Posted on 01/20/2016 1:53:12 PM PST by metmom
"You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance" (Eph. 1:13-14).
The Holy Spirit is God's first installment on your eternal inheritance.
The Holy Spirit's ministry in your life is multifaceted and profound. Among other things He brings salvation, conviction, guidance, and strength. He indwells and equips you for spiritual service and gives assurance of your salvation. He is your Helper and Advocate. He is the Spirit of promise, who seals you until the day when your redemption is fully realized (Eph. 4:30).
Sealing speaks of security, authenticity, ownership, and authority. Ancient kings, princes, and nobles placed their official seal on documents or other items to guarantee their inviolability. To break the seal was to incur the wrath of the sovereign whom it represented (cf. Dan. 6:17; Matt. 27:62-66).
A seal on a letter authenticated it as from the hand of the one whose seal it bore. Legal documents such as property deeds and wills were often finalized with an official seal. Those who possessed the sealed decree of a king had the king's delegated authority to act on that decree.
Each of those aspects of sealing is a picture of the Spirit's ministry. He is God's guarantee that your salvation is inviolable and that you are an authentic member of His kingdom and family. You are His possession-having been purchased with His Son's precious blood (1 Cor. 6:20). You are His ambassador with delegated authority to proclaim His message to a lost world (2 Cor. 5:20).
The Spirit is the pledge of your eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:14). The Greek word translated "pledge" in that verse (arrabon) was used of down payment or earnest money given to secure a purchase. Rejoice in the assurance that God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2), has given you His Spirit as a guarantee that He will keep His promises.
Suggestions for Prayer
Praise God for the security of your eternal inheritance. Praise the Spirit for His many ministries in your life. Be sensitive to His leading today so that your ministry to others will be powerful and consistent with His will.
For Further Study
Read Esther chapters 3, 8. What role did the king's signet ring play in the decree of Haman (chapter 3)? The decree of Ahasuerus and Mordecai (chapter 8)?
I’ve been there a couple of times.
interesting!
Cool, it’s got some neat stuff there.
Stations of the cross, we had a Catholic with us. She loved the statues!
Yes, interesting, but how did you like my Limerick?
Well, Grasshopper...
When making up things that could rhyme;
a fella could spend lots of time.
Things run thru his head,
that could have been said;
but it’s hard to match ideas with ALLIGATOR.
You know Google®:
"If you liked 3 crosses on road, you might like ________________; too."
It’s the stuff in the bottom half of what Google© delivers that sends me off in weird directions...
Like you need any help in THAT area......
I didn’t mean google, I meant the area w/the giant cross. But point well taken.
You know google, yahoo et all if you go to any of them they reach as far into your computer as they can depositing little traps like mouse droppings. Oops potty language...
Sign in, sign up, wots yer email, wots yer cell #, how many extra toes do you have etc.
Ya gotta cover yer laptop camera lenz and turn off yer microphone. (I don’t know if they can still see you, but they can listen to you even w/your mic turned off. On phones and OnStar etc too.
BRB gotta get some tinfoil...
Heh lol
Hey!!!
Back at you :-)
So this God all merciful would snatch the pilot from the plane bearing 325 soldiers, just released by their captors, heading home to their wives and children, and allow them to plunge to their deaths by crashing into a children's hospital and burning to death 250 innocent children.
Does that really make sense to you???
How??
Y’all can come up with the weirdest, more improbable scenarios and then demand an answer to something that will never happen.
You did NOT score a point with that one.
You just demonstrated a total lack of understanding of God.
Oh, good grief!! ....You read the "left behind" book....now I see where you're coming from, nowhere.
sks the fella that truly believes a little wafer and some wine turn into Jesus' real flesh and blood.
There's a GREAT song.."I'm proud to be an American"...you can be proud, without being arrogant for choosing right over wrong...I'm proud to be a Catholic...I could choose any other denomination or religion in the world, or like some, start my own....but I didn't, I chose the right one from the beginning and am proud for having done so. I feel some sorrow for those who try, but cannot get to America. I feel sorrow for those Christians who do not enjoy the fullness of Christianity by sharing in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. It is theirs to take, but their blindness prevents them from doing so....VERY SAD.
Typed the fella who trusts in a religious organization that did not put enough material in a book it assembled to get a personed 'saved'.
Yes, impossible to be a Catholic without being Chriatian...you give the names of 20 popes out of many, whom you know NOTHING about...just looked them up...5 idiot political figures who are indeed poor anythings, and base any judgement at all, no matter how miniscule, on those 25 people.
no wonder you fell away from Christ's church..you seek perfection in a human organization that is well over 2,000 years old....and since it didn't meet your "standards" you decided to go off on your own and make your own rules.
I imagine that you are now perfect, spotless, without sin, error free and whatever other requirements you have for perfection....congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!
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