Monday, March 5, 2012
Ephesians 4:17-19
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 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; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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Happy Monday Morning!
How good it felt to be in the Word this morning. How I love the Lord! He is so patient with me as I drag my feet when He is trying to grow me. Every time I open His word or hear a message it is concerning this area of my life He wants to control. Part of today's verse really finished off what the Lord was impressing upon me from Sunday's message. "No longer live as the Gentiles do."It reminds me of a line from the movie courageous when one dad says he wants to be the best dad God is calling him to be. ANother dad says you are a good enough dad. To which he replies I don't want to be good enough. That is what this verse reminds me of in my own life. I don't want to be good enough when I compare myself to the world. I desire to be a vessel set apart for Your glory and work, Lord. I don't want to conform to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind--It seems the more I "renew my mind" in His Word, the more layers of my life He peels away to reveal my true heart and how He wants to mold it into His image rather than the image of the world. Forgive me, Lord, for my stubbornness and my selfishness. To top it all off, one of the worship songs we sang on Sunday was "I surrender all. . .all to thee my blessed savior, I surrender all." That is the cry of my heart, Lord. Use me as you see fit, no matter the reactions of the world, family or friends.
Amen
Sonja
I love how Sonja used the verse from Romans about not conforming to the world...that's exactly what I was thinking with these verses this morning. How easy is it to get dragged into other people's thinking rather than being the source of change yourself! I'm reminded of a little quote I heard on the radio one morning recently: "Let your smile change the world, don't let the world change your smile." I took note of it that day and the verses spoke to me today because often I feel the stress and sometimes pettiness at work creep into my life and I just have the tendency to want to react the same way. I thank God for the self control he does give me, but I also ask for more than self control, but the ability to influence others in the positive direction instead of the other way around.
Brienne
The flu has finally hit our family:( I guess it was impossible to avoid.
Just answered the Sunday questions on Sunday's post. :)
Sonja
This was a great verse to start the week off to help and focus my thoughts for the week. I should be in this world and not of it.Help me to be show the difference of You to my students and everyone I encounter each day. Help me to focus on You, through all the distractions and frustrations in my daily life and help me to keep Your standards as my standard, not the world's.
What a way to start fresh and anew this Monday morning - by being reminded (again) where we came from and how much God loves us to pull us out of a life of shamelessly giving ourselves over to Satan! Whoa!
Now, how can I put into words what feelings and thoughts and lessons came out of this passage? If I could sum up my feelings into words, I guess I would say I'm thankful, challenged, and saddened. Thankful for the salvation, grace, love and mercy I do not deserve yet is showered on me by the Lord and for what He has saved me out of; challenged to live a life in complete devotion to our Lord and keep my heart in check with the Word; and saddened as I know some near and dear people who live in this sinful lifestyle.
You heard of the saying of people wanting to make a difference. Well, I want to be a difference! I want people around me to look at me and my family and the life we live and notice something is different! I desire God to work that difference out in us and use that for His glory!
(sorry, I wrote most of my comment this morning but needed to think on it and now here we are.)
Look forward to tomorrow's study!
Kim
As I read these verses my mind went back to our earlier chapters. I liked the phrase "once walked" in chapter 2. Also I was made alive and chosen by God.
Therefore as believers we should remember we are to no longer walk as unbelievers do. In
I John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness we lie, and do not the truth. I John 2:6 "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.
It is so important that I examine the sincerity of my heart and my devotion to God. Realness (is that a word?) that is what I want, not a delusioned mind. I trust the Holy Spirit to keep me on the path.
It is so hard to imagine life without God. To be morally insensitive. To willingly live without morals and have a heart as hard as rock!Just to keep falling deeper into darkness. When we feel a check from the Holy Spirit and we ignore it we could possibly be taking the first step toward hardness.
God's grace. It is that grace that saved some from falling into extreme darkness through the conviction and influence of the Holy Spirit. We should be be and I am thankful for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in my life.
A quote which I like to keep in mind is "Guilt is the nerve ending of the heart, to feel guilt is no tragedy but to feel NO GUILT IS TRAGEDY".
Father, Keep my heart sensitive to Your ways. Shine Your light in my heart. Waken me where I am sleeping. Thank You that I still feel. When the world tries to push their immoral ways into our lives help each of us to stand strong. Thank You for Your faithfulness!
I am reminded that it is not enough
to have knowledge. We must walk it!
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