Through reading my devos of late, I've been working through these books of the Bible and here are some of my thoughts.
Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, and Corinthians, are full
of what sorts of conduct and character a Christian should have. I know this
blog is mainly towards womanhood and homemaking, but this applies to everyone.
If we are
living anything less than what these verses speak about, where is our focus? Is
it on Christ or on worldly things?
Do we treat
our fellow Christians (and that means immediate family to church family) with
the love of Christ? Are we striving to keep peace or stir up fights? Do we go
out of our way to make trouble for others, or do we go out of our way to reach
out a helping hand to others?
In the home
what do these verse mean? What area have we let slip?
Let us look
into our hearts as we read these verses and ask the Lord to reveal where we’ve
fallen short.
I hope this
is an encouragement to someone today.
Ephesians 4:4 I,
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called, 2 with
all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in
love, 3 endeavoring to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:17-32 This I say,
therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest
of[d] the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their
mind, 18 having their
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given
themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned
Christ, 21 if indeed you have
heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former
conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your
mind, 24 and that you put on
the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and
holiness.25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”[e] for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”:[f] do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Galatians 5:13-26 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
Walking in the Spirit
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
1 Corinthians 6:7-8 7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? 8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!
