Day 253

A few months ago I took my kids to the Dallas Zoo.  We just so happened to hit it on the perfect day, at the perfect time.  It felt like we were the only people there and the animals were actually doing stuff.  The penguins were being served fish for dinner.  The lions were entertaining themselves (and me) by roaring and pouncing on each other.  The koalas were absolutely adorable sleeping up in their little trees.  And we didn’t see any animals mating… not even the turtles.  It was one of the most successful trips to the zoo I’ve ever been on.

If you were to go to the zoo right now, or just watch your dog for a while, you would have to agree with me that animals live only to eat, sleep, reproduce, and entertain themselves.  Which is fine, they are animals, that’s how God created them to live, but we were meant for more, because we’ve been given more.

Ephesians 3:1 (NIRV) Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Those blessings come from the heavenly world. They belong to us because we belong to Christ.

We have been, not will be, have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, blessings that come from the heavenly world.  Your dog can’t say the same thing.  Although I believe heaven will be full of puppies, Jesus did not go to the cross to save your pug, He went to the cross to save the ones made is His own image- that’s me and you, and when He did that He provided us with spiritual blessings.  He adopted us into His family.  We have been redeemed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus.  The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us.  We get to be God’s dwelling place.  We have been made new creations in Christ.  In Him we have obtained an inheritance that will never run out.  We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit… and on and on and on.

God HAS blessed us!  We were created to do more than eat, sleep, reproduce, and entertain ourselves.  We were created to give praise to God.  We are not headed to a victory, but coming from a victory that has already been accomplished.  Jesus already won every spiritual blessing in heaven for you, but if you don’t live a life based on His victory, then you are living at a level equal to the animals at the Dallas Zoo.

Rise up today and bless the one who has blessed you.

“Our thanks are due to God for temporal blessings; they are more than we deserve.  But our thanks ought to go to God in thunders of hallelujahs for spiritual blessings… These are the rarest, the richest, the most enduring of all blessings; they are priceless in value.” – Spurgeon

1. We are coming from a victory that has already been accomplished!
   
2. God has blessed me with every spiritual blessing!
3. God made me apart of his family.
4. All my sins are washed away, I’ve been redeemed!
5. The same power that raised Christ lives in me.
6. I am God’s dwelling place.
7. I am a new creation in Christ.
8. In Him I have an invaluable inheritance.
9. The Holy Spirit.
10. We were made in His image.
11. There is more to life for me than eating, sleeping, entertainment, and reproducing.
12. The Zoo!  I’ve always loved it.
13. Josh got a check up from Doc McPeepers this morning before he left for work.  So cute watching her play with her Dida.
14. The kids played together in perfect harmony this morning.  No fighting, just sweetness all around.
15. Gus read all of his super hero books to Beau while I made lunch.  She enjoyed every minute of it and I enjoyed making lunch in peace.
16. Watching my healthy kids run and climb and laugh at the park this afternoon.
17. Beau gets so into Little Einsteins and does whatever they ask her to do.  She pats, she sings, she does it all.
18. Quick and easy leftovers for dinner.
19. Found a cute invitation for Gus’ party on Etsy for $7.
20. Josh is home and it’s Monday night!  Whoo!
21. Even though he wasn’t feeling great he still did the kid’s bath time.
22. Got in bed early and caught up on some Revolution together.
23. The YMCA gave me half of my money back for Gus’ short flag football season.
24. Bills paid, money in savings.
25. Text from Courtney.
26. Whenever I Call You Friend.  Nice work Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks.
27. My family is safe and sound in Texas tonight.

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