SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:23b
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
Eph 5:22-33 KJV
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of RELATIONSHIPS (5:22-33). For those who are called to be married, there is no greater earthly relationship that can be enjoyed. Within a Godly marriage love, harmony, unity of heart and mind, and unconditional support are constants that only enhance our relationship with Christ.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The Marriage Relationship – The Wife’s Responsibility (vs 22-24)
II. The Marriage Relationship – The Husband’s Responsibility (vs 25-29)
III. The Marriage Relationship – An Example Of Christ’s Great Love (vs 30–33)
FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTY IN THE MARITAL COVENANT PLEASE REFER TO:
EXPOSITION:
As we begin looking at the grace of relationships, Paul focuses on the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. In this text, Paul explains that the authority held by the husband in a marriage are quite similar to the authority held by Christ over His “bride” the local assembly of believers…
Eph 5:23b KJV
even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Paul helps us to understand that the relationship between a husband and wife is a symbolic representation of the relationship between Christ and His local assembly.
In the previous part of this verse we are told that “For the husband is the head of the wife” . Paul now continues by making a comparison to the husband/wife relationship…
even as Christ is the head of the church:
The husband’s headship is likened to the headship of Christ over the local assembly. In our previous study, we saw that the headship of the husband involved three basic principles…
1. receipt and processing of sensory information (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching.)
2. decision making
3. influence over the body
These principles apply to the headship of Christ as well…
1. Christ is the source of and retainer of all spiritual truth and knowledge of events of this world past, present and even future. These events come to pass as the result of His sovereign decrees. (Psa 33:8-9)
2. Christ, knowing the end from the beginning, then issues His revealed will to mankind. (Job 33:16-17)
3. Christ, in the person of the Holy Spirit, then reveals His will to His churches (and members individually) and works in their midst influencing the church. His influence brings about unity, harmony, and the meeting of the needs of the church as a body. (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
and he is the saviour of the body.
As the head of the local assembly, Christ is also the Savior of the assembly. Just as Christ died in payment for the sins of His chosen people, so too, Christ also died for the sins of local assemblies as a body…
Act 20:28 KJV – “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
What are some of the sins that can be committed by a local church?
1. acceptance of heretical teachings
2. refusal to exercise church discipline on members who have fallen into sin
3. failure to fulfill the Great Commission
4. using unscriptural methods during the course of worship services and other ministries
All of these sins, and many others, are in need of deliverance from the penalty and power of these sins through the work of Christ. In this sense, Christ (as the head of the local church) also assumes the role of Savior of the church body.
APPLICATION:
For those who are married, we need to remember that the relationship between the husband and wife lays forth a symbolic picture of the relationship between Christ and the local assembly. Oh, how important it is to remember that our testimony of Christ to the lost world is affected by our fulfillment of our God-given roles within marriage. Not only has the Lord graced us by giving us our spouses, but also gives us a wonderful opportunity to glorify Him through the marriage union.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Men, As Head Of Our Family, Are We Being Faithful To The Lord and Our Wife?
Eph 5:23 KJV – For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
For SIH devotional on this subject:
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:23a
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
Eph 5:22-33 KJV
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of RELATIONSHIPS (5:22-33). For those who are called to be married, there is no greater earthly relationship that can be enjoyed. Within a Godly marriage love, harmony, unity of heart and mind, and unconditional support are constants that only enhance our relationship with Christ.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The Marriage Relationship – The Wife’s Responsibility (vs 22-24)
II. The Marriage Relationship – The Husband’s Responsibility (vs 25-29)
III. The Marriage Relationship – An Example Of Christ’s Great Love (vs 30–33)
FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTY IN THE MARITAL COVENANT PLEASE REFER TO:
EXPOSITION:
As we begin looking at the grace of relationships, Paul focuses on the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. In this text, Paul explains that the authority held by the husband in a marriage are quite similar to the authority held by Christ over His “bride” the local assembly of believers…
Eph 5:23 KJV
(23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
For the husband is the head of the wife,
Here, Paul describes the position of authority held by the husband as “the head”. What does this term involve?
The Greek word translated “head” is the common word for the body part. There is really very little in the definition that I can see in this to help us understand Paul’s meaning.
However, if we apply the idea of the role of the physical head to the physical body, we can learn much about the role of man in the marital relationship.
The three most basic, yet important roles of the head are:
1. receipt and processing of sensory information (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching.)
2. decision making
3. influence over the body
Basically, the role of the head is to receive all the pertinent information, process it, decide the appropriate response and then lead the body to take action.
This is the basic role of the husband in the marital union…
1. He is to receive all the necessary information concerning the Lord’s desires (as found in the Word), the woman’s desires and wellbeing, and the effects on the entire family etc etc.
1Pe 3:7 KJV – Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
2. He then makes the decision based upon the Lord’s will first, what is best for His wife and the entire family, and then, lastly, his desires.
3. Then he is to lead his family through instruction, and example setting, to bring about a willing compliance to that which he has decided.
(Please note: a husband is NEVER to bring about compliance by force, but is to patiently win over the family members through his teachings and example. A forced compliance is really no compliance at all. At the least it only causes hypocrisy and is a type of abuse. This applies to any position of leadership, whether Pastor or Husband or Master etc – 1Pe 5:2 KJV – …taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;)
The husband, as the head of the family will answer directly to Christ for his actions as the head and the actions of the entire family. This judgment will be based upon his faithfulness to lead them in a way that is pleasing to the Lord….
1 Corinthians 11:3 – But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
In our next devotional we will look at how man’s headship in the family is a picture of Christ’s headship over the local assembly.
APPLICATION:
As we look at the role of the head of our family unit, let us all come to a greater appreciation of those who lead in a God pleasing way. With this appreciation let us all seek to follow their leadership and support them in their efforts through prayer and a willing compliance to their Godly decisions.
Folks, leadership in the family is a tremendous responsibility, with many possible avenues of failure. May we all praise the Lord for His grace in the lives of those who are faithful leaders.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
By Submitting to Their Loving Husbands…Wives Are Submitting To Christ!
Eph 5:22 – Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the SIH devotional on this subject: http://wp.me/pU88A-3tn
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:22b
Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of RELATIONSHIPS (5:22-33). For those who are called to be married, there is no greater earthly relationship that can be enjoyed. Within a Godly marriage love, harmony, unity of heart and mind, and unconditional support are constants that only enhance our relationship with Christ.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The Marriage Relationship – The Wife’s Responsibility (vs 22-24)
II. The Marriage Relationship – The Husband’s Responsibility (vs 25-29)
III. The Marriage Relationship – An Example Of Christ’s Great Love (vs 30–33)
FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTY IN THE MARITAL COVENANT PLEASE REFER TO:
EXPOSITION:
As we begin looking at the grace of relationships, Paul focuses on the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. In particular he describes for us the relationship of a Godly wife towards her husband…
Eph 5:22 KJV
(22) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Please keep in mind, based upon our previous study, we have seen that a wife’s submission must be linked to a husband’s self-sacrificial, unconditional love for the wife. Submission to an unloving, selfish husband only results in abuse and harm to the wife. This is why the young bride to be must be certain she is marrying one who will love her and care for her sacrificially.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands,
Here we find Paul’s beginnings instructions to Godly wives. Wives are told here to “submit yourselves to your own husbands”. What does Paul mean by this?
First, let’s take a quick look at the word “submit”. “Submit” is translated from two Greek parts that are fused together “hupotasso”:
1. “hupo” – which simply means “under” or “beneath”
2. “tasso” – means “to place in an orderly fashion” or “to arrange”
“hupotasso” simply means to place under in an orderly fashion and emphasizes to basic ideas:
1. it involves arrangement producing order, harmony and longevity of the family
2. it involves compliance, submission and unity
3. it does not refer to “blind obedience” because this opens up the possibility of harm and abuse and an eventual destruction of the family unit.
4. it does not refer to a “silence” on the part of the wife. She is to kindly share her thoughts, desires and understanding of God’s will in all the major family decisions. And the husband, out of love and a desire for her well-being, is to seriously consider all she says and allow them to weight very heavily in the joint-decision making process.
Folks, some of the great blessings that can be had through a wife’s submission to her husband is order, harmony and unity within the family unit.
Why should the wife be willing to place herself in a position of compliance underneath the authority of her loving husband?
1. The husband will be held DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LORD FOR THE LIVES OF ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS.
Therefore, it only makes sense that the wife would work with the husband and seek to fulfill his desires for the family unit, since he is ultimately accountable to the Lord for his family.
As long as her husband’s requests will lead her to live a Godly life, she is responsible to follow his leadership. However, if the husband asks the wife to do something that is ungodly, she is no longer responsible to follow his leading in this area but she is to submit to the Lord’s will instead.
2. The husband, if he loves the Lord and his wife as he should, WILL BE ALWAYS WORKING FOR THE LORD’S WILL TO BE DONE AND HIS WIFE’S BENEFIT TO BE HAD.
He will be consistently placing the Lord’s will first in his decision making process, while placing his wife’s good secondly in the process. He will always place himself last in his decision making. He is to only make self-beneficial decisions if they are aligned with God’s will for his family and his wife will benefit, and in no way harmed, in the process.
If we stop and think about it, when the husband is consistently placing God’s will for his family first in his decision making and, then, placing his wife’s wellbeing second, the wife should greatly desire to follow the leadership of the husband and arrange herself under his authority. The only hindrance to a woman’s submission is her belief the the husband’s decisions will cause her to displease God or harm her personally. Apart from these basic principles, the wife has no Scriptural excuse for not placing herself in submission to her husband’s authority.
Some of goals a submissive wife seeks to accomplish are:
1. To fulfill areas of shortcoming for man. Where husband is weak she is to step in and meet needs.
2. To have complimentary abilities and talents, being able to accomplish what her husband is unable to accomplish
3. To love her husband and family (shown by her submission and reverence)
4. To be willing to sacrifice herself for the benefit of her family and husband
5. She is to work towards his growth and maturity spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically by helping him to achieve his goals and desires
6. She is to watch over and protect him through counsel and supportive actions
7. She is to not abuse him physically or emotionally (how can she protect him and aid him through abuse? How can she love him sacrificially if she is abusing him?)
8. She is to protect his reputation and public testimony
These are all attributes of a Godly wife as she seeks to be in submission to the Lord and her husband.
as unto the Lord.
By the Godly wife placing herself in submission to her loving husband she is, in effect submitting to the Lord Himself. How can this be? Perhaps the greatest motivation behind a wife’s submission to her husband is the fact that Christ desires for her to do so. The act of submission to her husband is also an act of submission to her Lord and Savior.
APPLICATION:
The closing verse of this section of Scripture will be a very fitting closing verse for this devotional…
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
What more can be said? If both of these (husband’s love and wife’s submission) be present in a marriage there is no greater earthly relationship to be had.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Instructions for the Scriptural Exercise Of Tongues…
1 Cor 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
For the SIH Bible Study on this subject:
Spiritual Gifts: What Types Of Gifts Are There? Accrediting Gifts (Part 5)
Introduction:
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:4)
After coming to an understanding of the basic definition of a “spiritual gift”, we now need to examine each of the different types of spiritual gifts that God has given to man.
There are three basic types of spiritual gifts given to the Lord’s local churches:
1. Gifted Men – These are men, used by God to serve the Lord as a part of the ministry of His local assemblies.
2. Accrediting Gifts – These are the gifts whose main purpose is to establish and accredit His Word and place of worship. A secondary purpose of these gifts is to minister to others within the context of local church ministries.
3. Ministering Gifts – These are the gifts whose main purpose is to testify of Christ and His Word through the ministries of His local assemblies.
We will continue our study of the accrediting gifts by looking at begin studying the Accrediting Gifts that involve SUPERNATURAL PROCLAMATION OF THE TRUTH.
Lesson:
Accrediting Gifts (Sign Gifts)
We began to take a look at the gift of “diverse kinds of tongues” that are found in the division of accrediting gifts involving the SUPERNATURAL PROCLAMATION OF THE TRUTH. In particular, we looked at the first time that the gift of tongues was exercised on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:1-24…
1. The gift was given to the local church at Jerusalem, not to believers in general (vs 1)
2. The gift was given following the local assembly being baptized IN the Spirit (not BY the Spirit) (vs 2)
3. The gift was given following the Spirit filling the church members (vs 4)
4. The gift had a visible manifestation: tongues of fire sitting on their heads (vs 3);
5. The gift had an audible manifestation: speaking in other human languages that were unknown to the speakers but known to the hearers (vs 4-11)
6. The Word of God was used to clearly explain what had taken place amid the confusion (vs 12-21)
7. The message proclaimed through the gift of tongues was proclaiming the wonderful works of their God…. His message of salvation and all that He had done for them. (vs 11-24)
Following this event, when the Bible speaks of the gift of tongues, it simply mentions the gift without a lengthy description of what we have just learned. This principle can be used with many different teachings of the Bible. This principle of Biblical interpretation is described as “The Law Of First Mention”. This principle states that “the very first time a word, doctrine or other teaching is mentioned in the Bible, usually, the Scriptures gives that word, doctrine or teaching its most complete description and meaning.” This is the case with the gift of tongues. This first reference to it has given us the detailed description of the gift which is to be applied throughout all of the other Biblical mentions of the gift.
The “Gift Of Diverse Kinds Of Tongues” Instructions On The Biblical Exercise Of The Gift Of Tongues
The Apostle Paul gives us clear instructions on the Biblical exercise of the gift of tongues in the book of 1 Corinthians. In particular, Paul mentions the gift of tongues in chapters 12-14.
1 Corinthians 12:
In chapter 12, they are mentioned in three verses 10, 28 and 30…
(1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
8) For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9) To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10) To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11) But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
In this section of Scripture we can learn a bit about the nature of the tongues gift. Note in verse 11, it is said to be worked among men by the Holy Spirit. It is this same Spirit who sovereignly distributes these spiritual gifts to believers as He sees fit.
This scripture gives birth to the question “If the Spirit distributes the various spiritual gifts among men, what determines which gifts are given to which men?”. That question is answered for us in the later verses of this same chapter…
(1 Corinthians 12:27-31)
27) Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29) [Are] all apostles? [are] all prophets? [are] all teachers? [are] all workers of miracles?
30) Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31) But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Here we read that we are to desire to EXERCISE, not obtain, the best gift for use in an assembly. In verses 27-31, we read that the gifts of the Spirit (including diversities of tongues) are distributed among men based upon the ministry to which the gifted individual is called. In other words, whatever gift is needed by the Christian to faithfully fulfill the ministry to which he is called, that is the gift that is distributed to him. The Christian needs no other gifts to live an obedient life than that which the Spirit sovereignly distributes to him.
Also notice in verse 31, based upon the set of gifts the Christian possesses, he is to desire to exercise the best gift that is needed by the church in any given situation. The practical application of that teaching is two-fold:
1. The gifted Christian is to select the proper gift to use to fulfill a church’s need… for example, if the church needed a message to be spoken using the gift of tongues, the speaker should desire to exercise the gift of tongues, not the gift of prophecy.
2. The Christian is to only select ministries for which he has been gifted…. for example, if the same church needed the gift of prophecy to be exercised, only those Christians who possessed that specific gift should intervene and take responsibility to fulfill that ministry. Anyone without the gift of prophecy should not attempt to fulfill that specific need of the church.
These two principles are what is meant by the phrase “covet earnestly the best gifts” (ie sincerely desire to EXERCISE the best gift to meet the need of the church at that time.) This phrase has nothing to do with desiring to OBTAIN a specific spiritual gift.
Notice the final phrase of vs 31… and yet I will shew you a more excellent way”. What is Paul speaking of? We find the answer to this question in chapter 13…
1 Corinthians 13:
In 1 Corinthians 13, we find the gift of tongues mentioned in two verses, 1 and 8.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13)
1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2) And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing
13) And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.
We find that the “more excellent way” to exercise the spiritual gifts is to exercise them out of a heart of love. The spiritual gifts were never given for personal gain. They were not given for the gifted individual to receive praise, honor, or money. They were given to be sacrificially used to help others motivated by love and mercy.
In the church at Corinth, we find that the members were submitting to the temptation exercise these gifts based upon selfish desires and motives. Paul is clearly explaining that no personal gain should be desired, or requested, concerning the exercise of the spiritual gifts (including the speaking of tongues). This is the more excellent way to exercise the gracious gifts given to men by the Spirit.
Please note the phrase “the tongues of men and of angels” found in verse 1. This phrase describes two very important aspects to the gift of tongues…
1. “The tongues of men” obviously describes the human languages that existed in Paul’s day. This emphasizes for us the type of language the gift of tongues uses…it is always a HUMAN LANGUAGE.
2. “The tongues of angels” is describing the same set of languages. Keep in mind, EVERYTIME we find angels speaking in the Bible they are delivering a message to man in the human language spoken by the hearers. There is no exception to this. NO PLACE in the Bible are we told, by teaching or example, that angels speak a language reserved for the inhabitants of heaven. This emphasizes for us the goal of the gift of tongues… IT IS DELIVERING A MESSAGE TO MEN USING THE HUMAN LANGUAGE THE HEARERS UNDERSTAND.
Therefore, another way to phrase the beginning of verse 1 is simply … “Though I speak with the tongues shared by men and angels,”, by which he is speaking of human languages.
Also in 1 Corinthians 13: we find tongues mentioned in verse 8. In this section of Scripture (vs 8-12) we find teaching concerning the ceasing of the spiritual gifts. We will reserve our comments on this text, and others, for the upcoming section of our study on the ceasing of spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 14:
In 1 Corinthians 14:1-40, we find the majority of Paul’s teaching about the Scriptural exercise of the gifts of tongues. But before we take a look at those instructions, it is important we understand some of the misuses of the gift of tongues by the Corinthian church:
1. vs 2- when the church met, they all spoke the same language. There was no need for the exercise of tongues and, yet, they did exercise the gift.
2. vs 2, 4, 13,14,19,27 – the term “unknown” is not in the Greek language, this is why the KJV puts brackets around and italicizes the word unknown. What the KJV translators were trying to express is that, when a foreign language was spoken (as the gift of tongues was exercised) the human languages being spoken were unknown to the hearers, because of the gift’s misuse.
3. vs 4 – Again, we see the gift of tongues was being used in an Unscriptural way because the members of the church were not being edified by the gift.
4. vs 12 – The gift of tongues was being used in a ridiculous way, which was motivated by a misdirected zealousness to exercise the gifts although they were not needed nor helpful to the assembly.
5. vs 1-12 – Teach us that prophecy was the correct gift to use in this situation, not tongues. Why was prophecy the “gift of choice”? because through it, the church could be edified. They were not gaining anything from the misuse of the gift of tongues. As the tongues speaker spoke in a human language unknown to the hearers, it sounded to them as babbling which they could not understand.
This was the situation Paul was addressing in this letter to Corinth. The above abuses of the gift of tongues helps us to understand more about the instructions he gave to the church in chapters 12: and 13:. It also helps us to clarify what he has written in this chapter. Now let’s turn our attention to this chapter to learn more about the appropriate use of the gift of tongues…
(1 Corinthians 14:1-40)
1) Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.
2) For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3) But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4) He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5) I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
Why were they desire to exercise the gift of prophecy over that of tongues? In this instance, since the church at Corinth all spoke the same language, the gift of prophecy would result in the edification of the church.
If the gift of tongues were to be exercised only the speaker would profit from the experience. The only possible remedy for this situation would be if the unknown human language would be interpreted into the language that was spoken by the church at Corinth.
6) Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7) And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8) For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9) So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
10) There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.
11) Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh [shall be] a barbarian unto me.
12) Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
In this situation, since the church at Corinth all understood the same language, there is no reason for the gift of tongues to be exercised. As a matter of fact, the use of the gift of tongues would be of no value whatsoever to the assembly.
If tongues were exercised, you would have a speaker stand up and speak in a human language that would be unknown to the assembly. Therefore, speaking in tongues would be like sounds and babblings holding no meaning to the assembly. It would be as if the speaker is simply speaking “into the air” without any hearers that could understand.
13) Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue pray that he may interpret.
14) For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15) What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16) Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17) For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18) I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19) Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that [by my voice] I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [unknown] tongue.
20) Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Based upon the above teachings (vs 1-12), if the gift of tongues is used in the church at Corinth, the only solution would be for someone to interpret the unknown human language into a human language known by the assembly.
Paul continues to expound absolute necessity for everything to be done in an assembly for its edification… When we sing or pray, it should be in a human language known by the church and any lost individuals who may be are present, so all can be edified by our acts of worship.
Paul concludes this section by telling the church to “grow up”. Stop using the spiritual gifts to bring honor and glory to themselves, but instead, to use them for the building up of the assembly and the salvation of the lost in their midst. They were to come to a level of spiritual understanding and maturity, where they use the spiritual gifts to benefit others and to never exercise them for selfish purposes.
21) In the law it is written, With [men of] other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
Paul refers to Isaiah 28:11-12. In the context of this OT passage, the Lord was describing the use of foreign nations to enter into Israel as an act of chastening. The Lord’s desire was for Israel to repent and come back to Him as a result of this invasion. In that sense, He would use this broken, unknown human language of the invaders to bring about the spiritual renewal of Israel.
The Lord desires for the gifts of the Spirit to be used properly for the benefit of others, by using them to present the truths of God to them in an understandable fashion. Just as the Lord used the broken unknown speech of the invaders to show Israel their need of repentance and renewal, so too, He wanted to use the gift to tongues to show the lost their spiritual needs.
Although the Lord uses the proper use of the gifts to share His Word with the lost, there is no guarantee His Word will always land upon hearing ears and result in spiritual benefit to the hearer. Just as the Lord’s efforts using the invading forces entering Israel “fell on deaf ears” and did not produce the desired response of repentance.
The gifted saint was never held responsible for the RESULTS OF THE EXERCISE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS, they are only held responsible for the SELFLESS EXERCISE OF THOSE GIFTS MOTIVATED OUT OF A HEART OF LOVE.
22) Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying [serveth] not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
23) If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Paul also reminds the church that the main purpose of tongues was a sign to unbelievers that the local assembly and the message of the local assembly are sanctioned by the Lord. And to share the truths of the Word to the lost in a language they understood.
It is the secondary purpose of tongues to be used for the edification of the saved.
The use of tongues within an assembly that all speaks one language, when no interpreter is present, is actually harmful to the cause of Christ. When the unbelievers hear the human languages spoken that are unknown to all those present, they will think that the church is insane. Why speak in a human language that is unknown to everyone when no benefit can be received from it?
24) But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or [one] unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25) And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on [his] face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Instead of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy was to be exercised in the church at Corinth. Why? By proclaiming God’s Word in a human language that is understandable to the hearers, great benefit can be had by both the membership of the church and the lost who are visiting in their midst:
1. The saved could be built up through the instruction of the Word.
2. The lost could hear the truth of the Word, be convicted by the Spirit, come to a place of repentance and faith resulting in their salvation.
26) How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27) If any man speak in an [unknown] tongue, [let it be] by two, or at the most [by] three, and [that] by course; and let one interpret.
28) But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
The main point in all of this chapter is that all gifts are to be exercised so that the assembly may benefit from them:
1. If the gift of tongues is exercised at Corinth, they should always have an interpreter present to clearly reveal the teachings that God has given to them. Before the Word was completed these truths of God could come to them via songs, teachings from the Word, or divine uncovering of the truth (through visions, dreams and such like).
2. To achieve maximum benefit from the Word of God, the tongues are to be exercised in an orderly fashion with the tongues followed by the interpretation.
3. Also, it is to be limited to up to three individuals who would take turns to speak in tongues.
4. If no interpreter was present, then no tongues were to be spoken.
(all of this was to avoid confusion)
29) Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30) If [any thing] be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31) For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32) And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33) For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
This orderly type of presentation of God’s Word extended to those exercising the gift of prophecy as well:
1. Once again, the number exercising the gift is to be at the most three.
2. They are to take turns in revealing the prophecy they had received and then judging the validity of the message of the other speakers.
3. They are to take turns in speaking and then confirming the prophecy. Never speaking over themselves.
This was all to be done to make the presentation of the truths as clear as possible leading to both the teaching and the comforting of God’s people.
34) Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35) And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Another way the truth was to be presented clearly was in the fulfillment of the proper gender-specific roles within the church worship. Paul addressed the need for women to refrain from teaching the mixed assembly. This would be done to respect the levels of authority and responsibility that has been placed upon the man to lead the assembly, as the men will be held accountable for the teachings within the assembly.
36) What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37) If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38) But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
To conclude these teachings, Paul now challenges those who are spiritual and gifted members of the assembly to acknowledge that his teachings are from God, and therefore to be followed explicitly.
If any man is ignorant concerning these things, recognize he is not spiritual, nor gifted and allow him to continue on as is. Do not push him to take upon himself a ministry he is not prepared nor taught to fulfill.
39) Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40) Let all things be done decently and in order.
Verse 39 must be kept in context of the rest of the Scripture. The brethren of the church at Corinth were to desire to exercise the gift of prophecy in the church, not the gift of tongues, why? This is because the gift of prophecy would be of the greatest benefit to the assembly. However, they were to not forbid the speaking of tongues in this church (as long as an interpreter was present – 14:28). Why? It is because a secondary purpose of tongues was for the edification of the assembly. This could be accomplished when an interpreter would reveal the teachings that were presented in the unknown human language through the use of a language that was understood by all.
The summary of all of this is very simple:
1. ALL SPIRTUAL GIFTS WERE TO BE USED FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE LOCAL ASSEMBLY, NEVER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GIFTED INDIVDUAL.
2. THE GIFTS WERE TO ALWAYS BE EXERCISED FOLLOWING THE LORD’S DIRECTION. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY BROUGHT HONOR AND GLORY TO THE LORD.
In our next lesson, we will answer the question when will these sign gifts come to an end.
Additional Information:
Accrediting Gifts (Sign Gifts)
Act 2:1-24
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
The “Gift Of Diverse Kinds Of Tongues” Instructions On The Biblical Exercise Of The Gift Of Tongues
(1 Corinthians 13:8-12)
Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.(Isaiah 28:11-12)
Husbands … you can’t expect your wives to respect you if you don’t love them sacrificially and unconditionally
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: “The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec “
Jesus Is Given God’s Authority To Be Our Eternal Priest
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) (Hebrews 7:21)
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SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:22a
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of RELATIONSHIPS (5:22-33). For those who are called to be married, there is no greater earthly relationship that can be enjoyed. Within ama Godly marriage love, harmony, unity of heart and mind, and unconditional support are constants that only enhance our relationship with Christ.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The Marriage Relationship – The Wife’s Responsibility (vs 22-24)
II. The Marriage Relationship – The Husband’s Responsibility (vs 25-29)
III. The Marriage Relationship – An Example Of Christ’s Great Love (vs 30–33)
FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTY IN THE MARITAL COVENANT PLEASE REFER TO:
EXPOSITION:
As we begin looking at the grace of relationships, Paul focuses on the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. In particular he describes for us the relationship of a Godly wife towards her husband…
Eph 5:22 KJV
(22) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Before we begin looking at the relationship of the Godly wife to her husband, it is of extreme importance that we understand the entire context of this passage. Many false notions about a wife’s submission to her husband has come about as a result of forgetting the context of this passage.
I would like us to note a few verses in the very near context…
(24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
This verse helps us to understand that the wife’s relationship with her husband is very similar to the local church’s relationship to Christ. What is the basic principle of Christ’s relationship to His local churches and, by implication, the relationship of the husband to the wife? It is submission to ONE WHO LOVES THE SUBMISSIVE.
This love is exhibited in three ways, as shown to us in later verses of this same text…
1. an unconditional love
(33) Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself;
2. a self-sacrificial love
(25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
3. a love that only works for the good of the other.
(28-29)So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Folks, for us to ever come to a Scriptural understanding of the wife’s submission to the husband, we must keep it in the context of the husband’s love for the wife. This is of utmost importance. Stop and think about it, when the husband truly loves the wife…
1. he is to be willing to sacrifice himself for her wellbeing
2. he is to constantly put her first ALWAYS working for her good even at his expense
3. he is to care for her physical needs (food, clothing, shelter)
4. he is to work towards her growth and maturity spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically
5. he is to help her to achieve her goals and desires
6. he is to help her thrive
7. he is to meet her needs of physical and emotional intimacy,
8. he is to watch over and protect her physically and through counsel and service
9. he is to be physically present with her (how else can he meet her intimacy needs and protect her?)
10. he is to protect her reputation and public testimony
11. he is to honor her as a weaker vessel
12. he is to not abuse her physically or emotionally. How can he protect her, if he is abusing her? How can he help her to thrive, if he is abusing her? How can he love her sacrificially, if he is harming her?
If the husband is doing all of this for the wife, will not submission to him become a natural and desired response of the wife. If she KNOWS he is always working for her welfare and making decisions that place her benefit above his own, does it not only make sense that she will submit to him?
I truly believe that, over the years, women have begun to reject the idea of submission to their husbands because of the husband’s lack of love and care of the wife. I lay much of the blame upon abusive, unloving husbands as the reason for the departure from Biblical principles of submission in the marriage. How can anyone expect a wife to be in submission to her husband when he lives a selfish life that only take advantage of her and uses her solely for his own benefit?
In our next lesson we will begin our verse by verse devotionals by looking at the nature of Biblical submission in Ephesians 5:22.
APPLICATION:
The closing verse of this section of Scripture will be a very fitting closing verse for this devotional…
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
What more can be said? If both of these (husband’s love and wife’s submission) be present in a marriage there is no greater earthly relationship to be had.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
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Do We Help Others Motivated By Love AND FEAR?
(Eph 5:21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: “Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. “
Jesus Is Our Eternal Priest, Forever Making Intercession For His People
For he testifieth, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.(Hebrews 7:17)
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
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SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:21
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
Eph 5:15-21 KJV
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of WISDOM (5:15-21). The Biblical concept of “wisdom” is “the application of God’s Word to our lives”. To be “wise” is to apply the truths of God to our daily living. This is true wisdom and flows from the gracious hand of our Lord.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives Universally (vs 15)
II. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives To Use Time Profitably (vs 16)
III. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives By Recognizing God’s Will For Us (vs 17)
IV. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives Through Self-Control (vs 18)
V. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives To Praise and Thank Him (vs 19-20)
VI. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives By Submission To Others (vs 21)
EXPOSITION:
After explaining the need for us to be “filled with the Spirit”, Paul now teaches us concerning the characteristics of those who are filled with the Spirit (ie are submitted to the Spirit’s control in every area of our lives.)
In our preceding devotional, Paul taught us that:
1. inward personal praise
2. acknowledgement and appreciation of the Lord’s blessings
were two characteristics of those who are submitted to the Spirit’s leadership in their entire being.
He now continues with a third characteristic …
(Eph 5:21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Submitting yourselves one to another
Paul reminds us that, if we are in submission to the Spirit’s leadership in our lives, we will find ourselves in submission to those around us. In other words, we will willingly begin to live our lives for the good of others. It involves being willing to give of ourselves (our time, our possessions, our accompaniment, our counsel and advice etc etc) to help meet the needs of those around us.
In context, Paul is speaking to the members of the church at Ephesus. When he tells us to be submissive “one to another” he is referring to:
1. all others around us (including strangers and enemies)
Mat 5:38-48 KJV –
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
2. particularly, other Christian brothers and sisters
1Pe 1:22-23 KJV –
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
3. but most especially, fellow members of the local assembly.
1Co 12:12-21 KJV –
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.”
“If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? “
“But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.”
This is the three-fold responsibility that belongs to the people of God.
in the fear of God.
Our willingness to live our lives for the good of others should be motivated by “the fear of God”.
The word translated “fear” is the Greek word “phobos”. It is the same word from which we get the English word “phobia”. It describes “alarm” or “fright” and is translated in the New Testament as “fear”, “exceedingly afraid”, and “terror”. It is clear to see that, in this passage, “fear” is not simply talking about a reverence for the Lord, but it is actually speaking of a literal fear of the Lord.
Why does Paul use such a strong word to describe our motivation to help others from a heart of love? It is because the love we show to others is, perhaps, the greatest mark of a genuine salvation experience…
1Jn 3:11-19 KJV
“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”
If we do not love … it is ABSOLUTE PROOF we are not saved; if we are not saved… we will face God’s eternal wrath. Certainly, this is the ultimate reason to allow the fear of God to motivate our love and sacrifice for others.
APPLICATION:
Folks are we “filled with the Spirit?” (ie have we handed over every aspect of our lives to the control of the Spirit?) If so, we will see these different characteristics of that filling in our lives….
1. Our minds will be filled with meditation on the Word, inward joy, satisfaction and contentment centered on Christ, and an attitude of reverence and honor for the greatness of the Lord and His works on our behalf.
2. We will be willing and thankful to undergo any circumstance in life as we recognize our Lord is in absolute control of our circumstances, and is working all things out for our eventual good.
3. We will find ourselves loving others and seeking to give of ourselves for their benefit.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Are Our Hearts and Minds Praising the Lord?
(Ephesians 5:19-20) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: “another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. “
Jesus Was Another Type Of Priest… He Possessed, and Gave To His People, Endless Life Through His Work
And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:15-16)
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (2 Timothy 1:10)
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SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:19
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of WISDOM (5:15-21). The Biblical concept of “wisdom” is “the application of God’s Word to our lives”. To be “wise” is to apply the truths of God to our daily living. This is true wisdom and flows from the gracious hand of our Lord.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives Universally (vs 15)
II. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives To Use Time Profitably (vs 16)
III. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives By Recognizing God’s Will For Us (vs 17)
IV. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives Through Self-Control (vs 18)
V. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives To Praise and Thank Him (vs 19-20)
VI. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives By Submission To Others (vs 21)
EXPOSITION:
After explaining the need for us to be “filled with the Spirit”, Paul now teaches us concerning the characteristics of those who are filled with the Spirit (ie are submitted to the Spirit’s control in every rea of our lives.)
(Ephesians 5:19-20) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Here is a listing of the two of the main characteristics of a person filled with the Spirit…
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Characteristic #1… inward, personal praise… “Speaking to yourselves” .
Is this verse describing us singing and praising God in a public way to each other in a local assembly (“yourselves”), or is this verse describing singing and praising the Lord inwardly as a personal act (“yourselves”)?
This question is very highly debated among sound Bible believers. The answer lies in the word “yourselves”. To whom was Paul speaking when he used the term “yourselves”? All I can do is share my thoughts with you and ask you to prayerfully study these things on your own.
The Greek word translated “yourselves” is found MANY times in the NT. It is used, at times, to mean…
1. “oneself” and is translated “alone”, “himself”, “herself” , and “your own”. It these cases, it is clearly speaking of a single individual with no other person in view.
2. “one group” and is translated “your own selves”, “themselves” and ”they”. In these cases, the word normally speaks of a specific group that contains many members.
My point is this, by simply studying the Greek word used here we cannot come to answer to our question because the word “yourselves” can be used in either way. However, if we look a bit farther in the verse, I believe it clearly solves our dilemma.
Later in the same verse, we read the phrase “in your heart to the Lord”. This phrase CLARIFIES the type of praise which is spoken. It clearly is referring to an inward praise coming from the heart and spirit of the believer. Although the public worship of the Lord through the singing of songs is one way of praising Him, we need to understand that is not the type of singing of which this text speaks.
If an individual is under the Spirit’s control in every area of life (filled with the Spirit), they will consistently honor the Lord through three differing aspects of praise of the heart…
1. psalms – rehearsing of God’s Word. This word commonly refers to the Book of Psalms in the NT
2. hymns – celebration of the Lord and His works. This word comes from an uncommon root word meaning “joyous celebration”
3. spiritual songs – Spirit led honor, admiration and reverence. This word describes “songs of worship”
The Spirit filled believer will find their heart and mind filled with praise to the Lord. This praise will take the form of meditation on the Word, inward joy, satisfaction and contentment centered on Christ, and an attitude of reverence and honor for the greatness of the Lord and His works on our behalf.
This praise is likened to outward singing (“singing”) and playing of instruments (“making melody”) that brought honor and glory to the Lord during times of OT worship. Much like music brings praise to the Lord and refreshes the spirit of man, this type of “singing and making melody” of the heart holds the same results for our inward man.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Characteristic #2… acknowledgment of the manifold blessings of the Lord found in every circumstance of life… “Giving thanks always”
For those filled with the Spirit, the recognition of God’s control of all things (Dan 4:35), linked together with faith in His promise “all things work together for good to them that love God…” (Roms 8:28), results in a willingness to endure all things, as they submit every area of their life to His will and way.
This is the key to being thankful in all conditions of life… recognize the Lord will always work for our good as we submit our entire being to His will.
Our thankfulness should be pointed towards the Triune God (all three persons are active in bringing about His will in our lives). And should be presented to God based upon Christ and His work on our behalf. It is the work of Christ which gives us access to the Father and makes our thankfulness acceptable in the sight of God.
APPLICATION:
Folks are we “filled with the Spirit?” (ie have we handed over every aspect of our lives to the control of the Spirit?) If so, we will see these different characteristics of that filling in our lives….
1. Our minds will be filled with meditation on the Word, inward joy, satisfaction and contentment centered on Christ, and an attitude of reverence and honor for the greatness of the Lord and His works on our behalf.
2. We will be willing and thankful to undergo any circumstance in life as we recognize our Lord is in absolute control of our circumstances, and is working all things out for our eventual good.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Does The Spirit Control Our Lives or Does Our Flesh Dominate Us?
(Ephesians 5:18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
For the SIH Devotional for this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: “[it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda”
Jesus Was A Physical Descendant Of Judah (One Of The Tribes Of Israel)
For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. (Hebrews 7:14)
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com
http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 5:18
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
This devotional, continues to look at the second main division of the book of Ephesians. Previously, we have looked at “Reflections Of His Grace Revealed” (chaps 1-3). It that section, Paul revealed to us the gracious works of the Lord in the lives of His chosen people.
In this new section “Reflections Of His Grace Applied” (chaps 4-6) Paul will be explaining to us the practical effects of God’s grace in the lives of His people.
- The Grace Of Unity (4:1-6)
- The Grace Of Maturity (4:7-16)
- The Grace Of Renewal (4:17-32)
- The Grace Of Imitation (5:1-14)
- The Grace Of Wisdom (5:15-21)
- The Grace Of Relationships (5:22-33)
- The Grace Of Authority/Submission (6:1-9)
- The Grace Of Preparedness (6:10-21)
The next effect of God’s grace we will be looking at is the grace of WISDOM (5:15-21). The Biblical concept of “wisdom” is “the application of God’s Word to our lives”. To be “wise” is to apply the truths of God to our daily living. This is true wisdom and flows from the gracious hand of our Lord.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to this is a very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives Universally (vs 15)
II. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives To Use Time Profitably (vs 16)
III. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives By Recognizing God’s Will For Us (vs 17)
IV. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives Through Self-Control (vs 18)
V. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives To Praise and Thank Him (vs 19-20)
VI. Applying God’s Word To Our Lives By Submission To Others (vs 21)
EXPOSITION:
(Ephesians 5:18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Paul has explained the need to live wise lives in an effort to redeem the time. He now continues by emphasizing a key to wise living…. keeping our flesh under the control of the Spirit.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;
Paul clearly explains to us of the need to abstain from becoming intoxicated by wine. Why, because within intoxication is found “excess”. What does Paul mean by the term “excess”? The Greek word translated “excess” is the word “asotia” which literally means “undelivered” or “to be lacking salvation”.
What is the principle Paul is trying to relate to us? When an individual is intoxicated, he is allowing the desires of his flesh to rule his life. When intoxicated people begin to lose their inhibitions, they lose control over their speech and actions, and (when extremely intoxicated) can actually lose all knowledge and remembrance of their actions. This mirrors the life of an unsaved individual who is characterized in the Bible as being under the control of sin and their flesh…
“They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:33-36)
Based upon all of this, it is important to recognize that if a Christian becomes intoxicated, he is placing himself in a position where his flesh is controlling his actions and speech and is allowing himself to live as if he was a lost man. What a shame for any Christian to willfully allow himself to appear as if he is a lost man.
Just a quick note: Please keep in mind that Paul is taking a very clear stand against drunkness (to be saturated with alcohol). He is not speaking out against the proper use of alcohol.
The Bible describes alcohol as holding medicinal value for mankind…
In Proverbs 31:6-7, 1 Timothy 5:23 – we find the use of an intoxicating beverage for a medicinal uses:
1. as a pain-killer and sedative to those who are dying
2. as an anti-depressant to those who are facing great grief and sorrow.
3. used to treat sicknesses of the digestive tract
(To this day, we find alcohol (in rather large percentages) in many of our medicines due to its medicinal value .)
So, it is very important for us to understand that alcohol due to its medicinal value, when used strictly in moderation, can be considered a blessing from the Lord given for the good of mankind (Psalm 104:14-15).
But the abuse and over-indulgence of wine is man’s great downfall….
“But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they go astray in vision, they stumble in judgment.” (Isaiah 28:7)
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, worldy jealousies, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)
but be filled with the Spirit;
Instead of allowing alcohol to control the Christian’s life, we are to submit our lives to the rulership of the Holy Spirit of God. Spirit filling, although a Sovereign act of God, can come about when we willfully submit our ways to the indwelling Spirit.
To be “filled” with the Spirit is describing the Spirit influencing every aspect of our life and intervening in our lives enabling us to serve Him in great ways.
Note EVERY Biblical example of those filled with His Spirit perform great acts of service for Christ…
1. Israelites filled to build the tabernacle (Ex 28:3, 31:3, 35:31)
2. Joshua to lead the Israelites (Deut 34:9)
3. John the Baptist to recognize Jesus from the womb (Luke 1:15)
4. Elizabeth to prophesy of Mary and Christ (Luke 1:41,67)
5. Christ filled for His earthly ministry and death (Luke 4:1)
6. Pentecost to minister gospel through spiritual gifts (Acts 2:4)
7. Peter and John to speak to the rulers of Israel (Acts 4:8,31)
8. First Deacons of church to enable for service as deacons (Acts 6:3,5)
9. Stephen to give his life for Christ (Acts 7:55)
10. Paul to preach Christ (Acts 9:17)
11. Barnabus to be faithful as a missionary and aid to Paul (Acts 11:24)
12. Paul to answer Elymas (Acts 13:9)
13. Paul and Barnabus to remain faithful in the face of severe persecution (Acts 13:52)
We can see from this listing the wonderful way the Lord can use those who are filled with His Spirit.
In our next lesson we will look at characteristics of those who are filled with the Spirit.
APPLICATION:
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
What Does The Lord Want For Our Lives?
(Eph 5:17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Settled In Heaven Blog 