Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, June 2nd, 2024
the Week of Proper 4 / Ordinary 9
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Read the Bible

Simplified Cowboy Version

Ephesians 5

Live in Light, Not Darkness

1 Do what God does because you are now his cowboys. 2 Live a life of love like Jesus did. He loved us even though we didn't deserve it and willingly died for those who don't even appreciate him by the way they live their lives.

3 Shun lust, promiscuity, and all your jealous hankerin'. That ain't the way God's cowboys live or ride. 4 Dirty stories, foolish talk, and crude jokes are not the ways of God or you. If you're wondering what to do then, learn to just be thankful. 5 There ain't a place on God's outfit for the immoral or greedy. A greedy cowboy makes a god out of what he wants, not the one who saved him.

6 Don't be one of these who justify sin by saying, "God made me this way." God will give a good chappin' to any cowboy who does this. 7 Don't ride like the no-account counterfeit cowboys who surround you. 8 You were once just like them, but now you live in the light, not the darkness. 9 This light that lives within you will work good in you if you just let it and listen to it, but it ain't going to make you do it.

10 Every day, ask yourself this question, does this make God happy? 11 Don't waste your energy on the things that will destroy you. 12 I don't even want to mention the things ungodly men do in secret. 13 But just because they think these things are secret, they will be exposed one day when the light of God reveals all. 14 No one can hide from God's light. This is why this was spoken, "Get up sleeper, rise from your grave, and Christ will light your way."

Ride with the Holy Ghost

15 Be careful how you ride. Don't ride like fools, but like top hands. 16 Pay attention to every single opportunity to do good, even though the days are evil. 17 Don't ride with your head in the clouds. 18 Stay away from the whiskey. You think you can control it, but it's the other way around. Instead, let the Holy Ghost guide your every waking moment. 19 Write a campfire song that honors God. Sing 'em together to settle the herd and your hearts. 20 Be thankful every moment of every day.

Godly Marriage

21 Be honorable and reverent to each other out of your love for Christ.

22 Wives, be honorable and reverent to your husbands just like you are to the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his family as Jesus is head of his outfit. He is the savior of his outfit. 24 As the outfit is honorable and reverent of Christ, so you wives must be honorable and reverent to your husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives as much as Christ loves his outfit (the church). Jesus gave his life up for it and you husbands must love your wives just as much. 26 He did this to make us holy and clean. We've been washed in the cleansing river of God's word. 27 Jesus did this so his outfit would be worthy of his love. He has made us without spot, wrinkle, or liver spot. His outfit will be perfect and without fault. 28 Husbands must do the same for their wives. Loving his wife shows that he loves himself. 29 No one should hate their own body, but feed it good food and care for it, just like Jesus does for his outfit. 30 And we ride for his outfit.

31 The Good Book says, "A man rides off from his mom and pop and makes a new life with his wife. The two of them become like one." 32 This is hard to understand, but it's another way of saying Jesus and his outfit are one. 33 Again, let me say that each cowboy should love his wife, and the wife must honor and be reverent of her husband.

 
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