It’s 2015 y’all. Times have changed. We’ve come so far in the way of medical advancement, poverty, and putting off the ways of hatred and prejudices; and yet, we haven’t. We’ve remained stagnant in the ways of walking in holiness according to God’s Holy Word. His Bible, is after all, the guide of our life. The caliber to which we should be measuring our actions and our thoughts. Our caliber should not be the world’s standards, or even what other Christians are doing for that matter. God should be our measuring stick.
God has laid it on my heart to write this post, based on the book of Ephesians. I encourage you all to read the entirety of the book of Ephesians in your favorite version today. As I re-read the book of Ephesians this week, here are some ways in which we should be living as God’s holy people.
Maybe, as you read these things, you will find yourself overcome with guilt and shame. That is not God’s intention for His Word. It’s to provoke our hearts unto good works based on His great love and grace for us. May we review these practical truths, be motivated and touched by His great love, and start living as children of the light.
EPHESIANS 1
THANK GOD FOR THE WORK OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE.
Ephesians 1:13- Upon salvation, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit when we trusted and put our faith in Christ.
ASK FOR WISDOM.
Ephesians 1:17- Ask for wisdom daily, that we may know God better.
PRAY FOR UNDERSTANDING.
Ephesians 1:18- Pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened, to be able to comprehend this great gift of salvation in your life.
THANK GOD FOR HIS STRENGTH AND THE GREAT POWER WITHIN YOU.
Ephesians 1:19- Thank God for His strength in you, for it’s the same measure of strength that was used to raise Christ from the dead and seated Him in heaven.
EPHESIANS 2
YOU ARE ALIVE WITH HIM BECAUSE OF GRACE.
Ephesians 2:4 But because of His great love, He made us alive with Him. When we were dead in transgressions, He saved us by GRACE.
HIS GRACE IS A TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD.
Ephesians 2:6 He seated us in the heavenly realms with Christ, so that He might show the world His GRACE, expressed in His kindness to us.
THANK HIM FOR GRACE DAILY. HOURLY.
Ephesians 2:8-9 He saved us by grace through faith. Thank Him for this gift daily.
WE ARE GOD’S MASTERPIECE, CREATED TO DO GOOD WORKS.
Ephesians 2:10 We are God’s handiwork! God prepared in advance that we should do good works, for His glory.
GOD IS OUR PEACE, AND OUR EXAMPLE OF HIS PLAN FOR PEACE.
Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace. He destroyed barriers and walls of hostility, when He set aside the law and made a way for GRACE.
ACT AS THOUGH HEAVEN IS YOUR HOME, NOT EARTH.
Ephesians 2:19 We are fellow citizens with God and His household. Christ as the cornerstone. The whole building together a holy temple in the Lord.
YOUR BODY IS THE VERY DWELLING PLACE OF GOD. ARE YOU TREATING IT LIKE IT IS?
Ephesians 2:22 Your very body is a temple and dwelling place for the Spirit of God to live.
EPHESIANS 3
APPROACH GOD OFTEN AND WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE.
Ephesians 3:12 We may approach God with freedom and confidence because of His great grace in which He saved us.
PRAY DAILY FOR HIS STRENGTH.
Ephesians 3;16 Pray daily to be strengthened by the Spirit of God which lives in you.
HIS GREAT LOVE AND MERCY TRUMPS EVEN KNOWLEDGE.
Ephesians 3:17-19 By submitting to God and becoming strengthened by Him, we can learn of His great love and mercy which trumps even knowledge so that we may be filled to the measure with the fullness of God.
GOD IS ABLE TO DO FAR ABOVE WHAT OUR FUTILE MINDS CAN EVEN IMAGINE. BELIEVE THAT HE IS ABLE, BECAUSE HE IS.
Ephesians 3:20 Trust that God is able. Able to do far above that which we ask or think, remembering that His great love and power trumps knowledge and understanding.
ALWAYS GIVE GOD THE GLORY, THROUGHOUT ALL GENERATIONS.
Ephesians 3:21 Give Him the glory, always, throughout all generations. Never stop giving Christ the glory.
EPHESIANS 4
LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF YOUR CALLING.
Ephesians 4:1 Don’t live as children of the darkness, but light.
GOD’S LOVE SHOULD BE OUR EXAMPLE. WE SHOULD WEAR HIS GRACE AND HUMILITY MORE THAN JEWELS.
Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble, gentle and patient based on God’s love.
STRIVE FOR PEACE WITHIN THE BODY.
Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Don’t be an instrument of division and hostility.
USE YOUR GIFTS DAILY!
Ephesians 4:7 God gave grace as He imparted gifts to His people to better the body of Christ. Use your gifts daily!
YOU BENEFIT THE BODY WHEN YOU USE YOUR GIFTS.
Ephesians 4:12 That by using your gifts, you build up the body, and glorify God.
MATURE! DON’T STAY BABIES.
Ephesians 4:15 Grow in maturity; don’t stay infants.
DON’T LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.
Ephesians 4:17-18 This will cloud your mind with darkness and harden your hearts to the light of God in your life.
PRACTICE PUTTING OFF THE THINGS OF THE FLESH, AND PUTTING ON THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
Ephesians 4:22-24 Put off the old ways. Renew your thoughts. Put on and practice the ways of righteousness.
DON’T GIVE HIM A FOOTHOLD.
Ephesians 4:27 DON’T GIVE THE DEVIL A FOOTHOLD IN YOUR LIFE.
ONLY WORDS THAT EDIFY AND BUILD UP OTHERS PLEASE.
Ephesians 4:29- Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what lifts others up and helps them according to their needs
DON’T GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Ephesians 4:30 Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
GET RID OF ALL FLESHLY BEHAVIORS AND MANNERISMS.
Ephesians 4;31- Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, fighting, slander, and malice.
FOLLOW CHRIST’S EXAMPLE.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another, just as Christ did for you.
EPHESIANS 5
WALK IN LOVE.
Ephesians 5:1 Follow God’s example and walk in love.
FIND NO SCENT OF SEXUAL SIN ON YOU.
Ephesians 5:3 Sexual sins, impurity, greed should not even be named among God’s people. Not even a scent of it! No obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joking. Instead, we should be thankful people speaking thanksgiving life words.
PLEASE GOD.
Ephesians 5:8-10- Live as children of the light. Find out what pleases God, and do it.
DON’T WASTE YOUR GOD-GIVEN TIME.
Ephesians 5:15-16- Be wise. Make the most of your time. Don’t waste it.
DON’T BE DRUNK.
Ephesians 5:18- Don’t be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.
SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER IN SONGS OF THE SPIRIT.
Ephesians 5:19- Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit.
WIVES SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS.
Ephesians 5:22- Wives submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord.
HUSBAND LOVE YOUR WIVES AS YOU LOVE YOUR OWN BODY.
Ephesians 5:25-29 Husband love your wives as Christ loves the church and died for it. Love her as your own body.
EPHESIANS 6
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THE VALUE OF OBEYING THEIR PARENTS.
Ephesians 6:1- Teach your children to respect and obey their parents
FATHERS, DON’T TIRE YOUR CHILDREN OUT, BUT TEACH THEM THE INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD.
Ephesians 6:4- Fathers, bring your children up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
BE STRONG IN THE LORD, NOT THE VAIN STRENGTH OF THE WORLD.
Ephesians 6:10- Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
REMEMBER TO DRESS IN THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD.
Ephesians 6:11- Put on the full armor of God, so you can stand against the devil’s tricks.
OUR STRUGGLE IS SUPERNATURAL. DON’T TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
Ephesians 6:12- Understand that our struggle is supernatural.
PRAY ALL THE TIME.
Ephesians 6:18- Pray always. Do everything to be alert. Pray for God’s people constantly.
PRAY FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL LEADERS.
Ephesians 6:19- Pray for your spiritual leaders that God would give them the words to say, without fear, and with boldness.
I hope this breakdown was helpful to you. Feel free to print it out and put it on your fridge as a reminder. Share it. This information is vitally important in our individual walk, but also tot he body of Christ as a whole! Walk as children of the light today!
