Welcome back.
This will be the last of this series of blogs and I really want to bring closure to it so let’s see what comes out. As always if you have not read parts I-IV I invite you to do so prior to reading this or you might be a little lost.
With that being said lets chop some wood.
We ended that previous blog with the words that it is a proven fact that children who are disciplined more feel more—and not less loved. It’s a fact. So we wrote that at times when life seems so hard for us it’s not that God is punishing us—but allowing hardships to come so he can show us just how much he loves us. I mean think of it. We could at times get sick because God is trying to show us how important it is to take care of the bodies he has given us thus not getting a disease we could prevent with a proper diet and exercise. So while we get upset with the sniffles—possibly the sniffles are a little valentine from God.
You see, what we fail to understand and conceptualize is the fact that there is a difference between a father’s love… and a mother’s love. Your mother is supposed to kiss your boo boos. You mother is supposed to give you motherly advise and correction but a fathers love is different. It smells different. It taste different and God knows we know it sound different. That's a father’s love. We call a father’s love what? ”Tough love.” Isn't Gods love for us akin to that of a fathers love? A love that is designed to protect you from you even if it hurts you in the process. THAT'S how much God loves you.
In the New Testament Paul was talking to people who were in many ways worse than we are today as a whole. They were having affairs and saying it was a part of their religious experience. Okay well I guess in writing that they were” as bad” as we are now days. But Paul was giving them rules not to make their lives worst but to make the quality of their lives—better. Paul is trying to tell them how to not cross the line of demarcation. How to stay in the safe zone. And to do this… Paul gives an example.
In Ephesians 5:15 the Greek word for live means “walk.” So Paul is telling them to be CAREFUL how they should walk through life. But to walk “circumspectly” as the passage reads is a little deeper than to just walk. See when we think of the word walk… we think of it as a person moving forward. A person… moving forward. But to walk circumspectly is deeper. It means to walk… “circum”—which means turning around and “spectly”.. to watch. So when you put it together Paul is saying… okay I want you to move forward… turning around and seeing everything around you. Now he says specifically “not as fools.” In other words fools walk without being aware what might attack them. Fools walk without being on guard for the enemy so walk as the wise would walk. Never be so heavenly minded—that you are no earthly good.
Walk circum—spectly.
Circum—spectly.
Walk with God—while watching the attacks of the enemy. Walk with God while watching the enemy. Walk with God—whole watching the enemy.
So often we focus so much on watching the enemy we start to walk with—the enemy.
Walk with God, circumspectly while watching the enemy. We have to be careful who we walk with. Spend time with. Break bread with. Walk with God. Even Jesus when he was here on earth came to Lazarus grave and did what? Called him out. Even Jesus was not about to waste his time in a dead place… talking to dead people. Walk with God while watching the enemy.
See in America we love choices. We love the fact that we have 500 channels on our TVs although we may watch no more than ten. We love going to malls with hundreds of stores although we may only frequent 5 or 6 regularly. Some men love having several cars and many woman love collecting shoes. Why? We love choices. We were made like that.
But when it comes to how we govern our lives—how can you make the right choice—if you are walking in the dark. How can you see the line of demarcation if there is no light? My friends I am on assignment in this blog to tell you one thing. When faced with a tough moral or ethical decision in life always choose light. Choose light. I have taken FIVE blogs and countless words to give you one simple message. Choose light. You cannot make your big come back in life if you toil in darkness. Choose light.
Now if you remember nothing else rom any of the other blogs remember this. To make the big come back in your life. The big come back from drugs. From molestation. From homelessness. To make the big come back from being locked up in jail. From cancer from Aides. To make the big come back from homosexuality from addiction and bankruptcy I have one simple answer for you. Choose light. Choose light. Choose light.
You see, in our society we love great leaders. We want someone to follow and we follow them why? Because they can lead. It’s not a common quality to have. Not to be a leader but to be a great leader. Great leaders have magnetism in them. Something that will make you follow them and you have no idea why you are following them, but there is something in them that leads you to following them. And with that being said the ultimate leader of all leaders is God. How you may ask? Because God gave us a plan for our lives that is detailed in every way—before we understood the very concept of our lives. That's how good God is.
But sometimes when we call God good I think we are selling him short although he is good. When we call God righteous I think we are selling him short—although he is righteous. When we call God Holy I think we are selling him a little short—although he is holy. But the quality we often neglect to rain upon him is that your God is intelligent.
He is intelligent.
See if you don’t understand that he is wise and intelligent and just see him as powerful you will be prone to fearing him. If you don’t see him as wise and intelligent and only righteous you might be intimidated by his goodness. If you don’t see him as wise and intelligent and only see him as holy you will feel you are not worthy but your God is an intelligent God. He is a God who laid out a plan before was even was. Before there was a concept for time. Before Adam kissed Eve. He laid out a plan before Noah cut his first piece of wood and before David found a rock. Your God laid out a plan before Jeremiah started to weep or Isaiah saw the Messiah. He laid out a plan. Before the disciples sat in the upper room and before Paul was locked in jail. Your intelligent God laid out a plan before the bible was canonized and before Columbus discovered a new world. He laid out a plan before slaves were brought to America and before little black girls cried after being raped in the corners of slave quarters. He laid out a plan before the great awakening and before the great depressions. He laid out a plan before you grandmother saw your grandfather or your mother and father first held hands your God laid out a plan for your life and that plan… was the plan of salvation. You want to avoid the line of demarcation? Tired of making the same mistakes over and over again? Tired of life biting you with the unexpected surprised and not understanding what is going on? Are you in the words of Fannie Lou Hammer sick and tired of being sick and tired? If you are I offer you Christ. Why? Because the only way to see the line of demarcation in your life is to use the light of the world.
Why? Let me run it to you this way. Let’s say you have a dog and the dog lives in the back yard. And let’s say the grass is tall… and the dog is living in the back yard. You have not moved the grass for a while… and the dog is living in the back yard. And you walk in the yard.
Can I ask you a question? Can you walk the way you have always walked in the back yard—just because you have walked that way before? Of course not. Because you never know where trouble might be. You cannot walk—the way you have always walked… because you never know “what” you might accidently step in.
So if you have an unsaved friend and you have had certain conversation with them and they did not convince you to sin one time… does not mean they will not convince you to sin the next time. Walk circumspectly. You know you got an issue with weed but you allow someone who just stopped smoking to get in your car and the scent of their clothes is giving you a buzz. Now you have done this before but just because you did not fall then—does not mean you will not stumble and fall next time. Walk… circumspectly.
The passage says—not as the UN WISE but as the WISE. Why does the bible say this? We are always worried about our time. We live by the clock and the bible is saying to make the most of an opportunity. Or to redeem your time. To be very intentional when it comes to protecting your time. Why? V. 16 he says it. Because the days are evil. If you are not careful you will get aides. Why? My friends the days… are evil. You will roll your car and kill yourself or some other family. Why? Because the days are evil. You will fall into debt and end up not only compromising your integrity but sinning and sending your soul to hell. Why? Because the days are evil.
Now let me say something to you that you must read not with your natural eyes—but with the eyes of your heart. If you are tired of making a mess with your life—try allowing Christ to be a part of your life. As you read this blog, if you are not saved—please say these words aloud and your life can be changed immediately.
Shall we pray?
"Dear God I know I'm a sinner, I know I am not where I want to be, and I want your forgiveness! I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for my sins.
Please wash me clean from all sin, shame, and guilt, come into my life Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I ask this in your name Jesus. Amen!"
If you repeated that prayer with us I welcome you into the body of Christ. Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Happy birthday!
In the event I don't write a blog tomorrow have a very HAPPY New Year!
P.S. Remember today--this day, is the first day of the rest of your life.
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