Ephesians: Wholeness in a 
World
Week of August 14, 2005
This Week’s Scripture Reading
Ephesians 5:15-21
15So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. 16Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. 17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. 19Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Prayers for the Week:
Sunday |
Heavenly Father, As this week’s scripture starts with exhortation not to live as fools, I pray that you will fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may live in wisdom. Guide my thoughts and decisions that each one will honor You. Amen. |
Monday |
Heavenly Father, we do live in evil days. Everywhere I look people are turning against Your will and ways. I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may live a holy life and reflect the grace of Jesus in everything. Amen. |
Tuesday |
Heavenly Father, I pray again today for wisdom. I don’t want to act thoughtlessly, but I want to understand what You want me to be and do. Glorify Yourself in my life today, and let me always live to honor You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. |
Wednesday |
Heavenly Father, there are so many temptations to distract me from You. I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I may not succumb to temptation, but be delivered from it. I will give You all the glory and praise. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Thursday |
Heavenly Father, FILL me with Your Holy Spirit. I know that being filled with Your Spirit is not a one time thing, but is a matter of having Your ongoing presence in my life. Use me as You see fit today and always. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. |
Friday |
Heavenly Father, fill me with songs of praise to You today, because Your Holy Spirit is controlling my life! I pray that I will reflect on those things that glorify You, and that my actions will bring You praise from others. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. |
Saturday |
Heavenly Father, I pray that You will empower me to submit to others out of reverence for You, today and always. Let me have Your understanding of authority, and by Your Spirit may I always live in a manner pleasing to You. Amen. |
Background on the Text
This week’s Scripture is one of the most powerful in all of Paul’s writings, because it exhorts us to constantly be filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 18, Paul writes, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” In the original Greek, the verb is a present, passive, imperative. What that means is we are not to be filled with the Holy Spirit once, but on an ongoing basis. We could translate Paul’s words this way—“be being filled with the Holy Spirit.” Since the statement is a passive it means that we cannot fill ourselves, but must open ourselves so God can fill us. That the verb is an imperative means that we are commanded to open ourselves so God can fill us with His Spirit on an ongoing basis. Thus, if we want to live victorious, God-honoring lives the key is to open ourselves and all God to fill us with His Spirit all the time. In that way we find ourselves filled with the joy and power necessary to live as Jesus lived. We CANNOT do it, but the Holy Spirit living in us and filling us daily CAN!
Monday
Observation: What does the text say?
Tuesday
Interpretation: What do these verses mean?
Wednesday
Application: How can I respond to the text’s insights and teachings?
Thursday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Encouraged and strengthened me by:
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Fallen short areas
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What will I do with these insights?
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Friday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
What did God say to me this week?
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Share insights and growth points.
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Changed/transformed how?
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Saturday
Reflective Thoughts