News from the Regional Team  

Revd Andy Twilley

SEBA Regional Minister
 

Abundant Blessings

Watch Andy's video reflection, listen to the podcast or read his article below.

I will never forget meeting a very successful Christian entrepreneur a number of years back. His childhood was marked by parental neglect and abuse, his body afflicted with Ankylglossia, commonly known as being tongue-tied, and struggling with dyslexia.
 
With a start like that, one might assume that he was destined for a troubled and unproductive life.  Yet, as an adult he was a true visionary, becoming a successful entrepreneur, operating a variety of productive businesses including a publishing company that has distributed millions of very innovative pieces of gospel literature worldwide.
 
Having chatted for a while, he took me to a very large warehouse and turning to me said, "Andy, help yourself to anything you’d like!"
What an offer. What an opportunity. I just wished in that moment that I’d brought a bigger bag with me!
 
As I drove home that day my mind went to Paul’s words to the believers in Ephesus, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
 
WOW! Every spiritual blessing in Christ on offer to us from God’s infinite warehouse of blessings. And as you continue to read you discover a whole list of incredible things within God’s spiritual warehouse which he has made available to us. He writes of us being

• Chosen before the creation of the world
• Adopted into His family
• Recipients of His glorious grace
• Redemption through His blood
• Forgiveness of our sins
• Revelation of His will… I love that… that God is a God of disclosure… in contrast to the mystery religions of the day, holding the view that only a select few could really know God… now Paul is flagging up the fact that God wants to be known… He wants us to know His plans and purposes.

But the list doesn’t stop there:
v. 13: We’ve been marked by the Holy Spirit, a seal assuring us of our eternal inheritance.
But STILL he doesn’t stop… as we drop down to v.18 and again I quote, 
               I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.
                             
Paul had taken hold of all this from God limitless warehouse. He knew all this as a living reality in his life… the power of God at work in Him and through him. He knew that he didn’t have to rely on his own strength, his own resources… but the power of His risen Lord empowering all he did;

• His ministry empowered by God.
• His preaching empowered by God
• His witnessing… empowered by God
• His debating… empowered by God

Hence he prays with confidence that His Lord, His God, would bless his brothers and sisters in just the same way… with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm.
 
This reflects Jesus’ words when he spoke about his offer of life in all its fullness... an abundant life in its richest, deepest, and most beautiful form. God extending to us a gift beyond measure - a life overflowing with hope, love, and purpose, where every breath is touched with His fullness. A life filled to the brim with joy and peace. A life overflowing with His hope, His love, and His light.
 
So let’s today celebrate these awesome truths. Let’s praise God for the blessings we have already received. And let’s draw from this limitless resource… this spiritual warehouse of blessings as we minister and serve in the name of, and for the glory of, Jesus.