Ephesians 1:3 (KJV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."

God is just. In truth, every one of us deserves to be punished for our sins. The book of Romans tells us that all have sinned, and that the wages of that sin is death. However, the Lord, in His rich mercy, extended His grace and provided a solution for this dilemma. Even though the words "mercy" and "grace" are used interchangeably, their meanings are quite distinct. Mercy can be defined as "withholding punishment which is rightfully deserved". In a court of law, the judge will sentence the convicted criminal with the appropriate punishment. However, it's within his right to extend mercy and significantly reduce the sentence. Grace goes over and beyond the concept of mercy. Where mercy reduces a sentence, grace acquits the accused and blesses him with a new chance at life. Although our punishment was deserved, Jesus took it upon Himself when He became our sin - on the cross. Not only are we forgiven, we have received God's great grace to live a brand new life in Him, with the full measure of every spiritual blessing. Let's never forget this gift as we live in our freedom each day.