Memory Text: Ephesians 4:32 NKJV “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”

Sunday, November 20 Put Away the Old
Ephesians 4:17-24 NRSV “17 ¶ Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. 19 They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:17-24 Clear Word 17 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I appeal to you not to live as those Gentiles do who have different values and a completely different view of things. 18 Their minds are darkened and they’re alienated from God because of their ignorance, which is due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 They’ve become calloused, living lives of sensuality, and indulging in undisciplined passions while continually lusting for more. 20 This is totally different from the kind of lives I’ve taught you to live or from the devoted life to God that Christ lived. 21 If you’ve been taught how to live in accordance with the truth as it is in Jesus, 22 then put off the old self which is corrupt and deceitful and full of lust. 23 Determine to live totally for Him. Begin each day with a commitment to live for Christ. 24 This is what it means to put on the new self, to be a new person in Christ, who has been recreated in uprightness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:17-19 God’s Word to the Nations “17 ¶ So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18 They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness. 19 Since they no longer have any sense of shame, they have become promiscuous. They practice every kind of sexual perversion with a constant desire for more.”
Ephesians 4:19 PEOPLE’S NT COMMENTARY Having trampled conscience under foot until it is calloused. Having silenced its admonitions, they give themselves over to licentiousness and evil. This description is not overdrawn. Purity of life was not even considered a virtue among the Gentiles of that period.
Ephesians 4:24 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES The change is so great, that there is no impropriety in speaking of one who has experienced it as "a new man." He has new feelings, principles, and desires. He has laid aside his old principles and practices, and, in everything that pertains to moral character, he is new. His body is indeed the same; the intellectual structure of his mind the same; but there has been a change in his principles and feelings which make him, in all the great purposes of life, a new being.
Romans 3:10-18 NRSV “10 as it is written: "There is no one who is righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one." 13 "Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of vipers is under their lips." 14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery are in their paths, 17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."”
Ephesians 4:19 NKJV “who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

Monday, November 21 Put On the New
Ephesians 4:22-24 MKJV “22 For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. 24 And you should put on the new man, who according to God [was] created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Romans 12:2 KJ21 “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 KJ21 “9 But as it is written: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so no man knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. 13 These things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged by no man. 16 "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”
Philippines 4:8-9 KJ21 “8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.”

Tuesday, November 22 Live the New Life
Ephesians 4:25-29 ESV “25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Ephesians 4:25-29 Clear Word 25 So stop lying to each other and speak truthfully, because we are all members of the same family. 26 If you get upset, don’t focus on your feelings until you become hateful and degenerate into sin. Be angry with sin, but don’s sin by being angry with the sinner. 27 Determine to get over any anger before nightfall, or the devil will gain a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing should stop it, do some honest work, pay back what was stolen, then give something to those in need. 29 Let no dishonorable talk come out of your mouths but only what will help those who hear. Impart grace to others by talking faith and hope as fits the occasion.
Ephesians 4:26 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Anger is excited when a horse kicks us; when a serpent hisses; when we dash our foot against a stone; and so when a man raises his hand to strike us. The object or final cause of implanting this passion in the mind of man, is to rouse him to an immediate defence of himself when suddenly attacked, and before his reason would have time to suggest the proper means of defence. It prompts at once to self-protection; and when that is done its proper office ceases. If persevered in, it becomes sinful malignity, or revenge --always wrong.

Wednesday, November 23 Grieve Not the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4:30 NKJV “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Ephesians 4:30 Clear Word Don’t drive away the Holy Spirit, for He’s the only One who can protect you from Satan until God’s plan for this world has been completed.
Ephesians 4:30 COMMENTARY JOHN WESLEY NOTES Grieve not the Holy Spirit-By any disobedience. Particularly by corrupt discourse; or by any of the following sins. Do not force him to withdraw from you, as a friend does whom you grieve by unkind behaviour.
Ephesians 4:30 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Christians often resist the Holy Ghost. He would lead them to be dead to the world; yet they drive on their plans of gain. He would teach them the folly of fashion and vanity; yet they deck themselves in the gayest apparel. He would keep them from the splendid party, the theatre, and the ballroom; yet they go there
Ephesians 2:18 NRSV “for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Ephesians 3:16 NRSV “I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,”
Ephesians 5:9 NRSV “for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
Ephesians 6:17 NRSV “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Thursday, November 24 Be Imitators of God
Ephesians 4:31-5:1 NKJV “31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 ¶ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”
Ephesians 4:31-5:1 Clear Word 31 Put away any bitterness, hostility, anger, gossip, rioting and holding grudges. 32 Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, considerate and forgiving, just as God in Christ has done for you. 5:1 Follow Christ’s example as children of God should.
Ephesians 4:32 NRSV “and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:32 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Christianity produces true courteousness, or politeness. It does not make one rough, crabbed, sour; nor does it dispose its followers to violate the proper rules of social intercourse. The secret of true politeness is benevolence, or a desire to make others happy; and a Christian should be the most polite of men. There is no religion in a sour, misanthropic temper; none in rudeness, stiffness, and repulsiveness; none in violating the rules of good-breeding. There is a hollow-hearted politeness, indeed, which the Christian is not to aim at or copy. His politeness is to be based on kindness, Col 3:12. His courtesy is to be the result of love, good-will, and a desire of the happiness of all others; and this will prompt to the kind of conduct that will render his intercourse with others agreeable and profitable.