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, August eighteen, 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 live with a Clear Conscience. Live
with a clear Conscience. We'll get into that in just a moment, but
first I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you to go over to
your Daily Portion dot com, join our online community, and of course we
want you to share where you are in the world and pick up your Daily
Portion book this preparation day, and that way we can continue to build faith
and fellowship and of course hasten the coming of our Lord and savior, Jesus
Christ. Please again go over to your Daily Portion dot com and of course
share with your friends. Let's go ahead and pray, and then we will
get underway. Father and Heaven, thank you for giving us this new day
and for the privilege that you have entrusted to us to serve you. Father,
Please give us understanding and wisdom. Teach us how to live with a
clear conscience. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen and amen again live
with a clear conscience. Now, there are so many ways to take this.
I know that the Bible teaches us very clearly that because God loves us
so much, he gave us Jesus Christ in order to save us, to
save his people from our sins. We know this. We also know that
there hath no temptation taken us, but such as is common to all human
beings. But God is faithful who will with the temptation provide a way of
escape that we may be able to bear it. But sometimes people don't take
that pathway like we don't see the door and run through it and escape,
and we don't bear under that load of temptation, and we do sin God
forbid, But it happens, and the Bible says, my little children,
these things right, I unto you that she sin not. And if anyone
sins, right, if anybody doesn't take that door where we can escape the
temptation. Right, if anyone sins, you have an advocate with the Father
Jesus Christ, the righteous one. Right, He's the one who is our
propitiation. He's the mercy seat, the substitute, the substitute for our sins.
So if we sin God forbid, and then we confess, we agree
with God and repent. Then on Jesus now lays that burden and we can
be forgiven and then empowered to do the right thing. Right, so that
she's sin not. And if anyone does sin, you have an advocate with
the Father Jesus Christ, the righteous right. So that is a part of
having a clear conscience. Now let's look at how we begin to live.
So we spoke about it spiritually. We see that the power of God is
available to reside and abide in us. And if we confess our sins,
we are in a right standing right, a right position with God right.
But how does it look? How does it look? Now? I'm reading
from the Advent Review and Sabbath Harold an old article from I should say classic.
Maybe that's a better way of saying it right, A classic article from
June five, eighteen eighty eight. I said, June five, eighteen eighty
eight. Let's see what is here. I quote. Let your conversation that
means, that means the things that we speak and the way in which we
behave right. Let your conversation be of such a nature that you will have
no need of repentance. And then she invokes the passage I believe it is
in Ephesians four in verse thirty. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. If you have love in
your heart, you will seek to establish and build up your brother in the
most holy faith. If a word, now we're speaking about what actually comes
out of our mouths. If a word is dropped that is detrimental to the
character or of your friend or brother, do not encourage this evil speaking.
Can I just pause right here for a moment. There are times that people
gossip. There are times that people say that they are helping people by sharing
their personal business, and that personal business is disparaging. And you might say,
oh, well, but maybe everybody already knew about this, so I
can talk to you about this, and then all that they're doing is just
rehashing things that are not like in a good way. Right, Yeah,
don't do that. We need to learn how to simply say I'm not talking
about that. I can't speak on that, and be as dry I don't
want to say dismissive, but be as dry and non entertaining of this conversation
as possible. Now, if people are pressing you in an evil way,
then yeah, dismiss them full stop. I've already said to you I'm not
speaking on that. That is unholy. I'm not having this conversation. And
if that's not good enough for them, then simply walk away. You break
contact, use the phone. If you're on the phone, hang up the
phone. I'm gonna have to go now. If you're in a virtual meeting,
remove yourself. If it's your virtual meeting, I'm gonna need to end
this meeting now. Okay, all right, click and that's the end of
the conversation. We have to even rehearse in the spirit, how we will
separate ourselves from these kinds of things. Your friend, your brother, someone
who's in the faith, or whatever, who has been caught in the very
act of filling the blank sin like entertaining conversations that are not edifying about that
individual's sins is not holy. Okay, So I'll go back to it.
If a word is dropped that is detrimental to the character of your friend or
brother, do not encourage this evil speaking. It is the work of the
enemy. That's what she said. I'll just call him who he is,
the devil. Kindly remind the speaker that the word of God forbids that kind
of conversation. It's simple. That's the end of the quote. It's very
simple. It's simple. Now, let me ask you a question. I'm
reading directly from the lesson. How would your congregation change if you and each
member were to take and live a pledge consisting of such statements of as like
the following Number one, I wish for my influence within the church family and
beyond to be positive and uplifting, faith building and morale boosting. How would
that change the congregation? Number two, recalling Christ's calls for unity and love.
I will expend more energy I would say invest. I wouldn't say expend.
I would invest more energy affirming those doing and saying things I believe to
be good than in pointing out the failings of those I believe to be wrong.
That sounds very very good. It sounds sterile because it's written down,
But I want you to break it down into your own language. Right.
I invest energy in affirming people. I do not tear people down. How
about this one? Number three? When I do disagree with someone, I
will make my respect for my fellow believer clear. I will assume his or
her integrity and commitment in Christ or to Christ. I will offer my differing
opinion gently, not stridently. There's a way. There's a way to share
an alternate view, an alternate opinion right, giving people the benefit of the
doubt. Number four, I will joyfully be looking. I will joyfully looking
for every opportunity to build up and affirm my fellow brother or sister church member
as I await the coming of Christ. Isn't that good? Like we're looking
for ways to build unity. We're looking for ways to live like Jesus lived.
We're looking for ways to please, Not that God would owe us anything,
but to please God is what I'm saying, is what I'm doing at
deifying. Does it uplift or does it tear down? And if it tears
down, I don't care what kind of holy sounding language, sanctified language.
I'm just doing this to hell. It doesn't matter how you want to color
it. We want to live with a clear conscience and live like Jesus lived
of 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.