Prosper as the Beloved

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)



The first step to prospering God's way is that you have to know that you are loved, that God the Father sees you as His beloved child:



"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1: 6)



We are accepted (lit. highly favored” in Christ!



“As He is, so are we in this world.” ( 1 John 4: 17)

One element of our new standing in Christ is that we are now sons of God:

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1: 12-13)

In fact, God loves us as much as His own Son:

"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." (John 17: 23-24)

Jesus prayed, and by His death realized, the following for us, who are God's beloved:

1. We are made perfect in Him (Hebrews 10: 14)

2. We believe on One whom God the Father has sent (:John 6: 29), the one work that we need to do.

3. That God loves us as much as He loves His own Son!

4. He has placed us with Him, that we may behold His glory

5. That God loved us before the foundation of the world, too, enough to set aside His Son to die for us:

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" (Ephesians 1: 4)

and

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2: 10)

Take some time to ponder these powerful truths, what it means to be "beloved" of God, and your soul will prosper indeed!