"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. Ephesians 4:17 NIV

Paul thought of the gentiles as the flowers we see in this picture. They floated along, not being anchored in the truth according to the Word of God. Without an anchor all of us will float away to distant lands where we can be caught up in trouble. A gentile is anyone outside of the Jewish faith.

Paul was sent to preach truth to the gentiles and he did it with all of his heart. His sincere faith and openness to the romans, the greeks and whoever else was nearby was genuine and real. His love for them was sincere, and because of this he wanted new converts to free themselves form anything from their past.

Our way of thinking can cause us to trip up every time. Although I was a strong christian, when depression dropped me into a deep pit, I thought Jesus was far from me. I knew this wasn't true for others because His word says," I will never leave you nor forsake you." Somehow I thought at this juncture I didn't fit into this promise any more.

Deep inside I felt I couldn't be forgiven for the thoughts that plagued me night and day. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Jesus doesn't leave us, we might leave Him, but He doesn't turn His back. The dedication and love God has for those who are called by His name is eternal.

The futility of the gentile or unbeliever is a deception about their eternal life. Those who are believers in Christ Jesus and follow in His footsteps belong to God on earth and will gain entrance into eternal peace and grace in heaven. An unbeliever will spend eternity in hell. This is because of free will.

God never wanted his creation, man and woman to be robots without a choice. God desires pure worship from His own. It must be genuine, not coerced or pressured. Just as a parent wants a child to demonstrate true devotion to a mother or father.

We grow in our relationship with God through prayer, teaching, and fellowship with other believers. Paul has a father's heart for the new believers and wants to see them grow into mature followers of Christ. I need to grow in my walk with God. How about you?