lynette66

If we do everything for the glory of God, we will be "cleansed" and ready for the Lord's use when needed. Even when using our "everyday" dishes, we can praise God and give thanks. This will allow us to make of habit of serving God.

I see cowardice when I don't say "how" I get through certain things by replying "with God's help". If I am talking with a known Christian, I have no problem talkng about God's grace and help; if I am not sure or know someone isn't very religious, I might skirt around my answer. This is an area God is helping me to grow in.

I have been fortunate not to have long periods of feeling a lapse in using the gifts God has given me, but during my brief times, I try to pray to Him, asking for help to get through this time, doing the work he wants me to do and to WANT to do this work.

If we are bringing God into our lives daily, we will have contentment (I do, anyways). And if we try to follow God's will for our lives, we will improve; He guides us to the purpose he has for us and letting Him use us for his purpose is the peak of improvement.

I guess I didn't realize people DO use the Bible to justify their desire for money, financial gain....I hope this doesn't put ideas into my head! I do see many who focus on money and gaining "things" as a way to seek "contentment", but I was always grateful I didn't feel that way....

We are supposed to be like Christ, who wouldn't deny help to anyone, much less a parent. So, regardless of whether we consider it debt repayment or the 4th commandment, if we are trying to follow Christ, we will help our aging parents.

Godliness is trying to act as Jesus would on a consistent basis. It's more challenging than a strict morality, because it requires us to always be thinking about God and how we should act in all areas. It also has the potential to provide more peace and joy than a set of rules.

It's easier to follow a set of rules, than to "love one another as I have loved you". Some people just understand straightforward guidelines better than a principle on how to act all the time.

It is a way of alerting them to the predictions of the Bible, giving them another argument to use as they try to persuade others to follow God's word.

We belong to a church to get closer to Christ; if the leader is not behaving like Christ, we are not getting a good earthly example.

You want true followers of God, not the false teachers that they had in Ephesus. You can learn much about looking at a person's character and the way they live their lives, but people can fool you, too. This is tough; I think I would be easily fooled in trying to find a good leader!

I agree with much of what has been said about being loyal to one wife and about being a good family leader; it does make me think of priests (I was raised Catholic). They have no wives or families they are head of....

I've been wondering what I would read on this! I agree with the idea that God gives us gifts and we need to use them to serve Him, so if a woman happens to be gifted in teaching, she should be teaching. I like how "Rambler" puts it-lining ourselves up with God's will. At the same time, in my home, although I am the breadwinner and my husband stays home with the kids, decisions to be made are discussed together, but I know where his gifts lie, and I generally submit (yuck!) to his plan because he has a good track record! Again, am I listening to Paul, or am I aligning myself with God's will? I have peace, so I'm good with it.

There was apparently much fighting between the men. God wants us to forgive others as Jesus forgave us. However, sometimes we need to go to God and ask for the ability to forgive (sometimes more than once!).

Paul wanted to remind the teachers that Jesus came to save even the "tax collectors" and the others that the rest of society thought were not worth saving. It seems that the teachers in Ephesus were forming a clique of the people they thought were worthy of saving.