A Christian Home

The Blessing of a Christian Home

Book of Ephesians 5:22-33

Before there was sin in the world God had already established the family.

Before there was a Church in the world, Satan had already made plans to destroy each and every family.

One of the greatest truths in all the Scripture was the passage we ended with last week.

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

In this passage the word "fear" is just like we understand it. We can expect to see the wrath of God if we ignore His commandments!

Fear is the passion of our nature which causes us to try to provide for our own security, expecting some evil to come.

It is the very next passage that we will see the first example of submitting to one another and it is the marriage.

The Bible is specific, a legal marriage is between one man and one woman, for life.

Note: This does not include those who claim an opposite gender. We are the gender we were born with!

God does not make mistakes!

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The marriage is to be the greatest example of the marriage of the Church to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Many of us have failed while we were out in the world but knowing the Lord we should not allow this to happen again.

The Lord Jesus said we were ignorant of the truth of God and God is willing to forgive even this sin if we ask, but we will still endure the hardships of this broken relationship.

Thank goodness for the "Grace" of God that began with His "love" then His "mercy".

When we submit to one another, we are surrendering to the power, to the will, and to the authority of another!

It should be obvious that these Scriptures describe the perfect marriage and the perfect family, but these must still be our goals.

*****Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

We must consider that "submission" is in fact the will of God and submission begins as we submit to the Lord.

We must always remember, God is a God of order!

We should remember what happened after Adam was disobedient to God being influenced by Eve. Adam allowed the love for his wife to come between him and the love for his Heavenly Father. This is the first step to a broken marriage!

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

The wife is to be in submission to their "own" husband, unless where God forbids. They are never to be in submission to anyone else as they submit to their own husband.

The obedience of the wife is at the same time the obedience paid to Jesus Christ!

Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, "as it is fit in the Lord".

No one, wife or husband, is to come between us and Christ!

Which means only Christ the Lord is to come between husband and wife!

In case you are not listening, these are the commandments of God and not suggestions!

If we are walking according to our Christian walk, as we have been learning throughout this great book of the Bible, "we will be walking down the path the Lord has chosen for us". It is only then we will know to take on a wife or a husband. It is only then that we can experience a loving and peaceful relationship under the watchful eyes of the Lord and be a benefit and blessing to Him!

Only after we have experienced the love of the Lord will we be capable to show that love to another human being!

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

As the woman loves the Lord, she can please the Lord if she submits herself to her husband!

In other words, God instructs all wives to walk in the "spirit" of submission with their husbands!

We are all to please the Lord so, the Christian wives are to set their lives upon pleasing the Lord and then pleasing their husbands.

We should understand the Christian marriage is a partnership of two, one man and one woman, in the service of the Lord!

1Co 11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

1Co 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

Each Christian family is to be the beginnings of a godly society!

We must also completely understand that God sees both the man and the woman as equals!

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

This marriage of this man and this woman is to be God's example of His relationship to the Church!

*****Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, "so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing".

As God is speaking of the man being the head of the woman, God is speaking of function and order within the organization of the Church.

Every working organization will have a head and Jesus Christ is the Head of the church just as He is to be the Head of each family!

Just as Jesus Christ is the Savior of every believer, He is also the Savior of the Church!

The husband and wife relationship will work when they both desire "to please" rather than a desire "to be pleased"!

The true husband will govern his own household in the image of Jesus Christ who governs the Church!

The husband and wife relationship that is not working well, will also restrict their prayer life.

1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

The Christian husband and Christian wife relationship that is going sour, can also ruin the testimony of the Christian family.

Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, "that the word of God be not blasphemed".

We must completely understand, that none of these things show that God says the woman is inferior to the man. These things all mean that God is a God of order and discipline.

In fact, the true family will rest upon that godly wife!

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Pro 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

There can never be two heads in any organization for that organization to work properly, and the family will not work without order and neither will the Church that the Lord built with His own blood!

*****Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

How does God love each of us? God has a selfless and unselfish love for each of us.

A giving love!

A sacrificial love.

A love of the mind as well as a love from the heart.

A love of commitment.

God's love, is a love that commits itself to the will of each believer.

This is the same love that the husband is to have for the wife!

This is also the love the Lord has for the true church, which is the object of our Savior's love!

The true church is made up of those who "were" defiled until they realized they needed a Savior!

By nature, the church is useless but, by God's "grace" and the Holy Spirit, the church is a major force against the evils and the immorality of this world. "All because of the Father's love for His Dear Son, and the Son's love for us all".

Joh 3:16 For God "so loved" the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ loves His church!

The same standard of the husbands love for his wife is the love Jesus Christ has for His church!

We must remember the order of creation. The woman was made from man, after man, and for the man.

It is the duty of each man to love his own wife as Jesus Christ loves His Church.

***Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The husband's love must be set apart and cleansed, just as the church.

To sanctify means to be set apart.

1) When a man has asked a woman for her hand in marriage, "then he must set himself apart" for her and her alone!

This means making an unbroken commitment to the wife he has chosen!

When the wife accepts her husband then she must also set herself apart, only for him.

Those that refuse to do so are already in a defiled marriage!

Just as the love the Lord has for the Bride of Christ, the husbands love, must be a sacrificial love!

2) Again, just as the Lord, the Lamb of God, the husband must remain without spot or wrinkle.

Spots would be abuse and mistreatment, loose behavior, immorality and other such things.

Wrinkles would be temper and reaction to temper, broken promises, neglect, selfishness, and rejection.

It is obvious that most every marriage is dependent on the love of the husband!

Very few wives would reject such love as a love that was like that of Christ for His church!

Again, what was the prayer of Jesus Christ?

Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

A marriage that is washed in the truth of the Word of God has the best chance of being a lasting marriage!

Therefore, God is so critical of divorce in such a marriage as two Christians in a marriage!

The Lord Jesus Christ will one day soon present a perfect church to His Father in Heaven as His bride and as Christians we will one day have reach this perfection.

This must be the goal of marriage, that the husband can present himself with that perfect everlasting partner in life!

Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Those who cannot love themselves have no business claiming to love someone else!

*****Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

We should see that the word "So" refers to the previous verse.

If that wife has not become a living breathing part of that husband, then to say he does not love her is to say that he does not love himself.

So, becomes the sin of that man!

This of course means that he is to love and cherish and provide for his wife, just as much as he loves and cherishes and provides for himself!

It is obvious that a marriage is a big step to take for every couple and these things should be taken into consideration.

It is also just as obvious that a marriage that is washed in the Word of God is a precious and wonderful partnership!

That word "nourish" means to feed, clothe, nurture, and look after that wife until she is the perfect wife.

That word "cherish" means to hold her ever so dear within his heart, to always be warm toward her with tenderness and care, affection and appreciation.

These words mean that it is a great obligation for a man to take a wife!

We could wonder then how can there be so many divorces in the Christian community?

It makes it easier to understand these words of the Apostle Paul:

1Co 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman".

1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

1Co 7:7 "For I would that all men were even as I myself". But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, "It is good for them if they abide even as I".

That wife must be treated as a special gift of God!

What did Jesus say about divorce?

Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Mat 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

Mat 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

The marriage must be a sacred bond between one man and one woman, who have already given themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ or there will be too many paths to failure!

*****Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, "and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh".

What is the perfect marriage? The husband has become "one" with his wife and the wife has become "one" with her husband!

Gen 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Gen 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, "and called their name Adam", in the day when they were created.

This is the marriage that God first created by Jesus Christ! The very first marriage were one man and one woman who were one!

To be joined, is to be glued together with the substance of God's Word that cannot be broken!

This should be our goal today!

This man and this woman should be so close together in their relationship, that those that see them see only one!

This union is to be much more than just living together and sharing each other’s body!

The physical union of a marriage cannot reach its ultimate fulness without knowing the mercy and the love of God, as we see in these Scriptures.

This is a union that will share life with each other and then eternal life in God's Heaven, even though there is no marriage in Heaven we will know as we were known.

Mar_12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

The angels do not marry. In Heaven we will not be angels but there are no marriages in Heaven because we will be joined to the Lord, a much higher union than even the perfect marriage.

This does not mean we will not know each other!

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: "now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known".

You see the spiritual union of those in a godly marriage will always remain, at least this is what I believe. This is the thing that can only be done by those wonderful hands of God.

The greatest thing in the world is to know the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and our God and know that we will have life abundantly here and in Heaven with Him!

Then these two, who are joined in marriage, cannot know true life without the Lord, here and in Heaven!

They will submit themselves together in the fear of the Lord vs21!

Day by day they will set out to nourish each other vs29!

They will work together to become a living part of each other vs30!

If the Lord so compares the godly marriage to the marriage of the church to Himself, how can these things not be true.

The Lord says, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

If the Lord deliberately shares spiritual things with us all and truly molds one man to one woman into one flesh spiritually, then this to is one of the greatest gifts of God.

All these things are to teach us just how much Jesus Christ loves His Church!

Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

*****Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

The true church, where the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head, is in an intimate union with Christ Himself!

The seat of worship is the heart of the believer!

Mar_12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

The union of the Lord Jesus with His church began when He took on the human nature and made it His own!

The Lord became flesh and dwelt among us and this has continued, with His union with the church!

The trouble in the marriage and the trouble in the church begins when either spouse becomes unwilling to be bound together by the Holy Spirit.

1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

It is this same Spirit that this man and this woman is to be joined in a fruitful marriage!

But nevertheless.

*****Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

The true marriage is a spiritual union that can only come by the hands of God!

Mat 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

Mat 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

More than two people just agreeing to live with each other as we see so much of today.

More than a natural affection or infatuation.

More than a piece of paper or a legal contract.

Marriage comes first from a commitment to the Lord in a union unlike any other union on the face of this earth!

Marriage is to be an example of the tender, sacrificial love that the Lord has for each of those who call upon His name!

The Christian home is to have an atmosphere of the Lord.

The Christian home is to be managed by the Lord.

The Christian home is not a partnership of two but of three, the husband, the wife, and Jesus Christ!

Amen

Finding the Will of God

The Blessing of Understanding God's Will

Book of Ephesians 5:3-21

Maybe the one most important thing we need to know about God is that He does as He pleases, and it pleases God to gather a people who love Him to be with Him forever.

This not a fantasy it is a fact!

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him "who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will":

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

"God made this plan to save those who would come to Him before He laid the foundation of this earth we live upon".

God's plan from start to finish will be according to His will and not ours.

God does not make changes to His plan according to what is happening on this world because God controls what happens upon this world good or bad.

BUT, God does not cause bad things to come upon anyone, but He could stop those things if He so chose to do so!

Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

When God created humanity, He established that each of us would be responsible for our own actions!

There is the directive will of God!

There is the permissive will of God!

We must also understand that the creation of this world we live in, was designed to reveal the Glory and the Power of God!

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Even though God has decreed all things, we are still responsible for our own actions!

The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world as a babe, but it was predetermined by a Holy God that He came to die!

Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Why are people lost? People are lost not because God did not intend for them to be saved but because they have refused to believe the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should stand in awe of our great God!

We can entrust our lives to our Almighty God!

We should rejoice in the wonder of our salvation!

We should be at peace in this world, as the plan of God unfolds before our eyes!

Problems exist because of our pride and we feel the need to run our own lives and ignore God!

To follow in the ways of God we must be morally pure and bodily clean.

Let's continue with Chapter 5 verse 3

*****Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

God says let not these things be named among you.

We are not to even talk about committing these things.

Notice this is a command.

We all know what fornication is? it is any sexual contact by unmarried persons.

It also means "forsaking God"!

Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 

Jer 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

I believe God hates this sin more than any other.

The human body is the greatest of all the creations of God!

Psa_139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The human body was made in the image of God.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God is Spirit, so this has nothing to do with our looks but only our being.

Covetousness is a very strong desire for worldly things.

1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 

1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

As Christians we must hate sin but never hate the sinner.

As Christians we would certainly be very ashamed of many of the thoughts that go through our head and we must certainly never act on them.

We must realize that when we are alone, the All-Knowing God and even the angels witness everything we do. This alone should keep us straight.

God does not keep such a close eye on us to deny us His benefits, He watches over us as our Father, waiting to bless us if we do not fail, or fall into Satan's traps.

How important is our body to Jehovah God?

God the Father created our body in honor.

God the Son, whose members we are in the body of Christ.

God the Holy Ghost, of whom our body is the Temple.

God does not tolerate filth and we should not either!

We should never be around foolish talkers or filthy jokes, or filthy speech of any kind.

We must have a clean mouth that houses a clean tongue with a clean conscience.

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

All these things are part of our repentance.

Pro 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 

Pro 10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

As believers if we have no words to say, then speak the Word of God which is always pure, when it is rightly divided.

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

God promises us that there will be none of these things in Heaven.

My question is how are these Words of God rejected by those of the so-called church that allow such filth?

*****Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

God forgives all our sin if we claim the Lord Jesus Christ, God will forgive all our sin until He takes us home, but this does not include those who remain in their sinful ways and make a feeble attempt to claim Jesus without faith!

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God simply will not accept filthiness nor uncleanness, God will have no part of it!

These that do these things, may have many worldly things, but they will not have one scrap of anything in Heaven.

We should believe that which we trust the most is our god.

That which we love we worship and have made it our god.

If we fear the things of this world more than the Lord, then your god is of this world.

That thing we place the our most hope in is our god.

So, what or who is your god? I choose Jesus Christ, the only God!

The right to the privileges of God's Kingdom come only by inheritance.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We must never allow anyone to deceive us about the things of God!

*****Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Notice it is all these that refuse to accept the truth of God, that will see His wrath!

Many of the old faithful denominations are being deceived by those who lead them now, they need to go back to their roots!

When we can live securely and undisturbed in our sin, then we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

AND, if we reject the wrath of God, then we must reject the goodness of God!

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

We live in a world that does not believe that God will call them to account for the way they lived.

There are just as many that believe God will be merciful to them, even though they lived a life of sin.

The wrath of God is a decisive anger, a determined anger, a deliberate anger, that rises from God's nature of holiness!

We must do more than to just know God's name, we must repent!

Do not be deceived by those who say different, because the Word of God is specific, and moderation is not even mentioned in the Scriptures!

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Many forget that righteousness means doing right by the Word 0f God.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Those that say they are justified so they can continue in sin, are just fools.

Justification is a gift given through the "grace" of God, to those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and then meet the standard of Jesus Christ!

God's "grace" must involve the Word of God as our standard of living. To be justified, is to leave the world behind and live in our new nature, which is a hatred for sin.

*****Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

We cannot be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ until we have separated ourselves from the world!

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

A Christian will walk in the light of the Lord!

*****Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Notice that before we came to know our Savior, we not only lived in darkness, we were darkness.

Darkness is a symbol of misery!

Psa 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 

Psa 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

Darkness is a state of wretchedness resulting from ignorance to God.

Remember what Jesus said while He hung on that cross?

"Father forgive them for they not what they do".

They do not know where they came from. To those who reject the Lord Jesus, everything is just a result of the human nature.

Note: In a family of non-believers, as they begin to die off, they feel that they all alone in this world, because they have never known God.

This is a sad situation, but a reality. They do not know where they came from and they do not know where they are going!

They do not know if there is really a God or not.

Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

This is being in darkness!

The answer of course is the Light of the Lord.

Mat_4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

The "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the truth of God and it is a glorious truth!

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We should know that if we truly have "faith" in the "Light of this world", we will no longer walk in darkness because we will be filled with the Holy Spirit!

*****Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

As sinners we had no goodness.

We did not know how to do things the right way.

We did not know the truth!

We lived in the world with a false security!

As sinners, we have lived to fulfill our own desires at the expense of others?

As Christians, we live to fulfill the desires of God through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit!

As Christians, we know we have no righteousness ourselves, our righteousness comes by the Lord Jesus Christ.

The test we must pass to be saved is, are we acceptable to the Lord? We must prove that we are!

It is the truth of God that sets us free from the bondage of judgment and Hell!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

God provides us His truth, to prove we are acceptable to God we must believe Him!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

It is only the Light, Jesus Christ Himself who teaches us what is acceptable to Jehovah!

Truly God does not ask very much of us.

Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

What does this mean?

*****Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 

Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

These things are not confusing, we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness whatsoever!

Remember darkness leaves us stumbling about and groping about in the world, being lost and not knowing where we are going and what to do when death overcomes us.

We are to have no fellowship with the lost but if we truly trust in the Lord we will be so bright that darkness will not even approach us, so we must go to those who live in darkness with the Light of Jesus, not in fellowship but carrying the truth of God to them as God's messengers.

We must understand that sin is never to be taken lightly, it is a shame even to speak of those things of darkness nor share a conversation with the dark works of this world.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

What are some of those things done in secret?

Job 24:14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 

Job 24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. 

Job 24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

In some cases, these that do these things get away with them, but the Lord knows everything and there are no secret sins that the Light of the Lord cannot expose.

*****Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 

Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

There is no sin that will go unnoticed by the Light of the Lord!

All sin is exposed to the Lord and He will drag all sin into His Light to show its true colors!

In simpler terms, nothing can be hidden from the Lord.

When the "Gospel", The Light of Jesus Christ, touches the life of those in darkness, that life is changed.

Whether they welcome the Lord or not, their sin has been exposed by the Light of the Lord.

Joh_15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

As Christians, we now share the Light of the Lord, by sharing the "Gospel" and we are to use our own light upon the evil darkness of this world.

What did the Lord say?

Mat_5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

In fact, we are known by "the brightness" of our own light!

In the past few weeks, in the news, we have seen many well-known men face the fact that they led an immoral life with inappropriate sexual conduct.

What does God say?

Num_32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and "be sure your sin will find you out".

There is no sin God will not eventually expose!

There is no sin that the Lord will not shine His Light upon!

Most of this world is sleeping when it comes to knowing the Lord, they are "therefore dead", because the wages of sin is death.

The Light of Jesus will shine upon them through some Saint of the Lord and they can be awakened and be "born again".

We know that this passage was written to the church, so we know that there are in the church those who have a dim light.

1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: "I speak this to your shame".

The Church that is not busy making true disciples of the Lord, is failing in its mission and failing the Lord!

All those who do not know the Lord as their personal Savior are already dead in the eyes of God. I was once dead myself but now I am alive to the "Gospel"!

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ provides the simplest solution!

"Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light".

Being "Born Again" awakes us from being Spiritually dead!

When you refuse to see yourself as a sinner, you are in a state of slumber.

An immoral lifestyle is a dead lifestyle!

In fact, most of this world are asleep when it comes to walking in the ways of the Lord!

The world just does not care how much more sinful this world has become but provides for it in abundance.

There is so many riches that can be gained by sinful lifestyles this world will never change!

In fact, look at cancer for an example. There is so much money made off the treatments for cancer, a permanent solution will never be allowed.

But God will judge the Church first and there are just too many professing to know the Lord, who are just passing through this life as unbelievers. They simply lack "faith" that God will do as He says He will do or they simply have that go to Hell attitude, "I'm saved to Hell with you".

Those that fellowship or participate in the works of darkness, are still living in the darkness of spiritual sleep and spiritual death, but they refuse to admit it.

They have rejected the promises of God by rejecting the Word of God!

They refuse to believe we are in the last days of the "Church Age".

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

The ONLY SOURCE to awake from Spiritual darkness and death, is the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone!

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

*****Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

An example of walking "circumspectly" is as someone standing at the edge of a cliff or working on the roof of a house, where one misstep could cause a fall which could be fatal.

Life is a walk that we take one step at a time and we must be careful with each and every step because it could lead to our death!

There is the fool who take careless steps, so full of pride, refusing to believe he can fail or fall, this person is worldly minded.

The unwise person will walk in places that he has no business being there not even considering his danger!

God expects just the opposite. God expects us to take each step with care and with a sure-foot, we must walk carefully in this life.

Making mistakes is just a part of every life. The fool makes a mistake and it does not matter to him or even if it endangered others.

The wise child of God will learn from every mistake and grow from them!

The fool is not concerned about being alert to temptation and does not see these things as the pitfalls that they are.

The true child of God is on God's mission and understands they live in a dangerous world and mistakes matter to him!

Rom 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 

Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Time brings opportunities! We must make the most of every opportunity that we encounter in a godly way.

Time is a precious gift of God and in this life, we actually have very little time to do the work of the Lord. If you wait as I did until you begin in your latter years, there is even less time to do so!

Just like any other thing this is a choice we must make!

God presents to us choices and opportunities, but God will train us, so we will know what to do when these things come before us!

We are to redeem every moment of time in our life because we live in an evil hazardous world!

There is so much evil in this world we live, that confronts us every day of our walk with the Lord, that we must be very alert to keep us from failing or falling.

What should we do? We must certainly take a moment and think about all the places where we waste so much time and CORRECT IT!

Not many realize that to tithe is to give a tenth of our first fruits, but this also includes a tenth of our time to the Lord in preparing us for this world.

After this we are to walk daily just as this passage describes. We cannot be part time Christians! To be a Christian is to give all our life to the Lord Jesus Christ for His personal use.

Isaiah said, "Here I am Lord, use me".

Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

*****Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Where do we fail the most? Not understanding what the will of the Lord is for our lives!

It is only the wise who understand what the Lord has for them!

If we never understand the will of God for our lives, we will never conquer the evil we confront as we walk.

God's will, begins with Jesus Christ:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

We must next be sensitive to the Holy Spirit:

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Notice the Holy Spirit will always lead us to the things that Jesus said and in His ways.

All the New Testament will lead us to the things Jesus said!

All the Old Testament will lead us to the coming of Jesus and to the promises He has said!

In short, it is the will of God to do what Jesus said to do!

There is no other rule to walk by except to walk in the will of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When we walk according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will resemble God and come to know His perfections that are required in the world that is to come!

And next we see another Scripture where God tells the Christian to avoid alcoholic beverages.

*****Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Even the wisest of men becomes a fool when they are drunk!

Yes, drunkenness is intoxication with drink or with drugs or with any mind-altering substances!

This Scripture is not speaking of moderation because it would not have mentioned being filled with the Holy Spirit, which is just what it says being filled and not in moderation!

Drunkenness is a work of the flesh and it will certainly lead to other sins of the flesh!

First: it is a wasting away of the body and mind.

Second: it leads to uncontrolled behavior.

Third: it leads to rioting, uncontrolled outrageous behavior.

What else does the Bible say about drunkenness?

How about keeping you out of Heaven:

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Drunkenness leads to bad behavior:

Luk 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

God says to not even look upon alcoholic beverages:

Pro 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 

Pro 23:20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 

Pro 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 

Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 

Pro 23:31 "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright". 

Pro 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

If God says not to look at it then surely, we should not drink such things!

According to our passage, it is impossible to redeem the time, if are drunk.

But our Scripture also says it is impossible to redeem the time if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit!

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, there are some things that are certain!

*****Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

With all the things that the Holy Spirit does to lead us to Christ we can truthfully say that the Holy Spirit is a very special manifestation of Jesus Christ who lives within each and every saint of God!

There are those that always ask, just what kind of music does God expect in the church?

Well it seems to be psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

A spiritual song to me is a song where the song-writer was led by the Holy Spirit.

It is sure these should be songs that make melody in our heart toward Jehovah God!

A melody is as song of the land and for we Christians our land is Heaven!

In the heart of the saint of God, the Lord Jesus Christ has revealed, His person, His nature, and His goodness and it is these things that we are to reveal to this lost world!

1Co 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Many of us cannot carry a tune but even these can be heard in the shower singing with joy. Singing is no less natural to each of us than speaking. I can just imagine that there will be much singing in Heaven!

The Lord Jesus Christ will place a song in the heart of the believer!

The Spirit filled child of God is certainly thankful for the things God has done in their lives.

The Spirit filled child of God will certainly know that our lives are held safely in the loving hands of God.

The Spirit filled child of God is that person who has submitted to the will of God and led by His Spirit!

The Spirit filled child of God will submit and form the true church, the church that is the "Body of Christ"!

These are the same ones who go out of their way to submit to one another in the unity of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Changing Our Behavior

The Blessing of a Changed Behavior

Book of Ephesians 4:25-5:2

As Christians we must have a complete understanding of "sin".

**Sin is any transgression of the Word of God. In other words, if God said don't do it, then don't do it!

Joh 15:24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

God gave the world the Mosaic Laws, so all humans could begin to understand "Sin"!

Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

In America it is popular now to remove the Ten Commandments of God!

We live in a nation where half of the citizens do not want laws and do not want law enforcers and much of the world is the same.

**Sin is a failure to conform to the standard of God!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

This involves the sins of commission but also the sins of omission.

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Jas_4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

**Sin is a principle within us all!

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

**Sin is rebellion against Jehovah God!

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

As sin has grown significantly, it is also one of the signs that we are in the last days!

Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

There may not be another Scripture that describes this world we live now, than this one!

**Sin is the wrongful act against God but also against mankind.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

****Sin is the thing that God simply will not tolerate!

*****Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

We ended last week’s lesson we ended with Verse 24, but this is to be the dress code for all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior!

If we are not dressed right, we certainly cannot do right!

Lying is untruthfulness, deception, and yes, even exaggeration is lying.

Why must we always speak the truth, because as believers, we are a member of the Body of Christ, God's building material He uses to build His church.

We are members one of another and "all deception hinders the work of the church"!

Lying can become a habit because lying is the sin of the Devil.

Lying defiles, us:

Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

We should understand that God hates the liar and the worst of lies are those that are confirmed by an oath!

Those that lie are saying they are in the family of Satan!

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

We could say that lying is spiritual suicide, because we are denying the new creation God has given to us!

*****Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Unjustified anger is clearly wrong and clearly sin!

There may be times when anger is justified but when that time comes we must still avoid sin!

Justified anger is never selfish, nor does it seek destruction, justified anger will seek a remedy.

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Anger can cause us to lash out at others to cause them harm and it is sin.

Anger that broods and harbors malice, will not forget, and seeks revenge, is sinful.

Anger that holds contempt and exalts your own pride, is sinful!

Pro 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

Anger that seeks to destroy another person in any way, is sin.

Anger that curses, is sin.

Anger can cause hurt feelings between those we are the closest to. Such as husband and wife, or brother and sister, or our best friends. Those hurt feelings can linger for a great amount of time and even damage what was once a very good relationship.

Those that are the strongest in their relationships can rule their spirit!

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

It is foolish to hold onto our anger at any time.

Ecc 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

And God says: "let not the sun go down upon your wrath".

Angry passion, is a fire that will burn down deep into the soul, if it is not soon quenched.

The longer anger simmers and stews in your heart the angrier you will become!

We will certainly be much better off if when we are already angry to not confront someone else who is angry!

We are fools if we do not know that Satan is doing his best to be the master of all mankind!

He studies our character. When we least expect it, he will try to interfere in our Christian lives. Anger is a place he can slip in unnoticed!

We must continuously resist the Devil and never let our guard down, even when we are angry.

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

It is always better to get over our anger and move on!

In fact, if we want to be angry then let's get angry at sin and do our best to lead every sinner outside the church to the Lord!

*****Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

That word "steal" means not only to take and carry away the things of others, but it means to cheat people wrongfully, legally or illegally.

Pro 20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

Pro 21:6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

Pro 21:7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

Those who commit theft directly.

Those who cheat in measures, weight, "quality" and "value" of goods and services.

Those who gain by unjust lawsuits, including unjust judges.

Those who contract debt and those who declare to be bankrupt dishonestly.

Those who charge illegal interest on items or loans.

What about those workers who take pay with doing any work.

What about those who allow damage that could have been stopped.

What about those beggars on the side of the road who are not what they appear to be.

There are many others who take from others in various ways!

The Bible teaches that any of these actions are sin not only against those people but most importantly, against God.

But there are also those who steal from God in various ways and one is in tithes and offerings.

Mal_3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

We also rob God when we do not worship Him in spirit and in truth! This is a commandment!

Joh_4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh_4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him "must" worship him in spirit and in truth.

We can call these things whatever we wish but God calls it stealing and all stealing is sin!

Fact: God has put within this earth enough resources to meet the needs of His people!

Fact: God has given mankind the ability to have dominion over this earth!

Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Fact: Those who sincerely want a job can find a job!

Fact: God has given mankind the ability to develop the technology to control nature enough to explore this universe. Not searching for Aliens or other life but to improve things upon this earth!

Fact: mankind could feed, clothe, and house everyone upon this earth and it would be possible, if certain ones did not hoard the riches of this earth!

What's God answer? Those that stole, steal no more!

It is just that simple! If the theft of the riches of this world would stop. If those who had riches would give to those who are in need this world would be a much better place. If this world would then acknowledge the Word of God as the truth, it would be as if the curse has been lifted.

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

God intends for those who have, to help those who have not, and God intends for His message to be broadcast throughout this world!

We live in a selfish world and this must end!

1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Fact: we still do not know how to communicate properly!

*****Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

That word corrupt means, rotten, foul, and polluting in fact worthless may be the best description.

Psa 52:2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

Psa 52:3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

Psa 52:4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

We could take most of the words used today as used in a worthless manner!

Psa 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

We can also add cursing and unholy talk, as a worthless use of words.

Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Rom 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Words are used as an act or to forward a cause and if that cause is useless then, those words should not have been said.

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Pro 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

We should be careful that the words we say make a productive message to those who are listening!

God's answer is to speak those things that are good, those things that build up each other and especially the Christian, those thing that minister "Grace" to one another. Those words that prove we have been influenced from a power on high and above all this world.

Jesus Christ is still our example even in this. Remember the Lord Jesus never had even one sin!

Isa 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

Isa 50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

We already know that as Christians we have the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives within us and if we go against any part of the Word of God we will certainly "grieve" the Holy Spirit.

Being a part in any of these things mentioned in this passage, will cause "grief" to the Holy Spirit.

*****Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

This passage is a very clear proof of the personality of the Holy Spirit of God. He can be "grieved"!

This passage is also clear proof that the Holy Spirit is truly connected to each believer!

The Holy Spirit has the same character of God because He is God!

We should understand the pre-flood days, where God used these words.

Gen 6:3 "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man", for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

We should understand the time of the Jews 40-year journey.

Psa 78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

Psa 78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

It should be very clear that when we "grieve" the Holy Spirit we certainly limit the blessings of God!

As Christians, we certainly grieve the Holy Spirit when we participate in anything contrary to His divine nature!

We have another very real reason we should not grieve the Holy Spirit because, He has sealed us unto the day of "redemption"!

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

These are valuable lessons for us all to learn.

*****Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

We are to be in total control of our temper.

We are to forever cherish each other as God's creatures having the same purpose, to acknowledge our Creator.

Those that do not, are not all our enemies! They are of that group of people we are seek out to tell them about a loving God who cares for them also!

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

No doubt there are many who will show themselves to be the enemies of God, but God still loves them and if it be possible to reach them with the "Gospel" we owe them that opportunity!

Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The word "kindness" comes from the word kinned which means one of the same, reminding us of the fact that we are all brethren in the sense of all being God's creation!

To be tenderhearted, is to show compassion, mercy, and understanding.

To be forgiving, means to show the same "grace" to them as the "grace" God has shown to you.

Being able to pardon them for anything they have done!

Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man has a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

When we refuse to do these things, we are showing God that we are still disobedient children!

*****Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

What must be our goal? To imitate the characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible.

To be truly at peace with God we must strive to be like Him!

The Lord Jesus Christ was always giving of Himself even unto His death and He was always forgiving of others.

To follow God, we must attach ourselves to Him and never let go!

We must surrender and devote our life to God just as He devoted Himself to all believers.

Jesus Christ said: Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Jesus Christ said:

Luk 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luk 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

John wrote: 1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

God demanded: Lev 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Paul declared: 2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Peter wrote: 1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

These things leave us no doubt what the Lord is asking of us, in fact demanding of all those who are His children.

We must forgive and forget!

We must have that loving spirit and it show!

In fact, we must show all the fruit of the Holy Spirit!

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

We must walk in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ! We see very little love for humanity in our world today!

The Lord Jesus Christ did not just die for us, the Lord Jesus Christ took our place on that cross, He was our substitute!

There is no one else that exist who could have done this thing for us!

Notice here, that love is something we must wear as a garment, but we must also be clothed in humility to be a true child of God!

Love is also a pathway; the walk of love, will lead us directly to our Savior!

What is the greatest problem with this world ? The world says love, but that love must flow from our loving God or it is not true love!

Love must be a genuine product from a genuine God, only then will love take on it's true meaning!

1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

The Christian life depends on love for one another with the same love that comes from God!

Amen

Let's Pray!