The first thing that jumped out at me was the phrase in 2:1-2 "you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world" which is one that helps us to understand the extent of our need for Christ. We were not simply sick or a little bit off course, we were dead.
The next thing that it seemed the Holy Spirit was trying to get me to focus on was 4:29-32 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Here is a command from the Lord that I violate far too frequently. I pray that the Holy Spirit will work in me so that this is no longer the case. Still on the same subject was 5:4 "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." Crude joking, that I indulge in, foolish talk, there I am again. Thanksgiving, somehow I don't do that. Again, I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in me that this will no longer be the way I speak.
More from Ephesians 5:15-21 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Here there are two things, probably related in my life. Wasting time, or not making the best use of my time for the Lord, and getting drunk with wine which tends to make me lazy and not want to do anything useful at all. Now, I don't get drunk all that often but sometimes I do drink more than I should and it is then that I don't spend time wisely.
The last thing that I felt the Lord bringing up to me was 6:5-8 "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free." Which applies to my attitude at work, and this is so hard! How can we do our jobs "as you would (to) Christ"? Lord, help me to do this also.
Of course the whole armor section in 6:10-20 is always useful but it wasn't what the Lord was trying to remind me of yesterday I don't think. ¶ 7/20/2006 08:36:00 AM 0 Comments
Thursday
Numbers 17:1-11
Romans 5:1-11
Matthew 20:17-28
Numbers today relates the story of the sprouting of Aaron's staff. This was to prove through the miraculous budding of the staff that Aaron and Moses were the ones chosen by God and so end the grumbling of the people. The staff didn't just bud but blossomed and bore mature almonds, which is truly miraculous.
Romans 5 speaks of rejoicing in suffering and Christ dying for sinners while they were still sinners, not once they had repented.
In Matthew 20 Jesus predicts his death and then teaches the disciples that ambition gets you nowhere in the kingdom of God. Instead we must seek to be servants of all, even as our Lord came not as a king but as a servant.
Elijah (LCMS commemoration for today)
The prophet Elijah, whose name means "My God Is Yahweh [the Lord]," prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel, mostly during the reign of Ahab (874-853 B.C.). Ahab, under the influence of his pagan wife Jezebel, had encouraged the worship of Baal throughout his kingdom, even as Jezebel sought to get rid of the worship of Yahweh. Elijah was called by God to denounce this idolatry and to call the people of Israel back to the worship Yahweh as the only true God (as he did in 1 Kgs 18:20-40). Elijah was a rugged and imposing figure, living in the wilderness and dressing in a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt (2 Kgs 1:8). He was a prophet mighty in word and deed. Many miracles were done through Elijah, including the raising of the dead (1 Kgs 17:17-24) and the effecting of a long drought in Israel (1 Kgs 17:1). At the end of his ministry he was taken up into heaven as Elisha, his successor, looked on (2 Kgs 2:11). Later on the prophet Malachi proclaimed that Elijah would return before the coming of the Messiah (Mal 4:5-6), a prophecy that was fulfilled in the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist (Mt 11:14). [From "Commemorations Biographies," Lutheran Service Book, LCMS Commission on Worship]
¶ 7/20/2006 05:09:00 AM 0 Comments
