Energy suckers

Ephesians 1:3-14           Energy Suckers

         Did you ever meet a person who has absolutely nothing good to say?  They find fault with almost everything. If there are energy givers and energy suckers in this world, this person seems to suck the life out of you just by their presence.

         I have noted that I could personally give you 100 reasons why I am so filled with joy and hope. I also have noted that I could give you quite a few real reasons why I could be down, depressed and pessimistic. Yet I am counting my blessings constantly. I am excited at each new day and look over at my husband each morning with a big smile. I give a gentle kiss to our cat.  I am filled with joy that being grandfathers is in our future. One of my greatest joys was the birth of my daughter and son. That renewal of life, that sign of life is continuing. I think it is a blessing to be able to recognize all the great  things in our lives but I also see it as a decision to focus on the good. 

          God created us in love and wants nothing but good things for us. He's gone so far as to suffer and die on a cross for us. That should be convincing enough. The joy of resurrection in part is the ability for renewal, rebirth and simply being an Easter people. We should always be focused on the good, the positive and the uplifting. Sometimes we seem only to focus on the bad. We should try to focus always on the good, when we do it is transformative.

           Still being thankful, let us all focus all that is good and all that is hopeful. Be an energy giver and not an energy sucker.  

             

Spiritual Blessings 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. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 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 towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.