Ephesians 6

A double edged sword in these first few verses – children obey your parents, dads don’t wind your children up to anger, but… bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Paul isn’t condoning slavery, which to our modern eyes is rightly abhorrent.
“The Gospel found slavery in the world; and in many regions, particularly the Roman and the Greek, it was a very bad form of slavery. The Gospel began at once to undermine it, with its mighty principles of the equality of all souls in the mystery and dignity of manhood, and of the equal work of redeeming love wrought for all souls by the supreme Master. But its plan was – not to batter, but to undermine. . . . So while the Gospel in one respect left slavery alone, it doomed it in another.” (Moule)
Ancient slavery was exceptionally widespread and Paul tells those that are believers and slaves to do their best and those that are masters to do their best as masters and not to mistreat their slaved.

Armour of God! a biggie!

Finally – David Guzik writes

· In light of all that God has done for you.
· In light of the glorious standing you have as a child of God.
· In light of His great plan of the ages that God has made you part of.
· In light of the plan for Christian maturity and growth He gives to you.
· In light of the conduct God calls every believer to live.
· In light of the filling of the Spirit and our walk in the Spirit.
· In light of all this, there is a battle to fight in the Christian life.

We can be strong in the Lord -because it is commanded, God will equip us to obey with the spiritual armour!
Lloyd Jones wrote that these things can sap our stength in the Lord –
· Committing to too many spiritual works or things
· Too much conversation
· Arguments, debates, wrangling
· Laziness
· Too much time in the wrong company
· Too much foolish talk and joking
· Love of money and career
· A desire for respectability and image
· An unequal yoking with an unbeliever
· Ungodly entertainment
· A wrong attitude toward or doubting the Word of God

Chained as Paul was when he wrote this, you can see how the Spirit inspire him to write these words.
The devil has schemes – Stott “The tactics of intimidation and insinuation alternate in Satan's plan of campaign. He plays both the bully and the beguiler. Force and fraud form his chief offensive against the camp of the saints.”

Take your stand

• in grace (Romans 5:2).
• in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1).
• in courage and strength (1 Corinthians 16:13).
• in faith (2 Corinthians 1:24).
• in Christian liberty (Galatians 5:1).
• in Christian unity (Philippians 1:27).
• in the Lord (Philippians 4:1).
• perfectly and completely in the will of God (Colossians 4:12).

Exodus 37

Bezalel continues his Spirit filled craftsmanship to build the ark – note the rings for the poles for it to go on men’s shoulders. As Uzzah would find later the presence of God is meant to be on men’s shoulders not on nice and neat and tidy carts.

Proverbs 13

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Keep holding on to God’s promises. We live in an instant age yet brewed coffee is far better than instant. Be patient!

John 16

The gospel is hated by some – so Jesus warns us people will persecute even kill Christians in the name of God, though they don’t know the true God. For example Robert Barnes was a protestant martyr from King’s Lynn.

Jesus had to ascend to heaven after the resurrection, so that He could send the Spirit.
The Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and the judgement to come – so He brings people to Christ.
The Spirit guides us into truth to glorify Jesus.