Today's Passage - Ephesians 1:12-14

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Ephesians 1:12-14   "...in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory."   "...Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance..."  Spirit is our deposit guarantee that we can become like Christ.  A son has the life of his father inside, so his father's character and form will be shown through him.  This is a natural process of life growth and it doesn't have to be forced.  When I look like my baby pictures, I didn't rally look like my father, but now I find myself more and more like my father.  His life has always been inside me, thus his form will be shown through me.  God calls us His children, because He has given us His life.  Whether you are a spiritual baby or you don't think you have form of God at all, as long as you are not hindering God's work, His life will grow inside you until you are like Him.   When I read the Sermon of the Mount before, I often tremble inside, because I felt Jesus was really harsh.  Like in Matthew 5:48, Jesus said "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."  My first reaction was, "it's hopeless, how can I ever become like Father God?"  But when I truly understand the meaning of being children of God, I realize that Jesus did not come to establish new law, but rather simply to give us a promise that is full of hope.  As children of God, God has already given us the seed for a blameless life; this seed is germinating and growing nicely, and one day we will be totally like our Father God.   We need to come before God sincerely, open ourselves up and let the Holy Spirit shine on us to remove all the hindrances.  No matter what we are holding onto tightly, we need to learn to let go and let the Holy Spirit do His work.  Holy Spirit knows the will of Father God; He will guide us with the Father's will and mold us until we are completely like Christ.                                                                                 Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because you have given the Holy Spirit to us, and He is the evidence of our inheritance.  I know that since the Holy Spirit placed the life of Christ inside us, this life will grow until we have the form of Jesus Christ.  I thank you for such grace and I ask the Lord to help us to be sensitive to the work of the Spirit and follow His guidance in our daily life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!