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 Friday, September eight, twenty 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, and our caption for today is modern wisdom from Ancient Relationships. I
said, modern wiz from ancient relationships. We'll get into that in just a
moment, but first I'd like to say welcome to you and say happy preparation
day. Hopefully you would have had a productive week and you're ready to be
rejuvenated and you're resting yes, or are you're getting to the RESTful mindset for
the Sabbath hours that are coming. And I hope that you will continue to
just run along with us here and share the Word of God with your friends.
What like for those who've not already done so, to go over to
your Daily Portion dot com join our online community and definitely please pick up your
Daily Portion book and let us know where you are in the world, because
I'm still making this map, like where are people located who are supporters and
people who share the word from the your Daily Portion perspective at your Daily Portion
dot com. Let's go ahead and pray and then get underway. Father in
Heaven, thank you for giving us this new day and for the privilege we
have to prepare for a special time with you, Lord. I pray that
you will give us your holy spirit and teach us your word. In Jesus
name, I pray Amen and Amen again. And so there is so much
that we learned this week. And you will note that I have been on
that sort of takeaways trajectory, like bringing takeaways because sometimes we discuss the Bible
philosophically and don't really think about how we apply it to our lives right,
And so we said so much this week that we're related and something seemingly unrelated
just because of the way that the texts are sort of organized. But I'm
going to try to encapsulate them with a few a few takeaways. Okay,
let's see what we can do with our time. Number One, child advocacy
in this present world right, in society that often overlooks the young, Embracing
and respecting children, much as Paul did, serves as a testament to our
commitment to nurturing the next generation. And the Bible does say in Proverbs chapter
twenty two, verse six, train up a child in the way he should
go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
And I want you to banish some of the thoughts that we've had with that
text for years, mixing it up, really, but this is what it
basically means. When you have a child, discover his or her bent,
like if you are bending a shrub or a branch or something. Discover in
the way, Discover the way that God has that child bent, how that
child is wired, the behavior styles and so forth related to the child.
Right, and when you discover that, cultivate it. Your child is bent
toward music. Cultivate that. Your child is very detail oriented and likes to
argue. Cultivate that, but bend it toward what God would have them to
do with that. Don't squash them, don't crush them and say stop with
the music or stop with all of the technical discussion. No, discover their
bent. Maybe that child who's into argumentation would be an attorney. I don't
know. Maybe that individual will be someone who is persuasive in in closing sales
or deals in some work of life. But don't crush what God has shown
you as a bent. Dedicate that to God, and that child will not
depart from it. How can you use who you are for the glory of
God? Discover their bent, move with it, and dedicate them to God.
Number two from past to present addressing child trauma. That's a whole lot.
But listen, pure religion according to James chapter one in verse twenty seven
and undefiled before God and the Father, is this to visit the fatherless and
widows. There's some people who have no parents, no fathers, no mothers,
and there's a lot of trauma attached to that. But the Bible says
we're to visit the fatherless and widows in their reflection, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world. So we need to recognize and address adverse childhood experiences,
and we need to do that because it's vital. As a community.
We should actively work to provide resources and support to those who have faced traumas
in their early years. And you're like, you got that out of the
lesson this week, Yep, I sure did. I sure did. Number
three Safeguarding the innocent. In the Book of Matthew chapter eighteen, the Bible
says, take key that ye despise not one of these little ones, For
I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of
my Father, which is in heaven. So God is watching. He has
stationed angels who excel in strength to take care of the innocent, meaning the
children in this case. And so we need to treat those children with the
respect and the watch care and to safeguard them much in the same way that
God has done. Also workplace dynamics Number four. In modern teams, servants,
according to Ephesians chapter six, be obedient to them that are your masters.
According to the flesh with fear and trembling in the singleness of heart as
unto Christ. And so, of course the context is changed, and we
really barely touch the surface of slavery versus the modern transatlantic slave trade. Like
that is a whole new and different discussion. But I do want to say,
in our modern situations, when we are working, we need to work
knowing that we're serving God. Of course, the Bible does talk about that
those who are supervising or whatever it is that you do in work as a
leader, you must work also as unto the Lord, knowing that God is
your master. Right you supervise people, God is your master. There's a
way that you would live, how you would respect, how you would work
and move and treat those over whom you have responsibility at work. Number five
confronting modern slavery. Now, I don't want to make it seem as if
slavery wasn't a thing. Right, Okay, So the reality of modern slavery
is daunting and even haunting to our minds. Right, it is our duty
as believers in freedom and justice to raise awareness, support victims, and advocate
for an end to all forms I said, all forms of enslavement. And
you're like Dave, where does that happen? Well, there are some listeners
and viewers around the world who are in with us on a daily basis,
who see it even in their cultures. Today, some of you are working
in the sort of you know, so called modern work environment, and you
feel like, well, that doesn't exist in my environment, until you realize
that some of your bosses are actually abusive. Some of them are bullies,
some of them put unreasonable expectations upon you. Some of them are building empires
financially on your backs and paying you unfair wages. You see, and so
all modern all forms of enslavement, whether at work or at home, in
abusive relationships, God forbid, all of those must be put to an end.
Here's another one. Here's another one. The ethical responsibilities of freedom.
So when we do have our freedom, both spiritual and physical, we must
utilize this privilege to advocate for the rights of the oppressed and work towards a
world free of exploitation? Do I need to say that again? In Galatians
Chapter five and verse thirteen, it reads, four, Brethren, ye have
all been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the
flesh, but by love, serve one another. So there's so much that
we learned this week, various and sundry things, but we have some modern
wisdom from those ancient relationships. See you in the morning. 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.