Ephesians 6:21-24

Scripture: Ephesians 6:21-24
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.

22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.

23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Observations:

Much like Tychicus, God sent you ladies into my life to encourage me! So thank you, dear sisters in the Lord!

Application:

I can think of several people today that need my encouragement. I hope to make it my "very purpose" to do so. 

Prayer:
Father, use each woman in this group to be a voice of encouragement. Help us to portray your grace. With undying love, we praise You! In Christ's name, amen.

Ephesians 6:16-20

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-20 

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

19 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,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Observations:
Whenever I open my mouth, I want to be fearless and efficient. Not just saying what is hard to say, but saying it in a way that reveals the truth and grace of Christ! Yes, please!

Application:
What flaming arrows is the evil one attacking me with? How can my faith shield me from them? Is it my past? Guilt? Worry? Is he telling me that I'm unhappy or lacking? Is he saying that I'm unloved? All those are untrue and void because of Jesus. Our faith shield needs to be held up. When we set it down we get hit.  All the armor we've put on is defensive except for the sword. The word of God is our weapon, our way of fighting back. When we know it, share it, speak it, sing it, read it, pursue it, and live it, we are taking a swing and a stab at Satan.

Prayer:
Jesus, help us to be fearless warriors for You. Women of prayer and strength. Women who don't fall for Satan's lies. Women who use our words not to hurt others, but to make Your grace evident. Help us to hold up our shields of faith. Encourage our hearts to pursue You with renewed vigor. Unfold the hearts of our loved ones and friends, and help us to be bold and talk about You. All these things we ask in Your holy name, amen.

Ephesians 6:10-15

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-15
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Observations:
Verse 10 is my verse today! I'm at work all alone and I'm gonna be strong in the Lord! He's gonna get me through it :) I really love that verse 12 defines our struggle. We aren't struggling against our own flesh and blood, or other people. We are struggling against the devil! He's the enemy! Not our fellow sinners, and not our body. It makes it easier to be loving toward others when we realize people aren't our enemy. It's the dark forces that influence them. There's a lot of darkness, and we do need to be strong and empowered people of light.

Application:

We are called to be ready and armed to stand. The way to do so is to know the TRUTH that's in the Word, to know that Christ not only died for us, but also LIVED for us, so CHRIST'S righteousness is ours! Also we need to be sprinting peace-makers: patient servants, quick to forgive, slow to anger, careful with our words, selfless with our actions, submitting to others in love. That's a strong soldier for Christ.

Prayer:
Father, help us to be strong today. Strengthen us with Your power, so we can be brave against everything the devil throws our way.  We praise You for Your power and grace, that You forgive us and equip us to stand for You. Grow us in truth, encourage our walks, and help us to be ready to make peace. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 6:5-9

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,
8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
 
Observations:
I love this passage so much. Work consumes so much of my time and effort, and it's so easy to develop a negative, lazy attitude about it! How exciting that there's more to it than a paycheck!!!! GOD in heaven is watching me and He takes note of my work ethic. That makes me that much more motivated to be a light in my workplace, and strive to be a great employee :)
  
Application:
God calls us to be honest, hard-working people! He demands us to be fair. Whether we have a boss or we are the boss, we are supposed to treat people with respect and sincerity. We should be known for how hard we work! And we should take joy in our labor because we're being rewarded so far beyond what this world can offer!!
  
Prayer:
God, let everything we do be for Your glory! Let us have a boost of confidence and energy today as we strive to represent You well! Help us to serve wholeheartedly at whatever tasks we do today! Thank You for your constant presence. We long to do Your will from our hearts, so we ask You to provide the means. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

Ephesians 6:1-4

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2 "Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with a promise--
3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Observations:
It's funny because when I read this (since I don't have kids) I put myself in the children category and think of how I can honor my parents. I'd like to think I've been a good daughter, but I've said some terrible things to my mom before. And with my dad, I've struggled with unforgiveness. I thank God that He makes me new, and gives me hope that even when I feel like I've botched relationships, He reassures me that I can mend them. My mom and I are really close now. I have gotten to the point where I really truly enjoy her and my stepdad's company. She has a talent of saying things that rub me the wrong way,  but I eventually realized everybody's mom does that haha! It's my choice to receive her words knowing she means well and loves me. It's my choice to not be defensive or lash out. I get to practice the fruit of gentleness. With my dad it's another story. He wasn't around to raise me, and it took him a really long time to apologize. It took me even longer to forgive. And when I did forgive, I forgave with conditions of him. "I'll forgive, but now you have to follow through! You have to pursue me! You have to stay in touch!" and that backfired to hurt me more, because he didn't. He's come to visit this year and I struggled with all those mixed emotions. I wrote about it back then here if you want to see what was going through my mind. We email somewhat regularly. I get to see him again next month. It's a work in progress :) Good thing God is in charge, otherwise it'd never get done.

Application:
We are called to honor imperfect people whom we know well. We know their flaws, and they raised us, so they really know our flaws. God's design for family is beautiful! He carefully places us in families to shape us into who we are. We care for each other and struggle together. It's impossible to be part of a family without learning what it feels like to be wrong and be wronged. Whether we're the parents or the children, the closeness of a family puts a magnifying glass on the ways we fall short. It highlights how much we need Christ in order to be a good parent and child.

Prayer:
Father, You knew exactly what You were doing when You placed me in my family. I'm so thankful that they brought me up knowing You exist. I praise You for each woman in this group, and how You've purposefully placed them in the families they're in. Give them the strength and the wisdom to bring up their children as loving disciples of Christ. Bless their children with every good thing. Help us also to be gentle and graceful daughters, with loving hearts. God we need You to step in and give us patience, courage, and encouragement.  All these things I ask in Christ's name, amen.

Ephesians 5:28-33

Scripture: Ephesians 5:28-33
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--
30 for we are members of his body.
31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
32 This is a a profound mystery-- but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Observations:

Husbands are to love and care for wives as their own bodies. They become one flesh, one body to care for. I like the analogy of feeding and caring for the body, since that's something not only necessary but also continuous. It's not something that stops for a time then picks back up. No one stops eating for a month, or bathing for 2 weeks (I hope) and in the same sense, wives shouldn't be ignored. It shows a constant regard, much in the same way that Christ is constantly caring for the church.

Application:

I think it is so applicable to my life TODAY that I'm going through these verses. Tonight I went to the "Discover the Vista" class and became a member of the Vista family. Yay! I've been in THE church, but I'm so blessed by the Vista. God definitely led me here.
God gave us a small-scale example of the union between Christ and the church through marriage. We still need "power to grasp" the concept of being loved so much by Christ, belonging to His body. Oh what love :)

Prayer:
Father, thank You so much for the structure of marriage. Help us to grasp how much You love us and how Jesus sustains the church. God I praise You for bringing me to this community and plugging me into this group. Bless and strengthen these ladies and their families. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 5:21-27

Scripture: Ephesians 5: 21-27

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

27 and present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Observations:
Oh to be a radiant bride! Not like the WE TV shows with the platinum weddings or say yes to the dress, but a holy bride. Radiant because of holiness. A wife of noble character like Proverbs 31. A verse I love is "she brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life" Prov 31:12... I think that defines submission in a different way. Not just "I'll let you lead" but to strive to bring someone only good, regardless of the situation. What I've learned about myself is that my words can be just like sticks and stones. God is refining me and teaching patience as I wait.
        

Application:
The more we submit to God, the better we'll be at submitting to others. How are we submitting to God? That will reflect exactly how we are submitting to husbands and to others. Are we taking control? Are we worrying ourselves sick? Are we despairing? Are we cold? Are we harsh? Are we impatient? Are we angry? The root cause and core of those problems is usually how much we're seeking God, how much we're praying, how much we're surrendering to Him, and how much we acknowledge who is in control. I usually sit somewhere between anxious and impatient. What I need, I have in Him. I know it, but it needs to sink in deeper.

Prayer:
Father, we submit our lives to You. You know best! You loved us first. You've never failed us, yet we hold on so tightly to all these fears and worries. We let the world convince us we are inadequate. We let Satan whisper that we aren't happy, that we're lacking so much. God, You always provide. You always comfort. Encouraged by Your power, help us submit our lives to You. Show us how to be better wives, mothers, friends, daughters, and disciples. I pray we are able to bring good, not harm, to all the people You've put in our lives. Help us to workout those deep-rooted issues that rot away at the core of our relationships. You are sovereign. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

Ephesians 5:15-20

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-20
15 Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise,

16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observations:

This is a great warning for me, followed by great encouragement. To be very careful how I represent Christ to others, and not to waste my time here acting a fool. I've been plenty foolish before, and to my shame. But He calls me to let God fill into every single aspect of my life and to seek out His will. My speech, what I sing, my everyday moments should all be dedicated to the Lord.

Application:
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. It's so amazing how worshiping God can drastically affect our outlook. It takes our eyes away from our problems and focuses them on Christ.  Whether it's a mountain or a molehill, when we choose to sing through it, God gets the glory. He's listening riiiight now! What song is your heart singing to Him? :) mine is "Beautiful Things" by Gungor. My prayer is the link to this song.
 

Prayer:
 

Ephesians 5:8-14

Scripture: Eph 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful to even mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
   "Wake up, O sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
  and Christ will shine on you."

Observations:
I was definitely once in darkness! It makes me so sad to think back at the words I've said in anger. How many times has my life not pleased the Lord, yet He still considers me His child. I think one of God's biggest blessings to us as believers is that He does make everything visible. He opens our eyes to these deeds of darkness and encourages us to rise from the dead.

Application:
AND FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD!! By reading, praying, and earnestly seeking Him, we can find out what pleases the Lord. He reveals to me new things that do and don't please Him. For example, I was going to see "Bad Teacher" with a friend, and I just got a sinking feeling about it since it's R rated. I texted my friend and said "hey can we please watch Zookeeper instead?" and it's PG. She said okay and we went. The movie was cute and we laughed SO much. It was innocent. I left the theater feeling light, not guilty. I found out yesterday that my choice pleased the Lord :) it's a really good feeling, pleasing the King.
 
Prayer:
Father, we love you so much, and out of love we seek to please You.  I pray you help us to find out what pleases You! With our attitudes, our choices, our words, and how we relate to others. Help us to live as children of light. In Christ's name I pray, Amen!

Ephesians 5:1-7

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-7
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
 
Observations:
Not even a HINT! I feel like when I go to the movies, I am covering my eyes and some parts of movies just straight-up shock me. Ahh! It scares me how much we tolerate, and we accept a hint here and there. It's sad that even some kids movies now have innuendos thrown in "for the parents"...
 
Application:
How am I allowing hints of immorality to seep through? In high school, I had to throw out all my cds and start over when I became a follower of Christ. I let music be that thing I turned to and ALL of it at the time was just UNGODLY. Angry, coarse, foolish, immoral. I told everyone, even all my friends, that from then on I only listened to christian music. It was a big change. My favorite band prior to this was Disturbed (no need to google it, just trust me, it's disturbing!).

Over college, I was able to branch out a little bit and not be so strict and legalistic with myself (she's gone country), but still, with music that I purchased, I made sure the content was fitting. For a while, also in high school, I wouldn't watch even pg13 movies. I guarded myself a lot back then, and it makes me think that I was really onto something. We develop a thick filter as mature believers and we stop having that "ooooh I'm telling!" reaction to wrong/immoral/impure things. We just take it. Garbage in, garbage out.
 
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all say "if I'm listening to music, I'm listening to music for the glory of God" and "if I'm watching this movie, I'm watching this movie for the glory of God" and "if I'm having this conversation, I'm having this conversation for the glory of God" and "if I'm spending/storing up this money, I'm spending/storing up this money for the glory of God" .... oh to be in the world but not be of the world.
 
Prayer:
Lord, help us to keep our eyes on You as we make decisions. Help us to recognize when something is out of place for us as believers. Build us up to be holy people, ambassadors of Your grace, discerning and wise, loving to unbelievers but not influenced by them, giving and truly caring for those in need, in full control of our words, submitting our actions to Your approval. We love You and praise You with thankful hearts. In Christ's name, amen.