Showing posts with label Ephesians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ephesians. Show all posts

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Force to Overcoming!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10
Strong: enable, increase in strength, to empower; be empowered
Power: mightily, with great power, vigor 
Might: force to overcoming immediate resistance
In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Ephesians 6:10 (AMP)
Love the meaning of this verse. 

Friday, February 3, 2017

Walk Worthy

As I was studying Galatians 5;22, 23, I decided to see what other verses used the same words.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
Gentleness: power with reserve
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 (NKJV)
Walk: to regulate one's life, to conduct oneself
Worthy: suitable because recognized as fitting; having worth that "matches" actual value
Calling: used of God inviting all people to receive His gift of salvation – with all His blessings that go with it
Were called: invited
Lowliness: humility
Gentleness: meekness ("gentle strength") which expresses power with reserve and gentleness
Longsuffering: patience, forbearance, slowness in avenging wrongs; embraces steadfastness and staying-power; long-tempered (as compared to short-tempered)
Bearing with: "still bearing up," even after going through the needed sequence (course of action)
Love: which centers in moral preference
Endeavoring: to move speedily by showing full diligence (fully applying oneself)
Keep: properly, maintain, preserve
Unity: oneness, equivalent to unanimity, agreement
Bond: a bond (close union); a close (inner) identity which produces close harmony between members joined closely together
Peace: wholeness, harmony

Walk worthy. 
Those two words pack a powerful punch. 

Am I living my life that I am recognized as one who has accepted God's gift of salvation? There is no question as to how that is to look. We are told in Ephesians 4, and Galatians 5:22, 23. 

Today's focus is gentleness. A meekness ("gentle strength") which expresses power with reserve and gentleness. Just because I have the strength, power, I need to reign it in, and respond with reserve. Handle situations and people carefully. 

Walk worthy.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Thanks Living: Instead Choose the BEST

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. Ephesians 5:2-4
Walk: to regulate one's life, to conduct oneself
Love: which centers in moral preference, typically refers to divine love (= what God prefers)
Sweet-smelling aroma: fragrance, perfume

Fornication: from the Greek "porneuo"; harlotry (including adultery and incest)
Uncleanness: impurity (the quality), physically or morally
Covetousness: greedy desire to have more
Not even: not once, so much as
Be named: of things which are called by their own name because they are present or exist
Fitting: to be suitable or proper

Filthiness: dishonor, shamefulness, obscenity
Foolish talking: silly talk, buffoonery
Course jesting: grossly or obscenely abusive, vulgar or indecent in speech, abusive
Not fitting: unbecoming, discreditable
But: a strong adversative conjunction – but instead
Rather: comparative adverb so it refers to what is better as compared to what is merely "good." This involves prioritizing or ranking to elevate the better over the good, i.e. the higher priority (the more important)
Giving of thanks: gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship)

Nicknames are often given based on what we do, or some characteristic we have. What name is associated with you? Is it proper and suitable—for a Christian to have? Does the nickname represent Christ in a good way? 

Ephesians 5:3, 4 give a list of areas to avoid for they are discreditable in view of Christianity. Partaking in those things tarnishes your reputation and creates a pungent odor to God. 

BUT rather—Don't even begin to think about those pungent things, instead choose the BEST! And what is that BETTER thing to choose? Actively giving thanks to God! When we are actively involved in Thanks Living, our desire will be to choose the BEST!