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. Can
you believe it? It is Wednesday, September twenty seven, twenty twenty three.
Hello. My name is EL 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 lessons study series
for this final week in the Book of Ephesians. Our caption for today is
the unity of faith. The unity of faith. We have been touching that
for a couple of days, but we'll look at it a little bit more
closely today. I'm thankful to be here and I hope you are too.
Please go over to your Daily Portion dot com click that Join button to join
our online community. Also, please pick up your Daily Portion book and also
let me know where you are in the world by typing in that little box.
There's a little box there that says where are you in the world,
And that will help me to know and to be excited by the fact that
you are in different parts of the world spreading the great news of Jesus Christ,
because one day Jesus is going to come, but he's only gonna come
if we will do what share this gospel of the Kingdom into all the world
for a witness, and then and only then shall the income. So go
to your Daily Portion dot com. Let's go ahead and pray and then get
underway. Father in Heaven, thank you for this new day and for the
privilege that we have to open your word. And I'm asking you to Father,
to fill us with your holy spirit, teach us how to love you
and give us unity above all things. In Jesus name, I pray,
Amen and amen again unity of faith. And we are covering aspects of Ephesians
chapter chapter four. And I have said to you before united we stand,
and divided we And if you are in the social media space or on YouTube,
go ahead and type in the chat united we stand and divided divided,
And of course if you're typing fall you are correct. And shout to the
people who are on the radio wishing that you could type into the chat.
I know you're out there listening. So thank God for your presence too.
Unity of the faith, and so God wants us to be united in holiness,
united in the faith of Jesus, because as we have seen many times
in the news, some times wherever you happen to live in the world,
there are people who unify to destroy stuff, who unify to break down and
to tear down. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about unity
in faith, in faith. And so there are some things we're really going
to just review the entire chapter of Ephesians four and just break it down with
a few things here, okay, And so number one things believers must stop
doing, according to Ephesians Chapter four, verses seventeen through thirty one one,
living as the gentiles do in the futility of their thinking. Of course,
there were so many things that we could say in twenty twenty three that people
who don't know God are doing in their thinking, their mindset, their thought,
processes, and so God is saying that if we live according to the
principles of the world and how the world thinks those who are unlike God,
then we will not get anywhere. There are people who put money above relationships
right There are people who put their own selfish desires above the safety and the
growth of their family members. There are people who overwork and underpay others.
They overwork themselves and then brag about how wonderful and successful they are, and
then underpay people that may be under their care in terms of employees or contractors.
And so we must not live in the thought processes, the paradigms,
the practices of the world, because those are futile. Here's another thing that
we must stop doing, being darkened in our understanding and alienated from God.
Alienation from God has to do with us sinning and not agreeing with God about
it. If we sin and don't agree with God about it, we are
alienated from God. We are enemies of God. So if God forbid I
an addiction to alcohol or elicit drugs or pornography, if I am proud,
if I allow my rage to leak into other people's lives, road rage,
anger at work right, gossiping, backstabbing, backbiting. If I'm one of
those people who look down my nose at you because I feel like I'm elite
and you are not measuring up to my level, so get out of my
space. God is saying that that is alienation, that is hostility toward God,
and he wants us to agree with him. He wants us to say,
yes, God, what you say about me is true. In this
case, I need to do what you say. Please, empower me to
please, and that is confession. Okay. Another thing we need to do
is stop being sensual and bound to set actual sin. First to the Corinthians
and in the Ephesians, Paul sits squarely on that point as well. Also,
we have to stop giving the devil a foothold. Stop allowing him into
our lives to come sit down in the living rooms of our of our minds.
Stop giving him space under our bed, in that cabinet where we're hiding
that thing that we know we shouldn't be doing. Stop giving him a foothold,
because when he puts a foothold in our lives, we allow it.
Then he breaks in fully and then takes control of our lives. Of course,
we need to stop speaking unwholesome words. We need to stop grieving the
Holy Spirit. We have to stop displaying bitterness and rage and anger and brawling
and slander and malice. That is in verse thirty one. But but that
is not what the life of a believer is a bunch of abstemious sort of
sort of what we can't and don't do life's style. In fact, some
of you closed your ears because you're like, okay, so it's a long
list of what we can't do again, Okay, Well, there's some things
that we must do, can will and must do. Some of them us
among them are work worthy, walk worthy of the calling with humility. God
wants you and has empowered you to be humble and gentleness and patience, bearing
with one another in love. Do that? How about endeavor to maintain unity
of the spirit in the Lord in the bond of peace. That's reconciling relationships.
There are people who come to you with their problems in both parties,
are in your ear about it, and God is saying that you, inasmuch
as it is possible, should live reconciliation style, like do what you can
to build peace in that situation. If possible, but certainly to build peace
between humans and our God. Yes, put on the new self. That's
something else to do. Speak the truth to our neighbors, work honestly and
share with the needies. Speak only what is helpful in building others up.
Be kind and compassionate. Forgive one another as God, through Christ, or
for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. These are things that we must,
can and will do. Also ways to contribute to the unity of Christ,
we can prioritize personal spiritual growth. The more we are like Christ, the
more unity we can bring into the church. Right, So, personal spiritual
growth and development are key to unity in the church, because if everybody is
doing it, then we also also will be unified. Support good leadership,
uphold and support church leaders in their endeavors. To foster unity so much more,
let's go with active participation. Engage in church activity, services, and
community outreach. This fosters a sense of community and belonging. That is,
be on the same team wherever the church's marching. Ask God, where can
I contribute? What is it that you have put in my bosom, in
my behavior style, in my spiritual giftedness, so that I can also push
forward in my case, where the work of the Gospel is concerned. So
much more to say, These are just a few tips about the unity of
faith in Ephesians chapter four, Peace, Thanks for joining us listening to 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.