A Heart of Stone

Thursday, April 30, 2026

I will give them integrity of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh, so that they will follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. EZEKIEL 11:19-20, CSB

 A Heart of Stone

Saul makes his first appearance in the Bible at Stephen’s stoning. He hated Christians and anything to do with the church. One day Saul was traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus and suddenly there was a bright light all around him, blinding him. He fell to his knees as he heard a voice speaking to him. The voice he heard was God asking Saul why he was persecuting Him. 

Saul was completely shocked at this strange light and this strange voice who seemed to know him. He asked the voice who he was, and the voice replied I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. The condensed version is that Saul was blind for three days while staying.at a home in Damascus. His eyes were closed, but his heart was opened, and He believed. He became a Christian – the very group of people he had made his life’s work to destroy. 

He was blinded for three days from the bright light, and then he was baptized. Immediately he began to proclaim Jesus with even more fervor than he denied him with. God took a person such as Saul, who had a heart of stone, and God melted it with His love. This turned him into one of the most powerful influencers ever for God’s kingdom. 

Paul spread the message of salvation far and wide after that. His story was one of huge transformation which made all the more glory for God. Maybe your transformation has not been as sensational as Paul’s, but that does not mean that the transformation He has done in your heart is any different than his. You don’t have to have a dramatic story of salvation to spread the gospel and be a part of God changing people’s lives. Remember in Him you are more than sufficient to do His work. 

Wisdom From Above

 Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:13-18

 

Wisdom From Above

While a prayer for peace is worthwhile, it seems that peace is a byproduct of wisdom in all situations.  A prayer for almost any good thing will find its answer in wisdom.  Need good relationships or health?  Wisdom with others and our habits is foundational.

The beauty of growing in wisdom is that it is never-ending.  It is like the dawn of a new day because when you grow in wisdom everything in life looks different - fears are quieted, emotions are controlled, worries are forgotten.

Wisdom is not selfish or even self-centered.  James’ list of the attributes of wisdom are: pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  Who would not like to have these qualities in their life? Wisdom, as we know, is not knowledge; nor is it merely experience. It is truly a  combination of those plus a God-given understanding of both of these things. James calls it the wisdom from above.  

Think about how different you are today than 10, 20, or 30 years ago. Life experience is a great teacher of wisdom, and you just have to live long enough gain some parts of it. The Bible encourages us to learn from our each other and from those whose spiritual gifts are teaching. 

If you will listen to God’s lessons in experience there is much to be learned about what is really important in life and what is NOT so important after all. You can learn about the true sources of joy in life and the emptiness of the world.  Lessons come about the real power of faith and the value of every human being. You live long enough, and you can learn a lot of things. But why wait?

The Bible is filled with wisdom and we can share a great deal from their experience.  Maybe you can’t comprehend it all but the knowledge they share will certainly be valuable in the course of your own life.

Pray for wisdom above all and wait to see what God will show you each and every day.

So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12

Faith and Obedience in Relationships

Monday, April 27, 2026

 …submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. . .  Ephesians 5:21-25 

Faith and Obedience in Relationships 

For the past couple of months, we have been in a series titled We Are The Church: A Study in Ephesians. In Chapter 5 of Ephesians Paul tells us that the key to living as children of God is imitating God in what we say and do, including walking in wisdom and treating others in such a way that the Gospel shines through our relationships with our families, at work and school, and brothers and sisters in Christ. Our key truth for the series, The Church is not a destination but a base of operation, speaks to how the church builds us up and then sends us out, living the Gospel out in our lives for everyone around us.  

Ephesians chapter 5 is well known for Paul’s words on the relationship between husband and wife. However, the true relationship addressed here is the relationship between Christ and the church (all believers) – and our relationships are supposed to be a reflection of that relationship. That relationship translates to all our relationships – husband and wife, children and parents, friends, and employers. 

We often focus on the “wives submit to your husbands” and “husbands love your wives” parts of this passage and don’t pay close attention to the rest of it. We focus on what this means for marriage, but we fail to see what this means for us individually. This is a beautiful picture of what Christ did for the body of believers. 

What Christ Did for Us: 

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her… v. 25

Christ loves us and gave Himself up for us – through His death on the cross. 

...to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word… v. 26

He sanctifies us and cleanses us with His sacrifice on the cross. The water that washes away sin and cleanses and purifies the soul, is the word. – Charles Spurgeon

He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. v. 27

Because of our Justification the moment we are saved, and our sanctification in our walk, we will be entered into glorification the moment we enter heaven. We are made this pure in heaven when we are joined to Jesus Christ in a way beyond all previous experience.

 If we can understand the Gospel, then we can understand what marriage, as well as all our relationships are supposed to look like. God designed marriage specifically for the purpose of teaching us about His love for us. Marriage – a true, selfless, sacrificing marriage - will make us more holy every day. God laid down His life for us and we lay down our lives for each other in selfless sacrifice. In marriage we are called to put the other’s needs before our own, selflessly. 

How should our faith be lived out in the relationships that we have with other believers? 

The key to our faith and obedience being lived out in our relationships begins in verse 21 - submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. Marriage gives us a picture of God’s grace. You love and live with someone in grace as Jesus gives us grace. Your children and the world also see this grace in action. Love, in its purest form, is the best display of God’s beauty and His love for us. Marriage is just a picture of God’s relationship with us – unity in togetherness. Separate, but one.  It is a picture of Christ and the Church, so God created marriage as a gift to all the world and a reminder of just how much He truly loves us.  God uses our relationships - not just marriage - but all relationships - to teach us about Himself and make us more like Himself. This displays the Gospel message to the whole world through our lives.

We Are The Church: A Study in Ephesians “Walking in Obedience”

We Are The Church: A Study in Ephesians
“Walking in Obedience”
Ephesians 5:22-6:9 (CSB)

 

-     Key Truth: The local church is not a destination but a base of operation.

Main Question: How should our faith be lived out in the relationships that we have with other believers? 

1.        Wives and Husbands (vs. 22-33) 

God’s ideal for marriage:

a.         God designed and initiated marriage in the Garden of Eden between one man and one woman for a lifetime.

b.         God designed the husband and wife to complement one another. 

c.         God assigned specific roles for each marriage partner. 

d.         God not only designed marriage but wants to display marriage for a bigger purpose.

 

2.        Children and Parents (6:1-4)

3.        Slaves and Masters (6:5-9) 

We Have A Situation...

  Friday, April 24, 2026

 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12

We Have A Situation...

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just didn’t know what to do? We have to make a lot of decisions every day and sometimes decision overload can wear us out. Other times, there are just too many options. Trying to order a cup of coffee in a coffee shop can be overwhelming if you don’t know exactly what you want. Making a decision about what kind of coffee to order is not going to change your life, but there are times when we have to make decisions that will change our lives and will directly affect the lives of those around us.

There is a story in the Bible about King Jehoshaphat, who was in a situation where he needed to make a decision that would affect many people and he didn’t know what to do. A huge army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites from across the Dead Sea declared war on the southern kingdom of Judah. King Jehoshaphat was understandably alarmed, so he declared a fast and called the people to the temple, where he prayed to the Lord. 

When Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord, he told Him that Judah was powerless against this huge army and they did not know what to do. As King, it was Jehoshaphat’s responsibility to make the decision about what to do in circumstances like this and he was afraid. Not knowing what to do can cause us to be fearful - especially in the face of danger. But Jehoshaphat did the best thing right away - he prayed about it, confessing his feelings and saying that their eyes were on God. 

When we find ourselves in a situation where we don’t know what to do, often we look everywhere else except to God. We try to solve the problem ourselves, we ask advice from all our friends, or we google. We need to follow Jehoshaphat’s example and pray first, and then look to the Lord. 

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you... 

How we see God will motivate our actions and inform our reality. 

What we think about God is what we will believe to be true about Him and what we believe about Him will determine how we handle our faith in Him. If deep down we really don’t believe in His power and sovereignty, we won’t have the faith in Him that will help us through any situation we face. He offers all the power and strength and answers we need, but we have to believe in Him, turn to Him and trust Him. 

How do you perceive God? Right now is the time to decide what you think about God. And when those uncertain circumstances come, instead of making decisions based on what we feel, we need to turn to God and remember what we know about Him. That is what we have to hang onto when we don’t know what to do. 

How we see God matters. Everything is a mess lately, and people are searching. Now is the time to be an example to the rest of the world, a living testimony of what we believe about God. When we come into these difficult decision-making times and uncertainty, the world will be watching to see how we handle it. If we say we believe in God - his sovereignty and power, then we need to be ready to live it. 

There will be times in life when it feels as if God has walked away from us but if we remember what God has done in the past and anticipate what He will do for us in the future, we can have peace in the present. We need to put our eyes on Him and not let our focus stray. We must keep our eyes on Him always. Some of these seasons last what feels like forever. It is important not to tire of waiting on God and go in search of another solution. There is never a better solution than the one He offers. Pray. Tell Him how you are feeling. Then fix your eyes on Him and keep them there. 

A Gospel Attitude

Thursday, April 23, 2026 

And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:13-14

A Gospel Attitude

In Colossians chapter 3 Paul has been telling the Colossians how to live a life that reflects Jesus. In the passage above, Paul tells us to Let the peace of Christ rule our hearts and to be thankful. He goes on to say Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you… Those are some very powerful words. In this instance, Paul was saying when we let the peace of Christ rule our hearts, we act out of that peace that comes from God and what He has done for us. We are one body in Him, and with the peace of Christ ruling our hearts, we will act out of love for each other rather than treating each other in ways that will cause division and strife. 

When we let His word dwell richly among us, we treat each other in love. It takes intention on our part. It takes commitment to read, study, and pray so that we grow in His wisdom and knowledge. Letting His word dwell richly among us happens when we allow Him to completely fill our hearts and minds. We are thankful because we know that everything we have and are so because He allows it. We show gratitude because He gave us new life in Him and eternal life in heaven. 

As Christians we should bring that peace with us everywhere we go. This kind of peace and joy is contagious. When we live out of the overflow of Jesus in our hearts, those around us will be impacted. We can encourage each other and lift each other up. We can share the wisdom we are given from God and help each other learn. We can spread the attitude of worship and gratitude. 

When we immerse ourselves in the word of God it will dwell richly in us and pour out to those around us. We will not be divisive is we are filled with the Holy Spirit and the word of God. We will be teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We will be singing to God with gratitude in our hearts because we won’t be able to keep it in. As a result, everything we do, in word or in deed, will be in the name of the Lord Jesus. When we fill our hearts and minds with the things of the Lord, everything we do and say will be filtered through the word of the Lord. The joy and peace we will feel will spill out in love for those around us and in songs and praises to Him. 

Pay Close Attention

 Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. Ephesians 5:15-21 CSB

Pay Close Attention

We are currently in a series titled We Are The Church: A Study in Ephesians. Chapter 5 of Ephesians begins with Paul telling the Christians at the church in Ephesus that the key to living as children of God is to imitate God in everything we say and do. Our key truth for the series, The Church is not a destination but a base of operation, means that we build each other up and then go out from the church, living the Gospel out in our lives for everyone around us.  

Those of us who are older know the wisdom of paying careful attention to how we walk – in wisdom and not folly. We know the consequences of folly and ignoring wisdom. If only we would listen to the wisdom that others offer, we might save ourselves some heartache and pain. God's word offers us the only wisdom we need to walk wisely.

How do we intentionally and strategically walk in wisdom? …but be filled by the Spirit

The way we intentionally and strategically walk in wisdom is to be filled with the Spirit. Paul warns us against getting drunk with wine which leads to reckless living, but instead be filled by the Spirit. We always need to fill up the empty spaces in our lives with the Holy Spirit, the wisdom and knowledge that comes from him and from God’s word. We can stop drinking or living recklessly but unless we fill that void up with the Holy Spirit and the knowledge and wisdom of God we will end up right back where we started – living unwisely and making bad choices. 

Other people also help us walk intentionally and strategically in wisdom as well. We learn from teachers and pastors at church as well as friends. We worship together speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord. And we focus on who God is and what he has done - giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit fills us, equips us, and influences us instead of the days that are evil. 

Wisdom comes from learning, living and doing. Living in a way that glorifies God is one way we grow in wisdom. Foolishness is doing what our flesh wants. The way to finding God's will for our lives is by reading His Word and obeying. We have this one beautiful life to steward. Time is precious and every move we make counts. Walk wisely in the Holy Spirit and not recklessly, praising God and giving thanks in all things. 

Reflecting His Glory

 Tuesday, April 21, 2026

…but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Reflecting His Glory

We all have a veil covering our hearts - a veil of sin. That sin is a barrier that veils the glory of God and all His goodness and mercy when we don’t know Him. This veil separates us from seeing God and His love for us - and our need for Him. When we turn to Him, that veil is taken away in Jesus. Until then we are veiled to the knowledge and glory of Him. When we witness to others, they have this veil, and if they are not ready to receive His Gospel, they won’t hear it. Our prayer for the unsaved is that they will be ready to be unveiled, and to hear and receive. 

Even as Christians we can still have a veil over our hearts. Sin still finds its way in and creates the barrier between us and our Savior. It veils His glory, muffles His voice and dulls our awareness of the gap between us and Him that our sin creates. 

Jesus removes the barrier between us and God. Through His death on the cross, He made a way for us to ask for forgiveness and repent. He removes the veil from our hearts, bringing us into communion with God. Only then can we know and reflect His glory.  

Moses met with the Lord on Mount Sinai after the people of Israel committed idolatry. He met God face to face and he got to behold the full glory of God. After seeing the glory of God, we read what happened in Exodus 34:29-30; 33-35: As Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him… When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever Moses went before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. After he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded, and the Israelites would see that Moses’s face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the Lord.

Moses was in the presence of God for a limited time, and the glory of God faded. His face stopped glowing so brightly after a while. But we have the privilege of abiding in His presence. We never have to leave the mountaintop to come back down to the camp. He is always with us, wherever we are. When we abide in Him, His glory never fades from our lives. 

When we spend time with the Lord it shows all over us. It shows on our faces - our countenance. It shows in our actions and in our words. And when we have that intimacy with God, we have pure, unfiltered worship and adoration for Him. Unveiled - no barriers. Authentic worship. 

When we can see His glory - with unveiled hearts - He can be the object of our affections as He deserves. Abiding in Him gives us the reflection that we need to reflect to the rest of the world. When we abide in Him we see His glory and it shines all over us, and through us to those around us. This glory is reflected in our worship. When He is the object of our affections, and therefore our worship, we have pure, authentic worship.

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

Monday, April 20, 2026

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom – 1 Kings 3:3-12 Submitted by Kay Crumley

Solomon was the son of King David, the man after God’s heart. David sinned and strayed from God, but he had a heart for God throughout his life. Solomon became King of Israel when David died succeeding him to the throne. In Chapter 2 we read that David charged Solomon to walk in obedience to the Lord and follow His commands.  Many of us have been given directions by our parents or grandparents concerning how to conduct our lives. David spoke to Solomon his death bed giving him advice based on his own reign over Israel that lasted 40 years. He had experience in leading this nation and learned that success would only come by following the guidance of the Holy God. Solomon began his leadership by conforming to what David’s instruction, at least in part. He continued to make sacrifices to idols as stated in verse 3. 

 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. 

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 

 Solomon loved the Lord and did follow His way as David had instructed him. He went the most important place to offer sacrifices to God. While he was there, God spoke to him directly in a dream. That is amazing to me. God communicates to us today through His Word, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and through fellow believers. But I have never had Him come to me in a dream directly. God had only one question for him, ‘What do you want me to give you?’ Solomon could have asked for anything, yet he asked for wisdom for leading God’s people. He recognized that was the thing he didn’t know how to do and that he would need help to rule over this nation. 

His request wasn’t selfish but focused on the need to please God by being an effective leader of His people. 

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.  

God was pleased with Solomon’s request and granted it. He promised he would have what he asked. AND MORE, God assured him there would be not one as wise or discerning like him, ever. If you read further into the chapter, you’ll see that God also gave Solomon all the wealth and honor he could imagine as well as a long life.  

The lesson is that God will answer our requests if those are in alignment with His purpose and plan for us. Jesus, speaking to His disciples just before He was arrested, gave this promise to them in John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  He will grant our requests as long as they are to bring glory to God the Father through Jesus the Son. Requests that are for selfish gain will not be granted. Our purpose is to further His Kingdom by bringing others to know Him. We must be wise in our prayers and obedient in our actions. God’s promises are sure but they have to be accessed by obedience.  

We Are The Church: A Study in Ephesians “Walking in Wisdom”

We Are The Church: A Study in Ephesians
“Walking in Wisdom”
Ephesians 5:15-21 (CSB)

 

-     Key Truth: The local church is not a destination but a base of operation.

Main Question: How do we intentionally and strategically walk in wisdom?

1.        Walk intentionally.  (vs. 15-17) 

- Wisdom- The practical, ethical, and theological insight that allows us to understand life from God’s perspective and apply it to our own lives. It is the filter between biblical knowledge and practical action.

2.        Live strategically. (vs.18-21)

After the Message: 
Read Ephesians 5:15-21. Are you pursing the wisdom that comes in relationship with God through Christ as you are filled with the Holy Spirit? If not, what folly is keeping you from being who God is calling you to be? What needs to be surrendered so that you might walk in wisdom? 

Stay Awake and Be Ready

 Friday, April 17, 2026

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.  But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11

Stay Awake and Be Ready

In studying Ephesians earlier this week, Paul ells the church in Ephesus to be imitators of God in their daily lives and walk in love. In the passage above he is talking to the Thessalonians about the return of Christ. He is encouraging them on how to live while they wait. He tells them to remember they do not belong to the darkness or night, but they are children of light, children of the day. As children of the light, they should live as children of the light – with faith and readiness for the day the Lord returns. 

Paul isn’t talking about literal sleep here or drunkenness. When he speaks of staying awake he is speaking of being spiritually awake or aware of how we are living.  He encourages them to be self-controlled and disciplined, protecting themselves with the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation to help them live intentionally, guarded in faith, love, and hope.

This message is for us too because we can get lazy in our day to day lives while we wait for the Lord’s return. We can get distracted and fall asleep while we wait instead of staying awake and self-controlled, and end up caught off guard. What causes us to “sleep” while we wait? The mind-numbing distractions of the world, boredom, taking our eyes off of God and focusing on the wrong things. Maybe in a season of waiting we become weary, and we turn to something else besides God to “lull us to sleep” so we are not thinking about our circumstances. We must be intentional not to fall asleep in distraction or idol worship or anything else that can draw us away from the light. 

We sometimes fall asleep because the alternative is too painful – to feel our lives – the pain, betrayal, rejection, consequences, sin, emptiness, loneliness, fear… The sad thing is that when we sleep so we don’t feel all these things we miss the beautiful things too – the love, joy, peace, fulfillment, victories… We were never meant to not feel it. We were meant to feel it all. But there is no way we can bear the weight without the Lord. He carries what we cannot. And when we abide in the light – because we are children of the light – we can rest in that light and draw strength from the light. 

We may fall asleep or go numb on the distraction of this world. We may stumble in the fog or become hypnotized by the backward lies of the world that it has more to offer than God can give us. But in the light we can wake up to be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation.  The armor of faith and love and the helmet of salvation stand against all circumstances we could ever face. 

Remember that if you are a child of God you are a child of the light. Abide in the light and stay aware because the Lord will return at a time we do not know. We need to always bone ready and live our lives every day like today is the day. Always wear the armor of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation. Encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ to also “stay awake and self-controlled” and build one another up. 

Children of the Light

Thursday, April 16, 2026

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—testing what is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.  Everything exposed by the light is made visible, for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Ephesians 5:8-14 CSB

 Children of the Light                                                                                                                                                     

There is a lot of darkness in life.  There are times where it seems we will never break into the light again.  In the passage above Paul is speaking about how we were once in darkness when we were apart from Christ. Dead in our sins - being in darkness and in need of the light. It was into this darkness that God sent His light (Jesus) who then shines that light into our lives. That is the light we are to walk out in our lives with the fruit of the light – goodness, righteousness, and truth.  

It is light that dispels the darkness by revealing the truth about it.  In the darkness of our despair, fear rises up in us for what we think could be there.  We find ourselves groping and timidly searching our way along in life.  What is it we need?  We need light...the light that enlightens us to the truth about the darkness and thus strikes down our fears. It is light that brings understanding. It is light that brings hope. It is light that brings security. It is light that brings salvation.

Jesus has brought light to our lives and we must walk as children of the light exposing darkness and bringing his light to the darkness. It is through His truth that we have been set free. He has conquered the darkness by revealing not just our sin but His cross.  

Instead of associating with ungodliness and participating in those things that are not fitting for a Christian, we expose the unfruitful works of darkness with the light ofGod in our lives. We do not do this for the purpose of being judgmental or self-righteous, but for the beauty of the purpose as believers to shine his light where darkness hides. 

As children of light, we are known by the way we walk, talk and live. People are watching our words, actions and attitudes because we claim God as our Father. We have a great responsibility to shine the light of Jesus and represent our Father in a way that brightens rather than darkens. No matter what is said or done, we can live as children of light when we are surrendered to the Father of lights. 

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.Matthew 5:14-16

Are you walking as a child of light?

 

 

Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk - For Real!

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Ephesians 5:3-5

 Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk - For Real! 

As believers there are some behaviors that should never again be a part of our behaviors. Paul lists some of those behaviors for the believers in Ephesus as those that are not fitting for saints (that’s us!). He begins chapter 5 telling us how we should live as believers – imitators of God, walking in love. Next he gets into what the opposite of that life would look like – sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscene and foolish talking, crude joking, greed and idolatry. That is quite a list! If we are honest, we have all participated to some degree or turned our heads while another brother or sister in Christ participated in some of these actions. When was the last time you told, or laughed at a crude joke? Paul is saying these actions are not fitting for a person who says they are a believer and professes to walking with the Lord. They do not imitate God in our lives but imitate the opposite. 

Paul is always straight forward but those believers in Ephesus needed to hear it and so do we. We may have a tendency to let things “slide” or “have a little grace” for a joke, or obscene and foolish talking. It is okay to do that around people who know we really don’t mean it right? Paul says no it is not. As children of God we should imitate him at all times, in everything we say and do. We may think we are not idolators because we do not bow down to a statue but what we don’t realize is that we are bowing down to other “gods” in our lives. Any sin in our lives is idolatry because we are worshipping something other than God. All these things will never satisfy the longing in our hearts that only God can fill, and they lead us further away from him.

Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,  and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:25-27

 

When we let things slide in our lives, they can be a “foothold” for the devil. A “foothold” refers to any opportunity or position that allows the devil or evil forces to gain influence our lives. These things creeping up in our lives can be a slippery slope and an open door for the devil to get in. Once we start crossing lines they become very blurry. Paul tells us that there is no inheritance for the person that chooses this kind of life over a life surrendered and walking with God. 

Choose to live purely and be intentional with what comes out of your mouth. Always be thankful. Don’t get caught up with those living in disobedience but follow God and his holy ways. Lean into the Holy Spirit for strength and walk where he walks, step where he steps, and live and love like Jesus. In his power we can live an obedient and pleasing life to God.