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 --> 00:00:15,359 some of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna the word of God to keep 4 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:20,079 us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all 5 00:00:20,199 --> 00:00:25,399 that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:31,320 healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to Your Daily Portion with your host, author 7 00:00:31,399 --> 00:00:34,880 speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning. 8 00:00:35,039 --> 00:00:40,200 It is Thursday, September seven, twenty twenty three. Hello, my name 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,000 is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this is your 10 00:00:43,079 --> 00:00:47,039 Daily Portion where we give you God's word every single day, and today is 11 00:00:47,079 --> 00:00:51,479 no exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series through the Book of 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:59,000 Ephesians, and our caption for today is masters who are Slaves? Masters who 13 00:00:59,159 --> 00:01:03,159 are Slaves. We'll get into that in just a moment, but first I'd 14 00:01:03,159 --> 00:01:06,959 like to say welcome to everyone joining us, especially those joining for the very 15 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,560 first time. Please go over to your Daily Portion dot com join our online 16 00:01:11,599 --> 00:01:15,640 community, and also please click the share button let people know that they can 17 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,920 go there and join as well. It is a way for us to build 18 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,519 faith and fellowship. And also please pick up the Your Daily Portion Christian Living 19 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,920 book there and let me know where you are in the world at your Daily 20 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:34,519 Portion dot com. Let's go ahead and pray and then we will get underway. 21 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,799 Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us the privilege of coming together 22 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,239 again in your word. I pray that you will give us understanding and that 23 00:01:42,359 --> 00:01:47,480 we will be able to apply these principles to our lives today. In Jesus 24 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:53,480 name, I pray, Amen and Amen again. Masters who are slaves? 25 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,319 And you have already if you've been listening or watching, you know that I 26 00:01:57,359 --> 00:02:04,760 am contemporizing the discussion here because it's more applicable to us. In some cultures. 27 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,439 Master and slave is just such a triggering concept, and really it's not 28 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:14,919 applicable to most of us, and so we contemporize it so we can get 29 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:20,639 the principles that we can use every single day. And so there are some 30 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,039 modern insights that we need to really consider. One really that transcends time. 31 00:02:25,039 --> 00:02:30,000 I should have said this before, but on planet Earth right that we all 32 00:02:30,719 --> 00:02:38,439 must recognize, pardon me, that we are responsible to God we are responsible 33 00:02:38,479 --> 00:02:45,280 to God. That means that if we are responsible to God, we must 34 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:52,800 yield our will to him, knowing whether we are employers or employees, whether 35 00:02:52,879 --> 00:02:58,400 we are workers or bosses, whether we own a company or work for a 36 00:02:58,479 --> 00:03:01,719 company, all of us us, all of us are accountable to God. 37 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,520 Can I just say that there are certain ways that we will treat one another 38 00:03:07,039 --> 00:03:09,919 knowing that we're accountable to God. There are certain things we will and will 39 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,479 not say or do, knowing that God is watching, and that God is 40 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:20,879 the one who is in charge of everything we see and cannot see, because 41 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,759 He is of course the creator of the universe. And so the first thing 42 00:03:24,759 --> 00:03:30,199 I want to focus on is universal equality. Now we have said that before, 43 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,800 but I just want to focus again. Every individual, regardless of position 44 00:03:36,039 --> 00:03:42,000 or title, holds equal value. In Galatians chapter three, in verse twenty 45 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,039 eight, the Bible reads, there is neither June nor Greek. There is 46 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:51,120 neither bond nor free. There is neither male nor female, for ye are 47 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,879 all one in Christ. This is of course referencing those who come into the 48 00:03:54,879 --> 00:04:00,719 faith community of God. And beyond that, though, beyond that, everyone 49 00:04:00,759 --> 00:04:04,280 who's ever been created by God. And that would be every human being must 50 00:04:04,319 --> 00:04:09,319 know that we were created in his image and in his likeness, and we 51 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:15,079 have responsibilities and privileges just for borrowing his breath. And part of that is 52 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:24,000 to recognize that we have equality. Number two leadership accountability. So leaders, 53 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,800 whether you're a boss or a manager, or an owner, whatever it is, 54 00:04:27,319 --> 00:04:33,920 leaders leaders in any setting are accountable to God and ethical standards, and 55 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,519 should lead with integrity. From Romans chapter fourteen, in verse twelve, the 56 00:04:39,519 --> 00:04:45,000 Bible reads, so then every one of us shall give an account to him 57 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,040 of himself to God. God is watching. This is not a fearful thing 58 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:55,680 necessarily that we should face with foreboding. But know that all of us will 59 00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,000 stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Know that God sees and knows even 60 00:05:00,079 --> 00:05:04,279 the intents of our hearts. So when we are leading, we need to 61 00:05:04,319 --> 00:05:13,639 know that God is holding us accountable. Number three foster respectful, pardon me, 62 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:19,959 respectful environments. In professional and personal relationships, we need to ensure that 63 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:25,399 all of our interactions are grounded in mutual respect. We're going to hear this 64 00:05:25,519 --> 00:05:30,000 over and over again because some people have lost sight of that, and the 65 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,480 Bible says in Luke chapter six and verse thirty one. And as ye would 66 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:41,160 that men should do to you, do ye also to them Likewise. Some 67 00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:45,720 people call this the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them 68 00:05:45,759 --> 00:05:49,959 do unto you. And so in our work environments we need to show mutual 69 00:05:50,319 --> 00:05:58,000 consideration and mutual respect. Now from an authoritative perspective. Number four, promote 70 00:05:58,199 --> 00:06:05,600 fair treatment, whether in workplaces or in homes. Prioritize just and compassionate treatment. 71 00:06:05,959 --> 00:06:09,959 In Micah, chapter six and verse eight, the Bible reads, he 72 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,759 hath showed thee, O man, what is good? And what doth the 73 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,360 Lord require of thee? But to do justly? That's holiness. By the 74 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:23,920 way, righteousness In the Bible, justice and righteousness are almost one hundred percent 75 00:06:23,959 --> 00:06:29,399 of the time synonymous. But to do justly and to love mercy, and 76 00:06:29,519 --> 00:06:38,360 to walk humbly before our God. Number five teamwork and collaboration, recognizing everyone's 77 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,839 unique gifts and talents. And let me just add, as a coach, 78 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,920 I think about behavior styles as well. Like all of these things, we 79 00:06:46,199 --> 00:06:55,240 need to recognize the value and contribution that promotes a spirit of collective achievement. 80 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,319 Part of what sets certain predators. And I hate to use this exact ample. 81 00:07:00,319 --> 00:07:04,399 But predators exist right apart from others, like a lion. It's supposedly 82 00:07:04,439 --> 00:07:10,319 the king of the jungle, right, yeah, But lions function by themselves. 83 00:07:11,879 --> 00:07:15,839 When you have an opportunity, I want you to look up the African 84 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:24,279 wild dog and see how much more successful they are because of them coming together. 85 00:07:25,079 --> 00:07:30,759 Coming together. So teamwork and collaboration is key. In First Corinthians, 86 00:07:30,839 --> 00:07:34,160 chapter seven and verse twenty two, the Bible reads, for he that is 87 00:07:34,279 --> 00:07:41,120 called in the Lord being a servant is a freeman in the Lord. Likewise, 88 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:46,279 also he that is called being free is Christ's servant. So all of 89 00:07:46,399 --> 00:07:54,519 us, as Christ's servants, bring our value, bring our contributions, not 90 00:07:54,759 --> 00:08:00,360 as robots, not as stamps or dead stamps of somebody else's mind set, 91 00:08:00,839 --> 00:08:07,600 not as being subjugated by somebody else's will, but as unique, free and 92 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:15,160 moral agents. We make our contribution with teamwork. Number six, Impartiality is 93 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:20,959 key. So we want to avoid, like the plague, all biases in 94 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:24,519 decision making. Now some of you are saying all biases, Dave, I 95 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:30,439 know that you can probably come up with some unique situation and pin me down 96 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,320 and say what about this one? And maybe I would agree right, But 97 00:08:33,399 --> 00:08:39,279 you understand where I'm going with this. Evaluate situations and people based upon merit 98 00:08:39,879 --> 00:08:48,360 and not status. Can I say that again, evaluate situations and people based 99 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:54,720 upon merit and not status. And the Bible reads in Romans chapter two in 100 00:08:54,799 --> 00:09:00,720 verse eleven, for there is no respect of person. Yes, it has 101 00:09:00,759 --> 00:09:05,000 a context, but God is saying, don't treat someone better because you think 102 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:09,279 they're better and someone else worse because you think they're worse, or because you 103 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,399 think you can get something out of someone, like some benefit, then treat 104 00:09:13,399 --> 00:09:16,039 them better, and the others you just kind of throw away. No, 105 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,320 God is saying he is no respecter of persons, and therefore we need to 106 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:24,919 be impartial as well. Let me just give you one more cherish personal freedom 107 00:09:26,039 --> 00:09:33,600 and growth. Everyone deserves opportunities for personal and professional development, transcending limiting beliefs 108 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:39,440 or barriers. God has given us freedom. He has given us the opportunity 109 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,759 to build and to grow, and everybody needs to know this, whether we're 110 00:09:41,759 --> 00:09:46,360 workers or employers. Peace. Thanks for joining us listening. Friends. Always 111 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,759 remember we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from 112 00:09:50,759 --> 00:09:56,799 the mouth of God. This has been your daily portion with l David Harris, 113 00:09:56,000 --> 00:10:00,320 make it a great day.