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A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Tuesday, May 31^st, 2016. Today is the 152^nd Day of 2016.

There are only 214 days left in this year; and, there are only 19 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 208 days left until CHRISTMAS…

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT – “CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM”

Matthew 5:1-12
¹ “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

In direct contradiction of the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees of HIS day, Jesus gives this first of five sermons recorded in Matthew to show how the right application of God’s Law in the life of HIS people result in their being “blessed.”

“Makarios” (the Greek Word translated “blessed”) means to be “spiritually prosperous” or to be “fortunate because of the blessings of God.”

The Right Response to the Condition of our Soul

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

When Jesus points out that those who mourn will be comforted, HE is pointing out those who mourn over the condition of their soul.

Like the rest of this passage, Jesus is addressing believers. We HAVE come to mourn over our soul and repented of our sins. We have trusted Jesus to save our soul.

But even after we are saved, we are continually broken over the sinfulness that remains in our flesh and in our mind. We STILL love and crave sin.

The good news is that when we see and rightly evaluate the condition of our soul, Jesus leads us to repent of our continuing sins and we are then comforted by the ever-present HOLY SPIRIT.

We who believe in Jesus need not despair over our continuing battle with sin. HE, HIMSELF, will deliver and comfort us as we follow HIM.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next tomorrow evening is “Three 2’s of the Second Coming” pointing out three key elements of the future that come in Twos in the Scripture.

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Monday, May 30^th, 2016. Today is the 151^st Day of 2016.

Today is Memorial Day.

On this day, we pause to remember those who died while defending our Freedoms. At 10am today, I will have the honor of bring the annual address for the American Legion at the Mackville Cemetery in Atwood. Please attend if you are able and pray for the LORD’s blessings of this event and those who are there.

Today is Tammy Daily’s Birthday.

There are only 215 days left in this year; and, there are only 20 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 209 days left until CHRISTMAS…

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT – “CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM”

Matthew 5:1-12
¹ “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

In direct contradiction of the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees of HIS day, Jesus gives this first of five sermons recorded in Matthew to show how the right application of God’s Law in the life of HIS people result in their being “blessed.”

“Makarios” (the Greek Word translated “blessed”) means to be “spiritually prosperous” or to be “fortunate because of the blessings of God.”

The false teachers of Jesus’ day – like the false teachers of our day – taught that if God was happy with you, you would be “healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

They taught that you can measure the spiritual prosperity of a person by the physical and financial prosperity of a person.

This is, of course, blasphemy.

Jesus is correcting this false doctrine to show that spiritual prosperity (or, blessedness) is the natural and universal result of salvation.

In other words, a saved person bears the characteristics HE mentions in these verses. All of these verses pertain to the condition of a saved person.

For example:

¹ “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Being “poor in spirit” does not mean these people are depressed; it means that they see their true spiritual condition before God. They know that without God they are – and would remain – lost.

People who see their true spiritual condition and realizing they are hopeless without Christ, call out to Christ for salvation with the result that they are “blessed.”

It is a blessed gift of God to see one’s self as we truly are.

And… when that accurate self-image results in our repentance and trust in Christ, we experience the ultimate blessing in all the universe – the salvation of our soul.

The blessing of seeing ourselves rightly? We become by grace “Citizens of the Kingdom of God.”

Amen.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next Wednesday, (6/1) is “Three 2’s of the Second Coming” pointing out three key elements of the future that come in Twos in the Scripture.

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Friday, May 27^th, 2016. Today is the 148^th Day of 2016.

I would like to ask for your special prayers for the rest of this week. Tonight and Saturday I will be preaching Revival Services at Lincoln Southern Baptist Church. Please pray for safe travel and for God’s manifest blessings on the meetings.

There are only 218 days left in this year; and, there are only 23 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 212 days left until CHRISTMAS…

REASONS TO REJOICE – The Salvation of the Unsaved

Psalm 51:10-13
¹⁰ “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

One more thing from this famous passage… David says that after the LORD restores his joy, “then” he will tell others about salvation and some of them will be saved.

There are many reasons that Christians do not share our faith in Christ with others.

One of the most common is that we have lost (or never had) our joy about being saved.

As a very wise preacher once said, “I’m not a fanatic; I am just a satisfied customer.”

Amazing to watch, but true. If we are satisfied with our new car, we are ready to tell everyone about it.

If we are happy with a new home, we tell everyone about it.

When we have a NEW GRANDCHILD… we tell everyone on earth about it…

The simple fact is that we do not tell others about Jesus because we have lost the joy of our salvation. We are not truly “satisfied customers.”

When our joy is restored, we tell everyone about it.

And, when we tell everyone about it, “sinners will return” to the LORD.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next Wednesday, (6/1) is “Three 2’s of the Second Coming” pointing out three key elements of the future that come in Twos.

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Thursday, May 26^th, 2016. Today is the 147^th Day of 2016.

I would like to ask for your special prayers for the rest of this week. Tonight, Friday, and Saturday I will be preaching Revival Services at Lincoln Southern Baptist Church. Please pray for safe travel and for God’s manifest blessings on the meetings.

There are only 219 days left in this year; and, there are only 24 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 213 days left until CHRISTMAS…

REASONS TO REJOICE – Restored Joy

Psalm 51:10-13
¹⁰ “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

In this really well known passage, David is in the midst of repentance over his affair with Bathsheba which had resulted in the death of their son.

As is always true, sin had taken away his joy.

His prayer is that the LORD might “restore” his joy. Of all of the things he needed and all of the things he could have asked for, the thing he asked for was the restoration of his joy.

Sin is a joy killer. Sin does not always kill happiness, indeed, sin often brings “happiness.” But remember that happiness is merely a reflection of present circumstance whereas joy is an abiding sense of spiritual well-being.

Lost people know nothing of this. Christians have experienced what David calls, “the joy of YOUR salvation” and having experienced it, we are never satisfied again to live without it.

Here is the clear implication of David’s words… we must choose. We can have sin and be joyless, or, we can repent of our sins and once again know the joy of God’s salvation.

I choose repentance and joy. I pray that you will also.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next Wednesday, (6/1) is “Three 2’s of the Second Coming” pointing out three key elements of the future that come in Twos.

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, May 25^th, 2016. Today is the 146^th Day of 2016.

There are only 220 days left in this year; and, there are only 25 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 214 days left until CHRISTMAS…

REASONS TO REJOICE – Dark Times Will Pass

Psalm 30:4-5
⁴ “Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
⁵ For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

The promises of God are a source of real joy.

One of the wisest sayings among people is, “this too shall pass.” Of course, we know that at times our problems and suffering do not pass; but, God is completely sovereign over the events of our life and HE has promised us that ultimately they will pass and “joy comes with the morning.”

When we consider what we would deserve if God were only just and not also merciful, we can see that there would be no hope of a happier day. They fact that we have any good days at all is due to the infinite mercy of God.

God knows that some hardships are good for us (or those who are observing our life and testimony) so HE does not deliver us from every trial of life. But, HE does promise HIS people that, “All things are working together for good to those who love God…” (Rom.8:28)

Remember, joy is not an emotion… it is a deeply spiritual sense of well-being that does not change with “the contrary winds of life.”

Yes, we do face difficulties and we face some dark, dark nights. But, we have the promise of God that HE is in control of all things and HE is working all things together for our God.

Reflecting on this promise is cause for rejoicing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijebi-PRseI

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for this evening is “Are there really any ‘Signs of the Times?’” This is one of the most important lessons in understanding where we are today in the relation to the fulfilling of biblical prophecy.

Don’t miss this lesson…

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Tuesday, May 24^th, 2016. Today is the 145^th Day of 2016.

There are only 221 days left in this year; and, there are only 26 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 215 days left until CHRISTMAS…

REASONS TO REJOICE – The Presence of God

Psalm 16:8-11
⁸ “I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; My flesh also shall dwell in safety.
¹⁰ For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption.
¹¹ Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

What joy the psalmist reveals at the thought of the surety of his salvation and the promise of dwelling in the presence of Jehovah.

He rejoices in the fact that God will not leave his body in the grave (Sheol) but will, in fact, bring him and all of HIS people into HIS presence.

We have HIS presence with us now; and, we will be in HIS presence forever.

These words remind me to think about from where does my joy come? It is easy to get caught up in the things of this world; yet, like the psalmist, we should take great joy from the thought that we have a living relationship with the living God – and, we have the promise of HIS eternal presence.

One more thing: joy is not the same thing as happiness. Happiness is an emotion that comes from happy circumstances. When the circumstances change, our emotions change with them and our happiness is gone.

Joy, on the other hand, is a state of mind. It is based on what we know to be true in spite of the reality of any present circumstance.

Thank YOU LORD for the gift of joy.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next Wednesday, (5/25) is “Are there really any ‘Signs of the Times?’” This is one of the most important lessons in understanding where we are today in the relation to the fulfilling of biblical prophecy.

Don’t miss this lesson…

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Monday, May 23^rd, 2016. Today is the 144^th Day of 2016.

There are only 222 days left in this year; and, there are only 27 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 216 days left until CHRISTMAS…

REASONS TO REJOICE

Psalm 5:11-12
¹¹ “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.
¹² For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.”

Joy is one of those things that is sort of hard to define in mere words, but we certainly know it when we experience it.

This is the emotion of a Groom seeing his Bride coming down the aisle…

A parent seeing their newborn child for the first time…

Graduation…

Finding out that you got the job…

Joy is that highest sense of wellbeing that touches one from the sole of their feet to the top of their head.

It is the highest sense of happiness that one can experience in this life.

The Word of God has lots and lots to say about joy. Over the next several devotions, I want to think about joy. I covered some of this in devotions from the Book of Philippians, but, I want to survey the entire Bible for insight into this blessing we call joy.

Here in Psalm 5, we have four distinct reasons for the Child of God to experience joy:

The thought of taking refuge in God is a source of joy…

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice…”

God is our refuge; our shelter in a time of storms. HE is the source of our safety. We are in HIS hands, safe and secure.

We sing for joy because of our protection and our Protector.

“let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them…”

God protects HIS people. This is, of course, closely related to our having HIM as our refuge. God has promised that HE will, “never leave you nor forsake you…” That thought in all of the trials of life we face leaves us in a spirit of joy.

We have joy because we love HIS Name. How different this is from those who hate HIM and HIS Name. We bless HIS Name – they curse HIS Name.

“that those who love your name may exult in you.”

We have joy; they will have judgment.

We have joy because of the blessings of God.

“For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.”

In HIS unending kindness, God blesses HIS people. David uses the beautiful metaphor of being covered the way a soldier takes cover behind his shield as he sees the enemy approaching.

God pours out HIS blessings… HIS favor… on us; and, in HIM and in HIS blessings, we rejoice.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next Wednesday, (5/25) is “Are there really any ‘Signs of the Times?’” This is one of the most important lessons in understanding where we are today in the relation to the fulfilling of biblical prophecy.

Don’t miss this lesson…

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Friday, May 20^th, 2016. Today is the 141^st Day of 2016.

There are only 225 days left in this year; and, there are only 30 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 219 days left until CHRISTMAS…

OK, So what does “Putting Off the Old and Putting On the New” look like in real life?

I AM GLAD YOU ASKED…

Ephesians 4:25-30
²⁵ “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
²⁶ Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
²⁷ and give no opportunity to the devil.
²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
²⁹ Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

As a final word before my sermon on Sunday, I want you to think a bit about what it means to “Put Off the Old and Put on the New” walk in this fallen world…

Paul describes this new way of living by a series of contrasts:

Don’t lie; tell the truth.

Be angry but do not sin; give no opportunity to the Devil.

Don’t steal; labor with your hands and share what you have.

No corrupting talk; speak encouraging words.

And the reason for this is, “Do not grieve the HOLY SPIRIT…”

The HOLY SPIRIT is a Person (the 3^rd Person of the Holy Trinity) and as a Person, HE can be grieved. Do not do that.

All of the listed behaviors have unhappy consequences for the people against whom we sin, and they also have unhappy consequences for us when we do sin; but, the most unhappy consequence is that we grieve God the HOLY SPIRIT.

Did you ever bring grief into the life of a person you dearly love? I surely have. It is one of the most painful experiences in life.

Grieving someone we love is far more painful than being grieved by someone we love.

If we truly love God as we are commanded, we will hate any sinful behavior that grieve HIM.

Simple. Put off sinful behaviors and put on godly behaviors.

One more reminder – this is part of our sanctification which means that we willingly and consciously have a part to play in this transformation.

We put off; and, we put on.

Simple.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

The lesson for next Wednesday, (5/25) is “Are there really any ‘Signs of the Times?’” This is one of the most important lessons in understanding where we are today in the relation to the fulfilling of biblical prophecy.

Don’t miss this lesson…

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Thursday, May 19^th, 2016. Today is the 140^th Day of 2016.

There are only 226 days left in this year; and, there are only 31 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 220 days left until CHRISTMAS…

“Off with the Old and On with the New”

Ephesians 4:21-24
²¹ “assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
²² to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Again today I want to use the passage I plan to preach on this coming Sunday for my devotional.

It is a fearful thing for a person to “assume” they are a believer when they are not. Paul uses this warning language as he speaks to the Ephesians.

The point is not that he wants to doubt the reality of their relationship with Christ; neither does he want them to doubt the reality of their relationship with Christ – but, he does often make the point that one who lives like an unbeliever cannot know that they are not an unbeliever.

Walking, or living, like the Gentiles walk in continual sin may show the fact that they have not really been saved. On the contrary, walking like Christ is strong evidence that they are, in fact, a new creation in Christ.

PLEASE NOTE that while salvation is completely and solely a work of God, sanctification (becoming progressively more and more like Christ) requires the willing and active obedience of the believer.

What does this willing and active obedience look like?

Simple. It looks like changing clothes. Off with the old and on with the new.

Putting off the old lifestyle and behaviors and putting on the new lifestyle and behaviors.

A believer will stop living like an unbeliever and begin living more and more like Christ.

How is this done? By renewing of the mind through the work of the Word.

Romans 12:2
² “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Sanctification (transformation) comes through the work of the Word in the life of a believer.

1 Thessalonians 2:13
“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

The Word of God works in the life of a believer transforming them into the image of Christ.

So, what does that look like? Like putting off the old and putting on the new.

It is the work of the Word.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

Each evening features a stand-alone lesson, so if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, May 18^th, 2016. Today is the 139^th Day of 2016.

There are only 227 days left in this year; and, there are only 32 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 221 days left until CHRISTMAS…

“A New Walk in the Same Old World”

Ephesians 4:17-30
¹⁷ “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
¹⁹ They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
²⁰ But that is not the way you learned Christ!—
²¹ assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
²² to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
²⁶ Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
²⁷ and give no opportunity to the devil.
²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
²⁹ Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

As the LORD allows, I will do an exposition of this passage this coming LORD’s Day – May 22^nd. For the rest of this week, I want to share some thoughts from it that I will not have time to fully cover in one sermon…

In verse 17, Paul tells the Ephesian Christians that they must not live as the “Gentiles” or unsaved people of Ephesus do.

In the New Testament, “walk” is an often used metaphor for the way we live out our life.

Paul explains how they (and we) were made to be new creations in Christ in 2:1-9. Since we are new creations in Christ; and since the old things are passing away while being replaced by the things that accompany our new life, (2^nd Corinthians 5:21) we must not live the way unsaved people do.

In verses 17-19, Paul tells them specifically what this looks like in daily life…

¹⁷ “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
¹⁹ They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.”

–   They are led through life by their darkened minds. In other words, if it seems good to them, or appeals to their five senses, they do it.

–   They want to have nothing to do with God or the things of God.

–   They have become hard-hearted and set in their ways.

–   They live completely to satisfy the flesh, ie., the five senses.

–   And, they cannot get enough of sinning. They are “greedy” to commit sin.

As believers in Jesus, the Ephesians (as well as we) must not live this way.

Allowing the HOLY SPIRIT to work in our life through the process of being changed into the “image” of Christ is what Paul describes as…

²² “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Off with the old and on with the new.

That is a what it means to have “A New Walk in the Same Old World.”

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

Each evening features a stand-alone lesson, so if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

This evening, as the LORD allows, I will teach about the most widely held views on the end times – and point how we can know “Which View is True?”

Carpe Diem!