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

Increase our FAITH...

" So then FAITH cometh by HEARING, and HEARING by the WORD OF GOD." Romans 10:17

Lately, I've been thinking  about how faith plays a major role in our christian walk... and in our spiritual growth.  You know, we often say we want to live to honor our Lord. But I thought how little my faith is when it comes to the testings in my life...

My thoughts went to the disciples in Luke 17. It was a moment where the disciples saw their weakness and their inability to withstand offences on their own. The Lord warns them that offences will come...

" Then said HE unto the disciples, 

It is impossible but that offences will come..." 

Luke 17:1

The Lord's instruction and warning were clear, they were to take heed to themselves... to forgive those who trespass against them... over and over again.

" Take heed to yourselves: 

If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; 

And if he repent, forgive him.

And if he trespass against thee 7 times in a day, 

And 7 times in a day turn again to thee, 

Saying, I repent; 

Thou shalt forgive him." 

Luke 17:3,4

Hearing the Lord's instruction, the disciples find themselves weak and unable to do so on their own.

And thus, they ask the Lord that He would increase their faith.

I thought about what it means to have the Lord increase my faith.... because my desire is that I would indeed  be strengthened by His power to do that which brings honor and glory to Him. 

If the disciples needed their faith to be increased, I need  my faith increased that much more! 

I couldn't but think that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). 

He starts. He finishes. 

What a marvelous act of His faithfulness and love towards us!

And yet, I know that in order for my faith to increase, He has to bring me to His Holy Word.... because faith comes by hearing. 

And through His WORD, the Lord Jesus makes known to us,

... our need for complete humbleness before a Holy God

... our complete dependence on His work, 

... our complete acknowledgement that we are in need of Him, because we can do nothing apart from Him. 

I was so encouraged to be reminded yet again... that in order for my faith to increase, I must be in the WORD!  

It is the WORD, revealed through the Holy Spirit, that enables us to have our faith increased. Only then can we...

trust, 

obey, 

forgive, 

repent, 

grow,

and live a life worthy of His name. 

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, 

ye shall ask what ye will, 

and it shall be done unto you." 

John 15:7

Yes, we too can have our faith increased... when we abide in His WORD. 

Oh Father, how thankful we are for the Lord Jesus Christ. the author and finisher of our faith. Thank you that through Him we have faith to believe and to know you. How precious is your word to us. Help us to abide in your presence, to delight in your word, and to obey it. 

May you be strengthened in faith today, delighting in His WORD... giving glory to GOD.

~Ellie

This is my beloved Son: HEAR HIM

"Blessed is the man that walketh NOT in the counsel of the ungodly, NOR standeth  in the way of sinners NOR sitteth the seat of the scornful." Psalm 1:1

Do you ever find yourself caught up with the counsel of ungodly men and listening to their ways?

Do you ever find yourself  walking alongside and partaking with  those that despise the law of God and walk in wickedness?

Do you ever find yourself in the midst of those that express contempt or derision and scorn those around you? 

My thoughts went to Psalm 1 while reading through the gospel of Mark. It was while reading the account of the Lord Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain before the 3 disciples, Peter, James and John... that I thought upon the verse,

" ... A voice came out of the cloud, saying, 

This is my beloved Son: HEAR HIM." 

Mark 9:7

Earlier in chapter 8 of Mark, we find the Lord asking the disciples a question,

" ... Whom do men say that I am? " 

Mark 8:27

There were all sorts of talk as who the Lord Jesus was...

Sometimes we can get so caught up with the world, and what people say...that our focus and thoughts can be misaligned... 

...we listen to ungodly counsel, 

...we find ourselves standing alongside wickedness, 

...and sit in the seat of pride and arrogance.

We may find ourselves not mindful of the things that be of God... but rather the things that be of men. (Mark 8:33)

God's beautiful reminder: This is my beloved Son: HEAR HIM.

Oh, that we would delight in the law of the Lord; and in His law meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

Through the use and practice of God's Word... planted by the rivers of water... we can stand amidst the teachings of men...  his leaf shall not wither... and be able to have discernment from good and evil...  bringeth forth fruit in his season...so that in the end, whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

How wonderful that we have the LIVING WORD... to guide and direct us unto godliness.... and to eschew evil, to do good, to seek peace, and pursue it.

"Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." 

Psalm 34:14

Righteous Father, thank you for the reminder to hearken and obey your beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for your Word that is truth in an adulterous and sinful world. Help us to pursue peace and seek holiness that we may have confidence and not be ashamed at the coming of the Lord Jesus. 

May you be encouraged today to seek godly wisdom in the Word... that your way may be prosperous.

~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