for a Gift? I mean, otherwise it's not a gift. This is the first stipulation to receiving your inheritance from God. Doesn't matter who you are, where you came from, what race or who your family is, everyone is equal before God. Oh and let me say we are all equally sinners and don't deserve God's mercy or grace. But because of God's great power he works grace in our lives through Jesus Christ. So stop trying to earn your inheritance, God is working on making our relationship with him greater than you can imagine. All he needs from you is a surrendered life to Him and let His grace do the work. Ephesians 3:7 NKJV ... according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

Inheritance of the Father

Riches and inheritance!! Have you ever wondered or thought about getting a big inheritance,wealth and riches, and it didn't cost you anything? The only stipulation would be that you're a relative. I have dreamed and fantasize about having a lot of money. Now I know in the natural realm that's not going to happen. But in the spiritual realm it has happened. You see through Jesus Christ the Father has given us unsearchable riches. It's not about money or wealth that you can hold in your hands, but it is about priceless Riches that cannot be bought. Jesus gave His life so we can have The inheritance of the Father. For a few days we will look at our inheritance. Ephesians 3:8, 16 KJV Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Fellowship with God

Fellowship with God. This is what we receive through Jesus Christ. We were once enemies of God with a wall separating us from receiving his blessings. We were alienated and had no hope. But Jesus gives to us this adoption, relationship, grace and peace with the Father. At the cross Jesus totally abolished and destroyed the power of sin. He opened up the door of life and blessing, to become a holy people built unto him for His glory and for our eternity. Praise God for Jesus Christ. Thank God for his unmerited love and Grace. Ephesians 2:12-13 NKJV you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

God's original plan

God's original plan is carried out through Jesus Christ. We are the workmanship and handiwork of God. Created to be vessels of honor unto God by fulfilling the purpose and plan that the Father ordained for our lives when conceived in our mother's womb. But sin from Adam keeps us from living out that predestined, fulfilled and abundant life. Jesus through the cross and resurrection gives us new life. That we may walk out the path and good life that God predetermined for those that choose to follow Christ. Ephesians 2:10 NKJV For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The debt, the price, the payment

So it is God's wonderful grace. That's right, it's nothing that we can do to receive this brand new life, or to receive eternal life. Works cannot get you to heaven. Even works of righteousness, do not have merit with God. We are only saved by God's grace through faith. The debt, the price and the payment have all been taken care of through Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is an absolutely free gift you just have to surrender your life to the true and living God, who loves you so much and wants you to be blessed. Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Great Grace

Because of God's great love we receive His wonderful grace. Because of sin we receive death, but through Jesus Christ we die to sin and live with him in heavenly places. God takes us out of our past and brings us into a brand new life in Jesus Christ. We do not deserve this, but we receive it because of his unconditional love and His grace and His mercy. Then in eternity God shares the riches of his grace and gives us eternal life. I don't know about you but that is awesome. To be able to sit with Christ in heavenly places. What a wonderful life we have because our Father loves us so much. Ephesians 2:6-7 NKJV and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

God's great Love

God's great mercy. Have you ever wondered why God is so merciful, so gracious towards us? It's because of his great love where with he has loved us. It is his nature because God is love. It's the same nature he created us with. The kind of love that will lay its life down for friends. But the love of God goes an extra step further. God has "agape" love which is unconditional love. No matter what you've done where you been God has already chosen to love you. Because it is his nature, it's who he is and I have full faith and Trust in that kind of love. Ephesians 2:4-5 NKJV But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Faith for discipline

Faith for discipline. In closing this week Paul finishes with the importance of one not finishing and becoming disqualified. In 1 Cor. 9:27 the King James used the words " under and subjection " which means to discipline and keep under control like slavery, to the point of being beaten and black and blue. Paul is trying to stress to you the importance of finishing this race in Christ and going to Heaven. Nobody wants to talk about it today, but there is a Heaven to gain and a HELL to shun, and it is for eternity. Don't be a castaway, disqualified or not stand the test. Keep your faith in Jesus. Remember this life is a vapor or grain of sand compared to eternity. Don't lose your focus on the cross. The price has been paid. 1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Hebrews 12:2 KJV Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Faith in the fight

Faith in the fight. That's what Paul is talking about in 1st Corinthians 9:26. See if you don't have faith you will have uncertainty, you will have doubt and unbelief. Paul refers to a fighter, a boxer is the actual translation. If you are going to win the match and not get knocked out you have to fight with faith. Paul uses the words beat the air. To beat means to slay scourge, smite. I believe the word air refers to the physical realm, the natural realm. You are not fighting the flesh, but a spiritual battle, against a strong enemy and principalities. Your enemy the devil does not fight fair. You have to come in every round, fighting with faith which is the Word of God. The Holy Spirit that is in you is more powerful, than any of your enemies that you're facing. You might lose a few rounds, but get back up because you can win the match . With God on your side nothing can be against you. Romans 8:31 NKJV What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Temperance in all

Temperance in all. In 1 Cor 9:25 our next thought is to have mastery in every part of our lives. Mind, body, soul, emotion, will and spirit. I believe the spirit is the most important. Whatever you feed your spirit determines the outcome. So whatever you feed your mind, body or emotions, all bear on your spirit's health. In our word study let's look at it from the Greek culture of athletics. (Thayer) says, ... "to be self-controlled, continent, conduct, in a figure drawn from athletes, who in preparing themselves for the games abstained from unwholesome food, wine, and sexual indulgence" Sounds like our world today...out of control. Sounds like our own lives as Christians, which don't look to much different than the world. We carry to much baggage and expect to win this race. Remember there are a lot of witnesses watching, there is eternity at stake. The Holy Spirit is running with you to finish. Hebrews 12:1 NKJV Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Why do you think that way?

Why do you think that way? Do you realize that no one wins, that doesn't believe they can. Who shows up for a race thinking I want to lose. In 1 Cor. 9:24 Paul writes that every one in a race runs, but only one receives the prize. First we run. Metaphorically speaking the Greek word here is saying: to exert one's self, strive hard, to spend one's strength in performing or attaining something, word occurs in Greek writings denoting to incur extreme peril, which it requires the exertion of all one's effort to overcome. (Thayers) This is a race for your soul. For your life. For your eternity with or without God. This is not a joke. The devil is in the background seeing to it that you don't finish this race. Paul finishes the verse by saying run in such a way that you may obtain it. That means you have to have the mindset to win. You cannot afford to lose. Jesus had the mindset to go all the way to the cross for you. Now its up to you. The Holy Spirit can only help you if you want to win, its your choice. Philippians 2:5, 8 NKJV Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,... And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Faith for the course

Faith for the course. Paul several times in his writings refers to our walk in Christ as a race or competition. Now this race is not against each other, but on the contrary, it is encouraging one another to finish. For it is for a prize. A priceless crown. It is life eternal with Jesus. This week we will study about this race. We must have the right heart and mind set for this race for there are enemies ready to stop you dead in your tracks. Remember God has a great reward and he is coming soon. I Corinthians 9:24-27 NKJV Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Faith is Triumphant

Faith is triumpant. Seeing then that God gives us a brand new start, our past is forgiven and we know our true identity in Jesus Christ. Satan is defeated. We do not believe in the lies of the devil, because he knows Gods true plan is to love, forgive and bring hope to everyone that will have faith in Christ. So in closing for the week, we know that all have sinned, we all need forgiveness. We know our true identity, because we have been made in the image and likeness of God. We also know the devil is a liar because even he believes and trembles before God. So go ahead let faith arise be triumphant . God is on your side and has a great plan for your future. II Corinthians 2:11, 14 NKJV lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ..