So let's get right to it.

Ephesians chapter 4 today, and our text will be verses 17 through 24.

I'll have you stand if you're able, and you can follow along as I read.

If not, that's all right where you're seated.

The Apostle Paul is writing, and by the Holy Spirit says verse 17,

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, verse 20, 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.

There's a lot here.

So let's pray and we'll ask God to bless our understanding.

Loving Heavenly Father, will you at this time, as only you can, settle our hearts and enable us to focus and give you our undivided attention so that you can speak into our lives.

Lord, we really want to see what it is that you want to show to us in the text that we have before us today. And we need for the Holy Spirit

to do that and to keep our minds from wandering so that we don't miss anything that you would desire

to minister to us today.

So Lord, will you speak?

Your servants are listening.

...