A Daily Devotion for Monday, May 4
Ephesians 4:29-32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
1Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
As simple as the verses above make it seem, it is not always easy to follow the message. We may disagree with people in our church family, who say or do things we feel are insensitive or mean-spirited, and we feel inclined to complain or confront them. But most of the time, these are truly matters between God and our brother or sister in Christ, and we are not likely to make a positive contribution to that process. Whenever possible, we are encouraged to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger”. We are at our best when we all make an effort to work together toward a common goal.
Holy Lord, help me to remember to hold my tongue, and refrain from even “venting” to anyone other than you, when it involves another Christian and their behavior. I know that I am far from perfect, and would never want to hear all of the complaints made against me in the past. I pray that all Christians everywhere grow closer to you, and continue to transform through your Word. Amen
Becky, transforming
Ephesians 4:29-32 / Thessalonians 5:11
Working in the operating for the longest part of my nursing career, allowed me to see how the way people treat one another affects a team. The best and most effective teams were teams of caregivers who lifted each other up, respected each other and shared a common goal for the day. Other teams, where harsh criticism, sarcasm, or mean spirited comments existed experienced difficult and stressful days with multiple problems. My strongest words with doctors and staff revolved around how they treated people. I tried to create a culture that helped my staff grow. It makes a big difference. God cares about how we treat others. He wants us to be kind and compassionate…
Ephesians 4:29-32 1 Thessalonions 5:11. Sewn Together
These passages remind me of the new orgnizational plan our Conferences of Churches introduced to us last week. It is called Cooperative Parishes. The idea is to expand our church family beyond the walls of our home church to create a new community. The churches are somewhat geographical. Our two churches are part of a five church parish. There is much to be gained in numbers, support, and ideas. There is great sharing that can happen with little to be lost. Each church continues to operate as usual. We will become part of a larger community.
Prayer: Gracious God, guide us with your strong hand as we travel this new idea into being.…
Monday May 4th, 2025
Sewn Together
(Focus to imitate Christ’s Compassion
Today’s Reading Ephesians 4:29-32
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Paul was aware of the difficult times in which the Thessalonians lived and he knew that many of them would be tempted to give up and not complete their journey of faith if they had no encouragement . Some people are naturally gifted as encouragers. They are amazing people who make everyone around them feel good whenever they are in their presence. I was not naturally gifted in this way but I have learned and am still learning to encourage others. We may not all be born with…
Ephesians 4:29-32/1Thessalonians 5:11
Unwholesome talk, bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice - a sad litany of what we find ourselves surrounded by. Kind, compassionate, forgiving words that build up seem few and far between. On the other hand, it may just be a matter of perspective and where we place our priorities. Engaging the negative, fighting fire with fire is never productive and more often than not, worsens the situation. Using my words and actions to build up rather than demean or destroy is always the right path, as their source is the living water needed to put out the fire altogether.
Prayer - Father, Son, Spirit, please allow me to be a channel of Your peace rather than an…