Ephesians 5:25-27

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Philippians 2:3-7 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

The admonition from Paul that husbands love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her may very well be the most powerful words in the Bible concerning a Christian family. JESUS GAVE HIMSELF FOR HIS BRIDE TO MAKE HER HOLY. As the head of the family, the husband sets the tone and serves as an example of Christ to his wife and children. If a man gives himself fully for his wife, exhibits faithfulness in deed and thought, loves without thought of reciprocation, goes the extra mile, gives up his cloak and his tunic too, and turns the other cheek when attacked, he will reflect the characteristics of a Christian leader, the attributes of Christ.

How can a fleshly man be such a leader, such a servant? With God all things are possible through Christ in us and the abiding resurrection power of the Holy Spirit who urges and empowers us to yield to God. Leaders in the world execute orders, demand allegiance, and often reflect a rigid demeanor that demands respect and tolerates no foolishness. In some families the husband maintains strict order with a firm hand, and his needs come first. A traditional Moslem husband rules from a position of authority: if the wife displeases her husband, he has the power to discipline her harshly, shun or reject her, and even cast her out. Throughout time many societies have given men authority to do such things, following the law of the jungle: the strongest survive and rule. Yet the word of God instructs the husband not to rule out of strength, but to lead and guide as a servant, one who gives all without reservation, one who prefers others before himself.

When a man will not speak to his wife because he is angry or disappointed with her, he portrays a fleshly way of ruling, by disaffirming her and rejecting her A man who strikes back at a woman with brute physical force or with cruel and cutting words definitely does not manifest the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He has rejected biblical truth and Christ's reign in his life by lifting up his own self-centered and unloving ways of ruling. He has literally removed Christ from the throne of his life. Jesus turned the world upside down with his teachings: strength is weakness, weakness is strength; the first will be last, the last will be first. The reign of a harsh dictator is inept and temporary; servants exhibit godly attributes that last for eternity. When the life of a faithful servant comes to an end, he will hear: Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:23 KJV) The tyrant consumes and destroys while the servant multiplies his talents as he invests in the lives of others.

The Holy Spirit teaches us Christ's ways, conforms us to his image. As we express his likeness, his loving kindness and tender mercy, we become light in a dark world, salt that brings savor to every situation. When we succumb to fleshly desires instead of the leading of the Spirit, our lives darken and stagnate, producing tasteless fruit rather than heavenly manna for the hungry. Children of the most high serve others, revealing God's love to the world. Servanthood begins at home. When a husband is slow to anger and quick to forgive, he shows the kindness and goodness of the Lord and leads his family into an intimate relationship with God. However, the husband who chooses flesh over Spirit leads his family into discord, anger, and even rebellion. The Spirit of God brings unity and love; the fleshly spirit brings turmoil and bitterness. God ordained men to head the family, but the leadership of a Christian family is a sacred honor, an awesome responsibility, totally impossible without the Spirit of God in control. Leading, protecting, and loving a family demands total commitment to Christ and obedience to the Spirit's voice. Jesus took on the likeness of man to die on the cross; we take on the likeness of God to die to ourselves and to come alive unto God. That is true leadership, divine love.

Ephesians 5:21-24

Ephesians 5:21-24 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

1 Peter 2:13-16 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone.

Paul encourages wives to submit to their husbands. He also encourages each of us, male or female, to submit to others out of reverence for Christ. Of course, the implication is that husbands also need to submit to their wives (submit to one another) out of reverence and love for Christ. Any husband who desires to lead his family into righteousness knows that submission is good for him too. In the world or in the church, submitting to one another generally advances unity and peace. Christians should submit to the Lord as his bond-slaves regardless of the difficulties in our lives. Out of love, we yield to his authority, knowing He desires to do good by us. This same love should govern our interpersonal relationships: wives, love your husbands, submit to them; husbands love your wives, submit to them; children love your parents, submit to them. With a servant's heart, we prefer the needs of others above our own needs. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. (Philippians 2:5-7) We love because He first loved us.

Does God ask us to submit regardless of the consequences? No, that would be ridiculous, unscriptural. Paul has already told the Ephesians: Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (5:11) If a friend or relative dabbles in darkness and wants us to participate in this activity, we should not submit because the activity is not of God, but of the devil. We should not submit to the leadership of a boss who demands duplicity in our work or supports unscrupulous choices even if it costs us our job. We should not knowingly choose sin because light has no fellowship with darkness. Wives do not have to submit to brutality in word or action. If a husband beats the children out of anger, the wife does not have to condone and support such actions. A husband and wife who are one and committed to Christ are accountable to each other and to God. If one spouse operates outside the Spirit of God, the other should pray and patiently believe for change, but if willful disobedience continues, eventually the partner who walks in the Spirit will need to confront the other. We are God's creation, born into his light and love; therefore, our allegiance is first and foremost to Christ. We are no longer born of Adam, the first man; we are heirs to the second man, Jesus Christ. New life has come to us through Christ's sacrifice of his own flesh on the cross. By his mercy and grace are we saved, not by fleshly works.

As we submit daily to Christ and listen to the Holy Spirit, we do not function perfectly or live uprightly, but we do our best, believing God to perfect us. As we pray, read the Bible, meditate, and fast, we better understand and fulfill God's will. We submit and serve by yielding to Christ through the power and the unction of the Spirit. If we serve God first, we will submit more readily to others for Christ's sake, bringing unity, peace, and civility to the home, the workplace, and the church. We live as free men and women, yet we pay proper respect to everyone because God's love constrains us and shapes us into his image. If a person tries to serve two masters, confusion and failure result. The Bible says, a double-minded man will receive nothing from the Lord and a house divided cannot stand. God tells us: Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. (Amos 5:14). Jesus said, For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20) Those who tarried in the upper room were of one mind with the singular purpose of waiting on God and receiving the Holy Spirit. God powerfully met them, pouring out his Spirit upon them and filling them with his love. Godly submission brings God's holy presence to every situation. Today, do not harden your hearts in unbelief, doubt, and sin. Turn to the One who loves you, who has set you free to love him and others in return.

Ephesians 5:15-20

Ephesians 5:15-20 Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Singing and making music in your heart to the Lord and always thanking him for everything in Jesus' lovely name will bring you into a place of peace and joy even in the most trying times and the most difficult circumstances. Although nonbelievers often face trials and hardships by becoming bitter and angry, by drinking or drugging themselves senseless, by escaping into aberrant sexual behaviors, or by sinking into the depths of despair, none of these reactions or activities will help the fallen, the suffering, or the wounded person. While an individual who chooses darkness over light might think such negative behaviors are justified considering the struggles and vicissitudes of life, these choices to serve the world, the flesh, and the devil create more problems rather helping people cope with the ones they have.

When Christians fall into these pits of sin and dysfunction, we undermine our faith in God, our hope for the future, and our confidence in who we are in Christ. Unwise decisions can destroy relationships, trust, and peace of mind. However, worshipping and obeying God leads to healing, security, unity, reconciliation, and redemption. I have heard many people say that when they stopped living a life of praise and service to the Lord or began numbing themselves with intoxicants and sensual pleasures, they fell deeper into sin than before they knew the Lord. When we forget God in our daily lives and give place to the enemy and his temptations, we often become ashamed and overcome with guilt until we finally harden our hearts against the voice of the Holy Spirit. Willful and selfish acts that violate God's plan leave a path of hurt and pain. Many an addicted person has wounded and taken advantage of a close friend, a faithful spouse, or a precious child. The wages of sin is death here and now and in eternity.

Therefore, Paul told the people not to be drunk with wine, but to seek and to worship the Lord while He can be found. When I face an unpleasant chore, I often sing songs to God. When my heart is breaking, I sing praises to my Healer. When I do not understand the tragedies of life, I sing songs of hope. Singing to the Lord always comforts my soul as I allow the Spirit to speak to me. Singing words of light and love brings a purpose to living beyond the mundaneness of the world. When I worship the Almighty, my sacrifice is a sweet offering to God that He values. I have noticed that little children respond lovingly when I sing to them and with them. Songs seem to touch their hearts more than spoken words. My youngest grandchild, Ava, just over one year old, is attached to her Papa. She was away from me for about three weeks recently. When she saw me again, she quickly came to me but seemed somewhat unsure, a little tense with the situation after such a long absence. But when I held her close and started singing to her, she relaxed and slumped into my arms, saying with her body language, "I'm home: I am with my Papa." This is the assurance we experience in the Spirit when our melodies of praise and adoration lift us to a higher plane, another domain, where we can relax and collapse into the arms of the Father.

Now, my breakfast companions, I do not want to sound esoteric or mystical, but our choices matter: the Bible is true. God inhabits the praises of his people. Whatever you do, do it unto the Lord. Let your words and songs bring joy to God's heart and to your own. In this age of "whatever," it matters what we do, how we live. Those who follow after the sinful nature will reap a whirlwind, but if we live in the Spirit, we will reap total freedom, inexpressible joy, lasting peace, and eternal life. There is no in between. We cannot simultaneously stand on the shore and swim in the River of Life. We were baptized in water as an outward sign of an inward change, our total commitment to Christ and God's perfect plan. As totally new creatures, resurrection life should spring forth from our innermost beings. Sing a new song to the Lord every morning and allow the Spirit to regenerate and to empower you. Let his words spring up in your heart, giving you peace and joy, the assurance that you are always in the presence of the Lord: at home with the Father, at home with the Son, at home with the Spirit, the Great Three in One! PRAISE GOD FOREVER.

Ephesians 5:8-14 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

John 1:1-9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

The true testimony of every Christian is that Jesus is the light of the world and the power of God. All things were created through him and in him. Without him nothing was made that has been made. IN CHRIST, we are his new creation, born to a new life. Jesus said, You must be born again. (John 3:7) Peter tells us, For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Because we are now hidden with CHRIST, THE LIVING WORD, in God, we are the light of the world, BUT to be completely light, we must possess an obedient servant's heart. Our allegiance and service reflect his goodness, righteousness and truth to the world. Without a love slave's total devotion to Christ, we reflect our own spirits of death. Our carnal works will portray darkness rather than light. The works of the flesh eventually lead to total separation from God. To prevent the consequences of such sinful behavior, God disciplines his own out of love to bring them back to dependence on THE LIGHT, CHRIST JESUS, the only way to everlasting life. Without faith in Jesus and his salvation work, there is no light, no pathway to God.

Paul says each of us were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; therefore, live as children of the light, find out what pleases the Lord. The word of God clearly teaches what pleases the Lord: to love God with your whole being and to love your neighbor as yourself. In Galatians 5, Paul bases his teaching on the assumption that every Christian desires to love God wholeheartedly. He reminds us of Christ's instruction: The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Verse 14) When we fulfill this commandment, we walk in the Spirit and portray spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Verses 22-23) Otherwise, we are blameless before God when we walk in the Spirit in Christ and reflect him completely to the world. The Spirit's attributes lead to eternal life, not death.

Believers should not dabble with the works of death: sexual sins and impurity destroy our testimony and lead us away from God. The attitudinal sins of hatred, gloominess, discord, impatience, rudeness, faithlessness, brutality, and like spread until they control our minds and deeds. Fleshly spirits destroy unity within and outside of the church. As Paul also reminded the Galatians, A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. (Verse 9) Spirits of evil are atomic bombs in the midst of human relationships: wreckage and carnage follow such willful destruction. These deeds of the flesh bear no good fruit; they must be exposed to the light. If we are overwhelmed and tormented by negative feelings and actions, we should confess our sins to God and ask other Christians to pray for us. James exhorted his readers to repent: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16 KJV) Scripture tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory; consequently, we need to confess our sins to God and allow the body of Christ to support us as we heal and grow in faith. Only when we line up with the Spirit of God and his works will we work together in unity as the light and power of God in this dark and fallen world.

Ephesians 5:3-7

Ephesians 5:3-7 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

Christ alone makes us acceptable to God, holy and pure. His work on the cross is enough; however, because of his work, our lives should reflect his holiness and goodness. We should forsake immorality, impurity, and greediness. Holy living demands every part of us, even our tongue; we should avoid obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking. Since we serve the MOST HIGH, people should hear our upright words and see our pure intentions and fidelity to others. If we allow the flesh to reign in our bodies, we will experience the wrath of God, for He finds no pleasure in those who conform to the world. If we accept God as the ultimate AUTHORITY in the universe and believe Jesus Christ is LORD of our lives, we will submit ourselves to the power and control of the Holy Spirit. But without firm allegiance to God, we will yield to worldly desires and satisfy the lust of the flesh. The Bible commands us to worship God with all our heart, spirit, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Failure to implement these commandments will lead us to endorse a fleshly lifestyle. God will judge such willfully errant behavior. As God's children, we are not orphans. God loves us; therefore, He will discipline us.

Some Christians evidence more outward righteousness than others; they may try to show their fidelity to God by placing rigid strictures on their dress, appearance, and actions. But God does not consider the outer semblance: He looks at the heart. The heart matters, not our outward piety and austere demeanor. The pure in heart remain faithful to their spouses. Fidelity validates the heart's intentions. If curses and coarse words flood from our mouths, they reflect the discord in our hearts, the fruit of our unsettled spirits. The Holy Spirit came to put God's thoughts in our minds and to write his law on our hearts. Jesus is not filthy minded; He does not curse; He does not deal in innuendos or foolish talk. When Christ walked on Earth, He was straightforward, honest, and loving. When we give the old man free rein, we do not express Jesus to others. When we boast of our supposedly great exploits, we lift up the wrong person in our lives. When our unrestrained anger explodes on others, we bully them for our own purposes. Continued wrong behavior reveals our hardness of heart and lack of obedience. A servant obeys the wishes of the master. As Christ's followers, his ambassadors, we accept spiritual restraints and willingly do what our Master desires.

How do we remain pure in heart, upright in spirit, and vigilant in our actions? Paul says, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) As the saying goes, we are what we eat. If we partake of the world, our actions and words will reflect the world. If we meditate, pray, and worship the Lord in song and in speech, we will show forth his purity, his demeanor, his words. A desire to be like the world and to participate fully in what it offers will fill our minds with the filth and violence of this age. If we follow the world, we will become like the world. When unbelievers cannot readily discern Christ in us, they will reject our testimony, saying that at best we just follow a lifestyle different from theirs. When our tongues are uncontrollable and we spew evil and nonsense, we betray Christ's saving work. Our unfaithfulness and deceit make us like Judas or Peter when they denied Christ. The flesh is deceitfully wicked: who can trust it? However, today, if you have failed miserably in your Christian walk, if even your children do not trust you, praise God: you are not hopelessly lost. Repent and turn to Father God; He accepts a broken and contrite spirit and will not abandon you. He alone can bring a broken vessel back to a lump of clay and make it a work of honor. PRAISE HIS NAME FOREVER!

Ephesians 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Philippians 2:4-8 (KJV) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

From the beginning of creation, we were made in God's image. We were made to fellowship with God, free from sin and death, to do good works, to sacrifice for others, to live lives for the betterment of people. God made us to love the world. When our spirits become vindictive, when our hearts do not cry out for justice, when we do not bring the peace of God to troubled situations, we function according to the dictates of our fallen nature and not in the image of our heavenly Father. When we no longer weep for the lost and our hearts become hardened to the travail and sorrow of others, we have become contaminated by the evil one, and we have lost our joy and our purpose for living. When we begin to look out only for our own best interests, we have lost God's vision, and our lives no longer serve as a love offering to our Lord who gave his all. Paul challenged the Ephesians: Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children; PORTRAY HIS LIKENESS, HIS LOVE. Jesus defined and exemplified God's love by laying down his life and sacrificing himself on the cross for the sins of all people. His life of total obedience and abiding love pleased God; therefore, He became a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

If we want to serve God effectively, we must take up the cross and follow Christ's example. When we hold back from actively loving people, we become sounding brass, a worthless gong. Our words not longer bring peace and freedom to the anxious and the captive. When we are self-centered, we become JUST LIKE THE WORLD, going our own way. When we reject God's image, we soon reflect the image of fallen man: selfishness, lustfulness, debauchery, and blindness to God's plans and his kingdom. God's love is a sacrificial love. Because of his great love, God sacrificed everything for us: the bright and morning star, the light of heaven, even his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. I often wonder at our lack of commitment, our lack of compassion and concern for the lost and the hurting. Shouldn't our hearts break for the troubled, the downcast, the sick, and those lost in sin? Are we moved by the needs in the world or are our eyes so much on ourselves and our families that we reject and judge others, blaming their problems on their faults and failures instead of reaching out to them with God's merciful love?

The world should know we are believers by our intense love, not by our harsh criticism. Paul wrote: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Our Savior gave his life for his enemies. Will we do likewise or as the Pharisees do we sit in the outer court of life, pronouncing judgment on those who pass by? Do we love the gays more than we criticize and reject them? Do we care for those who have aborted their children, praying for their eyes to be opened and their spirits healed? When we judge other people's sins, we must remember that judgment begins with God's house. We are the light of the world, the salt of the earth. When the salt loses it saltiness and the people of light sit in darkness, we fail to show forth God's everlasting love and unending grace. If you find your heart lukewarm or cold today, repent of your old nature and seek him with your whole heart. He will fill you and revive you to rise and shine for him today, like a star in the universe.

Ephesians 4:29-32

Ephesians 4:29-32 Do 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. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:29-32 (Amplified Bible) Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

The Amplified version of Ephesians 4:29-32 provides a deeper understanding of today's text. Sometimes we excuse our bad attitudes and behaviors if scripture does not directly delineate them. The amplified version better elucidates the evil that God rejects. All of these adverse traits destroy and divide believers. If we tolerate the harmful spirits that promote such conduct, we directly damage the work of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, sinful behavior spreads and multiplies until it permeates our lives and corrodes our actions and reactions. Negative acts validate the old idiom that "a rotten apple spoils the barrel." One person acting inappropriately can spoil a whole environment. In a church setting, the detrimental attitudes and hurtful behaviors of one excessively negative family can influence others to yield to temptation. Rather than helping others and uniting the body, harsh and judgmental people hurt each other and divide families and churches. Paul says, Do 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. To promote a positive and nurturing environment within a family or a group, we should avoid negativity like a plague.

Paul told the church: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Jesus said, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) The Bible indicates God will judge us in the same manner we judge others. When we excessively criticize others or when we explode in anger over their words or actions, we need to appreciate that God can judge us just as harshly as we judge others. As mere humans, we all need God's compassion and mercy. Therefore, Paul recommends kindness, consideration, compassion, and forgiveness. We should love others as we want to be loved and speak to others as we want to be spoken to. Treating others as you want to be treated defuses problems and creates spiritually healthy environments. Christ-like behavior calms conflagrations, lessens bitterness, alleviates hurtful communication, minimizes disappointments, allays fears, promotes understanding, and much more. Love and tolerance truly conquer hatred and wrath. When we begin to speak kindly and lovingly, wholesome communication opens our ears and our hearts to God's plans. Finally, forgiving others allows us to accept God's forgiveness for the many transgressions we have committed against him. Forgiving as God has forgiven brings peace and victory to our own hearts and minds.

A loving and forgiving demeanor requires a servant's heart. A servant is under the authority of the master. We are under the headship of OUR LORD, Jesus Christ who gave his life for those who hated him. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) The Jewish elite did not realize they were nailing the Son of God on a cross. They struck back in anger at a man who threatened their authority to govern. Full of the spirit of Christ, Christians should be servants to ALL, even to those who hate and abuse us. We must forgive and love those who strike out against us. Jesus asks us to love our enemies, those who dispute with us or greatly disappoint us. For frail humans to love as Christ loves, we must be in a triangle of love, loving others because we love Christ, for He alone loves unreservedly and without fail. Jesus will never disappoint us or forsake us: his fidelity lasts forever. Therefore, we obediently love others because He first loved us and we love him. If you fear that you cannot love as He loved, just look again to Jesus, remembering his great sacrifice at the cross. He encompasses the love that we need in every situation. He reminds us, "If you love the least of these, you love me." Servants of the Most High, love is now. Rid yourselves of all malice and anger towards anyone, and you will walk in peace and joy as you spread abroad the love of God.

Ephesians 4:25-28

Ephesians 4:25-28 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He 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.

Paul gives the believer three direct commands: speak the truth; do not hold onto your anger; do not steal. These directives all pertain to relationships, especially within the body of Christ. Speaking truthfully is another way of saying do not be deceitful. Eventually dishonesty undermines the unity of the body of Christ. Honesty allows transparency and openness, so we can be who we are and not play roles or hide behind masks. Christians come from different backgrounds and hold varied perspectives; we need to remove our masks and be honest with each other. As we share our true identities and thoughts, we will understand that we are all unique creative beings who live for God's glory. Yes, we are all believers saved by faith; however, our different interests, insights, and abilities make us who we are. Our uniqueness should not separate us but add beauty to the body of Christ as the light of his love shines through each different person. In this political season we would do well to allow differing perspectives to exist among us without harshly judging those who disagree with us. Refusing to tolerate and to appreciate others leads to broken relationships and disunity to the body of Christ. Diversity of thinking should not destroy us but make us thankful that the Holy Spirit says, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17 KJV)

Just as acceptance leads to unity, anger divides us. When we are unremittingly angry, we give Satan a foothold in our lives. Christians should not hold grudges; bitter thoughts lead to wrath and division. Such anger and divisiveness is not of the Spirit. Devilish spirits are out to destroy us and the church: Satan has a hand in every contentious conversation and in every unresolved quarrel. The enemy wants to prevent healthy communication and to dampen loving interactions between people. Discord, bitterness, and rage lead to isolation and pain, not unity and peace. Proverbs 6 describes a wicked man who speaks forwardly, devises mischief, sows discord, and speaks lies. When our lips bear bitter fruit and we become set apart because of our angry thoughts and unforgiving hearts, we must recognize our sin, repent, and seek the cleansing power of our Lord. The Bible tells us repeatedly that the LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (Psalm 103:8 KJV)

The Spirit of God unifies: unconditional love unites, unresolved anger tears apart. Jesus became a servant to all men. We see him healing the sick, driving out demons, raising the dead, accepting the outcasts of society, and forgiving all who came to him. HE LOVED PEOPLE, and so should we. He called us to heal the brokenhearted, to care for the troubled, to pray for the sick, and to love the outsider, even those who are not like us and particularly our enemies. Like Christ, our mission is to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Paul says, don't let a spirit of anger abide within us even overnight; instead, forgive, love, and care for our adversaries. We must repent of our anger and not give the spirit of vexation another day before we make things right with our brother or sister. Unrelenting anger is the flesh out of control: it is SIN. When sin gains a foothold, it corrupts and destroys our unity in Christ.

Warning against stealing, Paul recommends hard work to provide for ourselves AND OTHERS. Performing useful work with our hands gives us something to share with those in need. Concern for others contrasts sharply with our American mindset of working to have plenty for ourselves. Selfishness and greed break down a community, isolating people from each other. Concentrating only on our needs and wants leads to a narrow, self-serving focus, even bigotry in our beliefs. As we accumulate possessions and wealth, we may think we deserve God's blessings more than others. God miraculously provided good jobs and secure lives for many of us. Do we look outward to share and to bless others or do we look for more of this or that: a bigger house, a better car, and the like? Are our lives so self-centered that we think only of ourselves? Most of us do not steal to get ahead, but we literally rob God and others by not sharing our abundance. Love is action: love looks away from self and toward the poor and the needy. Two important commandments satisfy all of God's demands on our lives: love God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. You may think you fulfill the first command, but loving God wholeheartedly should lead to obedience and a desire to love and to serve others. At the close of our last day, may we say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Ephesians 4:20-24

Ephesians 4:20-24 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:11-14 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Paul exhorts the Ephesians and us to put off your old self, and put on the new self, for we have been raised from the dead through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should now live unto him and not to our flesh and its deceitful desires. As Christians, in every sense we have been made alive in Jesus Christ; consequently, we should no longer live in sin, which leads to death. Instead, we who are born again IN CHRIST should fully commit ourselves to God. If we sin or fail in ourselves, we should quickly repent and by faith proclaim Christ's life in us, for He is our righteousness, not our fleshly works. By faith, we count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God. As John says, all have sinned; if we say we have not sinned, we are liars. Yet what do we do with the sin that so easily afflicts us? We reckon our old selves dead to sin by not resting upon our works but proclaiming the efficacy of the cross that once and for all did away with our sins. We who are alive IN CHRIST are alive to God because Jesus who knew no sin became our righteousness and our great hope of salvation.

Paul asked the Romans, Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1b) Never! As children of God, we bring ourselves under spiritual restraints, no longer allowing the flesh to do whatever it pleases. Paul taught the Ephesians to put off the old man and to put on the new self. As we curtail our carnal activities, we walk in freedom and do not let the old self rule our bodies. Self-discipline and counting ourselves dead to our old nature brings us closer to the Lord and makes us more like him. We pray, meditate, and fast for the glory of God. We learn his righteousness by doing his will and not our own, by serving his purposes, not ours. When we accept that there is no good thing in the flesh, we will attempt to live according to the Spirit in all ways, for his ways redeem and cleanse our lifestyles. His life makes us servants of God in our daily walk who bear good fruit and not the fruit of the flesh. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. (Galatians 5:19-21) When we find ourselves bitter and angry, willing to strike out at others, we know we are in the flesh. If we exhibit love and compassion, even for our enemies, we know we are in the Spirit. The former leads to death, the latter to life everlasting.

Every day of our lives, we make choices. As sons and daughters of our Father God, we must choose according to his will, trusting in his sufficiency, knowing that Jesus Christ made us righteous. As obedient children, we bring our flesh under the constraints of the scriptures, and we listen to the voice of God, his Spirit. We no longer perform the foolish and sinful acts that come to our imagination. No, we display Christ's righteousness by living the best we can, and when we fall, we repent quickly, considering not the flesh but Christ's work in us through the power of the cross. We literally walk by faith and not by sight. When the old man undermines us, we consider him dead, and thank the Lord for his NEW LIFE IN US: Christ in us our hope of glory. In this faith-life, we do not allow the flesh or its exploits to get in the way or to hinder God's overwhelming redeeming power. Because of his saving grace, we get up from our beds with a thank you on our lips, and we joyfully run the race that God sets before us each day. We look toward the finish line when God will say, "Well done, my faithful servant."

Ephesians 4:17-19

Ephesians 4:17-19 So 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. They 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. Having 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.

Acts 25:22-29 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul — men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

In the above passage, Paul encourages the Christian Gentiles to abandon the hedonistic practices of their culture. Self-indulgence and sexual impurity had permeated the Gentile world to the point of hardening their hearts against God. Paul brought a different perspective of life to these Christian Gentiles based on God's plan for his creation. Of course this gospel was difficult for the Gentiles to appreciate, for they had always viewed life in a carnal way. Their ancestors, people they respected, all lived life in carnality and unrighteousness. To view life any differently represented a challenge for early Christian Gentiles. They literally had to abandon important parts of their culture to fulfill Christ's demands on their lives. The Bible refers to differing lifestyles and choices when Jesus describes the separation of the goats and the sheep. Goats live a certain way and sheep live another way. They have different likes and dislikes, different behaviors, but God has asked everyone regardless of ancestry to become a sheep. As the Gentiles faced the dilemma of how to live and act, Paul gave them godly teaching to convince them of the way of truth in following Christ wholeheartedly.

Early church fathers advised teachers and missionaries in the Gentile world to require the Gentile Christian to to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. Faced with their previous sinful state, if the Gentiles were able to change their lifestyle to accommodate these recommendations, they did well. Obviously, the requirements on the Gentiles may not seem stringent to us, but in view of their past lives, these were definitely demanding changes for them. The Jewish Christians with their long history of knowing God through the law of Moses did not want to put heavy burdens on the Gentile Christians, for they knew they were asking these newly born believers to come out of a long history of darkness. Although immorality covers many interactions, it is interesting to note they initially asked the Gentiles to change only four behaviors in their daily lives.

Sometimes we too quickly ask new Christians to transition from a life of darkness to a total faith walk in the light. We are discouraged with them because they do not do all the things a "good Christian" should. We must remember it is hard to transition from a goat to a sheep. We should be patient because God is patient, and through the power of the Holy Spirit He will perfect his children as they yield to him. Some of us have a long tradition of Christianity in our backgrounds. When we were saved or turned our lives to God, we knew exactly how we should act, for we had been immersed in Christianity from birth. Others, who come from a world where no one in their background is a Christian, need a lot of help to understand what it means to live totally committed to Christ. Sometimes, these fledging Christians retain aspects of their former lifestyles that are not Christlike. We should help them come out of darkness by loving them and diligently instructing them in the Word. We should pray with them and challenge them to hold onto Christ, to be his servants and not servants of the world. We must encourage them to no longer live as the Gentiles do. Our best instructional tool is to shine for the Lord in our own lives, showing the transforming power of the cross at work in us. May you shine for God today!