Ephesians 4 Guilty!

25Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. 26BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Let's examine these verses:

Laying aside falsehood, speak truth! I'm guilty, are you?

We are members of one another, yes even your neighbor! One of my neighbors is a bully, yells and screams all the time, is unreasonable while claiming I'm unreasonable. All I can do is pray for him. Do you love your neighbor?

Be angry and do not sin! I'm guilty are you? Don't let the sun go down on your anger. I have, have you?

Do not give the devil opportunity. Guilty! Are you?

He who steals must steal no longer! Guilty! Have you ever stolen anything? Paid a cheaper price for something mis-marked?

Do you labor and share with those who have need? Sometimes, but I need to do more. What about you?

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth! Guilty! I spilled a cup of coffee this morning and the "d" word came out, my old background as a mechanic reared its ugly head. Allot of mechanics cuss, swear and it's hard when your around them daily. Do you ever swear? What about when someone cuts you off in traffic?

"word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Hard to do but I try when I see a need. Do you?

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Grieve: cause great distress to (someone):(Holy Spirit). Why, by our actions would you cause grief to someone who loves you? Guilty! Are you?

bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice be put away from you! Guilty! When I catch myself falling into these I pray the Lord to remove the bitterness from my heart. Are you guilty?

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." This is hard and I'm guilty, are you? This is a command, because if you don't forgive the Father won't forgive you!

May we all try to be better examples of Christ striving to be a better Christian.

Blessings, David