Ephesians 4
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until 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.
14 Then 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 people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From 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.
17 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. 18 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. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 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; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Today, we are going to work on the utility room, think about the wallpaper. Nurture the suffering, rejoice with friends, have Birthday Cake, go to a healing lesson on Binding and Freeing things on Heaven and earth. Just like Dora and I discussed last week. Have Pastorate Small Groups discussing what God calls a Leader to be.
And get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Not to difficult if you can Walk on Water. However, for those of us stuck on solid surfaces (unlike some of the saints with in the last four hundred years with witnesses), this is something rather difficult to do.
The Scriptures are worth reading, God usually gives us a fair idea of how to achieve this. God does say this is possible.
Proverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Daniel found that his favor, came from the Lord.
This rather sounds like a recipe.
Bond of peace
First, wanting to live a worthy life
2 gentle
3 patient
4 bear with one another with love
5 one Lord for us all
6 consider God to be very able
7 giving gifts to all people
8 build up the Body of Christ
9 believe God equips us all for our work
10 speak the truth
11 desire to be mature in faith
12 wants the entire group to grow in God's Love
13 expects all of us to work to this aim
14 accepts forgiveness for past sins considers a new start in Christ
15 allowed to be in emotions like anger, not loose self control
16 share with those in need
17 be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
Avoid
deceit - God says be innocent like a dove yet shrewd as a snake (getting out of danger, smell memory, repetition)
How can we do all 17 things and be wise?
God tells us He is One. God is vast as the Universe. Judith MacNutt says God's Mercy is as vast as the Universe.
We can take something very complicated and put God at the top of this. When we Expect in Deep Faith - God is going to help us. We have said God is above and in all things. Created all things.
Also this - people who are happy - want and hope and work to make others happy. This becomes not a tiresome list, instead becomes the joy of Love. We tend not to focus on the negative and life is more gentle and peaceful. Enjoying the work of our hands and not being idle. Grateful for people, opportunity and talents - what God brings into our lives.
God looks for what is noble, pure and good in us. If we assume like the old book, "I'm Okay, You're Okay." People tend to bloom far more.
What to do with the deceit of hidden agenda? Be wise. When the agenda is for this:
1 John 5:16
If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.
God says flee.
Acts 16 says we are not God and not to try to do this all ourselves. Rest in God.
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paulc had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Not trying to do this all yourself, leads us back to #9 - We believe God is able. We don't need fifty angry Virginians as an incentive or reward to do His Work.
It takes courage to speak up, but to cultivate the desire to speak truthfully - puts Light on fears and once fear is gone - peace abides.
Ephesians 4 is a very old Scripture going back to the time when the Disciple John was still alive. This copy of Ephesians 4 is part of Papyrus 46. from the time disciple John was alive.
And all of this is what psychologists have assembled today to help us to be happier people. Funny. It appears God knew this first. We do better when we feel our lives are appreciated by God and held to a much higher scale. Creating meaning in our own lives and in the lives around us. Wanting the people around us to be blessed and filled with God's Love.
Not focusing on people who hurt us, not giving resentment the opportunity to re-sound. Thinking to the next positive opportunity - gives the bounce in forgiveness.
Psalm 90
17 May the favor[beauty] of the Lord our God rest on us
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.
We work to believe God creating less guilt and more peace in Psalm 101 in our responsibility:
I will conduct the affairs of my house
with a blameless heart.
3 I will not look with approval
on anything that is vile.
6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.
Father God, these things I will accomplish with Your help in Jesus. In expectation - Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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