AM I TRULY BEING REAL ?

AM I BEING REAL.......

(EPHESIANS CHAPTER ONE)

R elationship wih God. This is the most vital aspect to living a consistent Christian walk. If my relationship with God is not on a real leve, then all my other relationships are not going to be where they should be. Notice in chapter one of Ephesians how personal the Apostle Paul referst to God and Christ. Verse one, (I am an Apostle of Christ)(by the will of God). Verse two, (peace from OUR God). Verse three, (OUR Lord Jesus Christ). Verse seventeen, (God of OUR Lord). A person cannot talk this way without knowing someone very personally. As Paul corresponds with the Ephesians, he is not challenging them to strive for something he does not have. He is reminding them of what they have in Christ. What he has in Christ. Remember, he is writing this letter during a time of personal persecution and trial. Am I being real in all my relationships or am I still wearing a Mask?

verse 7, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."

E valuation of self. Am I being honest with myself? Do I live each day as if I would stand before the Lord today? Do I live a REAL Christian life in front of my peers or is it just a facade? Is my Christian life really Christian? Verse four, (just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. Am I living obediently in Christ? Do I strive daily to live and think Biblically as I deal with the different tests and temptations that come my way?

A ttitude....Attitude...Attitude. IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME....IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM!!!! Paul makes it firmly clear in verse one why he is doing what he is doing and why he is saying what he is sharing with the Christians. Ephesians 1:1, "Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus BY THE WILL OF GOD. It requires a submissive attitude to be and live obediently to what God commands. In my effort to be REAL, have I realized that the things that I experience in my life that are not in my control are there to mold me and shape me more into the image of Christ? May I not get lost in focusing in the process, that I lose sight of the fact that God sees the finished product. Therefore, I must trust God that He knows best for my life.

L ove of God and others more than self!!!!! Do I love and long for the eternal things that God has to offer? Verse 18, " I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saings, Verse 19, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."

Key things to consider as I seek to be REAL and SHARE my faith:

*My ability to influence others is directly related to what they think about me.

*What does it mean to enter someone's world but not take on his or her way of life?

*How can I become friends with non-christians without letting them influence me negatively?

*Think of some qualities of a helathy relationship: Okay, now are these qualities in my relationships with God, parents, friends, etc.......