NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: John 11-13
SCRIPTURE READING
Eph 4:17-21 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer
walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their
understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due
to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to
sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned
Christ! — assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is
in Jesus.
This passage begins with a very penetrating analysis of the hardness and darkness and
ignorance and corruption and futility of the human heart. Why does Paul do this? Because
it’s so important that the root of our problem be recognized. There is no point in telling
people how to manage their anger (4:26) and their money (4:28) and their sexuality
(5:3) and their time (5:16) and their tongue (4:29) if we don’t help them to know and heal
the disease of their heart. We can’t settle for quick fixes and superficial, upbeat attitude
changes. We must to be healed. We want to be free from the very root of sin! We must see
the yuck that is in our hearts, until we see this clearly and agree that this is what we are by
nature, we probably will be healed very lightly and very superficially. No man or woman
or book or seminar or program can save us from the disease of sin, only God can. How
are we healed? It is by hearing the voice of Jesus and being taught by him (verse 21). He
has diagnosed our disease, and now He gives Himself as the cure. Conversion requires a
change in living. The old corrupt way of life that is fuelled by deceitful desires is to be in the
past as Christians are to live in a new way, empowered by listening to Jesus, being taught
by Him and obeying Him.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Have you been trying to manage your anger, money, sexuality, time and tongue without
dealing with your diseased heart? If so, ask the Lord if you should book a personal ministry
appointment or go to an Encounter in order to deal with the heart issues.
2. Spend some time committing to dealing with your sin His way. Tell Him that you want to
be empowered through Him, that you want to be taught by Him and that you want to obey
Him. Ask Him to help you do this.
