<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Ephesians 6;5-9<div><br></div><div><b>5. &nbsp;Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ;</b></div><div><b>6. &nbsp;not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,</b></div><div><b>7. &nbsp;rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men,</b></div><div><b>8. &nbsp;knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is slave or free.</b></div><div><b>9. &nbsp;Masters, do the same to them, forbear threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Disclaimer: &nbsp;“I do not support or endorse slavery.&nbsp;</b>(However, slavery&nbsp;still exists&nbsp;in this world, and Believers are still being held in bondage,&nbsp;illegally&nbsp;enslaved, even in this country of ours. &nbsp;Prisoners may&nbsp;in some respect consider themselves in a kind of enslavement.)</div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Involuntary enslavement as a result of being kidnapped or taken captive in war is terrifying and utterly&nbsp;</div><div>full&nbsp;of&nbsp;suffering. &nbsp;Yet, it has happened repeatedly over the course of human history. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The prophet Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, all the captives taken from Israel by the Babylonians were enslaved.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and not long after all the descendants of Jacob eventually&nbsp;numbering in the hundreds of thousands, (possibly over a million) were all enslaved by the Egyptians.</div><div><br></div><div>As terrible as enslavement is, God has allowed it and further, his Word teaches that Believers who have been enslaved owe heart-felt good service to their masters.&nbsp;Why would God’s Word command Believers who are slaves to be ‘good slaves’ who sincerely care for their masters welfare?</div><div><br></div><div>The answer is both practical and also spiritual. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>First of all, if one was a ‘good slave’ their master would hopefully&nbsp;value them and have better regard for their welfare, after all, that slave was a blessing, prospering the master. &nbsp;Such slaves would be better treated than slothful, resentful, dishonest slaves. &nbsp;If one was a slave and also a Believer, he would have to conclude that God had good reasons for him to be serving what ever master owned him. &nbsp;Such a Believer could have a certain degree of comfort knowing he was already free in Christ, that is was really God who allowed him to be where he was, and that meant he was where he was supposed to be. &nbsp;Even a slave could know the peace of God. &nbsp;<i>“Always and for everything, giving thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ.” </i>(Ephesians 5;20) This instruction is for all Believers, even slaves.</div><div><br></div><div>Secondly, we are called to be disciple-makers, witnesses to Christ indwelling us, giving us a peace and joy not of&nbsp;this world or the circumstances of this earthly life. &nbsp;Our purpose is not serving ourselves, but the will of the Father. &nbsp;As Jesus said, <i>“For I have come down from heaven, not&nbsp;to do my own&nbsp;will, but&nbsp;the&nbsp;will of him who sent me.” &nbsp;</i>(John 6;38)<i></i></div><div><br></div><div>When unbelievers see humble&nbsp;children of God in peace and joy, truly loving even their enemies, the power of that witness is used by God to heap burning coals of repentance upon their heads, drawing them to Christ. &nbsp;This world is filled with people seeking true peace and joy, true life and love. &nbsp;Only in Christ is it ever to be found.</div><div><br></div><div>It was a little Hebrew&nbsp;slave girl who out of compassion for her master Naaman,&nbsp;told his wife that there was a prophet in Israel who could cleans him from his leprosy. &nbsp;He was cleansed and became a Believer in the LORD.</div><div><br></div><div>Remember, even masters must answer to The Master.</div><div>Remember there are also ‘voluntary slaves’, those who sell themselves into service, either for a certain period of time or forever on earth. &nbsp;Not all slavery is forced.</div><div>Remember also,&nbsp;Proverbs teaches, <i>“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” &nbsp;</i>(22;7)</div><div><br></div><div>Finally remember Jesus’ words to us, &nbsp;<i>“Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. &nbsp;It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” &nbsp;</i>(Matthew 20;25-28)&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, bless us know that the ‘Mind of Christ’ (which you <u>have</u>&nbsp;given us) is the mind of the One who is <i>“first of all,” &nbsp;</i>the willing, suffering&nbsp;&nbsp;servant/slave. &nbsp;Increase our faith to know who we are and Whose we are, in Jesus we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,&nbsp;</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”<br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Ephesians 6;5-9
5.  Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ;6.  not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,7.  rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men,8.  knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is slave or free.9.  Masters, do the same to them, forbear threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
Disclaimer:  “I do not support or endorse slavery. (However, slavery still exists in this world, and Believers are still being held in bondage, illegally enslaved, even in this country of ours.  Prisoners may in some respect consider themselves in a kind of enslavement.)
Involuntary enslavement as a result of being kidnapped or taken captive in war is terrifying and utterly full of suffering.  Yet, it has happened repeatedly over the course of human history.  
The prophet Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, all the captives taken from Israel by the Babylonians were enslaved.  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and not long after all the descendants of Jacob eventually numbering in the hundreds of thousands, (possibly over a million) were all enslaved by the Egyptians.
As terrible as enslavement is, God has allowed it and further, his Word teaches that Believers who have been enslaved owe heart-felt good service to their masters. Why would God’s Word command Believers who are slaves to be ‘good slaves’ who sincerely care for their masters welfare?
The answer is both practical and also spiritual.  
First of all, if one was a ‘good slave’ their master would hopefully value them and have better regard for their welfare, after all, that slave was a blessing, prospering the master.  Such slaves would be better treated than slothful, resentful, dishonest slaves.  If one was a slave and also a Believer, he would have to conclude that God had good reasons for him to be serving what ever master owned him.  Such a Believer could have a certain degree of comfort knowing he was already free in Christ, that is was really God who allowed him to be where he was, and that meant he was where he was supposed to be.  Even a slave could know the peace of God.  “Always and for everything, giving thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5;20) This instruction is for all Believers, even slaves.
Secondly, we are called to be disciple-makers, witnesses to Christ indwelling us, giving us a peace and joy not of this world or the circumstances of this earthly life.  Our purpose is not serving ourselves, but the will of the Father.  As Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”  (John 6;38)
When unbelievers see humble children of God in peace and joy, truly loving even their enemies, the power of that witness is used by God to heap burning coals of repentance upon their heads, drawing them to Christ.  This world is filled with people seeking true peace and joy, true life and love.  Only in Christ is it ever to be found.
It was a little Hebrew slave girl who out of compassion for her master Naaman, told his wife that there was a prophet in Israel who could cleans him from his leprosy.  He was cleansed and became a Believer in the LORD.
Remember, even masters must answer to The Master.Remember there are also ‘voluntary slaves’, those who sell themselves into service, either for a certain period of time or forever on earth.  Not all slavery is forced.Remember also, Proverbs teaches, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”  (22;7)
Finally remember Jesus’ words to us,  “Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.”  (Matthew 20;25-28) 
Prayer:  Merciful Father, bless us know that the ‘Mind of Christ’ (which you have given us) is the mind of the One who is “first of all,”  the willing, suffering  servant/slave.  Increase our faith to know who we are and Whose we are, in Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love, Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”

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