Ephesians 6

I’m glad I’m finishing this series. Paul continues talking about family, quoting from Exodus 20.

1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),

3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Corporal punishment, when used lovingly and properly, is beneficial to a child http://drjamesdobson.org/Solid-Answers/Answers?a=6bf44299-6930-4746-895d-77e52ca9e92a

Proverbs 13:24 24 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Think of the word servant or employee in the next section:

5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;

6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Petra sang a song about being a God-pleaser, not a man-pleaser.

7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

9 And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

This is what I’m trying to do here and in other challenging jobs. Petra also sang this line in “More Power to Ya”:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,

Arche beginning, origin the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause the extremity of a thing of the corners of a sail the first place, principality, rule, magistracy of angels and demons against the powers,

Exousia power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases leave or permission physical and mental power the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege) the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed) universally authority over mankind specifically the power of judicial decisions of authority to manage domestic affairs metonymically a thing subject to authority or rule 4c jurisdiction one who possesses authority 4c a ruler, a human magistrate 4c the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates a sign of the husband's authority over his wife the veil with which propriety required a women to cover herself the sign of regal authority, a crown

against the world forces of this darkness,

Skotos darkness of night darkness of darkened eyesight or blindness metaph. of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway

against the spiritual forces of wickedness

Poneria depravity, iniquity, wickedness malice evil purposes and desires

in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, It is sometimes a mystery what God is doing in our lives.

20 for which I am an ambassador

Presbeuo to be older, prior by birth or in age to be an ambassador, in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, "fateful" an Asiatic Christian, friend and companion of the apostle Paul the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.