Have no fellowship with the UNFRUITFUL WORKS of darkness...

" And walk in LOVE... and ALL uncleanness... let it NOT ONCE be named among you, as becometh saints.... but rather giving of THANKS. " Ephesians 5: 2,3,4

I thank the LORD for His mercy this morning... for reminding me of His desire that I walk as a child of LIGHT.

How easily I can get sidetracked and fall in the deceiving ways of the world. 

It is easy to compromise... 

It is easy to talk as the "world"...

It is easy to "fit in" so that we may look good in the eyes of man...

It is easy to think on the things below...

It is easy  to covet, to judge, to envy another...

All this is especially so...because we walk not in the LIGHT of the WORD. 

So as I was reading the 5th chapter of Ephesians, I was touched with the message of the Lord: 

We are to be followers of GOD...

We are to walk in LOVE...

We are to walk as children of LIGHT...

We are to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise...

We are to redeem the time.

The LORD graciously reminds us that we are no longer in darkness... but have come to LIGHT. 

As a result, we are to put off(do away with) concerning the former conversation(conduct)....

" For ye were sometimes darkness, 

but now are ye light:

walk as children of LIGHT." 

Ephesians 5:8

Therefore, we are to have no fellowship...nor partake... with the unfruitful works of darkness. 

" For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Galatians 6:8

" For it is a shame

 even to speak  of those things 

which are done of them in secret." 

Ephesian 5: 12

Oh, how good it is to be in the WORD! 

"... and CHRIST shall give thee light." (Ephesians 5:14).

There we find wisdom.... proving what is acceptable unto the LORD.

Holy and righteous Father, may we walk in the light of your Word and reprove the works of the darkness. May your Spirit manifest in us all goodness, righteousness and truth so that glory and honor and praise be given to you.

May you be encouraged today to sow unto the Spirit... and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

~Ellie

... Having FORGIVEN you ALL trespasses.

" Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to HIS cross." Colossians 2:14

Do you ever find yourself unworthy of God's love? Do you ever see yourself a sinner?  

Sometimes our sin is so evident... that we can see our wickedness quite plainly... no one has to tell us we've wronged God in our actions. 

And yet, there are times when we may be unaware of our sin. It may be that we've compromised so much that we are immune to it.... we don't see our proud look, or we may not be aware of the words that come out of our mouths. Sometimes we may even fall prey to doing something that makes "life" easier for us by being dishonest in one form or another.

The truth is that we are all sinners. All of us have sinned. We all have to fight against the flesh. 

And yet, had it not been for God's precious love, we would all have remained dead in our sins. 

" And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, 

hath He quickened together with HIM, 

having forgiven you all trespasses." 

Col 2:13

So I found myself one afternoon reading through Colossians... what joy, what comfort to know I've been forgiven!  

The Lord Jesus Christ - Colossians 2: 13,14,15 

... forgave all my trespasses,

... blotted out the ordinances that was against me, 

... took all my sins out of the way,

... and nailed  them to His cross,

... while making a show of them openly,

... and triumphing over them in it.

Oh, how I should praise Him! I am humbled that Christ Jesus would die for me, have mercy and remember my sins no more. What a Saviour!

" For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, 

and their sins and their iniquities 

will I remember no more." 

Hebrews 8:12

Holy Father, Thank you for your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. How thankful we are that we have been forgiven of our trespasses and that the Lord Jesus has abolished in His flesh the enmity, bringing peace to us. 

May you be encouraged today to thank God for His goodness to you... in offering forgiveness of sins through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

~Ellie

Let us put on the armor of LIGHT...

" Owe no man anything, but to love one another..." Romans 13:8

These past several weeks have been weeks of growth for me. Weeks that have marked my life with a renewed adoration for my LORD and my GOD. I have been in awe to see the presence of my LORD in my life. 

It isn't that I haven't seen God's power in the past, far from it... but these several weeks have been so special to me... because God is answering my deepest prayer... that He would increase my faith.

I don't know about you, but I find myself like the disciples... in need of having the Lord increase my faith. Because I know how easily I can falter, how easily I can stumble, how easily I can lose my focus... all because I look unto the things of this world, the vain things that mean nothing in the scheme of eternal life. 

So these past several weeks I have seen the Lord work in my life in ways that have simply amazed me. 

He gave peace in the midst of sorrow...

He answered when all was "hopeless" according to man,

He made His power known to the amazement of all involved... accomplishing His perfect will.

He increased my faith in a God that keeps His promises.

Yes, His WORD is truth... "ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

And through this all, I'm finding how important it is to live our lives filled with love from above. 

I have seen how important it is to be "dressed" with the armour of LIGHT... and owe no man anything... but LOVE. 

LOVE from above covers over a multitude of sins. 

LOVE from above melts the heart of stone. 

LOVE from above works no ill to his neighbor.

LOVE from above looks beyond self and cares for the needs of others.

LOVE from above is made perfect in us when we abide in CHRIST.

LOVE from above casts out fear.

LOVE from above is the fulfillment of the law.

God is LOVE. He that dwelleth in LOVE dwelleth in GOD and God in him. (1 John 4:16)

"...because AS HE IS so ARE WE  in this world." (1 John 4:17)

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ and that through Him we can live. Help us to be filled with love from above, that we might bring glory to you. We are so thankful for your Word, that it is truth. Help us to be grounded in your Word. Work in our hearts that we would desire to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

" But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, 

and make no provision for the flesh, 

to fulfill the lusts thereof." 

Romans 13:14

May you be encouraged to walk in humbleness of heart and to desire His Word above all else...

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

~Ellie

It is enough for the DISCIPLE that he be as his MASTER...

" But when He saw the multitude, HE was moved with COMPASSION on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." Matthew 9:36

While reading through the book of Matthew, I was especially touched to read again of the Lord's care and compassion on the multitude of people He touched. 

" He was moved with compassion on them..."

But what struck me most, is that while the Lord healed the people, cast out demons, forgave sins and taught and preached the gospel of the kingdom...

... the people sought to have no part of Him... and wanted Him to depart from them. (Matt. 8:34). 

... they accused Him of blasphemy. (Matt. 9:3)

... they laughed Him to scorn. (Matt. 9:24)

... they accused Him of casting out demons through the prince of the devils. (Matt. 9:34)

The God of heaven encountered all of this and more. Yes, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. 

Have you ever felt mistreated? Have you ever felt the need to retaliate? Have you ever felt pain through hurtful words?  Have you ever been cast out?

And yet looking at our Lord... who had the power to retaliate or revile... displayed His love and had compassion on them!

I often look at myself... and find myself lacking to be like my MASTER. 

" It is enough that he be as his MASTER, 

and the servant as his LORD..." 

Matthew 10:25

How often I lack compassion... and rather judge.

How often I lack discernment... and speak foolishly.

How often I show contempt... and am fool of pride.

How often I see no need to go the extra mile... but rather "give up".

Oh, that Christ would fully control my every action and thought! That I would learn of Him. 

" Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

But made Himself of no reputation,

 and took upon Him the form of a SERVANT..." 

Philippians 2:5,6,7

If we call ourselves disciples of the Lord... 

...then we ought to walk in Him, 

...be rooted and built in Him,

...be established in the faith,

...and abound with thanksgiving. (Col 2:6.7.8)

Yes, through Him we can do all things....for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. 

Father, How thankful I am for the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to do Thy will and had compassion on us. Thank you for your mercy and grace shown  to us through His life, death and resurrection. How thankful I am for the example we have in the Lord Jesus as our Master. May we follow in His steps and bring glory unto your Holy name.

May you be encouraged and strengthened to have compassion on those around you, that Christ would be magnified in your life today.

Ellie

Therefore, we were comforted in your comfort...

" ... dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1

Have you ever been comforted... because of someone else's comfort? I thought about this as I was reading this morning a chapter in 2 Corinthians. 

How many of us can truly, and in all honesty, say that we are most comforted, or happy for those around us who are doing well. Do we care enough? Do we want the lives of those around us to be enriched by God's blessings? Do we want to see growth and be blessed as a result of seeing the work of God being made manifest in their lives?

Well, such was the case for Apostle Paul and the Corinthians...  his desire for them to be cleansed "from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit"(v.1). How comforted he was to hear of their godly sorrow ... and as a result, see the fruits of their repentance.  How he cared for them!

Do we care for those around us... without condemning? That's always hard to do... this caring without condemning. 

His power alone can give us victory over the flesh. How encouraging!

" Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." 

Galatians 5:16

For the fruit of the Spirit is:

LOVE

Joy

Peace

LONGSUFFERING

Gentleness

Goodness

Faith

MEEKNESS

Temperance(Self Control)

Oh, that our care for one another would be evident in the sight of God and man. That we would indeed be of comfort to one another... and refresh those around us.

Father, may your Spirit cleanse us from all the workings of the flesh and strengthen us to attain unto holiness.

May you manifest God's grace in abundance to those in need... that your soul may be comforted and refreshed in the presence of a Holy God. 

~Ellie