Scripture: Ephesians 4.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Ephesians 4:1-6 (CEV)

1 As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. 3 Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. 4 All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. 5 We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 6 There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

While studying God’s Word I normally highlight verses where God really spoke to me and caught my attention. In this chapter today, I have most of it highlighted – not because I felt like Paul was hitting a homerun with his Ephesian church, although I bet that he hit the nail right on its head with what he taught them, but Paul was addressing the church of small town USA even back then, he was addressing me and my fellow members of my local church. What an eye-opener, reminder and challenge for us today in these verses. Here are some things that particularly spoke to me:

1. Let us first recognize in verse 1 that we are a chosen people. God loved us so much that in spite of our sin, yet He called us to be His very own sons and daughters;
   
2. To coin a phrase that I have heard: ‘If we would get off our high horses’ and humble ourselves as an honored child of the Most High, and if we practice gentleness like our mentor (Jesus Christ) did, then we would easily practice patience with each other and love each other. Unfortunately, we often become very impatient with folk (brothers and sisters), who are not as good as we think we are, or as holy as we think we are, or as educated as we feel like we are. When we become impatient with someone, we speak wrongly to them, we put them down to the level where we picture them in our minds, and we place a wedge between them and us, making it impossible to show love to them. Yet in this passage, God through Paul is admonishing us to be both patient AND loving to each other;
   
3. In verse 3 we are told how this all can be possible. One translation reads: “Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain the unity that the Spirit gives.” In other words, it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us that we could have that strength and power to overcome the temptation of thinking, or acting like we are better than any other saint of God. But friends, God, and His Holy Spirit are true gentlemen and they will only act when we ask for their help. Let us therefore be true followers of Christ and lean heavily on Him and not our own evil desires or traits. To follow His example and be obedient to His Holy Spirit, we must put self aside and lean not on our own understanding but on the will, power and direction of Him.
   

Something that is even more sobering as we meditate on this passage today is actually found in verse 30 (And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.) In other words, when we fail at the above points raised, we are bringing sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit. I don’t know about you friend, but the last thing I ever want to do is to cause sorrow to someone I love, especially Almighty God. Let us therefore be challenged to truly follow the example of Jesus in being patient and loving to all those we come into contact with. Let’s allow Jesus to shine through in our actions and in our character!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

I’ve heard preachers talk about the need for steel toed boots when there are challenging words that God would have us to hear and follow. I really needed those boots this morning, because this passage is very applicable to me and my church at this time. Thank You Father for making Your Word so powerful that it speaks to our hearts right where we’re at. If the world is to be won for Christ, then they will need to see Christ. I pray that those that I come into contact with each day will see Christ very clearly in me and through my words and actions. May I receive Your strength today to be more patient, kind and loving to those that may not be very lovable. May I remain humble so that I not place myself above any other child of Yours. May I allow You to be God today, even in and through circumstances in which I may be involved, all for Your glory dear God!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
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