Ephesians 4

Last night I was really saddened and had a lot of anger about people and just was not enjoying my life. I was not turning to God I was just dwelling in my anger. Then I decided to find God answer in the Word and I found it in Ephesians 4. It really struck my heart perfectly. There is so much depth and truth in this passage that I think many christians often ignore. Paul has been humbled, He is literally in chains for the gospel and I am sure it sickens him that other professing christians go on sinning and not repenting of their ways. The people are not fully living for Christ or turning their ways to Him. Imagine Paul's sadness with all that is in the world after Jesus came to save the people. I love how he says bearing with one another in love. It's not always easy to stick by people or have them in our lives but it is so important to do it in love and have the love from God enable us to love others. It is definitely not easy but God commands us to do it. He doesn't tell us to turn against people or to be rude to them if they are believers or not, He tells us to love them. I believe when we are humbled it is so much easier to love people and support them. Because we know we aren't perfect and neither are they. We are all made in Gods image but are not perfect. When we are connected to the spirit and have God dwelling in us it gives us a peace and allows His light to shine through us. There is only one God but He is a great one and He came to save us. He died for our sins and people thought they were destroying them but instead they brought Him to the highest place He could go. Jesus died to take away our sins but also to give us gifts and bless us more as if taking away death for us isn't enough! God loves us more than we even know. Christ knew that we needed saved and people needed to know how deep our Fathers love for us is. Him dying gave us the spirit to be able to tell others about Him and spread the word of God. Not so we can be selfish and keep it to ourselves but so that everyone can know about Him and become mature in Christ. As believers we are constantly yearning to know more about Him and reach Him. Through His death we can be content and be strong in our faith and not easily deceived by satan. We will walk in Him and for Him and that is our whole life's purpose. When people are rude to us or not acting as followers of Christ should it can be very very hard to love and forgive. But instead when we turn to God, He gives us the power to forgive and act in love and not dwell in anger and sadness. He gives us the words to speak and the love in our hearts. When we do this we become more like God. We make God angry with our sin but because His love is so deep for us He forgives us. We can not worship God without loving each other. If there is resentment or hate in our hearts we can't teach others about God or build each other up. We need to all work together to be united in Christ and teach others about Him. If believers are fighting what kind of witness is that to nonbelievers? We will have problems but we have to obtain strength from God to reconcile that in our hearts. We can't let sin take over our lives and as verse 18 says garden our hearts. It is very easy to go into darkness but our faith has to be stronger than our flesh and fight the temptation. When we give into sin we choose it over God and mix our hearts with the world and allow satan to attack. But if we say no and keep saying no we will be stronger in our faith and won't even feel it as much when he attacks anymore. Jesus didn't come to save us to let us keep sinning and then ask for forgiveness. He came to have us die to our old selves and be born new again. This time without sin and into a path of righteousness. Fighting the good fight. In this God changes out mind and the way we think and how we act and love others. Maybe in the past we would swear or drink or have hateful thoughts toward others but God refreshes us and puts in us His spirit! 

“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (Ephesians 4:26 NIV). Don't let anger lead you away from God or to sin. This is such a wonderful verse. My anger has caused me to have hateful thoughts and just giving up and not loving and gossiping about other people but last night I realized I can't keep letting satan use this against me. I may think well it's not like I am saying it to their faces or really doing anything that bad but I am not building them up in love! We have to let God use our sin to transform our lives and lead others to Christ and teach them His ways! We can't let satan win. Become excited about serving God and refreshed in Him! 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV). 

This scripture just speaks for itself. People will hurt us and sin against us but we have to let God deal with them and change their hearts and not lead them away from God with hatred. God has forgiven us again and again...we need to too! This chapter is really great and allows reworking in my heart and me to get rid of anger and replace it with love and turn to God and His ways and not my own. I would speak badly of people and not love them or care about them but God calls me to higher ways and better ways! He is so great! I really loved this chapter!