EXPAND TO READ: EPHESIANS 4 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verses 31-32): For much of my faith and even every so often now, I have unfortunately not been very good at living in these verses. You tell us that all bitterness, anger, wrath, shouting, slander, and malice should be removed from us; replaced with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness just as God forgave us in Christ. I have lived with a hardened heart for much of my faith, which has caused me to perform every single one of these sins since coming to faith, unfortunately. I am grateful for You for restoring my heart, softening my heart, and flowing Your joy and peace into me now that I am finally willing and allowing You to do so. Please forgive me for not living in these two verses for most of my spiritual life, Father. Help me to be better and continue to work in me to soften my heart and fill me with Your joy and peace.
PROMISE (verses 4-5): In these two verses You not only give us a promise, but also much clarity on exactly who You are. You promise us that there is one body and one Spirit; that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, one Father of all, and that You are above all, through all, and in all. How amazing is this promise?! You are above all authorities in this life. You run through and in everything that is on this earth. I am so blessed to know that You are always inside of me, around me, and even in every ounce of amazingness this planet has to offer. I see You in the beautiful sunrise and sunset, I see You in the budding flowers in the spring, I see You in my wife’s beautiful smile; I see You in everything and I am so grateful for this amazing change You’ve made in me, Father! Thank You!
ATTITUDE (verses 17-19): These three verses essentially described me for much of my spiritual journey, unfortunately. I walked the “Gentiles walk;” my thought-life was still quite often that of a Gentile; I exclude You in many parts of my life; I allowed my heart to remain hardened instead of receiving the true healing and restoration only You can provide; I practiced so many kinds of impurity solely out of my own selfish desires. Help me to put my old self truly behind me, Father, so that I no longer live in these ways. Help me to truly embrace and realize that I am a new self in You and that my old self is an experience to learn from but it is no longer who I am. Thank You for this new identity, Father, that cleans my record and allows me to live a new, free life in, through, and with You!
COMMAND (verses 1-3): Giving me a command right off the start of this scripture that speaks loudly to my heart today. First You tell us to “walk worth of the calling you have received,” which I have failed to do for a long time. Then You tell us to do this in humility, gentleness, patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us; this I have also failed at miserably for most of my faith. Help me to be better at embracing this command, Father, so that when I do walk this life it is worthy of what You have called me to do in this life. Help me to live a humble life; help me to be more gentle and patience when my flesh wants to fight me on this; help me to accept others in and with love; help me to truly embrace the peace that You offer so that I can help to diligently keep the unity of the Spirit in this life, Father.
EXAMPLE (verses 17-19): There are so many examples to live by in this chapter, but I feel these three verses are speaking the loudest to my heart this morning as I was stuck doing the exact opposite of this for most of my spiritual journey up until recently. Thank You for providing so many amazing examples to live by Father. Thank You for providing a means through Jesus for a new, born-again identity in this life. Thank You for not wasting our past experiences and mistakes, rather using them to glorify Your kingdom further. Continue to help me live in the ways these verses talk about so that my heart is no longer hardened, so that I pour out joy to others, so that my thought-life is in line with what You expect of me, so that I no longer give into my own selfish desires of my flesh.
*DAILY NOTE: Ephesians 4 is such a powerful chapter of scripture for exactly how You expect us to live our lives in our new identity in Jesus. If I had any doubts about the way I am supposed to be living, then those have officially been squashed by this chapter. Although I do know HOW You want me to live, I do and will still struggle my internal battle between the spirit of my flesh and the Spirit given to me by You, Father. This is a struggle of mine which has caused many relapses in the past, but I am grateful that through You and by You introducing the Real Men 300 into my life, that I have a strong group of Godly men to help me carry these burdens and provide correction to my life when needed. Continue Your works in me, Father, and thank You for all that You have done in me so far now that I am finally willing and able to receive Your blessings, teachings, convictions, counsel, and mentorship.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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