Church and godly living

(This was from yesterday; didn't quite finish it.)

EPH 3-5

I love Ephesians.  Missed blogging about Chapters 1-2 yesterday.  God's will, plan, glory... predestination, grace and faith.  Awesome stuff.

I love Paul's prayer at the end of ch. 3.  I need to regularly pray this for myself, my family, and my church family.

I love the description and objective for building the church and growing in maturity in ch. 4.

I think you could summarize the end of ch 4 and the beginning of ch 5 as a pursuit of godly living.  Not religion or self righteousness, but seeking to know Jesus and live like Him.

In the past couple of years, I have come to think that our speech is a very important aspect of godly living.  Not only what you talk about, but also the attitude with which you speak.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 5:4 ESV
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

The guideline is not simply "dont say bad stuff", but rather, speak words of grace and thanksgiving.

Heavenly Father, please help me speak words of life, truth, grace, and thanksgiving.  Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. May what I say and how I say it reflect you and your love.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.