Most of us eat every day, some of us too much, because yesterday's
food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do
some of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to
keep us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change
all that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to
live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host,
author speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning.
It is Tuesday, August twenty two, two twenty three. Hello,
my name is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this
is your Daily Portion where we give you God's word every single day, and
today is no exception. We are continuing in our Lesson study series through the
Book of Ephesians. Our caption for today is Awake, Oh Sleeper, Awake,
Oh Sleeper. We'll get into that in just a moment, but first
I'd like to say welcome to everyone joining us, especially those joining us for
the very first time. Please go over to your Daily Portion dot com.
Join our online community. We build faith and fellowship. Right there. There
is so much more that goes on in that community. When you are asking
your questions. We have our discussions surrounding the lesson study, and periodically I'll
drop some bonus materials in their very practical stuff. And also please pick up
your Daily portion book and that will help us to grow our relationship with God
as well. Let's go ahead and pray, and then we will get underway.
Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us this new morning and the
privilege that we have to pray. Thank you for giving us your word.
Please awaken us out of our sleep so that we can be sober and alert
as we await the appearing of Jesus. In Jesus name, I pray,
Amen and Amen again. Awake, O sleeper, be honest. Go ahead
and type it in the chat, like what came to your mind first when
you heard this title or the caption right or you read it? Awake,
O Sleeper, Can I tell you what came to my mind? Are you
typing? Yeah? I thought about Jonah. I thought about Jonah. I
was like, Okay, where are we going with this very interesting story with
Jonah? But we're not going there today. I just kind of had to
get that off my chest so I would not get distracted by sharing the story
of Jonah. But the Bible does say here in the Book of Ephesians,
chapter five, and we'll read some passages we've read already, but again repetition
deepens the impression. Shout out to the teachers who understand this. Right,
so we're reading it verse eleven, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove them. We need to be quite honest in
our interactions. Whether it is in a romantic relationship it's our spouse or someone
that we are looking to get married too. It could be in our business
relationships or professional relationships, right, it can be in a spiritual relationship with
persons in our faith communities and so forth. We have to be honest when
we see unfruitful works of darkness, gossiping, lying, cheating, disunity,
pride. I could go down a long list and worse, sexual impurity.
Like, there are so many things that come up on the radar of unfruitful
works of darkness. What the Bible is telling us here is to stay away
from those, do not participate in those. But don't just be quiet.
Can I just say that right here? Do not be silent. Don't become
a silent observer and say, well, people have to make their own choices.
When you are dealing with unfruitful works of darkness, you have to call
a spade a spade. Yeah, and don't text me because I use that
analogy. Right. What I'm saying is, when you see unfruitful works of
darkness, call it what it is and then stay away from it. Oh,
call it what it is not strong enough? The Bible says, we
need to reprove those who are dealing in those unfruitful works of darkness trying to
engage us or somehow have an impact on the faith community. Okay, verse
twelve, For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are
done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest
by the light. So no more sweeping it under the rug. Brothers and
sisters. I have been in church leadership for many, many years, I
promise you, at different levels and the church, local church level and others.
You understand sometimes God's people have a habit for whatever the reasons. I
wish I had the time, but I do not want to muddy the waters
here in our study time, right, sometimes we not me God, God
forbid, But sometimes we sweep sins under the rug, rather than helping people
get connected with God, ha helping people to make amends with people that they
have offended, whether by abuse or financial miss doing things financially that shouldn't be
done. Sexual abuse, sexual indiscretions, like so many things that sometimes happen
in the fellowship of God's people, and we God's people have a habit of
sweeping these things under the rug rather than dealing with them and then redeeming all
who are involved, whether the offenders or the victims. God wants us to
deal with these things head on. Okay, But all things that are reproved
are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Wherefore he said, awake, thou that sleepest, arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give the light. Isn't it wonderful that when we bring things
out into the light, when we don't sweep things under the rug, when
we embrace our responsibilities and also reprove that which must be reproved, all in
the spirit of unity, all in the spirit of growth in Christ, all
for the purpose of making God's community of faith stronger and more representative of his
character. That God will give us light. You see, we got it
backwards. Sometimes we think that doing God's will brings darkness. No, it
does not bring darkness. Awake, he said, Awake, oh sleeper that
sleepest and arise from the dead, dead thoughts, dead works, dead mindset,
dead relationships. God wants us to awake, and Christ will give us
light. Now in this discussion, it is helpful to understand that Paul repeatedly
offers two exhortations, alternating between them. Number One, live a god honoring
lifestyle as children of light. So honoring God is to live in the light.
If you have a habit of shady dealings, stuff that has to be
hidden, things that cannot be said, you're always lowering your voice lest somebody
hears you. Only the person that's listening to you needs to hear you,
because maybe what you're saying shouldn't be said at all. It's possible. I
used to have people coming to me and what people call in Jamaica Land we
love just come and muttering and talking all kinds of stuff. Oh I don't
like how so and so treated you, right, And it's like, well,
hm, when you came. Was that a genuine Was that a genuine
concern for me? Or were you trying to draw me out so I could
say something that you could go run and become a tail bearer about you.
See, there are all kinds of ways that God's people have been tripped up.
But we want to honor God by living a lifestyle of light. That
anything we say or do should be able to be held to scrutiny. Not
because we're trying to perform for anyone, but we want to be representatives of
God in everything. Number two, don't live a sexually immoral God opposing lifestyle,
exhibiting the unfruitful works of darkness. It's right there in the Book of
Ephesians. And so here are some tips, some tips. We want it
to be practical to us, right, some tips to help us along this
journey. Number one daily devotion. Daily devotion, that's your personal time with
God. Listening to me in the mornings or watching me in the morning can
be a supplement, but that is not your devotion, right, It is
between you and God and everything else where you bring in, other activities,
you bring in, other resources are just added blessing. Number two integrity,
live honestly with integrity, even though no one is watching. Number three,
Love God and others as he would have given us command. Love God with
everything we are, everything we have, and love our neighbors as ourselves.
Then we want to avoid sinful influences. We want to be humble, We
want to give generously. We want to speak encouragement to others and so forth,
and in that we can live according to God's life. Have a wonderful
day, peace. Thanks for joining us listening. Friends. Always remember we
cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth
of God. This has been your daily portion with l. David Harris.
Make it a great day.