Thoughts for Life: #23 One in the Spirit

Andrew Murray- " I . . . beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, (v. 2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
(v. 3) Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

The letter to the Ephesians is divided into two equal parts. In chapters one through three, we have the divine life in its heavenly origin as revealed in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit. (Google image, 3 signs God is moving in your church)

In chapters four through six, we see the Christian life in the ordinary conduct of our daily walk. The two halves correspond to what we said of devotion as an act and as a habit.

The first three chapters begin with adoration: "Blessed be God . . . who hath blessed us: (Ephesians 1:3). They tell us what all those blessings are and end by glorifying Him who is able to do above all that we can ask or think.

In every act of prayer and praise, the soul takes its place in the midst of all those riches and seeks to enter more fully into their possession.

The last three chapters begin with an admonition to walk worthy of our high calling. We are taught how to show our devotion as a habit in the common actions of daily life.

Devotion lifts us up into the heavenlies to return to this earth charged with blessings. In all our actions, we will prove that our whole life is devoted to God alone.

The Evidence of our Calling

The opening words of the second half of the letter bring us down to the roots of the Christian life. The great mark of our high calling is a Christ-like humility. The unity of the Spirit is to be maintained in our relationships with our fellow-believers.

Amid all diversity of character and all the temptations arising from the imperfections of those around us, the first mark of a life wholly devoted to God is this: "Walk . . . with all lowliness and meekness."

To realize the full impact of this command, first look at it in its connection with the first three chapters. Think of the heavenly blessings God has given us. Think of the greatness of His power to us who believe and of the Holy Spirit who reveals that power in us.

Through Him we have access to God in Christ and are built up as a habitation of God. We are mightily strengthened by Him according to the riches of God's glory so that Christ can dwell in our hearts.

Take time and form a true conception of the wonderful standard of spiritual life indicated in these words. The one fruit of this astonishing revelation of the grace of God and the one mark that you are truly a partaker of it will be a deep and never ceasing humility.

Your humility proves that God has revealed Himself to you and brought self and pride down into the dust.

Lowliness and meekness should compromise your attitude toward man as well as toward God. You can have no surer proof that God's spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus have reached and mastered a man than his lowliness and meekness in his relationships with his fellowmen.

The greatness of God's power raised us out of the death with Christ Jesus to the throne. This same power makes us, like Christ, willing to wear the servant's robe and do the servant's work. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

(Chapter 11, pp. 56-58, italics added)

Receiving Power from God

by Andrew Murray
Copyright © 1984

by Whitaker House

Used by permission

www.whitakerhouse.com.

Let's pray-

Father, in the study of Ephesians, we see that the Christian life is to be the ordinary conduct of our daily walk. In the last three chapters, we are taught how to show our devotion in our habits.

In every act of prayer and praise, our souls are to take their place in the midst of all those riches Paul speaks of, and to enter more fully into their possession, and to walk worthy of our high calling in Christ Jesus.

Lowliness and meekness must compromise our attitude toward others as well as toward You. We have no surer proof that Your spiritual blessings have reached and mastered us, than this.

What is impossible with men is possible with You, Father. Your power makes us, like Christ, to be willing to wear the servant's robe and do the servant's work.
May we seek lowliness and meekness, so as to be willing to serve You together, for the glory of Christ Jesus. It's in His name we pray. Amen

Today's Bible verses-

Matthew 11:28 (NASB) “Come to Me, all who

are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) “Be still, and know that I am

God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will

be exalted in the earth!”

Psalm 23:1-3 (NASB) “The Lord is my shepherd,

shall not want. He makes me lie down in green

pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He

restores my soul . . . ”

Isaiah 30:15 (NKJV) “For thus says the Lord

God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and

rest you shall be saved; in quietness and

confidence shall be your strength . . . ”

Today's quotes-

~ Wesley Duewel- "Christmas love is a love that gives itself. Christ came to us, united Himself with us, and gave Himself to us. Love always gives itself, and the wonderful Lord of Christmas gave Himself in a totality and extravagance of self-giving too great for us to ever measure or fully understand. Such love was so amazing that the angelic host burst into song that first Christmas Day. And to this day every heart that feels the touch of Christ's wonderful love is filled with song."

(To order the booklet titled Christmas is for You . . . and the World, that this was taken from p. 9, and to see all of his books available, use their website: www.duewelliteraturetrust.org)

~Max Lucado- "That’s why the announcement [of Christ's birth] went first to the shepherds. They didn’t ask God if he was sure he knew what he was doing. Had the angel gone to the theologians, they would have first consulted their commentaries. Had he gone to the elite, they would have looked around to see if anyone was watching. Had he gone to the successful, they would have first looked at their calendars.
So he went to the shepherds. Men who didn’t have a reputation to protect or an ax to grind or a ladder to climb. Men who didn’t know enough to tell God that angels don’t sing to sheep and that messiahs aren’t found wrapped in rags and sleeping in a feed trough."

Words of wisdom-

~ The Lord's Presence is ever with us. He has blessings for us that He wants to give. He enfolds us in His loving arms. We are complete in Him.

~ We're to look steadily at the Lord in all our moments and all our circumstances, as He is concerned with every detail of our lives. He even knows the number of hairs on our heads!

List of recent sermons of CFC ministers. CFC Potsdam NY church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!

Today's sermon spotlight-