Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Samuel 4-5; Ephesians 4
Devotional Thought:
This chapter gives a change in the emphasis of this great book of the Bible. The first three chapters of Ephesians are highly doctrinal about the person and character of Christ and God’s plan for His Son. Chapter four starts the emphasis on the practical aspect of the theology. We as Christians are to model the person and character of Christ. We are to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.” (vs. 1) In order to walk worthy of the vocation of representing Christ and being conformed to His image, we must put on four specific qualities. “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (vs. 2-3) We must first display humility. We must serve each other as we serve the Lord with lowliness of mind and spirit. We must approach serving the Lord as a privilege to represent Him to the world. We must also display meekness. Meekness is not weakness, but rather it is strength under control. Just because we can do or say something does not mean we should. Many things must be placed under the control of the Holy Spirit in order for us to accurately and appropriately display Christ and His character. We must also display longsuffering. We must learn to be willing to suffer through difficulties posed to ourselves by others who are struggling personally or even spiritually in order that God may give to us the opportunity to serve them and strive to help them. We are commanded and even called to bear one another burdens, even those who have been overtaken in a fault. (Gal. 6:1) We are lastly called to display forbearance. We must be willing to put up with peoples individual idiosyncrasies and quirks in order to strive for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It is so easy for us to get selfish and want everyone to act and think the way we do. That is rooted in selfishness as we must mature to wanting people to act and think like Christ. The rest of this chapter deals with the fact that Christians are called out of darkness and the control of the flesh to walk in light and to live controlled by the Spirit. May we put off the natural tendencies of the flesh and learn to yield control over to the Spirit.
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to help people come to the right conclusion about Christ as they watch my life.
• Lord, please help me to put off my flesh and the deceitfulness of Satan so that Christ can be seen in me.
• Lord, please help me to be controlled by the Spirit of God.