“But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:20-21)

We do not come to Christ, nor live the Christ-life through the hedonism of this age.  It is not about how we feel, but about the One who has given His life for us in order that we may have eternal life in Him.  Do not turn the gift into a curse by mocking it or making of it something that it is not.  Be led by Jesus and come into His grace and mercy.  Jesus is the truth and in Him is all life.

Lord, let me see clearly the truth of Jesus and the life He gives.  Let me hear clearly Your Word on these matters so that I would never be led astray by the lies of this age.  Guide me in all truth.  Your Word is truth.  Lead me into the life You offer so that I may now and always be guided by You.  May I live into the new life You give through grace and be transformed by You, the author of all life.

Lord Jesus, You have come to infuse in me Your life.  Through You I have life and being.  Guide me, O Lord, so that I may now and always abide in You and You in me.  Keep me from the wiles of the wicked one and help me stay on the narrow path which You have set before me.  Through You, Lord, I do have hope and a future.  Keep me for the future You have given me through grace.  Amen.

“And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness” (Ephesians 4:19).

The deeds of the sinful flesh are evident.  In this world there is the propensity of living for yourself.  Many walk this road.  This is the reality: God has created you for a purpose beyond yourself.  This is the road set before you.  Will you walk the road less traveled?  Do not be greedy for the life of this world.  Life is already yours.  Walk humbly with your Maker and in Him live true life.

Lord, what is before me is easy to see.  There are many around me who eat, drink, and make merry.  Guide me, O Lord, to live this life which You have given me and help me to not be carried away by this world.  Help me Lord so that I may not wander from the road You have set before me.  Teach me, Lord, and I will learn.  O God, may I not live with what the world offers, but in You, find the length, breadth and depth of true life.

Lord Jesus, You have come so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me this day, O Lord, to see the new life You have placed before me.  May I know its worth and value and be led by You to live the new life.  In and through all things, renew my mind and guide my feet so that I may always remain in the light of Your countenance and be guided by Your Spirit through all things.  Amen.

“So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:17-18)

Are you tired of political wrangling?  You should be.  Are you tired of the advertising, yelling at you and the world to “Buy, buy, buy?”  Good.  Do not be led by the world, but by the renewing of your mind.  The world is insane because they keep trying different things, which are really the same things, thinking they will bring happiness.  Only the Lord can satisfy what the Lord put into our hearts to satisfy the desires which are in them.  Seek first the Lord and then all other things will take their place.

Lord, this world would keep us in ignorance, but You have come that we may walk in the light of truth.  Open my eyes to see what is true and to see what is false.  Let me not be carried away by the pressures of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind in the truth of the grace You have delivered, once for all.  Keep the light in my mind, heart, and soul alive now and always.

Lord Jesus, You are the light shining in the darkness and as many as see the light receive the power to become children of God.  I have seen the light.  Keep me from ever turning from the light.  Keep me in You now and always so that I would humbly abide in You and You in me.  Guide me in Your goodness to live into this life which You have given me so that I would grow in Your likeness.  Amen.

“[Christ] from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16).

We were created for Christ’s sake, just as He also died for the sake of all of us.  In Him is life and those who come through Him and in Him are given a new life.  Come then and be led by the One who knows You; He is the One through whom you have your being.  Live into the new life He gives through faith and be redeemed, restored, and made new by His wonderful grace.

Lord, too often I treat my faith as an add-on to my life.  You are the core, the center, and the purpose.  Let me not be carried away by the things of this world such that I do not see, nor understand that in You alone is all hope.  Guide me to live into the new life You give and grow in Your likeness.  Let me not make you one of many things, but love You above all things, as I know is right and fitting.

Lord Jesus, You demonstrated Your love for us in that while we were yet sinners, You died for the ungodly.  Help me now and always Lord, to see through the fog of this age so that I might live for You in the hope of salvation.  Guide me today, Lord, to do those things which back up what I know needs to be done and then add to it those things which I do not yet know which need to be done.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of salvation.  Amen.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15)

Maturity is possible, but many are they who chose the path of flowing with the stream.  One must think, reason, and be willing to study in order to live the life Christ gives us.  You study those things which help you for what is important to you.  You learn based upon what drives you from your heart.  Are not the things of the Lord more precious than all other things?  He is the One who created all things.  Do not be tossed about by created things.

Lord, I am tossed about by the whims of this world.  Help me to see through this so that I may live in You and You in me.  Guide me according to Your goodness so that I might become a rock settled on You, the Rock of my salvation.  Let me know where I need to go and the things I need to do so that I may live into the promise of this life of faith.  Help me now and always to abide in You alone.

Lord Jesus, You have breathed in me Your Holy Spirit.  Lead me today according to the Father’s will to see through the confusion of this age so that I may be led by Your Spirit to do what is good, right and salutary.  Let me no longer trust in anything above You and the Word You have given me.  Grow me up in You so that I may bear the light of Your presence in all I say, do, and think.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go.  Amen.

“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13)

How long are we to persevere?  Until we reach the prize.  When will that be?  When Christ returns.  The question we ought to ask is, “How may I serve You today?”  We ought to keep our eye on the prize of the One who has established this eternal relationship with us and live into His image.  Do you not know that being conformed to the image of Christ is the goal for which we strive in faith?

Lord, clear my mind so that I may focus my attention upon You and be guided by You through that comes my way and is according to Your will.  Lead me in the goodness of Your mercy so that I may now and always be led by what is right and fitting.  Help me to not be led astray, but to be guided by You, Your mercy, and the goodness of the grace You have given me.  Lift me up to become like You.

Lord Jesus, You have come into the world so that I may have life and have it abundantly.  You are the One who makes my faith possible and You are the One to whom I am to be conformed.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth in order that I would be guided by You alone in the hope of eternal life which You have given me through Your grace.  Let me know what I may do today as I move toward that goal.  Amen.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Each person is uniquely created, yet all bear the image of God.  We each have our purpose, yet it is for the whole that we live.  Do not walk the broad road of living for yourself, but the narrow road of living into the life the Lord gives through grace.  Live into your purpose and know that the Lord of all will guide you and keep you on that road which leads to the place where you are complete.

Lord, grant that I would have a heart that is satisfied in Thee.  Lead me away from the anxiety of this world and into the life You promise.  Help me to become who You are making me to be.  Lead me according to Your never-failing promises to look to You as the source of all being.  You have wonderfully created each one of us.  Help me become whom You are making me to be.

Lord Jesus, You have come into the world so that through You we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me this day to see all the ways in which I can live out this life of faith that You have given knowing that in You alone is all hope.  Guide me to do good and walk toward a right future.  You have equipped me, now help me work, with all that You have given me to work with, for the glory of God.  Amen.

“(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things) (Ephesians 4:9-10).

Scripture clearly says over and over who Jesus is.  Only He who descended can ascend and He may take with Him whom He will.  Is this exactly the way it is done?  The Lord knows.  What is important for us to know is that we look to the One who has done this and through whom we have all hope.  Be guided by Him and look to Jesus so that He may abide with you and you with Him now and forever.

Lord there are many mysteries and there are those who will seek to fully understand what is Yours alone to understand.  Help me to instead focus upon You who Has come so that all who turn to You would be lifted up with You into eternity.  Guide me this day, O Lord, so that I would humbly walk in the way You have established and walk the path You have set before me.

Lord Jesus, You have descended so that all who turn to You and believe would not perish, but have everlasting life.  Guide me this day and every day which You give me to humbly walk in Your presence and live according to the direction of the Spirit which You have breathed on us.  Help me to learn to always abide in You as You abide in me and to rejoice in the promise and hope of life that You give.  Amen.

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.”  (Ephesians 4:7-8)

You alone are Lord of all and You will give what You will give.  We are not to argue, for of what value is that?  We are to look, listen, learn, and obey.  The world does not do these things, but you, person of faith, you have been given the promise.  What will you do with what God has given you?  Will you be one of the captives, going with Jesus and be one who knows that He has given good gifts?

Lord, let me be one who learns from You what faithfulness means.  Let me be one who uses what You have given so that You may be lifted up by me and known to those around me.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth so that I would now and forever be guided by You.  You alone are the author and finisher of the true faith.  You alone make grace possible.  You alone are the One who is trustworthy.

Lead me, Lord Jesus, through the grace You give, which is more than sufficient.  Help me now and always to see that in You alone is all hope.  In You is the future, when You will lead the captives into freedom.  Guide me, O Lord, so that I may humbly walk in Your grace and mercy.  Lead me now and always to humbly abide in You as You abide in me.  Teach me to use the gifts You have given me for the father’s glory.  Amen.

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

Once!  The Lord needs to do only once what needs to be done.  It is the Lord who does it.  He spoke and it has become so.  You were given the promise by God, through God, to be with God forever.  You may waiver, but He does not.  You may deny Him, but He will never deny Himself.  Trust in the One who makes all things to be as they will be.  Trust in the One whose promises never fail.

Lord, what more can I add to this?  Sadly, there are those who have come along and said, “Yes, but.”  Help me to not listen to them, but to You alone.  There is only You: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  There is only one promise given in the one baptism.  There is only one faith, for You are One God who is in all and through all.  Lead me, O Lord, in the one faith so that I may grow in the likeness of Christ.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me, O Lord, in the true faith in order that I may learn what it means to be faithful.  Guide me so that I may grow this day and every day You give me in the way You would have me grow.  Through all things, keep my eyes upon You, my Rock and my Redeemer.  Lead me Lord Jesus to see that You are my all-in-all.  Amen.