On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors
locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be
with you!” After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were
overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has
sent me, I am sending you.” And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy
Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are
not forgiven.” – John 20:19-23
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST. – Ephesians 1:3-23
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly
realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the
world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious
grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished
on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will
according to His good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the
times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works
out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first
to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in
Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed,
you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing
our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His
glory.
THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the
saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be
enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His
glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the
dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority,
power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in
the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over
everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every
way.
A PRAYER – Ephesians 3:14-22
For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth
derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with
power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with
all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know
this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of
God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to
His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
LIVING AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT – Ephesians 4:17 – 5:21
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in
the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the
life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having
lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind
of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when
you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You
were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being
corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put
on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are
all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are
still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no
longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have
something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building
others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the
Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all
bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ
loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you
there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of
greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity,
foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can
be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for
because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be
partners with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the
fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the
Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is
shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the
light becomes visible, for it light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O
sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you
live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are
evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on
wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one
another out of reverence for Christ.
Remain Blessed!
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