Title

The Private Man

Scripture
That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.
(Ephesians 3:16)
Devotional
No matter what the outward circumstances, there can be peace within. No matter how weak the flesh, the Spirit of God is always willing to strengthen the inner man. We too often attempt the reverse. We put on a façade while inwardly, “We are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”(1) How we look is not at all as important as who we are. How foolish of us to attempt to please the outward man and ignore God. We must never forget, “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”(2) God not only looks at the heart, He is deeply concerned with it. If the heart is right, the whole being is right. If the heart is unclean, the whole is unclean. “Do not let your adornment be merely outward . . . rather let it be the hidden person of the heart.”(3)

(1) Matthew 23:27, (2) 1 Samuel 16:7, (3) 1 Peter 3:3-4
Thought For The Night
“Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.” Phillips Brooks, (1835–1893), best known as the author of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” 
Evening Text
Ephesians 3:16: That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.
Looking for Answers
 
Evening Study Guide
Defining: “Inner man”: The real and eternal being that makes us who we truly are. It is who we are when no one is looking or when taken by surprise.
 
Referencing: “We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day,” 2 Corinthians 4:16.
 
Applying: Get to know the inner man and bring him to the surface.