"Be"

In Ephesians 6:10-11, Paul bids us to "be" strong in the Lord. Note that this is something we should "be," not something we should "do." This is a state of existence..."being" strong.

There are many do's and dont's in a Christian's walk of life. "Being" is different. It's who you are. It's a matter of your inner state...your spiritual state.

Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to take off the old self and put on the new. The new self is "created like God in true righteousness." This is part of that state of "being." We are new. We are to be strong.

Prayer Requests

• Brent Darr: Pray that I get more hours at my job. It's a contract cleaning business, and they lost a contract. I'm down to 8 hours a week. Pray for another building to open or another job entirely.
• Lisa Adams: I would like prayer for strength in my Christian life and guidance. I'm not sure what God's plan for me is yet, but I am there whatever it is. I need grace also from God to help me through trials.
• Theresa Myers: Pray for Ricky Cappadona, for God's will to be done. He still has no answers regarding his last pet scan.
• Theresa Myers: Continue to pray for my grandparents, Frank & Leora, that things will go well at home with his dementia.
• Theresa Myers: Please pray for my mom, Susan Weiss, that she will realize the need to seek the Lord and seek help for depression and anxiety.
• Sharon Macklin: Please pray for my sister Gloria Makey. She has a bad sore on her tongue that could be cancer. The doctor may have to remove part of her tongue. It is very painful. Pray that God is able to completely heal with no surgery.
• Tom: Pray that Zander's dad does what's best for him and has the strength to make it through the obstacles ahead.
• Pray for Mike Laughlin, whose 16-year-old son was killed in a car accident.

His Ways Are Higher

As we reach the verses in Ephesians that exhort wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives in a sacrificial way, let us take a look at Psalm 119:33+.

(33) Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees, then I will keep them to the end.
(34) Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
(36) Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
(57) You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words.

Take note that in these verses we are exhorted to keep to God's ways. That means changing our ways to fit His, not the other way around.

When God says something that seems impossible (as in Ephesians 5:22,26), you must choose. Who is more apt to be right, you or God? You may not like what He says, or you may not think it's fair, but trust Him and submit to His ways. As the psalmist says: keep His law and obey it with all your heart.

Prayer Requests

• Raven: I need prayer for my sister. I haven't seen her in a long time and her birthday is this Friday. I hope she has a glorious day and I pray she finds the Lord.
• Unknown: For God to keep healing me so that I can continue my prison ministry.
• Unknown: Giving thanks for prayers answered.
• Unknown: Please pray for Carol that her unstable legal position becomes stable. That she is allowed to stay where she's at.
• Mary Mast: Pray for my niece Jackie Neilly, who lives in Ohio. Just got married, pregnant, and lost everything in a fire. Needs help getting everything.