In closing last week I said that we are 'works in progress' and as such we
need to know that it is God who is at work in our lives. It is He who is
transforming us according to His individualize plan for each of our lives.
What an awesome thing to know. His goal is the same for each, but how He
works it out in each life is unique. It is all by, in and through grace; His
unmerited favor. It is all God's doing, from His call to the presenting to
Christ the Bride without spot or wrinkle! I repeat, "How awesome!"

Scripture tells us:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
"just as He CHOSE us in Him BEFORE the FOUNDATION of the world, that
we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love
"He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the kind intention of His will,
"to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in
the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6 (My emphasis)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those
who love God, and are called according to His purpose.
"For who He foreknew He also predestined to be come conformed to the image
of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren;
"and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He
also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."
Romans 8:28-30

"For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ
Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined
(planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time],
that we should walk in them..."
Ephesians 2:10 The Amplified Bible

In 2 Peter 1:2-4:
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus
our Lord:
"seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to
life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His
own glory and excellence.
"For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in
order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

In obedience then Romans 12:1-2 tells us:
"I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual service of worship.
"And do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good
and acceptable and perfect."

And in 1 Peter 1:14-16,
"As obedient children do not be conformed to the former lusts which were
yours in your ignorance,
"but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your
behavior;
"because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I Am holy.'"

For 1 Corinthians 6:17 and 19-20 reminds us:
"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him."
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is
in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
"For you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in
your spirit, which are God's."

The passages are ones that I'm sure you know, my hope is that we will see
them even more clearly in the light of God's glorious grace and mercy. May
Almighty God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit be glorified in and through this
life He has so graciously given to us. All glory and honor are His. Amen