READ: Ephesians 5:15-33
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
KEY THOUGHT:
What do you use your lips for? In combination with other parts of our mouth, our lips enable us to communicate with one another verbally. The manner of our speech reflects our hearts. In Matthew 15:16, when Jesus spoke to religious leaders about the a person’s speech, he said that what proceeds out of our mouths comes from the heart. The things that come from our lips should be uplifting and glorifying to God. Paul provides a model for Christian speech in verses 19 and 20 of today’s Bible passage. Essentially, we should make melody with our lips. The apostle James wrote, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be“ (James 3:10 KJV). Too often, we use our lips to judge, criticize and hurt others. We should prefer to have a song on our lips with words of kindness, praise, and edification for those who hear it. Make note: a melody in your heart will show up on your lips.
CONSIDER:
- Look at verse 18; what is it that Paul said a Christian must be in order to have a heart filled with a melody?
- What do you think Paul meant in verse 16 when he wrote, “redeeming the time”?
- Considering your answer to the above, how can a Christian teen “redeem the time”?
APPLICATION:
Have a joyful melody in your heart and let it proceed from your mouth…
