Devotional Thoughts

Ephesians 6:5-9     "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;  (6)  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;  (7)  With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:  (8)  Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.  (9)  And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him." Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40) There is something that I noticed in the past few days concerning these subjects in Ephesians. I started noticing it in Ephesians 5:21, "Submitting yourselves...

Matthew 7:15-20     " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." It is a popular idea with some that these verses of scripture tell us how to know whether a person is going to heaven. To rightly divide the word of truth, we must keep the words of Jesus in the context they were presented and look at the overall impact of the scriptures. If we are going to consider the fruit that one bears as a way to determine who is going to heaven, then neither of the thieves crucified with Je...

Ephesians 6:1-4     "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  (2)  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)  (3)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.  (4)  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." I hear it often said that children do not come with an instruction manual. That is not true. We have the greatest instruction manual that is effective from birth to death and every day in between. God has not left out anything that is needed in order to live successful and productive lives. In today's verses, Paul quotes "the first commandment with promise" which says, "Honour thy father and mother." He is stating the fifth commandment which is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it. "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LOR...

Matthew 7:12-14     " Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."   We have heard it called “the golden rule.” Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. We need to consider this instruction from Jesus very carefully. It does not guarantee us that people are going to be good to us if we are good to them. This instruction was not given as a formula for reciprocation in life. The issue here is that we are to treat everyone like we want to be treated. This is a basic truth of discipleship. We are to do this every day regardless of how we are treated in return. This instruction was not a new thing; even the law and...

Ephesians 5:21-33     "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  (22)  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  (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.  (24)  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  (25)  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  (26)  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  (27)  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.  (28)  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  (29)  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherish...