Completion – It Is A Process

Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

With the coming end of 2020, there is one promise from Scripture that we all can take comfort in, as Paul stated in his letter to his dear friends in the church at Philippi. God has a divine and specific purpose for you and will complete what He has begun within you. “God will faithfully continue the process of maturing you and will put his finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Philip. 1:6 TPT. Becoming mature in the Lord does not happen overnight. It does not occur instantly because it is a process that takes place inside our hearts and mind and continues until we see Jesus face-to-face.

When Saul was chasing David down, David fled into a cave and prayed, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2. David did not take revenge upon Saul, for he knew that God’s provision would be to remove Saul eventually. Then again in Psalm 138:8, David praises God for His constant care and protection and sang, “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of your hands.” Paul, in Ephesians 1:6, echoes this verse, of God’s sustaining power over our lives.

God gave me a recent reminder that He is compassionate, faithful, and will fulfill His purpose for me even within my work. He will bring completion through His divine and appointed circumstances, proving His attributes of goodness, faithfulness, presence, defender, counselor, wisdom, merciful, sustainer, and redeemer in an impossible situation. I had that experience just last week. God took a significant and unpleasant conflict that occurred with my second-largest customer and turned it into a miraculous provision for another customer of mine that was not even in my top 20 in the ranking of sales. When I read an email this man sent me on a Tuesday at 8:00 PM, I could not believe my eyes! He rarely answers my emails or phone calls, and here he was reaching out to me! He asked to buy the very product that my number two customer had piling up in our warehouse because their machine broke down and would not be up and running again until July, so their shipments had to be diverted to our warehouse and take up warehouse space, adding to the cost of the product. That was a God moment of an astounding answer to prayer that I could have never imagined happening in partially alleviating and providing the perfect solution.

Do you have a child that you thought you had trained up in the way they should go (Prov. 22:6) when they were young, but you are not currently seeing it lived out? Ask God to give you a glimpse of how God is completing His excellent work in your child by His presence, provision, and protection in their life. Pray that he or she will have a sensitive and open heart and mind to the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Then thank God for His faithfulness.

How has God been working in your life this past year? God is doing a work in and through your life, and it will not be completed until Christ returns. God is still at work in completing the process of maturing you in Christ through His provision, protection, and presence in your life, and that takes time. So don’t miss God’s point in developing you into becoming a better person, turning your weak points into strengths, in setting you in His process of completion for His glory. Remember, God knows you by name (Isa. 43:1). “God has a whole lot invested in you. He’s chosen you. He’s redeemed you.  He’s training you – and He’s going to perfect that which He’s begun, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes.” Jon Courson. Application Commentary.

“This is the competitive advantage you possess in your life. It is Christ in you, teaching you how to pray, transforming you as you read His Word (Rom. 12:1-2), instructing you with the wisdom you ask Him for, and walking with you everywhere you go!” Linda Killian, Eliminating The Greener Grass Trap. Quitting The Habit Of Comparisons. Chapter 21, “Let It Go!” Pages 145-146.

Listen to Natalie Grant – Face To Face (Official Music Video) 8/18/20.

A Trigger To Pray – With Joy

Philippians 1:3-5, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Even though Paul was chained in prison and awaiting his trial in Rome, physically separated from the Christians in Philippi, he repaid their love, generosity, and kindness they had shown him by praying for these devoted followers, pastors, and servant-leaders. Paul gave God thanks for them in his prayers, and he tells them he did so with great joy. Instead of merely thinking about his situation, he spent time thinking about others and praying for them. Paul’s relationship with these believers went deeper than only having coffee and dessert together. Every memory of the people in the church in Philippi gave Paul joy which channeled Paul’s nurturing instincts to intercessory prayer for them on their behalf.

Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote the letter to the Philippians church, ten years after this church was established (during Paul’s secondary missionary journey). Do you remember anyone in your life that made a lasting impression back in 2010 on your life? Do you remember what things were on your prayer list ten years ago? I don’t know that I do. But notice Paul’s keen recollection of these believers in the book of Philippians. Paul had invested his life in these people and his love for them he never forgot.

Estimates range Rome and Philippi were 700 to 1200 miles apart. Yet, distance did not hinder the fellowship and partnership in the gospel the Philippians and Paul had for one another. Paul still had joy overflowing for these dear Christian friends who had partnered with him to spread the gospel through their financial support and friendship.

Write out a list of people who have blessed you by making an impression and encouraged you in your walk with the Lord. Think of who has contributed to giving you joy at a time in your life that gave provision, their presence, and helped encourage you in some way. Pray for each one of them in thanksgiving to the Lord. Pause and reflect on the memory of how God has blessed you through this person. Send them a note by email or text thanking them. You will be giving them a far more generous gift than anything that can be bought on a store shelf or Amazon. Share your prayer of joy for how they have been a blessing to you. You will then be applying The Message version words of Philippians 1:3-4, “Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart.”

Dear reader, thank you for blessing me by reading my devotional thoughts and writings on the verse and portion of scripture I am studying for the week. You have blessed me with joy from the Lord that flows deep within my heart, and for that, I proclaim thanks to God, and I thank you with joy, overflowing! “My prayers for you are full of praise to God as I give him thanks for you with great joy!” Philippians 1:3-4 from The Passion Translation.

Listen to Phil Wickham’s Song In My Soul with lyrics.

Chains Broken

Philippians 1:1-2, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The book of Philippians’ Paul wrote to encourage his close friends, in Philippi (a city in present-day Greece), in their faith while he was yet in prison, in Rome. In these four chapters, Paul mentions joy, rejoicing, or gladness nineteen times. Yet Paul was a political prisoner and being executed was a possibility he was aware might happen. Paul lived out the truth that inner joy is not related to or dependent on happiness. Contentment, peace, serenity can only come from knowing Christ personally and relying on His strength rather than our own. Paul looked at his circumstances through Christ. He helped strengthen other Christians, embraced new opportunities to lead others to salvation even while in prison, and was enabled to defend the gospel before the courts of Rome.

Since Paul was a Roman prisoner, he knew his case was coming up shortly before Caesar. He could be acquitted or beheaded (Acts 28:30-31). He was chained to a Roman soldier and was not permitted to preach the gospel in public so he did it right where God had him living, in prison.

Paul’s intent and desire was to go to Rome as a minister of the gospel but arrived as a prisoner. Doors slammed shut more than once for Paul during his ministry. Earlier, God shut the door to Asia for Paul, and he then realized that Europe was where God wanted him to go instead, which is where the Philippian church came about to be during Paul’s second missionary journey recorded in Acts 16:1-40.

To make matters worse, some of the believers at Rome were for Paul, and others were against him (Philippians 1:15-17) out of jealousy of his apostolic power, authority, success and tremendous giftedness. Yet, despite all of that, Paul maintained a continual spirit of joy. How was Paul able to do that? What was his secret?

Paul knew that it all takes place in our thought processes. Paul used the word mind ten times, and he used the word think five times in his letter to the Philippians. Remember was also stated by Paul as well, which equals a total of sixteen references to the mind.  “Philippians, then, is a Christian psychology book, based solidly on Bible doctrine. It is not a shallow self-help book that tells the reader how to convince himself that “everything is going to turn out all right.” It is a book that explains the mind the believer must have if he is going to experience Christian joy in a world filled with trouble.” Be Joyful Even When Things Go Wrong, You Can Have Joy. NT Commentary, Philippians by Warren Wiersbe.

What trial are you currently facing? Who is a guard chained to you withholding your freedom? It might be circumstances, people, things you don’t have and want, or worry. Did you ever think that your circumstances might just work for you rather than against you? The antidote verse to remember is as Paul wrote in Phil. 2:13, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

In Acts 16:25, it states: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds  were unfastened.” There is power in prayer and singing words of worship, to our God! Oh that our prayers and singing praises to our Lord would have that powerful effect!

 As a committed servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, give grace and peace in serving others as God has blessed and delivered to you. You can repay others that have shown kindness to you by praying for them in joy (J-Jesus, O-others, Y-yourself, method) as Paul did for the Philippians. Drink in God’s Word, be listening for His voice, and have it deeply embedded within your mind and thoughts because that is how you will be able to choose joy on purpose, breaking the chains that hold you prisoner, just as Paul, a man of grit, was determined to do.

Listen to Shane and Shane, Is He Worthy (lyrics) 5/11/2019

What Brings Victory When Nothing Else Can

Ephesians 6:19-20, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” NIV.

Think about what was the most recent time you asked someone to pray for you or someone asked you to pray about something for them? Paul was in prison, and he had just brought up that spiritual warfare is an ongoing raging battle that causes stress on every believer. So we all must be alert, persevere, and be strong in the Lord who brings the victory. Paul, the great teacher and spiritual leader, then asked for prayer for himself. Prayer activates the armor and releases all our eternal resources in delivering blessings.

No doubt, Paul had his upcoming defense before Caesar on his mind, yet he did not ask for the readers to pray for that. That was so like Paul. Instead, he asked them to pray for his eloquence and duty in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ during his time in prison. Paul would not neglect his first responsibility to serve Christ and continued his due diligence. He believed he was still an ambassador of the gospel, despite the uncomfortable and unjust situation he had to endure. He remained focused on his eternal reward and calling. Paul was indeed a man of grit. He recognized that he had a captive audience while in prison and that he was right where God intended to have him and use him. Therefore, Paul asked the believers to pray for the gospel to be proclaimed both clearly and with the Holy Spirit’s fearless power given to Paul. He did not want to neglect one or the other. When conflict arises do I recognize God has me right where He intended to have me and use me in molding me more into His likeness and image, or be of service to someone? I would say that is not my perspective normally. How about you?

Do you know what it is like to be ignored, betrayed by a friend, hurt by someone’s words, or crippled with grief over the loss of a loved one? Even if it was unintentional, the enemy will take advantage and whisper lies about those negative occurrences. It is like having the effect of kryptonite working against a weakness within our inner make-up we possess, that then causes us to lose our focus on Christ. That is when our ego is hurt and we feel like a victim.

Being a believer does not make anyone exempt from these assaults. But Paul gives all of us an example of how to pray for others and ourselves, and remembering the necessary spiritual equipment God provides us. Praying God’s Word defeats the enemy. Even Paul asked for prayer for himself.

“Prayer crowns all lawful efforts with success, and gives a victory when nothing else would. No matter how complete the armor; no matter how skilled we may be in the science of war; no matter how courageous we may be, we may be certain that without prayer we shall be defeated. God alone can give the victory; and when the Christian soldier goes forth armed completely for the spiritual conflict, if he looks to God by prayer, he may be sure of a triumph. This prayer is not to be intermitted. It is to be always. In every temptation and spiritual conflict we are to pray. See [Lk 18:1].” (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

 Sufficient adequacy can only come by the power of the Holy Spirit. Be alert by continually praying for spiritual provision, protection, praying in the Spirit, using your shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and acknowledging your security comes from the Captain of your Salvation (Hebrews 2:10). Give God all your thoughts. Then sit in quietness and listen for His response. Prayer makes the armor of God work by stepping into God’s presence. Put your name in the blank: “O ______________, trust in the LORD! He is your help and your shield.” Psalm 115:9. Then tell God, “LORD, listen and be gracious to me; LORD be my helper.” Psalm 30:10 HCSB.

Listen to Merce Me, Word of God Speak, w/Lyrics, March 29, 2016.

The Only One Who Will Never Have Interstate Traveling Restrictions

Ephesians 6:17-18, “And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

When Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, while he was sitting in a Roman prison during 60 – 62 AD, the political and cultural climate had several similarities to ours in 2020. In my research, I found it interesting to discover that the city of Ephesus and Santa Clarita Valley were comparable in size. Many lived in affluent homes with magnificent architecture and split-level construction. The houses were often more extensive than 10,000 square feet. In addition to having a large Jewish population, Greeks, Romans, and a mixture of the entire Mediterranean world settled in Ephesus. Therefore, there was a wide-ranging social acceptance in the name of tolerance (sound familiar, doesn’t it?) and moral depravity, agnostics, and even goddess inspired feminism due to this melting pot of people, again, much like 2020 in our world. Paul ended his letter with admonitions and exhortations on living Christ-like behavior in standing fast and persevering securely in a fallen world.

Paul associated the helmet of Salvation with our head, which holds our mind and all of our thoughts. A soldier would never go into battle without wearing a helmet, which was an essential part of his armor in protecting his head. The enemy tries to disorient our way of thinking pure, right, truthful thoughts within our mind. Receiving Salvation gives us redemption and future eternal benefits. It also restores, protects, and shields us daily from Satan’s attacks to cripple our thinking with discouragement and negative and unhealthy patterns of imagination. Putting on the helmet of Salvation is knowing your identity is found in Christ, and not in your job, your talents, your family, or financial status. That is God’s provision and protection to us in being our shepherd.

In reference to the Sword of the Spirit, which pierces the heart, Jon Courson in his New Testament Application Commentary states: “Machaira, the Greek word translated “sword,” refers not to a big battle sword, but to a small dagger for use in hand-to-hand combat. Rhema, the Greek word translated, “word,” refers not to the Bible, but to an exact, spoken word. Therefore, the idea here is that you’ll have just the right word for the right person at the right time. As you study and meditate upon the full counsel of the written Word of God – the rhema word – the precise word – will come to you the moment you need to do exacting “surgery” regarding any specific situation.” That is our offensive weapon, the “sword of the Spirit”. The word of God is our sword because it is the word of God.  Like the shield of faith and the helmet of Salvation, the sword of the Spirit is always to be ready to be taken up and used at the beginning of every battle. How I need to remember that – at the beginning!

Prayer activates all the spiritual armor we need to put on every day. Prayer in the Spirit is a form of worship and results in close intimacy with our Lord. I may not be able, especially right now, to visit my family that live in the Midwest, but I can speak exacting words to the Lord in prayer on their behalf, using long-range artillery of prayer, and pray for abundance of blessing upon them in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not have restrictions in interstate travel as we currently do (California and states on the East Coast), with COVID. That is a comforting visualization of truth to me, especially now, as tears role down my face in regards to my dad’s current failing health and life.

The MSG version states Ephesians 6:16-18 this way, “Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and Salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”  Praying in the Spirit provides provision and protection and praise God He will never have any interstate traveling restrictions!

Listen to Alive & Breathing by Matt Maher

Edict: Confuse and Cause Panic

Ephesians 6:16, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.

That little word “all” holds a lot of truth in Ephe. 6:16. It means in every circumstance, in every situation, not just some instances. On every occasion, Paul is telling us, “take up the shield of faith” and is represented as a shield, protecting us from those persistent efforts of demonic forces to weaken us through fear, doubts, lies, and unbelief. The piece of protection Paul was referring to, used by front line soldiers, was a large, oblong shield that could protect the whole body. It was two feet wide and four feet long, shaped like a door with two layers of wood fused together, with bulls hide glue, and then the outside surface was covered with canvas, and then leather. The upper and lower edges were bound with iron for strength and durability. When a soldier crouched down, his whole body was completely protected and covered from top to bottom of his body with this shield, besides wearing his other pieces of armor. During combat, in Paul’s time, the idea was to injure the enemy and confuse and cause panic by shooting fiery darts at him on all sides, and above his head, with a massive number of arrows. The strategy was to use confusion and terror, dispel any logical thinking, and install a lack of trust. The same is true for us today.

Think about it. When you are confused and fear sets in, and maybe panic, do you always think logically? Is clarity quickly seen at first glance? When extreme stress and pressure keep mounting, how does it take you out? Was it caused by fear of failure, an insult, receiving feedback of an extreme critical nature, or saying yes to too many things? That is often when anger, sarcasm, envy, cynicism, gossip, pride, doubt, despair, become the natural reaction(s), and every one is a sin. Remember, Satan will use your strengths and weaknesses, interests, and tendencies, to bait, confuse, cause panic by snagging and targeting you, to take you down.  Do you then withdraw from the world in isolation, or do you give in to sensory escapism, such as overeating or other vises? We all can say, unfortunately, and shamefully, been there, done that.

But our shield of faith extinguishes – “all” – every wrong thought, all fearful feelings, imaginations, doubts, and lies, that are hurled at us by Satan and hurls them back. It deflects “all the flaming darts of the evil one” when we take up the shield of faith.

“Active faith is a shield. Faith says less about you and more about what you really believe to be true about God.” Priscilla Shirer. Our shield of faith will extinguish confusion and panic as we believe God is telling us the truth as we read His Word.

What truth did God show you this week? I would love to know what God is doing in your life. You can share by writing your comment(s) below. We are all in this together, in holding onto our shield of faith, to distinguish confusion and panic in our life. I admit, I don’t always make a connection between what God has done in the past and what He is currently doing in my life. But I do know, and have applied this truth, from God’s Word, this very week, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16.

Listen to Casting Crowns – Voice of Truth song.

Being Fit And Prepared For Combat

Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Is it possible for our faith to grow stronger during a time of waiting? Abraham’s did, as Paul stated in Romans 4:20, “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised.” Abraham fully believed God could be relied on to do what he had promised, so he fully trusted and honored God. I must do the same.

Paul quotes, in Ephe. 6:10 of 1 Samuel 30:6, “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” David turned to God, when he heard the people were thinking of stoning him, because they blamed David that their wives, sons, and daughters, were taken captive by the Amalekites (David’s included). Rather than giving into despair and anxiety, David turns to God in worship and prayer (Ps. 56:3-4). That is how David remained strong in his Christian walk. Then David, under God’s direction, ends up rescuing the people. But he first turned to God, gave God the glory, and spent one-on-one time with God before going into battle – so must I.

How do you strengthen yourself in the Lord and become a leader, leading like Jesus did? Leading like Jesus is a day by day assignment in intentionally focusing on Jesus and having a deep commitment to Him, rather than being overly self-focused. I need to check myself if I am overthinking how I am doing, how I feel, and how I am being treated. I have been learning, that in my Leadership Voice style, that is the natural tendency, plus having a strong, self critical nature. There needs to be a balance. When I don’t feel good about myself, I need to turn back to the love of God, draw near to Him, and the support of Christian friends.

We need to remind ourselves that “life is not an encounter group. Life is not a bonding meeting. Life is not a playground. Life is a battleground.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, New Testament.

It all goes back to getting back to the basics – follow Jesus and do what He has told you to do. I need to have a balanced life and not get into extremes, and keep examining whether my strength in Christ is increasing or decreasing? Am I relying on the Lord’s strength and power and then becoming a doer of His work, or too easily give up?

God has given me, and each believer, a full set of equipment to use in the battle against the enemy of God. Remember, on the cross of Christ, demonic powers were stripped of their power to accuse Christians before God (Colossians 2:15). Yet they still exist to incite evil, because they know that their time is short (Rev. 12:12). But putting on every day our spiritual armor, the whole armor of God, gives us the shield of righteousness to be fully armed in being fit and prepared for combat, all in God’s strength and power as we walk in victory, in applying our faith, found in the truths of His Word.

Listen to Toby Mac’s, Move (Keep Walking) (Lyric Video)

Buying Up Opportunities Like A Shrewd Business Person

Ephesians 5:15-17, “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.”

Put your name in Ephesians. 5:15-17, in the blanks: “_______________ look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. __________________, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Doesn’t that make these verses in Ephesians 5 more personal? God speaks to us in His Word, and He spoke to me this week in these verses. I do not want to be foolish. Does it prompt any opportunities that come to mind for Christ, throughout your day, in your mind?

David Guzik, in his commentary in the Blue Letter Bible, says, “The idea behind redeeming the time is that you buy up opportunities like a shrewd businessman. You make the most of every opportunity for Jesus Christ.” I need to do that better. I need to be more aware of opportunities to shine the light in pointing people to Christ throughout my workday. That is how I can be an imitator of God and seize the opportunity to apply Christian principles, I believe and know, in every situation that comes into my day.

Paul pointed out that “the days are evil.” No one can dispute that! Indeed we see it all around us more and more. No state in the U.S. is exempt, as no other foreign country is exempt as well. The days are evil; how I would love to sit and have coffee with Paul and discuss this with him. He would have so much to say and would remind me of what he wrote in Romans 1:21-22, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.”

But we have the whole Word of God to give us wisdom, guidance, knowledge, and comfort. The church people at Ephesus did not, they only had Paul’s letter to them. We have the truth right in our hands in understanding what the will of the Lord is by having the Old Testament and the New Testament. It comes from the knowledge we receive from reading His Word and the Holy Spirit filling us in imparting its truth into our mind and heart. So as I am reading God’s Word and applying it to my life, I will not be foolish and unwise. Paul summarized his earlier statements in reminding and admonishing us to walk worthy, walk in the light, walk wisely, and keep in step with the Spirit.

Chuck Swindoll has said, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Some weeks are more challenging than others, aren’t they?

Yes, the days are dark, and they are evil. Christ’s return is sooner today than it was yesterday. But we need to be redeeming the time for Christ’s return, like a shrewd person in business deals, diligently using every opportunity to glorify God, because our eternal assets reside in Heaven, not on this earth.

When walking, or exercising, or even while standing in line at the grocery store, pray about things and people that come to mind. Bring the Lord into every aspect of your life, using your time wisely.

Listen to Danney Gokey’s Only Jesus (Live)

Specific Practical Action Steps Needed

Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

What does it mean for you to be an imitator of God? What does that look like to you? I have been asking myself that question all week. What steps do I need to take, as a follower of Christ, to then be a better and graceful emulator of God’s ways, in showing love to others better? What else is needed?

Paul didn’t say, “Think about God” or “Analyze how God is to be admired.” No, he called us to practical action steps to take, going beyond our natural tendencies and reactive styles and leadership voices. We are to be loving, humble, forgiving unconditionally, truthful, showing kindness, and not to sin when giving in to anger, in being imitators of God’s holiness in all of our conduct as we submit to the Holy Spirit’s influence in our lives.

I need to remind myself how important it is to show compassion and appreciation to others when it is not my natural reaction during heated communication times of disagreement on topics of conversation. Each one of us can be right and yet wrong at the same time. I need to have more patience and not overthink things. I also need to take time each day to encourage someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve it and show undeserved forgiveness., which is the supreme evidence of God’s love. That would be becoming an imitator of God and reflecting His character better. That is where I need growth. What is your area you need to grow in being an imitator of God?

Don’t you relish when someone shows kindness to you or your children? Paul had just stated to the church at Ephesus in Ephe. 4:32 that they needed to be kind to one another. Showing kindness requires being sensitive to others’ feelings and not holding grudges because you forgive quickly, just as God has forgiven you. Matthew 5:7 declares, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Falling into passive-aggressiveness, during times of stress, would be squelched when truly being an imitator of God. Our thoughts and behavior should always be guided by this vision.

When you feel like you need a much deserved time out, a time to think and re-evaluate things, focus on all God has done for you, taking time to slow down and recalibrate your mind and heart with His. Then we can say to others, “God did something in my life, and I have to tell you about it!”

The Message version says it this way of Ephe. 5:1-2, “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.”

Listen to Kari Jobe and Codi Karnes, song The Blessing (Lyrics), 3/18/2020.

Hard Questions To Answer

Ephesians 4:31-32, “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, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

I think we all are weary and fed up with all of the perpetual fault-finding, arguing, and hatred spewing forth in our political scene and in the news, these past few months. But what about within our own Christian circles when we point fingers and make slanderous accusations within the body of Christ? Paul saw a problematic, on-going, and hurtful situation within the church at Ephesus and spent many sentences warning and calling out the sin of anger in all of the various forms it comes out as, such as a brooding, smoldering, grudge-filled attitudes. Forgiveness is in sharp contrast to bitterness and malice, and is a safeguard for our emotional stability and mental health. Intimacy and closeness with Jesus is all based on forgiveness (Matt. 6:14,15) and showing kindness.

In various dictionaries, I found that the word “bitterness” was defined as a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will. Smoldering resentfulness was listed. Webster’s dictionary stated the meaning of “bitterness” involved, “A state of extreme impiety or enmity to God; tending to draw persons to apostasy.” This shows how dangerous the sin of bitterness is as it heads the list of the other sins that Paul names in Ephe. 4:31-32.

Wrath” has to do with rage and often has to do with the moment’s passion.

Anger” starts out internally and pours out from internal hostility.

Clamor” is strife out of control.

What about “slander?” Why doesn’t that sin get much attention in our Christian circles compared to the other sins? Is it because of having a lack of humility which turns into pride and arrogance? I think of what Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 3:4, “For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?” Paul was disappointed in the Corinthian Christians that were having divisive behavior and acting out of jealousy. Paul was clear that he was a servant of Christ, as was Apollos, as was Peter. “For we are God’s fellow workers.” The results are all left in God’s hand of grace and power, and God used all. The question to be answered is are you, am I, following Jesus above any other person?

Am I able to put Ephe. 4:31-32 into practice when I have been wronged or someone in my family has been unjustly treated? I have my responsibility and God has His divine responsibility. I take comfort in Romans 12:19 that declares, “Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the LORD.” I will admit there is an instance I am praying for God to do just that currently. I have given God a specific amount I would like to see Him do, to be received provisionally, from a wrongful financially hurting situation caused for a family member of mine that is just plain wrong.

Too often I feel “they” need to pay for what they have done (not just for this current situation), in any instance that causes me loss, pain, and heartache. Do you? But what is the command, the fact, stated in these verses to apply? What character traits of God are shown here? Looking in the mirror, am I reflecting those same characteristics? What do I need to remove from my thoughts, my heart, when what I have sincerely done, and is my best effort, is misinterpreted and criticized wrongly, or maybe not even acknowledged? Have my words or thoughts then hurt the Holy Spirit? Those are hard questions to answer.

As the Amplified Bible’s version of Ephesians 4:31-32 states, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor (perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding) and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice (all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence). Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted (compassionate, understanding), forgiving one another (readily and freely), just as God in Christ also forgave you.”

Listen to Danny Gokey’s song Love God, Love People, July 23, 2020, (lyrics).