Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 8 THE CHRISTIAN’S RELATIONSHIPS (Scripture Portions: Ephesians 5: 22-33 and 6: 1-19) The importance of this subject is seen by the fact that the Holy Spirit has devoted such a large proportion of this letter to the relationships which should exist between Christian husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and servants. How, then, should believers behave in the exacting relationships of domestic life? The answer is in verse 21. In other words, the secret of a happy and a harmonious home is mutual submission; not proud resistance, not striving to stand up for one’s “rights”, but a loving consideration of the other person, a mutual respect and loyalty, a Christ-like spirit. Consider in detail the relationships mentioned. 1 . WIVES, submit to your husbands (5 : 22 - 24 and 33 ). These are not man’s ideas, they are God’s instructions. Wives are to submit themselves to their husbands “as to the Lord…in everything.” The Lord is the Head of the

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 9 OUR ENEMY AND OUR WARFARE (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 6: l0-19) In his Letters the apostle Paul speaks of the Christian life under a number of suggestive metaphors. For example, in this letter to the Ephesians his favourite designation of the Christian is how he should LIVE – compare 2: 2; 4: 1 and 17; 5:2, 8 and 15. In chapters 5 and 6, wives (5: 22-24), husbands (5: 25-3l), children (6: 1-3), fathers (6: 4), servants (6: 5-8) and masters (6: 9), are told how to live and how to behave. But suddenly the apostle changes the metaphor, and in chapter 6, verse 10, he introduces us to something of the stern side of the Christian life; he tells us that there is a fight to be fought, that we have a powerful enemy to face, and that we can only be “more than conquerors” (Romans 8: 37) as we “put on the full armour of God.” As Christians, we are saints (Ephesians 1: 1), children (1: 5), believers (1: 13), servants (6: 5) – but we are also soldiers (6: 11)

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 10 PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 6: 18-24) Paul was a man of prayer. Prayer was the secret of his life, of his amazing influence, of his suffering and endurance, of his burning passion for the souls of men, and consequently he is the one man, apart from the Lord Jesus Himself, who is most qualified to instruct us in the holy art of praying. In the verses before us there are seven vital truths about prayer. 1 . Prayer is the Great Essential Paul speaks of the armour we are to put on, and then he goes straight on without a break – “Praying at all times…” It is tremendously important for a soldier to have on the right armour and to be equipped with a sword, but what is equally important is that the soldier should keep in constant communication with his Commander-in-chief (Hebrews 2: 10). The Christian, while he is on the field of battle, is in direct touch with the throne of God, and the prayer-line of communication with o