(Eph 5:1) “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (2)  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”  I wonder if we seek to walk in love all the time, or only when we meet up with a brother or sister from the church. Love is to be our way of life. We are to be loving towards even the lost out there, no matter if they are someone we have targeted for presenting the gospel or not. Love is not God’s love if it does not focus on all. 

 (Eph 5:1) “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”  It is a fact that subconsciously ever child needs the praise of their parent. The father sets the standard before his son of what a man should be. When I was a child, I wanted to be manly like my dad. As God’s child, I want to be like my Father. I want His approval. I want to please Him! Just as our earthly fathers and mothers gave us examples to follow in their actions, we have both the actions and the written decrees in our Bibles to learn and follow. Are you a student of the Word, a follower of your Father?

(Eph 4:31) “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”

Here we have the actions which will either grieve the Holy Spirit Who lives within us or will bless His existence within us! God help us to love Him so much we would choose godliness over our flesh!

(Eph 4:30) “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” How is it we can grieve God the Spirit? The key is the word, “Holy”. When we think or do that which is contrary to holiness, we grieve the Person Who’s complete being and desire is holiness. God help us to desire to please our God in all things!

(Eph 4:30) “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”  The Lord has so determined to do in reality that which is seen in the Old Testament. There when the tabernacle was finished and assembled, the Lord descended and abode on and in the tabernacle. He literally dwells “in” each Born Again Child of God! The Holy God of the universe lives inside the saved! He has determined to stay there as long as you live in this body. Is it no wonder that when this body dies and He leaves that He takes our soul and spirit with Him?

(Eph 4:29) “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”   There are certain persons one avoids, simply because you feel drained after a time with them. Others, you look forward to their company, for you know you are doing to be uplifted by the experience. If it doesn’t uplift the other person, we should not discuss it. We should not communicate it. In other words, many of those conversations we have with others could very well do them and others harm – not good.  Be an up-lifter!  

WATER   (Eph 4:28) “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.”  If stealing is something a believer was enslaved by, as one freed from that sin, they were now to do the opposite – work to give to others in need. Should that not be the result of each of our enslaving sins? Consider, if I was a lair, I now speak the truth in ALL things. If I was full of sexual lusts – I now seek to be the purest of brother or sister in Christ. If I was a gossip, I now am the most trustworthy of confidents. If I was lazy, I work the hardest.

WATER  (Eph 4:27) “Neither give place to the devil.”   This verse brings to mind another, (1Pe 5:8) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Notice it doesn’t say he is seeking someone who he “will” devour (will would refer to his ability), but whom he “may” devour, which speaks of permission given. When we participate in that which our God has forbidden, we are inviting Satan into our lives, giving him permission to harm us. Do not step back (give place) into that old life you have been saved from.

WATER   (Eph 4:270 “Neither give place to the devil.”  Do not give Satan a foothold in your life. Every time you and I put ourselves first before the Lord, His desires and will, we are giving Satan a foothold in our lives. The only reason we react wrongly in verse 26 in anger, is because we are putting ourselves first. Any time we lie or steal, we are putting ourselves first. The Lord has promised to meet our needs: we need not steal. The Lord has promised to bless us if we do right: we need not lie. Were you able to be in church and yet did not go? You need to put Jesus first. Have you had a time in His Word? Put Jesus first in your life. We are “bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s” (1 Cor 6:20).