1 00:00:01,159 --> 00:00:05,559 Most of us eat every day, some of us too much, because yesterday's 2 00:00:05,599 --> 00:00:10,400 food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:15,039 some of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,760 keep us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change 5 00:00:19,879 --> 00:00:25,120 all that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to 6 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:30,800 live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host, 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,799 author speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning. 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,159 It is Tuesday, August twenty two, two twenty three. Hello, 9 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,600 my name is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this 10 00:00:41,679 --> 00:00:45,560 is your Daily Portion where we give you God's word every single day, and 11 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,320 today is no exception. We are continuing in our Lesson study series through the 12 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:57,479 Book of Ephesians. Our caption for today is Awake, Oh Sleeper, Awake, 13 00:00:58,119 --> 00:01:00,439 Oh Sleeper. We'll get into that in just a moment, but first 14 00:01:00,479 --> 00:01:04,159 I'd like to say welcome to everyone joining us, especially those joining us for 15 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,239 the very first time. Please go over to your Daily Portion dot com. 16 00:01:08,359 --> 00:01:14,519 Join our online community. We build faith and fellowship. Right there. There 17 00:01:14,599 --> 00:01:17,680 is so much more that goes on in that community. When you are asking 18 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:22,879 your questions. We have our discussions surrounding the lesson study, and periodically I'll 19 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:27,599 drop some bonus materials in their very practical stuff. And also please pick up 20 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:33,920 your Daily portion book and that will help us to grow our relationship with God 21 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,400 as well. Let's go ahead and pray, and then we will get underway. 22 00:01:38,519 --> 00:01:41,400 Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us this new morning and the 23 00:01:41,439 --> 00:01:45,319 privilege that we have to pray. Thank you for giving us your word. 24 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:51,280 Please awaken us out of our sleep so that we can be sober and alert 25 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:56,280 as we await the appearing of Jesus. In Jesus name, I pray, 26 00:01:56,319 --> 00:02:00,959 Amen and Amen again. Awake, O sleeper, be honest. Go ahead 27 00:02:00,959 --> 00:02:05,319 and type it in the chat, like what came to your mind first when 28 00:02:05,319 --> 00:02:07,719 you heard this title or the caption right or you read it? Awake, 29 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,719 O Sleeper, Can I tell you what came to my mind? Are you 30 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:15,759 typing? Yeah? I thought about Jonah. I thought about Jonah. I 31 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,120 was like, Okay, where are we going with this very interesting story with 32 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,000 Jonah? But we're not going there today. I just kind of had to 33 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:27,039 get that off my chest so I would not get distracted by sharing the story 34 00:02:27,039 --> 00:02:30,360 of Jonah. But the Bible does say here in the Book of Ephesians, 35 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:37,039 chapter five, and we'll read some passages we've read already, but again repetition 36 00:02:37,439 --> 00:02:40,400 deepens the impression. Shout out to the teachers who understand this. Right, 37 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:46,560 so we're reading it verse eleven, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works 38 00:02:46,599 --> 00:02:52,280 of darkness, but rather reprove them. We need to be quite honest in 39 00:02:52,319 --> 00:02:57,879 our interactions. Whether it is in a romantic relationship it's our spouse or someone 40 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,120 that we are looking to get married too. It could be in our business 41 00:03:01,199 --> 00:03:07,479 relationships or professional relationships, right, it can be in a spiritual relationship with 42 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:12,479 persons in our faith communities and so forth. We have to be honest when 43 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:21,159 we see unfruitful works of darkness, gossiping, lying, cheating, disunity, 44 00:03:21,759 --> 00:03:24,719 pride. I could go down a long list and worse, sexual impurity. 45 00:03:24,879 --> 00:03:30,599 Like, there are so many things that come up on the radar of unfruitful 46 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,560 works of darkness. What the Bible is telling us here is to stay away 47 00:03:35,639 --> 00:03:39,120 from those, do not participate in those. But don't just be quiet. 48 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:44,919 Can I just say that right here? Do not be silent. Don't become 49 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,199 a silent observer and say, well, people have to make their own choices. 50 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:53,080 When you are dealing with unfruitful works of darkness, you have to call 51 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,759 a spade a spade. Yeah, and don't text me because I use that 52 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,759 analogy. Right. What I'm saying is, when you see unfruitful works of 53 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:08,000 darkness, call it what it is and then stay away from it. Oh, 54 00:04:08,199 --> 00:04:11,000 call it what it is not strong enough? The Bible says, we 55 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:17,000 need to reprove those who are dealing in those unfruitful works of darkness trying to 56 00:04:17,079 --> 00:04:23,240 engage us or somehow have an impact on the faith community. Okay, verse 57 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,519 twelve, For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are 58 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,879 done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest 59 00:04:32,959 --> 00:04:36,120 by the light. So no more sweeping it under the rug. Brothers and 60 00:04:36,199 --> 00:04:40,439 sisters. I have been in church leadership for many, many years, I 61 00:04:40,519 --> 00:04:46,720 promise you, at different levels and the church, local church level and others. 62 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:53,040 You understand sometimes God's people have a habit for whatever the reasons. I 63 00:04:53,079 --> 00:04:55,879 wish I had the time, but I do not want to muddy the waters 64 00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:01,040 here in our study time, right, sometimes we not me God, God 65 00:05:01,079 --> 00:05:08,120 forbid, But sometimes we sweep sins under the rug, rather than helping people 66 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:13,879 get connected with God, ha helping people to make amends with people that they 67 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:20,079 have offended, whether by abuse or financial miss doing things financially that shouldn't be 68 00:05:20,079 --> 00:05:27,319 done. Sexual abuse, sexual indiscretions, like so many things that sometimes happen 69 00:05:27,399 --> 00:05:31,839 in the fellowship of God's people, and we God's people have a habit of 70 00:05:31,959 --> 00:05:38,360 sweeping these things under the rug rather than dealing with them and then redeeming all 71 00:05:38,519 --> 00:05:43,480 who are involved, whether the offenders or the victims. God wants us to 72 00:05:43,519 --> 00:05:48,160 deal with these things head on. Okay, But all things that are reproved 73 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:55,040 are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 74 00:05:55,240 --> 00:06:01,160 Wherefore he said, awake, thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, 75 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:09,519 and Christ shall give the light. Isn't it wonderful that when we bring things 76 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,519 out into the light, when we don't sweep things under the rug, when 77 00:06:14,519 --> 00:06:20,720 we embrace our responsibilities and also reprove that which must be reproved, all in 78 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:26,759 the spirit of unity, all in the spirit of growth in Christ, all 79 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:32,160 for the purpose of making God's community of faith stronger and more representative of his 80 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,720 character. That God will give us light. You see, we got it 81 00:06:35,759 --> 00:06:43,079 backwards. Sometimes we think that doing God's will brings darkness. No, it 82 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:47,639 does not bring darkness. Awake, he said, Awake, oh sleeper that 83 00:06:47,959 --> 00:06:57,319 sleepest and arise from the dead, dead thoughts, dead works, dead mindset, 84 00:06:57,439 --> 00:07:01,480 dead relationships. God wants us to awake, and Christ will give us 85 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:08,759 light. Now in this discussion, it is helpful to understand that Paul repeatedly 86 00:07:08,879 --> 00:07:15,959 offers two exhortations, alternating between them. Number One, live a god honoring 87 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:20,319 lifestyle as children of light. So honoring God is to live in the light. 88 00:07:21,639 --> 00:07:25,839 If you have a habit of shady dealings, stuff that has to be 89 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:30,360 hidden, things that cannot be said, you're always lowering your voice lest somebody 90 00:07:30,399 --> 00:07:32,600 hears you. Only the person that's listening to you needs to hear you, 91 00:07:32,639 --> 00:07:38,120 because maybe what you're saying shouldn't be said at all. It's possible. I 92 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,720 used to have people coming to me and what people call in Jamaica Land we 93 00:07:41,759 --> 00:07:46,800 love just come and muttering and talking all kinds of stuff. Oh I don't 94 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,319 like how so and so treated you, right, And it's like, well, 95 00:07:49,399 --> 00:07:54,519 hm, when you came. Was that a genuine Was that a genuine 96 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,759 concern for me? Or were you trying to draw me out so I could 97 00:07:57,879 --> 00:08:01,000 say something that you could go run and become a tail bearer about you. 98 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:05,319 See, there are all kinds of ways that God's people have been tripped up. 99 00:08:05,319 --> 00:08:09,639 But we want to honor God by living a lifestyle of light. That 100 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:15,920 anything we say or do should be able to be held to scrutiny. Not 101 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,439 because we're trying to perform for anyone, but we want to be representatives of 102 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:30,600 God in everything. Number two, don't live a sexually immoral God opposing lifestyle, 103 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:35,279 exhibiting the unfruitful works of darkness. It's right there in the Book of 104 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,000 Ephesians. And so here are some tips, some tips. We want it 105 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:43,480 to be practical to us, right, some tips to help us along this 106 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,600 journey. Number one daily devotion. Daily devotion, that's your personal time with 107 00:08:48,639 --> 00:08:52,480 God. Listening to me in the mornings or watching me in the morning can 108 00:08:52,519 --> 00:08:58,679 be a supplement, but that is not your devotion, right, It is 109 00:08:58,799 --> 00:09:03,639 between you and God and everything else where you bring in, other activities, 110 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:09,600 you bring in, other resources are just added blessing. Number two integrity, 111 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:15,279 live honestly with integrity, even though no one is watching. Number three, 112 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:20,799 Love God and others as he would have given us command. Love God with 113 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:26,080 everything we are, everything we have, and love our neighbors as ourselves. 114 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:33,000 Then we want to avoid sinful influences. We want to be humble, We 115 00:09:33,039 --> 00:09:39,440 want to give generously. We want to speak encouragement to others and so forth, 116 00:09:39,759 --> 00:09:43,080 and in that we can live according to God's life. Have a wonderful 117 00:09:43,159 --> 00:09:48,080 day, peace. Thanks for joining us listening. Friends. Always remember we 118 00:09:48,159 --> 00:09:52,159 cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth 119 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,360 of God. This has been your daily portion with l. David Harris. 120 00:09:56,000 --> 00:10:00,320 Make it a great day.