Ephesians 4

I'm back to my study on Ephesians. Wow - Ephesians 4 is FULL of great stuff! I will copy and paste the entire chapter at the bottom of this post. Since I haven't written about my study in a while - you can check out the link to Kay Aurthur's page - Precept Ministry. It's all about studying the bible on your own.

http://www.precept.org/site

There are tons of free resources for bible study at this page -
http://www.precept.org/site/PageServer?pagename=brd_PFL_download_archive

I know that I have the ability to become callous, I also know that I need God's leading and direction to not become callous. It is the cry of my heart, to be more like Jesus. Father, please use me, and change me. Please use my blog to touch the hearts of anyone who stumbles upon it. Bless those that you love.

Ephesians 4 talks about how we walked before we know the Lord personally, and gives us instruction on how we are to walk as His children.

The Old Lori:

• vs 14 - we walked as children - being tossed here and there by various doctrine - by the trickery of men that were crafty in their deceitful schemes.
• vs 17 - we walked in the futility of their own mind. (sometimes I still do - but being in the word helps to shut that off!)
• vs 18 - I was so darkened in my understanding. Excluded from the life of God and had a hard heart. I would say this is very accurate! I remember being 16 - at a poker game with Ray - thinking that one day, Jesus was going to come back to our world, but I had at least until 1993* (this was in 82) so I could keep partying as I was - Obviously I didn't know God at the time, but thankfully..... he reached me BEFORE 93 :) * that was a whole other story - My mom read Revelation to my brother and I when I was 5, he was 8. I remember being scared to death by the story. She elaborated, as only my mom could do.... But she had me convinced that the end of the world was going to be 2000. She also talked about the 7 year tribulation - so in my darkened hard heart - my thought was - to be safe - I'd give my life to the Lord by 1993, just in case she was off a little bit... Thank you Lord, for rescuing me sooner!
• vs 19 Callous - before we know the Lord, we give ourselves over to sensuality, impurity and greediness.
  
• vs 22 We are corrupt, lustful and full of deceit.

I desire to no longer live like that - Father, I know that I can only live in a manner worthy of you, if I allow you to fill my heart and my mind. Thank you Lord for your love.

How we are supposed to live - as Children of God.

• vs 1 - Walk in a manner worthy of our calling
• vs 2 - humble / gentle / patient / tolerant / in love - I know that at times I don't live like this at all, but I also know that God is growing me - and I am much more like him than I was 20 years ago! For that I am very Thankful!
  
• vs 3 diligent / preserving the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace / We have GRACE through Jesus!
• vs 15 speak the truth in love
• vs 23 be renewed in the spirit in your mind. Allow God to teach you how to think like Him, meaning you have to know Him. In order to know Him - you have to read the bible - because He shows Himself there.
• vs 24 Be like God in His righteousness and holiness
• vs 25 lay aside falsehood, speak the truth to each other (in love - see vs 15)
• vs 26 It's OK to be angry - but don't sin in your anger. (Don't pay back evil for evil)
• vs 28 Do not steal, but work so you can help those in need (kind of goes hand in hand with the don't be greedy part)
• vs 29 Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth - when you speak - do so to build others up - not to tear them down
• vs 31 Get rid of bitterness, wrath and anger - there should be no slander or malice in us
• vs 32 Be kind, tender hearted and forgiving

Father, thank you for your word. Please give me the words and the wisdom to share you and your love with those around me. Use me to encourage and build up your children. Father, help me to be a leader that seeks you. I desire your will for my life.

From biblegateway.com

Ephesians 4

Unity in the Body of Christ

¹As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸This is why it^a]">[a] says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."^b]">[b] ⁹(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^c]">[c]? ¹⁰He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Living as Children of Light

¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

²⁰You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶"In your anger do not sin"^d]">[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

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