Ephesians 1:1-14

Ephesians 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
   To the saints and to the faithful in Christ Jesus ...

    Who are we? If we are in Christ Jesus and walking IN that calling, then we are identified, by GOD, as saints. It is important for us to recognize this fact as well. 
   We are no longer numbered among those who practice sin day after day; we are numbered among those who practice walking with Christ every day. We are one of those who have the seal of God.
   When we know who we are, we can know also that our calling to be saints is much higher than that of any celebrity, prince, king, or president of any country on earth. Our calling comes from our Heavenly Father!! Glory to GOD!!!
   Because we are saints, we have access to ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
How are we saved?     
How are we healed?         
How can we please God?    
How do we overcome the world?
The answer to all of these is: by Faith
   God said He would send His Messenger who would be anointed by the Spirit of God to be able to preach the message of the gospel.
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.

By believing the gospel which is preached, it will accomplish these things.

Ephesians 1:5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

The Lord already had a plan for the Gentiles to be adopted as children of God.
His will is that all men would be saved, so He made a way for that to happen IF they chose to believe, to agree with His will for them to saved.
When they do, it is to the praise of the glory of His grace – Ephesians 1:6
To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.
   Being accepted in the Beloved permits us to come under the Shelter of the Almighty – as it says in Psalm 91:1 – and to have access to all the blessings mentioned here.

Psalm 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Ephesians 1:7-9 -
- Redemption by His blood – we are now among the Redeemed of the Lord who can give praise and thanks to the Lord.  
Psalm 107:1-2
O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. 
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Forgiveness of sins - 
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

    These spiritual blessings are the comforts for our soul so our soul can be at rest. This is why Jesus said, Come to Me all ye that labor....and I will give you rest for your soul.
   In the midst of troublesome times, the Lord gives us this stability on a firm foundation.
The spiritual blessing of Wisdom and Intelligence a.k.a - Prudence / Understanding
Job 28:28 - And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Through these, our lives are made rich and prosperous in all the ways that truly matter in the eyes of GOD. This is what He wants us to understand in this portion of scripture. 
The foundation we have in GOD because we believe and we act on what we believe.
He gave us the ability to know the mystery of His will, which is no longer a mystery because He showed us His will through Jesus Christ. His good pleasure is that all men would be saved – come to the knowledge of the truth and repent, believing on the Son of God. He opened up the knowledge of His will a little here and a little there through the law, the prophets and the symbols God gave to His people Israel – But NOW He brought it all together in Christ.
   This is why when we believe on His name we can be saved – because Christ fulfilled all things. When we believe and follow Him, we also are fulfilling the purpose that God had for us since the beginning of time to this end – Ephesians 1:12
   He acquired us by the price He paid to redeem us. He made a way of escape so that we would not be condemned with the world. Porque no envió Dios a su Hijo al mundo para condenar al mundo, sino para que el mundo sea salvo por él. 18 El que en él cree, no es condenado; pero el que no cree, ya ha sido condenado, porque no ha creído en el nombre del unigénito Hijo de Dios. John 3:17-18
   Trusting / Believing in Christ enabled us to be sealed with the promise of Eternal Life. 
   We are sealed by the Holy Spirit – set apart for the day when He will redeem us take us to Himself when He returns.
   This is why we must choose daily to continue in the LORD, because the seal consists of two parts: GOD's part, and your part to agree with GOD.
2 Timothy 2:19 - Pero el fundamento de Dios está firme, teniendo este sello: Conoce el Señor a los que son suyos; y: Apártese de iniquidad todo aquel que invoca el nombre de Cristo. 
   When we call on the name of the Lord and depart from iniquity, we have a firm foundation in Him knowing we are sealed by Him.
This is the confidence we need both now and in the days to come in order to overcome.

Psalm 97:10-12 - 
Los que amáis a Jehová, aborreced el mal;  Él guarda las almas de sus santos;  De mano de los impíos los libra.  11 Luz está sembrada para el justo,  Y alegría para los rectos de corazón.  
12 Alegraos, justos, en Jehová, Y alabad la memoria de Su santidad.