Passage of the Day:
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold, Ephesians 4:17-27.
Reflection:
If you own a study Bible, the subtitle above this passage says something like “Instructions for Christian Living.” As a man, I tend to skip instructions unless I struggle to put something together. Perhaps, a similar method is used by new Christians who aren’t sure where to start reading or how to study the Bible. The call for spiritual mindful instructions by the apostle Paul is to avoid falling back into bad habits of your past. If you want to life for Christ, this requires putting to death former sinful practices and replacing these with the teachings of Jesus.
Prayerful Actions:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, Galatians 2:20.
Renewing Your Mind:
One of the mistakes new Christians often make is not knowing when to take the Bible figuratively or literally. When the apostle Paul uses expressions like crucified or put to death, he’s referring to instructions for your mind as a new follower of Christ. This mindset involves a renewing of your mind with words of the Bible so that spiritual conviction will result in cutting ties with your former way of life. This includes any actions, behaviors, choices or deed which go against biblical teaching.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
One of the choruses of the attached song talks about stop playing games with God. The Christian life is full of trial or error, trying to undo addictive habits and desires. Unfortunately, knowing the Bible doesn’t always result in change. Therefore, take baby steps if you need to until the mindful instructions of the Bible slowly transform you into the person that God desires.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 