After laying a foundation in Ephesians 1-4, Paul launches in to some very practical living principles in Ephesians 5. There is so much packed into this chapter that you could study it alone for a few weeks. So I've decided to pick seven random things that I gleaned from this chapter that apply to everyday life.

Walk in the way of love. Many of us give lip service to the idea that we love others, but sometimes it doesn't really play out in everyday life. Are we willing to sacrifice our desires for the good of the other person? Are we open to letting go of hurt so the relationship can move forward, or can we let go of a relationship if necessary?

Treat people with respect. Many of the sins listed are born from not considering others with love and respect but instead giving into our own pleasures.

Be filled with His Spirit. Paul reminds us to get our "filling" from God Himself, not from earthly pleasures. He specifically mentions not becoming drunk. Too much alcohol can affect one's thoughts and behaviors and Paul says there is another way to be filled where our behavior is affected for the good.

Live carefully. So often we stumble through life haphazardly, without much intentionality. We talk about taking better care of ourselves, but don't create a workable plan. We say we want to get out of debt but still keep spending money. We try to survive the short term urgencies on our plate only to discover that months and years go by without truly investing in what is important.

Understand your role in marriage. We could do a whole study on what it means to submit to, love and respect your mate but I'm choosing one thing to point out because I'm a woman who often observes the behavior and attitudes of other women. Ladies, sometimes I'm amazed at how much we don't respect our husbands. We think we know best. We think we can just do what we want regardless of his wisdom or input. Sometimes we are even proud of doing our own thing. I'm not suggesting we be a doormat, and the point of this post isn't to investigate all of this subject. But let's take a step back and realize how disrespectful we often are and how that it is clear disobedience to God.

Make the most of every opportunity. God gives us different opportunities to show love and care to others, almost every day. Are your eyes open to them?

Know that we live in an evil world. As much as we want to see change (often looking to politics for this) our world has been evil since Adam and Eve sinned. It is easy to get discouraged. How much better to focus on Christ and His salvation or we can easily lose hope.

How about you? What do you learn from this chapter?