Ephesians 4:22-24 - The New Life in Christ.
Ephesians 4:22-24: The New Life in Christ.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) You were taught, with regard to your
former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted
by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your
minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (CWR) Take off the old self with its previous
conduct, which continues to degenerate into corruption and deceitful
lusts. 23 Renew your hearts each day by committing yourself to Christ.
Determine to live totally for Him. 24 This is what it means to be a new
person in Christ, recreated to be like God, who is truly good and
holy.
COMMENTARY PEARL
I love being around positive people. You know, the ones who
genuinely seem to care and show an interest in me and my day. They have
this optimistic quality, this calm attitude, that draws me to them
and makes me want to be the same way.
You can't deny the power that someone else's genuinely
positive attitude can have on you. It can be a coworker, family member,
friend from church, or even a stranger, but if they exude joy and
confidence, it's contagious.
On the other hand, it can be really frustrating when we're
struggling through a hard day. If only we had a switch to flip that would
change our altitude instantly. While it's not usually that quick and
simple, we can still train our minds to filter our thoughts through
God's truth. When we focus on God's character and the power of his
Word, we directly influence our attitude and subsequently our
feelings.
Scientists tell us it takes twenty minutes for our brains to
receive the message from our stomachs that we're full. Similarly, it may
take a little while between the digestion of truth in our hearts and
a sense of satisfaction reflected in our daily attitude. But it
will come if we KEEP UP A STEADY DIET OF PRAYER, BIBLE STUDY, AND
MINISTRY TO OTHERS.
Today God, draw my attention to the power of your timeless
truth. Allow me to develop an attitude of grace and hope based on the
promises of your Word. [Daily Power by Craig Groeschel]
COMMENTARY
Every time we have a thought, our brains release chemicals.
When we have a sad, angry, anxious, hopeless, or helpless thought,
our brains release chemicals that make us feel awful. Dr. Daniel
Amen says negative thoughts make our hands colder, our muscle more
tense, our breathing shallower, and our brainwaves disorganized.
When we have a happy, hopeful, encouraging, loving, or
connected thought, our brains release a completely different set of
chemicals. Our hands get warmer and drier, our muscles become more relaxed,
and our breathing becomes slower and deeper.
Suppressing automatic negative thoughts doesn't work.
Instead, we need to notice them, put words to them, and replace them with
God's truth, such as a verse like Isaiah 41:10: "So do not fear, for I
am with you... I will strengthen you and help you."
Pay attention to the thoughts that go through your mind. Are
negative or positive ones common? How do they affect you?
Refocusing your thoughts with truth will refresh your body and
your soul. [The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional]
Change requires new thinking. In order to change, we must
learn the truth and start making good choices, but we also must change
the way we think.
Weve talked about this before: The battle for sin starts
in your mind, not in your behavior. The way you think determines
the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act.
If you want to change the way you act, you start by changing the
way you think. In addition, if you want to change the way you feel,
you must start with the way you think.
Think " Feel " Act
For instance, I could say, I need to love my kids more,
but that isnt going to work. Or someone could say, I need to
love my spouse more, but that isnt going to work. You cant
fight your way into a feeling. You must change the way you think about
your kids, about your husband, about your wife, and that will change
the way you feel, which will then change the way you act. The Bible
says, Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes
(Ephesians 4:23 NLT).
Let me sum it up this way: You are not what you think you
are; rather, what you think, you are (Proverbs 23:7). The battle for
sin, the battle to deal with those defects in your life that you
dont like, starts in your mind. If you want to change anything in
your behavior or anything in your emotions, you start with your
thoughts and your attitude.
The renewal of your mind is related to the word repentance. I
know repentance is a dirty word for a lot of people. They think it
means something bad, something you dont really want to do,
something painful. They think of a guy standing on a street corner with a
sign that says, Repent! The worlds about to end!
Repentance has nothing to do with your behavior. It is about
changing your mind, learning to think differently. Repent simply
means to make a mental U-turn. Its something you do in your mind,
not with your behavior. Changing the way you think will then affect
your emotions and your behavior.
When I repent, I make a mental U-turn. I turn from guilt to
forgiveness. I turn from purposelessness to purpose in life. I turn from no
hope to new hope. I turn from frustration to freedom. I turn from
darkness to light. I turn from hell to heaven. I turn from hatred to
love.
I also change the way that I think about God. Hes not mad
at me. Im deeply flawed, but Im deeply loved.
I change the way I think about others, I change the way I
think about my kids, and I change the way I think about my wife. I
change the way I think about the world, I change the way I think about
the economy, and I change the way I think about my past, my present,
and my future.
So being renewed in your mind means more than changing the
way you think about God and Jesus; it also means you change the way
you think about your own defects. The Bible tells us, You must
have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had (Philippians 2:5).
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
I am making you new in the attitude of your mind. Living
close to Me is all about newness and change. I am transforming you by
the entire renewal of your mind. This is a massive undertaking; you
will be under construction till the day you die. However, unlike the
inanimate materials that builders use to construct houses, you are living,
breathing "material." I have given you the amazing ability to think things
out and make important choices. I want you to use this godlike
ability to cooperate with Me as I transform you. This involves putting
off your old self - your old way of thinking and doing things - and
putting on the new self.
To make good, godly choices, you need to know Me as I truly
am. Search for Me in My Word; ask My Spirit to illuminate it -
shining His Light so that Scripture comes alive to you. The more you
choose to live according to My will, the more you will become like Me,
and the more you can enjoy walking in the Light of My Presence.
(Eph. 4:22-24; 2Co. 5:17; Rom. 12:2; Psa. 89:15) [Jesus Always by
Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20041202-0728.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20120926-1336.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo [old, but one of the best]
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Last Day Prophecy: His Other Sheep by Pastor Gerald Babanezhad:
https://vimeo.com/162267518
