04/10 Ephesians 4:23-24
Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. 24 You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness — righteous, holy, and true.
FREED
Jesus equips us to be a new person. We have to claim this as we live our daily life. I now have a choice. I am no longer dead in my trespasses and sin, instead I am alive in Christ Jesus and have full access to His power and strength. Jesus changes me. I appropriate those changes in the way I live.
Category - Devotionals
04/09 Ephesians 4:19-22
They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. 20 But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, 22 throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.
DISCIPLINE
Change requires discipline. I must live moment by moment under Christ’s control not constantly evaluating whether I will live like Jesus or the world. Stop living like the world. Start living like Jesus. It takes a commitment to Christ to do this by faith and to let the Lord equip us to live by faith.
04/08 Ephesians 4:17
With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
LIFE
Your life is hidden in Christ with God. You are a miracle and you have been bought with a price. Jesus paid that price. He gives us our marching orders and lines out how we should live. Live like Jesus. That is the call-FOLLOW HIM.
04/07 Ephesians 4:16
Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
REJOICE
You are a unique creation. Jesus created you to be you. All of us serve. Some teach. Some preach. Some help. We do a lot of similar things and some of our gifts that we exercise are showier than others. Remember each one of us is unique and that Jesus has a plan for our life.
04/06 Ephesians 4:14-15
Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
CHANGE
Change is also a lifetime process. I need to change. I need to change a lot. Lord help me to change and become more like Jesus. Change will be difficult. Change will sometimes be painful. Change will bring great joy to Jesus as we become more like Him.
04/05 Ephesians 4:10-13
The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe. 11 He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13 until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
GROW
Growth is a process and we need to grow. No matter how mature we think we are we still need to grow. Are you teachable? Sometimes failure helps us to understand the things we need to develop in our life. When someone criticizes you don’t be offended. Thank them for sharing their thoughts with you and then go to the Lord and see if there is something you need to learn or do. Grow-it is a lifetime responsibility.
04/04 Ephesians 4:7-9
However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This means that Christ first came down to the lowly world in which we live.
VALUE
We have value not because of what we do or who we are but because of whom we belong to. Jesus is Lord and HE loves each one of us as if there were no other of us. He came down to us here on Earth and lived under the same conditions we live under and yet without sin. He was fully God and fully man and I don’t understand that except that I know Jesus loves me.
04/03 Ephesians 4:4-6
We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. 5 There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
CHRIST
Christ is all and in all. He is the focus of our life. He is our Creator and our future is with Jesus. There is a unity of the church to the unity of Christ and the Father. We are one in Jesus. He has called us, He will never let us go, and He will make sure that we make it to Him. Once this life ends our new life in Christ and with Christ begins but right now He is here with us.
04/02 Ephesians 4:2
Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Always keep your selves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.
ACT
Do you treat your family like you treat friends? It is important how we act. Family is important and we help them, make allowances for them and love them. A Christian is in the family of God. Treat your fellow Christian as a family member for they are. We are in God’s family and are called to be humble, gentle, patient and loving.
04/01 Ephesians 4:1
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
CALLED
We often think that only preachers or other church workers are called of God. You were dead in your trespasses and sin and are now a child of God. You are called of God. The Lord gave you a new heart and a new life, you have been born again. Your life counts with the Lord. Claim your heritage for you are called of God.