Through the Bible - Isaiah 24-26, Ephesians 6
Good morning,
For today's verse we'll go to Ephesians chapter 5 where we are told to be "imitators of Christ". Jesus and his disciples gave us good examples of just what this meant. Jesus' teachings that we've considered in the Lord's prayer and also in the beatitudes give us a good start and show us the importance of spending time with Him if we are to be imitators. If we think "what would Jesus do" without knowing what He did and said it becomes "well I think" and not necessarily what he would.
Today's verses follow immediately after yesterday's, in fact when written there were no divisions into chapters. We'll read the end of yesterday's passage followed by today's verses.
Eph 4:29 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.
Eph 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. NLT
Jonathan Edwards in "Charity and it's Fruits" wrote, "God, by His Spirit, and through His truth, calls, awakens, convicts, converts, and leads to the exercise of grace, all those who are made willing in the day of his power, to the end that they might exercise themselves in holy practice."
It is through our relationship with Jesus Christ, through faith, through His Word, and prayer that He calls, awakens, convicts, converts and leads us, giving us the "exercise of grace" that we may be imitators of God.
Where do we begin? A good place to start would be what Paul tells us in Eph. 4:29" Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. " It sure sounds like something Jesus would do.
Take some time today to consider, to think about what "let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth.
Matt 12:35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ....... 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." NIV
Living in the Light
5 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don't participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
"Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light." NLT
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light." NLT
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