A Believer's Prayer of Thanks

          Heavenly Father,

                      Thank you for graciously choosing (*1) and calling me (*2) to be one
          of your children, adopting me as one of your own (*3) and appointing me to
          eternal life (*4), not because of anything good in me (*5) or anyone else (*6),
          but because of your Sovereign will (*7), according to your purpose, (*8), and
          because of your love for me (*9).  In Jesus name, Amen.


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                        *1 "For He chose us in Him (Jesus) before the creation of
                              the world to be holy and blameless in His sight."
                              Ephesians 1:4


                       *2 "And we know that for those who love God all things
                             work together for good, for those who are called ac-
                             cording to His purpose."
                             Romans 8:28


                       *3 "In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons
                             through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure
                             and will."
                             Ephesians 1:4a-5


                      *4 "... and all who were appointed for eternal life believed."
                            Acts 13:48


                     *5 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
                           and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not
                           by works, so that no one can boast."
                           Ephesians 2:8-9


                     *6 "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in
                            His name, He gave the right to become children of God -
                            children born not of natural descent, nor of human de-
                            cision, or a husband's will, but born of God."
                            John 1:12-13


                     *7 "For He (God) says to Moses,' I will have mercy on whom
                           I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I
                           have compassion."
                          "It (God's choice to elect on the basis of His Sovereign
                           freedom) does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or
                           effort, but on God's mercy."
                           Romans 9:15-16


                     *8 "... in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise
                            of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the
                           One He loves."
                           Ephesians 1:5b-6


                    *9 "For God loved the world in this way:  He gave His One and
                          Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not
                          perish but have eternal life."
                          John 3:16

                         "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God;  He is the
                          faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand
                          generations of those who love him and keep his commands."
                          Deuteronomy 7:9