Ephesians 5

First off, I must apologize for my absence from the blog yesterday. In light of that, I'm going to attempt to hit the highlights of all of chapter five. Jordan, did an excellent job highlighting what it is to be an imitator, so I'll refer you to his post first and foremost.

It is helpful that Paul outlines for us what is to be developed and what is to be destroyed in our lives. We are told to do the following:
1. Walk in love
2. Be in a state of thanksgiving
3. Walk as children of light (Again, I refer you to the message by Al Pino )
4. Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord
5. Expose works of darkness
6. Look carefully at how you walk
7. Be filled with the Spirit (the next few in verse 19 are the culmination of this)

We are also told to dispose of these from our lives:
1. Sexual immorality
2. All impurity
3. Covetousness
4. Filthiness
5. Foolish talk
6. Crude joking (in the category of foolish talk and filthiness)
7. Association with the sons of disobedience
8. Unfruitful works of darkness
9. Foolishness (according to the passage, this is the opposite of understanding the will of the Lord)
10. Drunkenness

What one point from each list challenges you?

Myself, I am challenged to be in a state of thanksgiving. It is so very easy to slip into ungratefulness, which is spawned by a lack of reminding oneself of what one has been given. Also, foolish talk is something that I am seeking to destroy. And foolish talk gives birth to crude joking. Feel free to share what you are seeking to cultivate and what you are seeking to destroy. We should pray for one another and keep one another accountable for these areas.

Now onto today's section.

Initially, I get kind of upset when I'm compared to a wife. It seems an odd thing to compare a young man to a wife. But the wife with her submission is simply a demonstration of the way I must submit in all things to Christ. I hope one day to be blessed with a wife. And I desire to be prepared for a wife is God gives me the gift of a good woman. But what can I be doing now to better prepare myself? "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." How can I give my life away for others more effectively? This is something that I am examining myself, but would love your input as well. In what areas do you see me holding back from giving my life away? Do you see a clear-cut reason for me doing so? Please, don't hold back in your thoughts. It takes quite a bit to offend me.