Day 4 - Change Your Life - Ephesians

Day 4 - Ephesians 1:15-22

By now your soul, mind and spirit should be longing for the beautiful Words of Blessing and Life found in Ephesians. What a glorious letter to Christ's Bride.

Pray, read through the entire book, sing a song of Praise to Our Heavenly Father
and Jesus The Christ and Our Teacher the Holy Spirit.

Study for Today

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Study Questions:

1. What does God want to give the believer?

2. How do we, as believers, get power?

3. Who has all power and who gave it to him?

4. Do you understand the significance of the Name of Jesus? Where does it reside? You can look up the significance on google, which explains what a name meant--it was your banner, your identity, how you were seen by others. What does that mean to you?

5. Christ paid our penalty of death to redeem us to the Father. How did the Father bless Him?

6. What significance does the Church play in Jesus' life?

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Commentary and notes for further revelation from the ESV:

Eph. 1:15–23 Paul's Prayer of Thanksgiving. This section, like vv. 3–14, is a single sentence in the original Greek. Paul prays that the church will gain deep insight into the Lord's powerful working and rich gifts in Christ.

Eph. 1:15 because I have heard.

Eph. 1:16 do not cease . . . in my prayers. See note on 6:18.

Eph. 1:17 To name the Father of glory as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ is not to deny Christ's deity but to affirm his true incarnate humanity. Further, it expresses that Christians know God through the Lord Jesus as their mediator. Spirit of wisdom refers to the Holy Spirit's secret working in Christians to give them insights into God's Word and the saving knowledge of him (1 Cor. 2:6–12).

Eph. 1:18–19 Paul prays that believers will comprehend the blessings that are theirs in Christ: (1) their future hope; (2) God's inheritance in the saints; and (3) their power in Christ. The “inheritance” here is not the Christian's inheritance but his (God's).

This indicates how precious his people are to God. They are, so to speak, what he looks forward to enjoying forever. Paul piles up “power words” to express the immeasurable greatness of God's power, working, and great might toward believers. Power over supernatural forces through magic and the occult was a great concern in ancient Ephesus (Acts 19:19), but the power of the living God in Christ trumps all competing authorities (Acts 19:20).

Eph. 1:22 put all things. Paul quotes Ps. 8:6 as being fulfilled by Christ's exaltation over all creation and as head over the church. head. Like a present-day “head of government,” this term points to Christ's preeminence as Lord (see note on 1 Cor. 11:3).

Eph. 1:23 body. Christ has so identified himself with his church that it is said to be his very body, much as Adam described Eve as “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23) and as God declared man and wife to be “one flesh” (see note on Eph. 5:28–30). fullness. The church, filled by Christ, fills all creation as representatives of Christ.

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He will do a new thing in your Beloved. Nurture the longing of faith that He placed in every man's heart. Read, meditate, pray, study, dream, live the mighty and powerful Word Of God just for today. You are an heir to eternal life--what riches of the world could exceed that gift? Hallelujah until tomorrow. Sister, Lisa

Day 3 - Change Your Life!

Day 3 - Change Your Life - The Book Of Ephesians

Did you read Ephesians yesterday? Please take the time to read it...that wonderful Word will get engrafted in your heart, mind, body and soul.

Here is our study for today:

• Pray, Read the entire book of Ephesians, Thank God.

Let's examine verses 1:7-14:

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Study Questions:

1. How did we receive redemption?

2. What did the Father give us? Did He make that decision on a whim?

3. Why did He reveal the mystery of Christ to us?

4. What Promise did God make to us who believe? How long will that Promise last?

5. What purpose does the Promise serve?

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Commentary from the ESV:

Eph. 1:7 Redemption denotes ransoming someone from captivity or from slavery. The supreme OT example was the exodus, where God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt (see Ex. 15:13; Deut. 7:8; 2 Sam. 7:23; Mic. 6:4). Forgiveness of our trespasses explains the nature of redemption: Christians are freed from slavery to sin and guilt. This was effected by Christ's blood, which means his death as an atoning sacrifice (see also Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:14; 2:13; 4:30; Heb. 9:15).

Eph. 1:9 Mystery as used in Scripture (Gk. mystērion) refers to the revelation of something that was previously hidden or known only vaguely but now is more fully made known (see note on Col. 1:26–27). The mystery of God's will, now revealed in Christ, is “to unite all things in him” (Eph. 1:10; see also 3:3–11).

Eph. 1:10 fullness of time. “When the time was ripe,” i.e., the time for the fulfillment of God's plan. unite. This is the central theme of the passage: God has effected cosmic reconciliation in Christ. The work of Christ on the cross is the central axis for the history of creation, whether in heaven or on earth (see also Col. 1:15–20), since he has redeemed his people and silenced all hostile powers (see Eph. 3:10).

Eph. 1:11 Obtained an inheritance seems the best rendering of the Greek verb that normally means “to allot [a portion].” Some believe the meaning is that God has claimed his own portion, the believing Jews (see v. 14). predestined. Making those who believe in him heirs with Christ was not an ad hoc event; God had planned it from all eternity. By definition God is sovereign, directing all things freely according to his royal counsel. This is in sharp contrast with the pagan gods of the time, who were understood to be often fickle or bound by an inscrutable and arbitrary fate. God's predestination gives his people tremendous comfort, for they know that all who come to Christ do so through God's enabling grace and appointment (see 2:8–10).

Who works all things according to the counsel of his will is best understood to mean that every single event that occurs is in some sense predestined by God. At the same time, Paul emphasizes the importance of human responsibility, as is evident in all of the moral commands later in Ephesians (chs. 4–6) and in all of Paul's letters. As Paul demonstrated in all of his remarkable efforts in spreading the gospel (Acts 13–28; cf. 2 Cor. 11:23–28), he believed that doing personal evangelism and making conscious choices to obey God are also absolutely essential in fulfilling God's plan. God uses human means to fulfill what he has ordained.

With regard to tragedies and evil, Paul and the other biblical writers never blame God for them (cf. Rom. 5:12; 2 Tim. 4:14; also Job 1:21–22). Rather, they see the doctrine of God's sovereignty as a means of comfort and assurance (cf. Rom. 8:28–30), confident that evil will not triumph, and that God's good plans for his people will be fulfilled. How God's sovereignty and human responsibility work together in the world is a mystery no one can fully understand.

Eph. 1:12 praise. See note on v. 6.

Eph. 1:13 Sealed can mean either that the Holy Spirit protects and preserves Christians until they reach their inheritance (see 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:22; 1 Pet. 1:5; Rev. 7:2–3) or that he “certifies” the authenticity of their acceptance by God as being genuine—they bear the “royal seal” (see John 3:33; Acts 10:44, 47). The first interpretation seems best here, though both ideas are biblically true.

Eph. 1:14 God pours out his Holy Spirit on all of his children to guarantee (or to provide a “down payment” on [esv footnote]) their share in his eternal kingdom because he applies to them all God's powerful working in redemption. until we acquire possession of it. This phrase can also be rendered “until God redeems his possession” (esv footnote). In that case it means that, like the Levites in the OT, believers are the Lord's specially treasured possession (see Num. 3:12, 45; 8:14; Josh. 14:3–4; 18:7).

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Be open, be honest, seek, knock, and you will find the answers! He is an Awesome God who will provide for us--as we see from these passages, our destiny and that of the chosen were planned and orchestrated before the foundation of the world. He works in the Spiritual Realm, He is Omnipresent--past, present, and future. How wonderful that we are the sons of a living, loving, perfect God. Love someone who is difficult to love--reach out, show them you understand the mighty gift and price Christ paid for them and for you. God bless, Sister Lisa

Day 2 - Change Your Life!

Day 2 - Change Your Life with Ephesians - God Has Blessed Us





Did you take that 30 minutes yesterday and read Ephesians? Can you feel the Holy Spirit guiding you? Do you identify with Jesus' sacrifice as His obedience to the Father? Do you grasp the power of God the Father?





Here is our study for today:

• Pray, Read the entire book of Ephesians, Thank God.

Let's examine verses 1-6:

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ
Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you
and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenly places,
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
5 he
predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus
Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
6 to the
praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us
in the Beloved

STUDY QUESTIONS:





Open your Bible and highlight all the good things that God has given you.





1. What did God give us?





2. When did God bless us?





3. How are we to act as Christians?





4. What is the only way we can receive all God has given to us?





5. What did we do to deserve his grace? How do you know the answer based on the scriptures above?





6. Can you see the triune God in these verses? If so, which verses confirm the Trinity?





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The commentary below should help you dig deeper and put God's letter to the Ephesians into context (underlines and bold are my emphasis).





Scripture Notes from the ESV (English Standard Version) Bible:





Eph. 1:3–14 Spiritual Blessings in Christ. In the original Greek, this section is one long, elegant sentence. Paul shows that the triune God initiated and accomplished cosmic reconciliation and redemption for the praise of his glory.



Eph. 1:3 Blessed be. The blessing that opens Paul's prayer is similar to those that began first-century Jewish prayers that were commonly recited throughout the day (cf. 2 Cor. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3). in Christ.





Paul's praise emphasizes the mediation of Christ for all God's blessings by repeating that these good things are ours “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, 9), “in the Beloved” (v. 6), or “in him” (vv. 4, 7, 11, 13).





Spiritual (Gk. pneumatikos) here communicates that the saving gifts of God are conveyed by the Holy Spirit (Gk. Pneuma), whose personal presence throughout this age is the guarantee of future heavenly blessings (see “spiritual songs” in 5:19; Col. 3:16).





Hence, these blessings are in heavenly places, since that is the Christian's future abode in imperishable glory when he is resurrected in a spiritual body through the “last Adam,” the “life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:40, 44–50).





Eph. 1:4 He chose us in him means that the Father chose Christians in the Son (Christ), and this took place in eternity past, before the foundation of the world. This indicates that for all eternity the Father has had the role of leading and directing among the persons of the Trinity, even though Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in deity and attributes.





God's initiative in redeeming the believer from sin and death was not an arbitrary or whimsical decision but something God had planned all along “in Christ.” Since God chose his people in his love, they can take no credit for their salvation. God was determined to have them as his own, holy.





God chose them with the goal that they be holy and blameless before him. This goal is not optional for Christians—it is the purpose of election. Holiness here expresses moral purity, while blamelessness expresses freedom from the guilt of trespasses and sins in which the Christian formerly walked (1:7; 2:1, 5).





Previously ordained or appointed to some position. God's election of Christians (v. 4) entails his predestining them to something—in this case to adoption as sons (see also v. 11; Rom. 8:29–30).





Hence, election and predestination in this context refer to God's decision to save someone. All Christians, male and female, are “sons” in the sense of being heirs who will inherit blessings from their Father in heaven.





Paul qualifies and stresses God's plan and initiation of redemption with the phrase according to the purpose of his will here and elsewhere in the passage (Eph. 1:9, 11). God cannot be constrained by any outside force, and his inexorable will for believers is to pour out his grace and goodness on them in Christ Jesus.



Eph. 1:6 God's ultimate purpose is not redemption as such but the praise of his glorious name through redemption. This theme is repeated at key junctures in the argument (see vv. 12, 14).


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This study is for your edification and encouragement, I am merely a moderator so there isn't an answer "key" for the questions. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the answers; use a concordance, Bible dictionary, commentary notes and resources on the web if you want further direction!





May God bless you, may He keep you, may His Light shine upon your face. Praise Him, Behold Him, Worship Him, Trust Him. Until tomorrow, Sister Lisa

Change Your Life - Guaranteed!

Change Your Life – God Guarantees It!

Today is February 3rd, if you follow this Bible study each day for the next 25 days—God promises to transform you. You will understand who you are in Christ and all the blessings and privileges He purchased by the shedding of His Blood.

Do you really understand the awesome price He paid for you?
Can you feel the physical and soul-wrenching pain that Jesus went through to snatch you back from the world and the evil one?
Do you understand the horror God the Father endured as He watched His Only Son take on the sins, punishments, scorn, and ridicule of the world for you?
HE DID IT ALL FOR YOU, PRECIOUS BELOVED SAINT!

Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice! The Lord Almighty has redeemed you, washed you, purified you and given you the right to be called “Sons of God”! Hallelujah!

You Need Thirty Minutes - Come back when you have 30 minutes to complete the study:

1. Open your Bible to the book of Ephesians.
2. Pray. Ask God to open your heart, mind and soul to His Word.
3. Read the entire book—it will take you about 30 minutes to read all six chapters.
4. Did you read the entire book? – Great!
5. Now come back again tomorrow for another word from the Lord!

Have a blessed and fruitful day, Sister Lisa

Taming the Tongue Checklist and Wrap-UP

Here is the checklist and scripture reference for further study...God Bless, Sister Lisa

Sanctification Requires Work!

So for the past 30 days we have listened to the Holy Spirit as He taught us how to examine our unruly tongue. So now what do we do? The Lord says:

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 2 Tim 2:15-16

Part of studying is meditating on the Word and listening for the Holy Spirit to convict us and teach us where we didn’t meet the mark. The following checklist is meant as a guide to use each night during your evening meditation-leave it on your nightstand and spend five minutes with God reflecting on your words of the day. If you have time, you can write in your journal three phrases or words that you shared today that lined-up with God’s Word.

For example, today I encouraged my friend, Cheryl. She was feeling down and I told her that God loves her and that I love her. Rather than “telling’ my son to clean-up his room, I said, “I would appreciate it if you would pick up your clothes. It would be a big help to me.” When my husband held the door, I remembered to say “Thank you”.

Just that easy! Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do it everyday or if you can’t think of three things each day. With practice it becomes easier and you become very mindful of your words throughout the day.

Daily Tongue Evaluation Checklist

Did I engage in any form of lying?
Did I flatter someone?
Did I manipulate someone for my gain or advantage?
Did I speak too hastily?
¨ Did my words cause division?
¨ Was I argumentative or contentious?
¨ Did I boast or speak with pride?
¨ Did I engage in a self put-down?
¨ Did I slander someone?
¨ Did I gossip?
¨ Did I meddle in anybody’s affairs?
¨ Did I betray someone’s trust?
¨ Did I belittle someone?
¨ Was I cynical, scornful or sarcastic?
¨ Did I speak as a Know-It-All?
¨ Did I use harsh or abusive words?
¨ \Did I fail to speak with tact or discipline.
¨ Did I attempt to intimidate with my words?
¨ Was I rude?
¨ Was I critical or judgmental?
¨ Was I self-absorbed in my conversations?
¨ Did I use profanity?
¨ Did I complain?
¨ Did I retaliate?
¨ Did I accuse someone?
¨ Was I discouraging?
¨ Did I express doubt and unbelief?
¨ Did I simply talk too much?
¨ Was I indiscreet in my discussions?
¨ Did I keep silent when I should have communicated?

When you can consistently mark “no” to each of these questions, you are on your way to keeping control of that unruly member, the tongue.

What Can I Do With My Words?

þ Pray
þ Share your faith
þ Express gratitude
þ Tell the truth
þ Admit a mistake
þ Apologize
þ Confess your faults or weaknesses
þ Applaud someone’s achie3vement
þ Ask for help
þ Offer to assist
þ Comfort someone who is hurting
þ Communicate your expectations
þ Give a sincere compliment
þ Confront an interpersonal conflict
þ Pledge your support
þ Defend someone against negative criticism
þ Discourage gossip
þ Express appreciation
þ Offer constructive feedback
þ Share your knowledge
þ Keep a secret
þ Protest evil
þ Put forth a new idea
þ Recite Scripture
þ Reconcile parties in conflict
þ Relate a meaningful story
þ Tell a clean joke
þ Express hope or optimism
þ Encourage someone to persevere
þ Express concern for another
þ Say “Please”
þ Sing a song
þ Speak of God’s goodness

When we started the study, I suggested that memorizing scripture was another way to “shore-up” your heart and tongue with words of life. Here are some scripture references regarding your tongue and speech.

I’ll give you the references, you look them up!

Psalm 34:1
Colossians 4:6
Psalm 49:3
Philippians 2:14
Proverbs 8:6-7
Psalm 139:4
Psalm 71:8
Proverbs 10:11
Isaiah 50:4
Psalm 39:1
Proverbs 25:11
Job 22:28
Psalm 35:28

Day 30 - The Silent Tongue

Day 30 - The Silent Tongue...you thought we would miss this one didn't you?

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven...a time to speak and a time to be silent." Ecc 3:1, 7

Did you hear about the husband and wife who were feuding? They both went to their bedroom giving each other "the silent treatment". Before he fell asleep the husband remembered he had to get up at 5:00 am for a business trip. He didn't want to humble himself and be the first to speak, so he left a note on her pillow: 'please wake me at 4:00 so I can catch my flight tomorrow'. When he woke up in the morning, he looked at the clock and it read 5:30 am. He had missed his flight! He got out of bed to angrily confront his wife when he noticed a note on the bed: 'Wake up! It is 4:00 am."

Not all silence is golden. Most of this study focused on what comes out of our mouths--in fact, you probably think you will never utter more than three words again to keep your tongue in-line with God's Word. You may be considering a vow of silence. Well, read on.

Talking is absolutely vital to maintaining good relationships. How many of you heard this as a little child, 'Silence is golden'? Well, that is only half of the oft-quoted proverb. The whole proverb is this "Speech is silver and silence is golden." Practicing to keep silent in certain situations is certainly a virtue; but as this proverb suggests silver is essential to our interaction. It is the oxygen to your relationships, silver was very valuable in Biblical times being used to trade for goods and services.

Silence is not golden when we use it to passively express anger or disappointment. We can use it as a retaliatory tool to manipulate people. God's Word says to confront those who offend us, "Moreover if thou brother should trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone: if he shall hear these, thou hast gained a brother." Matt 18:15

GUILTY! Oh boy, this one is going to need fasting and prayer--I learned from a very young age to 'keep my mouth shut'. I watched my mother suffer silently when assaults were tossed her way. I was on the receiving end of the 'silent treatment' by my father many, many times. When I had a very serious car accident in 1980 that caused devastating injuries and destroyed my car my father took one look at the wreckage (after driving five hours to pick me up in a local hospital) and didn't utter ONE WORD to me in a year! He would pass right by me, look at me and skulk away.

My mother lived by the silence is golden rule; she repressed her anger, her frustration, her indignation until the day she passed away. I remember when my brother died so tragically and young at the age of 27. My mother was silently doing his laundry and folding the clothes--she had barely spoken a word since I got home from Virginia a few days earlier. I asked her, "Mom, aren't you mad? Aren't you going to cry?" She looked back at me and said quietly, "No, because if I start I will never stop." I never saw her weep outwardly from that day forward, but she slowly disappeared from us over the next 15 years. Heartbreaking! I miss her voice "It's time to get up in the morning, Penelope!"

Now me? I am Chatty Cathy! I am Loquacious Lisa...I've rarely been at a loss for words. Even as a little girl, I frequently heard, "Lisa, please shut-up!" I spoke out in my anger, I talked back to my relatives when they were mean, I expressed myself in writing and shared it with my family. I also received a lot of slaps and punishment for this incessant sharing. Both my brother and sister had perfected the "silent thing". So they would egg-me-on to speak out and since I was the baby, at times I got away with it. A lot of my relatives didn't have great command of English so that always worked in my chatty favor!! Brother and Sis took great pleasure in my antics and I admit I did it mostly for attention and the love of my brother and sister.

People who know me though, they see right through that veneer. When I am quiet, it isn't pleasant. I can remember my oldest son at twelve, getting in trouble and me giving him "the silent treatment". I can still hear him, "Mom, mom why won't you even talk to me? Mom, aren't you going to talk?" Lord Jesus forgive me. On the receiving end of it? It terrifies me, without wisdom and truth there is a vacuum. And we all know what happens when there is a void--we fill it with anything, lies, rumors, untruths, fantasies, anything to plug the hole!

Silence is also not golden when we don't defend the defenseless or downtrodden. Back to my Norma Rae tribute--I don't suffer in this area. I can defend someone else all day; but myself? The thought makes me shudder. But, I am working on it.

Silence isn't golden when it implies we agree with something that is wrong or against our beliefs. How many of us haven't spoken up for fear of embarrassment or ridicule? Do we hold our tongue given the opportunity to glorify the Lord? He says that if you are ashamed of Him in front of men; He will be ashamed of you in front of God, The Father.

Yikes, let's all open our mouths now - Lord, I love you and honor you and I will not keep silent about your goodness and mercy; I will give my testimony in season and out of season, Amen.

This is our last day for Taming the Tongue. There are a few checklists and scripture references I will post as documents in another blogmail in case you want to print them. If you didn't follow all 30 days, you can read everything on the blog under the archives. Tomorrow we start a new study on "Changing Your Life!"--guaranteed. Thanks for sticking with it and listening to me share! Love and peace to you all, Sister Lisa

AFFIRMATION: I will shout to the Lord, I will share my testimony, I will lift up and encourage others with my mouth. I will tell someone that I love them today. :)

Day 29 - The Indiscreet Tongue

Day 29 - The Indiscreet Tongue

"Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." Pro 2:11

Noah was a mighty and obedient man. In fact, he was the only man God found righteous enough to not destroy the entire earth! Noah obeyed God, built the Ark, saved his family and started the different peoples of the world.

Once the flood was over Noah planted a vineyard. He got carried away one day and got drunk on the wine. He returned to his tent and shed his clothes. Noah's son Ham, came by the tent and saw Noah drunk and naked. Ham went and told his brothers about his father's nakedness. Ham's brothers exercised more discretion than Ham, as they would not even look at their father. The brothers backed into the tent with Noah's robe and gave it to him for cover. Both showed great maturity and restraint. A discreet person always shows restraint in tongue and behavior; that person reaps positive rewards for his discrete actions.

Some subjects are simply off limits. Especially in the workplace. Your salary and bonus should never be discussed openly. You should never discuss your intimate life with people at work. Betty Jean, "you don't poop where you eat!" I always remember it and pray I catch myself if I reveal too much personal information. Being indiscreet can be costly. People have lost jobs, relationships, friends and family for indiscreet actions. I know it seems that on TV we see celebrities, financial wizards, even high government officials "getting away" with being indiscreet.

Do not be fooled by the ways of this world. Galatians 6:7 says, "Don't be fooled, God is not mocked for what a man sows, that will he reap." Ham paid a dear price for his indiscretion. Once Noah sobered up and found out what happened, he was ashamed. He was furious with Ham and banished him and his descendants to slavery. Genesis 9

Have you discovered something about a leader or someone in a prominent position that uncovered his/her nakedness or sin? Did you run to tell someone? Did you consider that God did not intend for you to reveal that nakedness, but to act with prudence and "cover" the sin with prayer and intercession? Remember that 'love covers a multitude of sins.' Thank God!

Sometimes God asks us to confront the person whose nakedness is revealed. This is so uncomfortable for me--I dread confrontation! But if God directs it, He expects you to do it in love. Nathan the prophet had to confront King David about his adultery and murder. 2Sam 12.

Whatever God commands us, He certainly equips us to carry out. Use discretion, love and prudence--most confrontations do not have to made in public. Remember, God may reveal your nakedness and sin to another--you will want that person to act with gentleness, love and discretion when confronting you!

AFFIRMATION: Lord, discretion will protect me and understanding will guard me. God bless you and praise His Mighty Name on the Sabbath Day!

Superbowl--we have the One and Only Superstar! Jesus name above all names..give Him glory and honor and fellowship together. Peace and joy, Sister Lisa