One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 320
Ephesians 5
5Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.G1096G3402G3767G3402G2316G5613G27G50432Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.G2532G4043G1722G26G2531G5547G2532G25G2248G2532G3860G1438G5228G2257G4376G2532G2378G2316G1519G2175G37443Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people.G2532G4202G1161G3956G167G2228G4124G3687G3366G3687G1722G5213G2531G4241G404Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.G2532G151G2532G3473G2228G2160G3588G433G3756G433G235G3123G21695You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.G1063G5124G2075G1097G3754G3756G3956G4205G2228G169G2228G4123G3739G2076G1496G2192G2817G1722G932G5547G2532G23166Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.G538G3367G538G5209G2756G3056G1063G1223G5023G2064G3709G2316G1909G5207G5437Don't participate in the things these people do.G1096G3361G1096G3767G4830G8468For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!G1063G2258G4218G4655G1161G3568G5457G1722G2962G4043G5613G5043G54579For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.G1063G2590G4151G1722G3956G19G2532G1343G2532G22510Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.G1381G5101G2076G2101G296211Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.G2532G4790G3361G4790G175G2041G4655G1161G3123G2532G165112It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.G1063G2076G149G2532G3004G2931G1096G5259G846G293113But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,G1161G3956G1651G5319G5259G5457G1063G3956G5319G2076G545714for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."G1352G3004G1453G2518G2532G450G1537G3498G2532G5547G2017G4671G201715So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise.G991G3767G4459G4043G199G3361G5613G781G235G5613G468016Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.G1805G2540G3754G2250G1526G419017Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.G1223G5124G1096G3361G878G235G4920G5101G2307G296218Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,G2532G3182G3361G3182G3631G1722G3739G2076G810G235G4137G1722G415119singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.G2980G1438G5568G2532G5215G2532G4152G5603G103G2532G5567G1722G5216G2588G296220And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.G2168G3842G5228G3956G2316G2532G3962G1722G3686G2257G2962G2424G554721And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.G5293G240G1722G5401G231622For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.G1135G5293G2398G435G5613G296223For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.G3754G435G2076G2776G1135G2532G5613G5547G2776G1577G2532G846G2076G4990G498324As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.G235G5618G1577G5293G5547G3779G2532G1135G2398G435G1722G395625For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for herG435G25G1438G1135G2531G5547G2532G25G1577G2532G3860G1438G5228G84626to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word.G2443G846G37G2511G3067G5204G1722G448727He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.G2443G3936G846G1438G1741G1577G3361G2192G4696G2228G4512G2228G5100G5108G235G2443G5600G40G2532G29928In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.G3779G3784G435G25G1438G1135G5613G1438G4983G25G1438G1135G25G143829No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.G1063G3762G4218G3404G1438G4561G235G1625G2532G2282G846G2531G2532G2962G157730And we are members of his body.G3754G2070G3196G846G4983G1537G846G4561G2532G1537G846G374731As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one."G473G5127G2641G444G2641G846G3962G2532G3384G2532G4347G4314G846G1135G2532G1417G2071G1519G3391G456132This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.G5124G2076G3173G3466G1161G1473G3004G1519G5547G1519G2532G157733So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.G4133G2532G25G1520G1538G5210G2596G3779G25G1438G1135G5613G1438G1161G1135G2443G5399G435
Ephesians 6
6Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.G5043G5219G5216G1118G1722G2962G1063G5124G2076G13422"Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise.G5091G4675G3962G2532G3384G3748G2076G4413G1785G1722G18603If you honor your father and mother, "things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth."G2443G1096G2095G4671G2532G2071G3118G1909G10934Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.G2532G3962G3949G3361G5216G5043G3949G235G1625G846G1625G1722G3809G2532G3559G29625Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.G1401G5219G2962G2596G4561G3326G5401G2532G5156G1722G572G5216G2588G5613G55476Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.G3361G2596G3787G5613G441G235G5613G1401G5547G4160G2307G2316G1537G55907Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.G3326G2133G1398G2962G2532G3756G4448Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.G1492G3754G3739G1437G5100G18G1538G4160G5124G2865G3844G2962G1535G1401G1535G16589Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don't threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.G2532G2962G4160G846G4314G846G447G547G1492G3754G5216G846G2962G2532G2076G1722G3772G2532G3756G2076G4382G3844G84610A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.G3063G3450G80G1743G1722G2962G2532G1722G2904G846G247911Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.G1746G3833G2316G4314G5209G1410G2476G4314G3180G122812For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.G3754G2254G3823G3756G2076G4314G4561G2532G129G235G4314G746G4314G1849G4314G2888G4655G5127G165G4314G4152G4189G1722G203213Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.G1223G5124G353G3833G2316G2443G1410G436G1722G4190G2250G2532G2716G537G247614Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness.G2476G3767G4024G5216G3751G4024G1722G225G2532G1746G2382G134315For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.G2532G4228G5265G1722G2091G2098G151516In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.G1909G3956G353G2375G4102G1722G3739G1410G4570G3956G4448G956G419017Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.G2532G1209G4030G4992G2532G3162G4151G3603G4487G231618Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.G4336G1722G2540G3956G1223G3956G4335G2532G1162G1722G4151G2532G69G1519G5124G846G1722G3956G4343G2532G1162G4012G3956G4019And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.G2532G5228G1700G2443G3056G1325G3427G1722G457G3450G4750G1722G3954G1107G3466G209820I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.G5228G3739G4243G1722G254G2443G1722G846G3955G5613G3165G1163G298021To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord's work.G1161G2443G5210G2532G1492G1691G2596G5101G4238G5190G27G80G2532G4103G1249G1722G2962G1107G5213G395622I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.G3739G3992G4314G5209G1519G846G5124G2443G1097G2257G4012G2532G3870G5216G258823Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness.G1515G80G2532G26G3326G4102G575G2316G3962G2532G2962G2424G554724May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.G5485G3326G3956G25G2257G2962G2424G5547G1722G861G281
Psalms 10
10O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?H5975H7350H3068H5956H6256H68692The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.H7563H1346H1814H6041H8610H4209H2098H28033For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.H7563H1984H5315H8378H1288H1214H3068H50064The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.H7563H1363H639H1875H430H42095Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies.H1870H6256H2342H4941H4791H6887H63156They think, "Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!"H559H3820H4131H1755H1755H74517Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.H6310H4390H423H4820H8496H3956H5999H2058They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are always searching for helpless victims.H3427H3993H2691H4565H2026H5355H5869H6845H24899Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets.H693H4565H738H5520H693H2414H6041H2414H6041H4900H756810Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.H1794H7817H2426H2489H2489H5307H609911The wicked think, "God isn't watching us! He has closed his eyes and won't even see what we do!"H559H3820H410H7911H5641H6440H5331H720012Arise, O LORD! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless!H6965H3068H410H5375H3027H7911H6035H604113Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, "God will never call us to account."H7563H5006H430H559H3820H187514But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans.H7200H5027H5999H3708H5414H3027H2489H5800H5826H349015Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed.H7665H2220H7563H7451H1875H7562H4672H107716The LORD is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land.H3068H4428H5769H5703H1471H6H77617LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.H3068H8085H8378H6035H3559H3820H241H718118You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.H8199H3490H1790H582H776H3254H6206
Dublin, OH
and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.G2532
