Through faith in Jesus Christ we are not only brought into God's family and are united with Jesus, but that shared faith also unites us to other faithful believers, whatever their background!

Did God choose us because we were good or nice or had done something worthy or his love? NO! Outside of Jesus we dead, sinful, wayward and wicked BUT in Christ we are made alive and forgiven and adopted. It's an astonishing salvation!

We are blessed in the heavenly realms with every blessing in Christ - but how do we grasp and experience those blessings? Through prayer! And Paul's prayer for the Ephesians gives us a wonderful way to pray.

We start our series on Paul's letter to the Ephesians Christians with an overview and a look at what it means to be IN CHRIST. 7 glorious truths flow from that idea and if we can truly grasp it and live it - then we will be living to the praise of God's glory...

Isaiah ends this section of his book with a look to the end of God's great story. And he sees a glorious vision of a perfect king (Jesus) whose perfect rule brings about a perfect kingdom of people from every background and nation who together sing a song of his grace and victory. Will we join the chorus and sing?

How does history unfold? Is it through human decision and freewill or the sovereignty of God? Here we see it is both - and that the sovereignty of God is a beautiful and precious thing!

This passage confronts us with the righteous anger of God. But although it is an uncomfortable truth, there is hope here too as we see the justice of God's wrath and the saving purpose of his wrath. But will we respond in the right way?

However rough the road, however deserved God's judgement and disciple, God's purposes are ultimately good for those who trust in him.

The people and their king chose Assyria over the Lord - and felt his disciplining presence instead of his blessing. But how should the faithful remnant behave? How should they live? They were to Fear the Lord more than people or events; and they were to Trust the Lord, more than themselves or any deceiving spirit. And so must we.

Ahaz becomes king but despite God's wonderful offers and grace, he chooses to put his trust in Assyria and his own talents rather than God. He does not stand firm in his faith so he does not stand at all.