4 Fathers, don’t irritate your children and make them resentful; instead, raise them with the Lord’s kind of discipline and guidance.
5 Slaves, obey your human masters with the same fear, trembling and single-heartedness with which you obey the Messiah. 6 Don’t obey just to win their favor, serving only when they are watching you; but serve as slaves of the Messiah, doing what God wants with all your heart. 7 Work willingly as slaves, as people do who are serving not merely human beings but the Lord. 8 Remember that whoever does good work, whether he be a slave or a free man, will be rewarded by the Lord.
9 And masters, treat your slaves the same way. Don’t threaten them. Remember that in heaven both you and they have the same Master, and he has no favorites.
10 Finally, grow powerful in union with the Lord, in union with his mighty strength! 11 Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary. 12 For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. 13 So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing. 14 Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist,[b] put on righteousness for a breastplate,[c] 15 and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom.[d] 16 Always carry the shield of trust, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. 17 And take the helmet of deliverance;[e] along with the sword given by the Spirit, that is, the Word of God; 18 as you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people.
19 And pray for me, too, that whenever I open my mouth, the words will be given to me to be bold in making known the secret of the Good News, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may speak boldly, the way I should.[Footnotes:
Ephesians 6:3 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16
Ephesians 6:14 Isaiah 11:5
Ephesians 6:14 Isaiah 59:17
Ephesians 6:15 Isaiah 52:7
Ephesians 6:17 Isaiah 59:17]
"Pray for Me" by Author: Duane C. Brush
“Pray for me,” how we complete that sentence reveals more than we might think. A few years ago everyone was praying the prayer of Jabez, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” (1 Chronicles 4:10). Not a bad prayer, after all God did grant his request. It is very different than Paul’s prayer. Paul doesn’t ask for prayer to get out of prison or ask be free to continue his preaching ministry without restriction. That wouldn’t have been a bad prayer. But, it wasn’t what he prayed.
“Pray in the Spirit,” Paul encourages the Ephesians (6:18). This is prayer available to all God’s people “for all the Lord’s people.” This prayer could be offered “with all kinds of prayers and requests.” This was prayer seeking the mind of the Spirit and focused on the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).
Paul was deeply convinced that he was where he was by the will of God. The freedom he sought was to fearlessly proclaim the gospel, even if it was in chains.
Hymn for Today: "Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer" by Author: W. W. Walford (1845)
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“Pray for me,” how we complete that sentence reveals more than we might think. A few years ago everyone was praying the prayer of Jabez, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” (1 Chronicles 4:10). Not a bad prayer, after all God did grant his request. It is very different than Paul’s prayer. Paul doesn’t ask for prayer to get out of prison or ask be free to continue his preaching ministry without restriction. That wouldn’t have been a bad prayer. But, it wasn’t what he prayed.
“Pray in the Spirit,” Paul encourages the Ephesians (6:18). This is prayer available to all God’s people “for all the Lord’s people.” This prayer could be offered “with all kinds of prayers and requests.” This was prayer seeking the mind of the Spirit and focused on the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).
Paul was deeply convinced that he was where he was by the will of God. The freedom he sought was to fearlessly proclaim the gospel, even if it was in chains.
Hymn for Today: "Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer" by Author: W. W. Walford (1845)
1. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father's throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter's snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I'll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
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