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
of 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, September twelve, 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. Our caption for today is the Great Controversy in Paul's Letters,
The Great Controversy in Paul Letters. Before we get into that, I'd like
to just say welcome to you and ask you to go over to your Daily
Portion dot com. I want you to join our online community. Also,
also pick up the Your Daily Portion book. It's a small book. One
of many that I've published, but it's a small book that helps us to
continue to stay on track in terms of our connection with God. At your
Daily Portion dot com. Let's go ahead and pray and then we will get
underway. Father in Heaven, thank you for the privilege you have given to
us to open your word again. And yesterday you gave us the strength the
strength in Christ. And we want to still understand the arm the war that
is going on and why we need to be armored with Jesus Christ. Thank
you for your righteousness. Father, Please give us the tenacity to continue in
Jesus name. I pray, Amen and Amen again. The great controversy in
Paul letters. We have been focusing largely, largely over the last eleven weeks
plus in the Book of Ephesians. Yes, we touched other places in the
scriptures, but we want to talk about some more of what Paul would have
written and begin I made allusion to this yesterday. I didn't even realize that
this was coming today, So it's it's providence. Here Romans chapter thirteen.
Romans Chapter thirteen. I'd like to read beginning at verse eleven, and the
Bible reads here and do this because we know the time that it is already.
What word did he use? It is already the hour for us to
awake from sleep, and we're talking about spiritual sleep. There are people who
are in a drunken stupor right now on this day, in September twenty twenty
three. There are even believers in air quotes who for some reason have lost
focus. And what God is saying to us is wake up, wake up,
wake up. It is already the hour for us to wake up,
for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. Let's keep going
verse twelve. The night is advanced toward dawn, the day is near.
So then we must lay aside the works of darkness and put on the weapons
of light or armor of light. Let us live decently as in the daytime,
not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality. Do we need
to even explain this? This is clear, It's clear right and sensuality.
Do not in discord and jealousy, But instead, somebody type in the chat.
Instead, instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
provision for the flesh to arouse its desires. I quoted this one yesterday put
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill
the lusts thereof God has something very special for us, and he wants us
to focus our minds, our will, our attention on him and to do
his will. Okay, We're going now to first Thessalonians. First Thessalonians,
chapter five, And can I just say that God's biddings are enablings. When
God says that he wants us to do a thing, He's already provided the
power for us to accomplish it because it's his will. He never leaves us
without the ability to do his will. So when he says we can wake
up, he has the power for us to wake up. When he says
to flee immorality and sensuality, yes, we have the power in our day
to avoid and to and to be empowered to do his will. Yep,
even if it's a TikTok video, even if it is a post on threads,
even if it is on YouTube or some other platform where the sensuality is
coming through, we can steadfastly resist. Why because God commanded it. And
again his commands his biddings are enablings. Okay, First, Thessalonians. I
said, why am I in First Timothy? It would help if I listened
to me. I think there's a lesson in that First Thessalonians, chapter five,
and I will read beginning at verse six, and the Bible reads,
so then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and
sober. For those who sleep sleep at night. But since we are of
the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and
love as a hell of our hope for salvation. So we are still seeing
that God, in this great controversy against the devil right between good and evil,
has given us a breastplate for faith and love, right as a helmet
and hope for salvation. For God did not DestinE us for wrath. There
are people walking around wondering if we are trying to appease and angry God because
they've watched too many videos or religious people have made it seem as if God
is looking for someone to condemn. But the Bible says that He did not
create us. He did not DestinE us for wrath, but for gaining salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, so that whether we
are alert or asleep, we will come to life together with him. So
those who go to their graves in death he can He can awaken those,
and will indeed awaken those, as in the previous chapter, from the grave,
and those who are alive and remain at the second coming of Jesus Christ.
He will do what lift us all up. He will catch us up
into heaven. And I am thankful for that. And it says here therefore
verse eleven, encourage one another and build up each other, just as you
are in fact doing. And let's see we do have enough time. We'll
go to Second Corinthians. Second Corinthians, Chapter ten, Verses three through six
in the Bible reads, for though we live as human beings, we do
not wage war to human standards. Remember we read that an Ephesian six yesterday.
We're not wrestling against flesh and blood like We're not using implements of human
war no guns, no tanks, no cannons, no bombs. We're not
using chemical warfare. We're not using what do they call it, cyber warfare.
Those are the implements of human war right verse four For the weapons of
our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing
down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle, every arrogant obstacle
that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought
to captive to make it obey Christ verse six and final. We are also
ready to punish every act of disobedience. Whenever are your disobedient, Your obedience,
excuse me, is complete. Ah. This is good because God is
again letting us know that in this warfare we are not alone, because we
are not able to fight a supernatural foe in our human ingenuity. There was
no button or key on your keyboard that can fight against the enemy. Right.
There is no app on your telephone, your cell phone, excuse me,
there is no app on your tablet. There is no armament or implement
of war that you can deploy against the enemy except in the spirit realm.
And in that spirit realm we are literally at the mercy of God. He
has given us the weapons of our warfare, first to submit to him,
and then as He empowers us day to day, we are able to put
on that entire armor. In Ephesians chapter six, verses ten through twenty,
I'm thankful that the Great controversy or the battle is not ours, It is
the Lord's, and he has promised to protect us. 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.