Be Filled with the Spirit

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

NEWS FLASH
We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news of vital importance as we pause to remember this day in history.

TODAY is REFORMATION DAY! What is Reformation Day? It is on this day in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the church door challenging religious leaders to an open debate about the issue of selling indulgences for the forgiveness of sins. This was the last spark that was fanned into the flames of reformation and revival wherein the gospel was proclaimed clearly and God's Word was made available to the masses (no pun intended). You can read about it here: Always Reforming, or you can listen to a sermon about it here: The Protestant Reformation: Where Is It Today?

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:18
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit

Daily Scripture Reading - Psalm 51

Puritan Catechism
Question #47 - Which is the third commandment?

Answer - The third commandment is, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).

Devotional Thoughts
We have been reminded this week that we need to carefully read the Word of God because it it easy to fall into traditions and personal preferences instead of faithfully reading and interpreting the Word of God. At times there are social pressures or emotional arguments given that motivate us to take a stand on an issue but if we truly studied the issue through we would see that our stance cannot be supported by simple Scripture. And so we appeal to that foundational element of the Reformation, Sola Scriptura. The Scripture alone is our infallible, inerrant, and inspired rule for life and godliness.

Just as we have seen what the Bible says about wine, now we will see what the Bible says about being filled with the Spirit. This is a command, and it is a positive statement concerning the will of God. We are expected and empowered to obey the command and thus fulfill the will of God by being filled with the Spirit. But what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?

In some pentacostal and charismatic circles there are numerous things that are believed and over emphasized about the Spirit and the way He operates in our midst. And in reformed circles there are those who have basically learned to live ignoring the Spirit for fear that someone might suspect that they are closet charismatics. How often is it that one group sees error in another and overreacts and runs too far the other way? This has been the case with the Holy Spirit in many churches and denominations.

The result then is that we must search the Scriptures and see what the Bible tells us about the Holy Spirit. Who is He? What does He do? How does He do it? These then lead to questions about gifts, Spirit baptism, and the fruit of the Spirit. And so much that we are hearing out there today is just so far from the Bible and so opposed to Biblical truth that it is amazing and frightening.

So who is the Holy Spirit? He is the third person of the Trinity. Equal to the Father and the Son in essence and power and glory, and yet distinct in personality.

Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1689 - Chapter 2
In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Spirit. All are one in substance, power, and eternity; each having the whole divine essence, yet this essence being undivided.

The Father was not derived from any other being; He was neither brought into being by, nor did He issue from any other being.

- The Son is eternally begotten of the Father.

- The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

- All three are infinite, without beginning, and are therefore only one God, Who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties, and also their personal relations.

- This doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and our comfortable dependence on Him.

The Holy Spirit is given as our Comforter and also convicts us and convinces us of sin and righteousness. He points us to Christ. He seals us and keeps us until we are finally and completely saved. He indwells us, living in us and through us, confirming the truth to our hearts, illuminating our minds so that we might understand the Word of God, and He gives us assurance bearing witness to us that we are children of God.

At the moment that we are saved we are at that point baptized in the Spirit. This is the moment when the Spirit immerses us into Christ Jesus making us part of His body. It is not an event that we have to seek after or pray for or that we experience later after we are already saved.

So when we are saved we are given all of the Spirit that we will ever be given. But we are told then that daily we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, that is, we need to be walking in the Spirit - controlled by Him. In studying about the Spirit we see that we have all of Him we will ever get, but the question daily is for us to see how much of us He has! Are we fully yielded to Him and obedient to His Word?

There is so much we could say today about the Spirit and His work in our lives, but I want to be simple and clear, so today here are a few very good quotes and a few verses of Scripture to help us see the Spirit for Who He is. And as we see Him for Who He is, we will love Him, worship Him, and walk with Him, being filled with the Spirit moment by moment.

Scripture

Genesis 1:2
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me,And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Matthew 3:16
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

John 14:16
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 9:31
Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Acts 13:52
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 8:9, 14
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1 Cor 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Ephesians 1:13
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Quotes:

"Have we the Spirit? This is an inquiry so important, that the philosopher may well suspend all his investigations to find an answer to this question on his own personal account. All the great debates of politics, all the most engrossing subjects of human discussion, may well stop to-day, and give us pause to ask ourselves the solemn question—"Have I the Spirit?" For this question does not deal with any externals of religion, but it deals with religion in its most vital point. He that hath the Spirit, although he be wrong in fifty things, being right in this, is saved; he that hath not the Spirit, be he never so orthodox, be his creed as correct as Scripture-ay and in his morals outwardly as pure as the law, is still unsaved; he is destitute of the essential part of salvation—the Spirit of God dwelling in him." - Charles Spurgeon

"The Holy Spirit does his work powerfully. A believer may be in the saddest and darkest condition imaginable. Even so, the Holy Spirit is able to break through all this and bring to mind the promises of Christ. By this work, the Holy Spirit enables Christians to sit in dungeons, rejoice in flames and glory in troubles. If he brings to mind the promises of Christ for our comfort, neither Satan nor man, neither sin nor the world, nor even death itself shall take away our comfort. Saints who have communion with the Holy Spirit know this only too well. Sometimes the heavens are black over them, and the earth trembles under them. Disasters and distresses appear which are so full of horror and darkness that they are tempted to give up in despair. So how greatly are their spirits revived when the Holy Spirit brings the words of Christ to their minds for their comfort and joy. Thus, believers are not dependent on outward circumstances for their happiness, for they have the inward and powerfully effective work of the Holy Spirit, to whom they give themselves up by faith." - John Owen

"Are you renewed by the Holy Spirit? This is the momentous point, whether through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we are partakers of the Holy Spirit or not. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His. Whatever we have, if we have not the Holy Spirit, we do not belong to Christ. In whatever way we seek to resemble the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ—we may be in the habit of reading our Bibles, of bowing our knees, of singing together with them, of meeting together with them, of partaking with them at the Lord’s supper, we may be reckoned among them as disciples—and yet with all this, far from God. With all this unregenerate. With all this, wanting the Spirit of Christ. With all this, not born again through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." - George Muller

"Every Christian possesses the Holy Spirit in all His fullness from the moment he believes. There is no such thing as a Christian without the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 says, "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (NASB). I heard a person say, "I have been a Christian for a long time but I just found out that I didn't really have the Holy Spirit. Since then, I asked God and He gave me the Holy Spirit and now my entire life has changed." I understood what he was trying to say--that he now realized what obedience to God was all about--but there is simply no such thing as a Christian without the Holy Spirit. When you become a child of God, He takes up residence by putting His Spirit within you, and as a result, you will be obedient to Him. Every Christian possesses the Holy Spirit in all His fullness. A Christian does not receive the Holy Spirit in bits and pieces. You do not even have to ask for more of the Spirit because He is there totally at salvation." - John MacArthur

"Perhaps much of our slow progress in the walk of faith is to be traced to our overlooking the love of the Spirit. We do not deal with Him, for strength and advancement, as one who really loveth us, and longs to bless us, and delights to help our infirmities (Rom 8:26). We regard Him as cold, or distant, or austere; we do not trust Him for His grace, nor realize how much He is in earnest in His dealings with us. More childlike confidence in Him and in His love would help us on mightily. Let us not grieve Him, nor vex Him, nor quench Him by our untrustfulness, by disbelieving or doubting the riches of His grace, the abundance of His loving-kindness." - Horatius Bonar

"The Holy Spirit is to come mysteriously upon the church according to the sovereign will of God; but when He comes like the wind, it is to purge the moral atmosphere and to quicken the pulse of all who breathe spiritually. This is a blessing indeed, a treasure that the church greatly needs. I would that this rushing mighty wind would come upon His church with an irresistible force that should carry everything before it-the force of truth, but of more than truth, the force of God driving truth home upon the heart and conscience of men. I would that you and I could breathe this wind and receive its invigorating influence, that we might be made champions of God and of His truth. Oh, that it would drive away our mists of doubt and clouds of error. Come, sacred wind, our nation needs You-the whole world requires You. The foul odors that brood over this deadly calm would fly if Your divine lightnings enlightened the world and set the moral atmosphere in commotion. Come, Holy Spirit, come. We can do nothing without You; but if we have Your wind, we spread our sail and speed on toward glory." - Charles Spurgeon

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

A Brief Definition of the Trinity by James White
What is the Doctrine of the Trinity? by Q & A with John Piper

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Acts 1-2
  
• John 6

Recommended Songs for Worship

• Holy Spirit, Hear Us
  
• Spirit, Strength of All the Weak

Do Not Be Drunk With Wine

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:18
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Daily Scripture Reading - Ecclesiastes 2

Puritan Catechism
Question #47 - Which is the third commandment?

Answer - The third commandment is, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).

Devotional Thoughts
As we continue to work through Ephesians 5:15-21 this week we will be looking at verses 18 through 21. Here we see two more things to add to our list of things that are the will of God. We have seen that there are several verses where we are told "this is the will of God" and each of these verses gives us information about what God wants us to do and how He wants us to live. We also understand that to do God's will is synonymous with being obedient to His Word. If God says not to do something then it is His will that we not do it. On the other hand, if He gives us a positive command, we can be sure that the things He tells us to do are also His will for us. Today in verse 18 we start by realizing that there are in this verse both a negative and a positive command regarding His will for us.

Paul writes, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit". The negative command is that we are not to be drunk with wine. The positive, which we will look at in more detail later throughout the week is that we are to be filled with the Spirit. But he starts with this negative - do not be drunk with wine.

Some read this and other Scriptures and they immediately declare that the Bible teaches that it is sinful for Christians to drink wine. Others declare that we have been given freedom in Christ to enjoy the good things of this earth and so we are duty bound to honor and glorify God by drinking wine. So which is it? Neither!

This verse specifically forbids being drunk, but it does not tell us that we cannot drink wine. Other verses shed light on what is allowed and not allowed when it comes to this controversial topic. I would say that it should not be controversial because the Bible is so very plain in what it does allow and forbid that I fear it is merely the traditions of men that are being enforced as if they were the Word of God often when this topic is discussed. We must be careful that our position reflects what God's Word actually says.

So what does the Bible tell us about wine?

Wine is a Gift from God – Psalm 104:14-15; Prov 3:9-10

Wine was given to us by God. It is indeed a gift from Him and it has been given to make us glad! Read it for yourself:

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart.

Further, we see that wine is given as a good gift from God as a specific blessing for our obedience when it comes to giving our offerings to God willingly and cheerfully.

Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

So we see that the Bible does at times speak in positive terms about wine. It is given by God. And let us not forget, every gift that God gives is Good! (James 1:17).

Wine can be used for Good – 1 Tim 5:23

Wine is good and can be used for good. One specific illustration is found in Paul's admonition to Timothy to drink wine for his stomach's sake.

No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.

Some have said then that drinking wine is okay if we use it as medicine. This misses the point. Paul and those living in his day knew the benefits of drinking wine, especially when it came to treating stomach ailments, and so Timothy is not being told to use wine as a medicine. He is being told to drink it for the benefits it will give him. This is not a doctor's prescription; it is a mentor's advice for healthy living!

We must face the facts - for all that is bad that can be accomplished by sinners with wine, we must not think that the wine is to blame. Banishing all wine through a prohibition does not solve the heart issues behind drunkenness. It only drives the drunkard to find new methods for getting what he wants - namely, drunk!

This gives us an opportunity to also counter the arguments that since people drink and drive and kill and maim people and since the alcohol industry makes so much money off of people's addictions then we should completely abstain from all alcohol. But let us think about that for a moment. Should we shun every gift that God gives us that can be or has been abused by sinners? Really? Think carefully here.

There are industries that make lots of money selling all sorts of things that people abuse and hurt themselves and others with. Does that mean those things should be banned as well? You know, things that God has given that are good and helpful and healthy when used as God intended but that hurt when abused. Things like food? Things like sex?

WHAT? Yes, it's true. God has given us food and sex, both for pleasure and to promote life. There are industries built up around making money as people abuse both. And misusing either can lead to harm and even death. Should we demand then that pastors and teachers and denominational leaders should not eat food ever again and certainly should not enjoy the marriage bed? Should we use the same logic as some have used for wine and forbid every gift that God gives that men might abuse? Of course not. The logic is faulty and ridiculous!

Consider then this next point:

Jesus Turned Water into Wine for Celebration - John 2:1-10

Jesus, in His first miracle, turned water into wine. That should be enough but there are those who are so convinced that wine in and of itself is evil that they declare that Jesus turned the water into grape juice, or even a non-alcoholic form of watered down wine. But the Bible tells us that those who drank this wine declared that it was "good" wine. The facts are that Jesus turned water into real wine, good wine, so that people could celebrate and be glad!

Jesus Drank Wine - Luke 7:33-34; Mark 14:25; John 19:29-30

To top it all off, before we look at other relevant passages, we must admit that Jesus drank wine. Yes there was alcohol in the wine. That is what wine is - fermented juice from the grape. Yeast turns sugar to alcohol in the fermentation process. And if too much is consumed drunkenness will result.

We know that Jesus was never drunk for Jesus never sinned, and this verse while not condemning drinking wine, does indeed tell us that drunkenness is sin. But, you ask, how do we know Jesus drank wine? Listen to the Word:

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

John the Baptist, as a Nazarite having taken a vow, was forbidden to drink wine. So he did not drink wine. And the religious leaders of the day thought he was demon possessed. Jesus on the other hand had taken no such vow and He drank wine. The religious leaders said then that He was a drunkard.

Some argue though that the text is not clear. Maybe Jesus was only sitting with those who drank wine but He Himself did not drink it. Ah, but then we read:

Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

In instituting the Lord's Supper during the observance of the Passover meal (which included having wine to drink) Jesus told the disciples that He would no longer drink wine until He would drink it in the Kingdom. So He had drank wine before, but now no longer would for a time, but then would again when His kingdom had come.

Interestingly as a last abuse on the cross while He was dying He was offered sour wine to drink, and after He tasted it He died. So the last thing Jesus drank before dying was a sip of sour wine - no refreshment for His parched tongue as He bore the wrath of God for our sin.

Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

So while we see that the Bible teaches us that wine is a gift from God that can be used for good and was even enjoyed by Jesus while He was on the earth - and will be enjoyed by Him later in the kingdom - we also see that the Bible gives us warnings about abusing wine. The Scriptures give us warnings about the abuse of food, sex, and other good gifts God gives us. Sadly the truth is that fallen men can take God's good gifts and corrupt and misuse them. The Bible condemns drunkenness with stern warnings that are given about the potential abuses of wine.

Wine is Deceptive – Prov 20:1; 23:21, 29-33

Wine can be abused. It can intoxicate. The wine used by the church at Corinth was real wine - not grape juice. We know this because Paul had to admonish them for being drunk at the Lord's table! (1 Cor 11:21). Over and over we are warned in the Scriptures about the consequences of abusing wine. It can lead us astray. Deceive us. Cause us to harm ourselves and others. It brings woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, and wounds.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

The drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.

Understand, these are the consequences of the misuse of wine. This does not mean we cannot use it, but it means we must be careful if we do.

Another point to consider - it is quite alright to never drink wine. Nowhere are we commanded to drink wine as a requirement in obedience to God. But neither is the drinking of wine in moderation forbidden. We must also remember that the Spirit bears through us the fruit of self-control. As with everything God gives us we must be wise. Whether we eat or drink we must do all to the glory of God.

Finally, we see that drunkenness is never acceptable.

Drunkenness is Always Condemned – Eph 5:18; Prov 21:17; 1 Tim 3:2-3

Those who would serve as elders and deacons specifically must not be addicted to wine. Those who lead us and set an example for us are not to be craving wine or controlled by wine.

He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

To sum up the discussion we see that Paul is teaching us that living the Christian life and understanding the will of God is a matter of control. Who or what is in control? Are we controlled by our lust? By wine? By other people? Or by the Holy Spirit? We learn that either the Spirit is in control, or sin is in control. One truth we must understand is that we are never in control! Self is never in charge, for we are both living and walking as a slave of unrighteousness and sin, or we are living and walking as a slave of righteousness and a slave of Christ, bought with His blood.

Who is in control? It is either sin or the Spirit. And the way we use or abuse the gifts God has given us will demonstrate for all to see whether the Spirit is in control or whether we are slaves of sin.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. - Rom 6:12-13

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

The Folly and Danger of parting with Christ for the Pleasures and Profits of Life by George Whitefield
Pharisees and Sadducees by J. C. Ryle

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Isaiah 5:11-12, 22; 25:6; 28:7
  
• Isaiah 55:1; Zech 9:17; Rom 14:21; Ex 20:40

Recommended Songs for Worship

• At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing
  
• Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless

Understanding God's Will

This week we will be studying Ephesians 5:18-21 in the ninth message in our series Be Imitators of God. We learned last week that we imitate God as we Walk in Wisdom. Walking in wisdom includes understanding the will of the Lord. At the end of last week's message we looked briefly at 6 things that are God's will for believers and this week we will follow that up with 2 more things that we are told are God's will for us. When we understand these two things especially we will be confident that we are walking in God's will.

This message, titled Understanding God's Will will be available later today to listen to or download for free at the link provided. Until then, here is the outline I will be using as I preach:

Understanding God’s Will
Ephesians 5:18-21

Review: 6 aspects of God's will (from last week)

1. It is God’s will for His elect to be saved.
2. It is God’s will for His elect to be Spirit filled.
3. It is God’s will for His elect to be sanctified.
4. It is God’s will for His elect to be submissive.
5. It is God’s will for His elect to suffer.
6. It is God’s will for His elect to be thankful.

Now we learn that there are 2 more things included by positive command in God's will for us:

1. Do not be drunk with wine.
2. Be filled with the Spirit.

It is all about Control. We will learn that either the Spirit is in control, or sin is in control. One truth we must understand is that we are never in control! (Rom 6:12-13; 7:17)

1. Do Not Be Drunk With Wine (vs. 18)

a. Wine is a gift from God – Psalm 104:14-15; Prov 3:10
b. Wine can be used for Good – 1 Tim 5:23
c. Jesus turned water into wine for celebration and He drank wine! Luke 7:33-34; John 2:1-10; 19:29-30
d. Wine is deceptive – Prov 20:1; 23:21; 29-34
e. Drunkenness and addiction are always condemned – Eph 5:18; Prov 21:17; 1 Tim 3:3

2. Be Filled With the Spirit (vs. 18-21)
(what happens when we are filled with the Spirit?)

a. Worship

1) In Spirit and Truth – John 4:24
2) Giving Glory to God – 1 Cor 10:31
3) Singing Praises and Teaching Each Other – Eph 5:19
4) As a Way of Life – Col 3:16-17

b. Thanksgiving

1) In All Things - 1 Thess 5:18
2) For All Things – Eph 5:4, 20

c. Submission

1) In the Home – Eph 5:22; Col 3:18; Eph 6:1
2) In the Church – Heb 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5
3) In the World – Rom 13:1-7 ; 1 Peter 2:13-15
4) In Everything Submit to God – Acts 5:29; 1 Cor 11:3; James 4:7

d. The Fear of God

1) Is the beginning of wisdom - Ps 111:10
2) Is the beginning of knowledge - Prov 1:7; 2:5
3) Is to hate evil - Prov 8:13
4) Is a fountain of life and prolongs days - Prov 14:27; 10:27

Understanding the Will of the Lord

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:17
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Daily Scripture Reading - Luke 22

Puritan Catechism
Question #46 - What is forbidden in the second commandment?

Answer - The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, (Deut. 4:15-16) or any other way not appointed in his Word (Col. 2:18).

Devotional Thoughts
We learned yesterday how it is that the unwise think, talk, and live. Today we see that another way to be unwise is to not understand the will of the Lord. As we work through a few verses we need to make a point. The will of God is not elusive, difficult to find, a great mystery that lies, or a hidden treasure that has a map to be decoded! God's will is not hard to find.

I know we all need to take a breath about now, but this is simple truth. So many writers and preachers and teachers have tried to make God's will a secret. It is as if there are things we must do to earn favor with God so that He will direct us. (Of course, if we earn it then it i snot favor is it?) God does direct us. Clearly, precisely, and thoroughly.

We have been given in the Word of God everything we need to know God's will. Let me say that again. We have been given in the Word of God everything we need to know God's will. Peter began his second epistle by writing:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

There it is. By His divine power through knowing Christ He has given to us ALL things that pertain to life and godliness. All we need to know to find and do God's will has already been provided for us. Let us not make it more difficult than it has to be.

I want to quickly demonstrate today that finding God's will is actually quite easy if we are hearing and doing the Word of God. In order to do that I will cover 6 points. These are 6 things that the Bible tells us about God's will. In fact, it is as easy as looking for verses that tell us about the will of God. If we just read and obeyed those we would not have anything to worry about at all. And since we are talking about those who are saved, those who have repented of their sin and trusted Christ, then we will address specifically God's will for His elect.

1. It is God’s will for His elect to be saved.

If we are saved then we have already started doing the will of God. For it is His will that His chosen ones be saved. That is why we are referred to as the elect in the first place. Salvation is God's choice, not ours. He chose to love us. Regarding the doctrine of election, Spurgeon stated:

It is wonderful how Satan will plague many timid hearts with the doctrine of election. That doctrine, rightly understood, is full of comfort; but, distorted and misrepresented, it often appears to be a bolt to shut sinners out from mercy—the fact being that it shuts none out, but shuts tens of thousands in.

Grace is amazing not because God passes some over and leaves them to the wages of their sin. Grace is amazing because God has saved some! And none of those He saves deserves or can earn that salvation. It is a wonder He has saved any at all.

To be sure that the choice is His, let us not forget Romans 9:10-12:

And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”

Romans 8:28-30 tells us further about God's will in saving His people:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

He called us according to His purposes, He foreknew us, that is He knew us and loved us and chose to save us before we were even born not based on anything but His gracious choice. So we understand that if we are saved we are participating in God's will.

2. It is God’s will for His elect to be Spirit filled.

The Scriptures make it plain that it is God's will for those of who are saved to be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. We are not to quench or grieve Him but are instead to be filled with Him and obedient to Him. Consider these verses and the point will have been made:

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. – Eph. 5:18

Do not quench the Spirit. - 1 Thess. 5:19

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. - Gal. 5:16

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. - Eph. 4:30

3. It is God’s will for His elect to be sanctified.

We have been saved as a result of God's choice and according to His will and plan we will be sanctified. We will be conformed to the image of Christ through the Word taught to us, meditated upon, and through chastening when we sin and fail to be like Christ.

Read these verses and see how clear this is:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality – 1 Thess. 4:3

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son - Romans 8:29

4. It is God’s will for His elect to be submissive.

Submission is hard! It goes against our fallen will. We do not like to submit to authority. But willingly deferring to the will of others is God's will for us. We must learn to submit to those God directs us to submit to. Of course, above all we submit to Him. Listen to these verses:

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— – 1 Peter 2:13-15

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God - Ephesians 5:17-21

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” - 1 Peter 5:5

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. - Colossians 3:18

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. - Ephesians 6:1

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. - Hebrews 13:17

Therefore submit to God. - James 4:7

5. It is God’s will for His elect to suffer!

Here is a popular message! Maybe when people find these verses they tell themselves that God's will is hard to find and elusive and so they have to work hard at finding it. The truth is, suffering is part of God's plan for us. Through suffering He tries and proves our faith, He gives us patience, hope, more faith, wisdom, and assurance. And for those who doubt that it is God's will for us to suffer, listen to the Word of God:

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. - 2 Tim 3:12

For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. -
1 Peter 2:20

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. - Romans 8:18

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. -1 Peter 4:19

And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. - 2 Corinthians 1:7

6. It is God’s will for His elect to be thankful.

As we have learned, it is God's will for us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. He desires gratitude and humility. Plainly stated, God's will is for us to be thankful no matter where we are, what we have, what we are doing, or hwo we think things are going!

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. - Ephesians 5:3-4

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thess. 5:18

There are other verses we could study, but suffice it to say that the Bible really is clear and precise - God has made His will known to us, so now it is up to us to do what He has told us to do. As His elect it is His will that we be saved, Spirit filled, sanctified, submissive, suffering, and thankful. Study the Word for yourself and see if there are other verses that make the will of the Lord plain. What is it that He wants us and commands us to do? Find out. And then do what He wills!

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Making Hard Decisions Easy by John MacArthur
An Instructive Truth by Charles Spurgeon

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Psalm 40:8; 143:10
  
• Matthew 26

Recommended Songs for Worship

• According to Thy Gracious Word
  
• All Glory Be to Thee, Most High

Unwise

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:17
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Daily Scripture Reading - Deuteronomy 32

Puritan Catechism
Question #46 - What is forbidden in the second commandment?

Answer - The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, (Deut. 4:15-16) or any other way not appointed in his Word (Col. 2:18).

Devotional Thoughts
Our theme from the text this week is walking is wisdom. We have seen why we must walk in wisdom and we have examined a few ways in which we are able to walk in wisdom. Today in verse 17 it states rather obviously that if we are to walk in wisdom then we must not be unwise. To be unwise is the opposite of walking in wisdom. Indeed, we cannot be wise and unwise at the same time for our perspective is either right or it is wrong.

The question for us today then is to ask if there is a way to know by examining our lives whether or not we are being wise or unwise. How can we know? A quick study of verses that tell us about those who are not wise should sufficiently answer the question and give us a standard by which to judge ourselves so that we might be sure that we are walking in wisdom.

We see first that those who are not wise constantly corrupt themselves with sin and perversion. Deuteronomy 32:5-6 tells us:

They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their blemish: a perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus deal with the LORD, O foolish and unwise people?

It is the foolish and the unwise who corrupt themselves with sin and who think, talk, and behave as perverts. This is a blemish - a mark of shame - that they are perverse and crooked. Interestingly, while we do not often hear or use the word "pervert" or "perversion" the word speaks to something which was good but has been twisted and deformed so that now it is evil and wicked. This is an evidence of being "crooked", of failing to walk the straight and narrow path. It is the twisting of truth, using innuendo to bring shame where there was none intended.

Next we see that the unwise store up iniquity and sin. Hosea 13:12-13 tells us:

The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is stored up. The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son.

Here the unwise son is bound up in sin and stores it up – that is it is as if he were pregnant with sin and at the time of delivery. He is always full of sin, always bringing forth sin, and as a result always living a life of pain, just as the pains of childbirth. Sin harms us – it is painful. There is guilt, shame, and often physical consequences for our sinful behavior. When we disregard God’s Word there are always consequences. What we sow we will reap. They key here though is to see that the unwise cannot escape their sin. They have no power over temptation and no ability to resist their own desires for self indulgence.

We find in Proverbs 1:7 that the unwise despise godly instruction.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The fool despises wisdom and instruction. He has a great distaste for truth, for a right perspective, and for being taught right and wrong. Interesting then, is it not, that it is the Word of God that is profitable for instruction in righteousness. The unwise does not want to be taught how to be right with God! They have no desire to be right with God. They despise instruction.

This flows from their pride. Proverbs 11:2 tells us:

When pride comes, then comes shame.

Pride, the fools self esteem and self perception, leads only to shame and to sin. He thinks he is self-sufficient and does not need God or anyone else for that matter. If it needs to be done, he can do it. Nobody does it better. And with this pride comes an insatiable desire to satisfy self, because self is always right and self should always get what self wants.

As a side note, if we really preached self denial the way the Bible presents it, the emerging/seeker sensitive church would vanish overnight. Nothing kills a fad like the truth – and the truth of the Christian life is that it is not about self fulfillment but about CRUCIFYING self. Walking in wisdom is about killing self, self esteem, and selfish ambitions.

Pride often works it way out in our relationships with others, and there to we learn about the unwise.

He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor.

This verse, Proverbs 11:12, shows us that the unwise despise not only instruction, but also his own neighbor! This is a violation of the most basic of God’s laws. The truth is that all of the Law and Prophets are built upon two great laws. Those are to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The unwise cannot do this for they are consumed with pleasing self and living for self. There is no room for ministering to, serving, or encouraging a neighbor. There is no room for anyone but the fool in the fools world.

According to Proverbs 14:6 the unwise scoff at God and His Word.

A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, but knowledge is easy to him who understands.

This is the fool. This is the unwise. This is the scoffer. We are told in Psalm 1 not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scoffer. As we have studied in the past, there is a digression here. One goes from walking in counsel from those who are not godly to standing in the lifestyle of open sinners to sitting in the place of those who would openly scoff at God and mock Him. With this attitude, even if the unwise were to seek wisdom they would not find it, for wisdom begins with the fear of God. If you do not fear God, that is, if you do not have a proper view of God, then there is no place for wisdom to begin!

This scoffing leads then to the most proud and vain imaginations! This attitude leads to the idea that God is wrong! Note – this is not saying that belief in God is wrong. No. It is saying that God Himself is wrong. Listen to Proverbs 21:30:

There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD.

No one can disprove God. There is no wisdom against Him, no understanding against Him, no counsel against Him. And yet the fool starts by saying that God does not even exist and then goes on to openly mock Him, His Word, and His ways. This flows from the idea that the fool is right and God, if He even exists, is wrong. We pit ourselves against Him and we do what we want instead of what He wants. How foolish!! How proud!! How daring – to think that we are right and God is wrong.

We are unwise and do this every time we chose our will over His. Did you ever stop to think about it that way? When we chose to indulge self instead of deny self and we take our will over God’s we are declaring with our actions that we are right and God is wrong.

We know then that God disciplines His children, but we must understand that discipline is necessary for wisdom. Proverbs 29:15 tells us:

The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

It is discipline that gives wisdom – a right perspective. But a child left to himself to do whatever he wants to do will bring shame to his family and to himself. Remember this parents – if you refuse to discipline your child you are withholding from them a tool that God has given you to teach them wisdom! The fear of hurting your child’s feelings denies him a proper view of God, self, sin, and authority. This leads then to men and women who have no self discipline. It promotes a lack of wisdom.

Further, those without discipline are truly unwise when it comes to the truth of the Word of God, but one sure sign of their lack of godly wisdom is their wisdom regarding the things of this world. Sadly there are those in the church today who think that we need to be worldly and aware of the sensual culture around us so that we might engage them with the gospel. But we see in 1 Corinthians 1:20 that it is the fool who is wise in the ways of the world.

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

All that the world has to offer is foolishness. And Paul tells us that we should be wise in truth and simple concerning evil – that is, we should be innocent and inexperienced when it comes to worldliness and sin. As Tim Challies has pointed out, true discernment is not knowing the evil, it is knowing the good so thoroughly that we recognize the evil easily, not because we know it, but because we see that it is not good. Tim wrote:

A parallel commonly used by authors and preachers, is that, like experts in counterfeit currency, a person who wishes to be discerning must focus more on what is genuine than what is counterfeit. Before handing me a stack of bills and asking me to sort through them to discern which were fraudulent and which were genuine, Monica taught me about real currency. Having done that, the differences between good and bad were immediately apparent. In the same way, Christians, and even those with a particular gifting or interest in discernment, should focus more on truth than error. The more we understand what is true, the easier it will be to identify what is fraudulent. The more we know about God's character, God's ways, and God's Word, the greater the contrast will be between truth and error.

We see then that it is the unwise who falls for the lies of the age and the signs of the times and embraces foolishness as if it were truth.

Living like this leads to trusting self instead of trusting God. Talk about misplaced faith. 2 Corinthians 1:12 tells us:

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

In Paul’s ministry there was no fleshly wisdom, no marketing ploys, no slick advertisements, no baiting the flesh to influence the spirit. Paul knew better than to boast and be wise in the power of his own flesh. He depended upon the Holy Spirit and so must we. It is the unwise who depend upon themselves as if they were indispensable and as if God could not accomplish His will without them. They believe this because they have committed the first serious error of all those who are unwise. This error is seeking wisdom where it cannot be found. Wisdom can only be found from God through His Word. James 1:5 is clear:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

There is no other source, no other way, no other means. Wisdom comes only from God. And the first and most serious error made by a fool, by those who are unwise, is the seeking of wisdom from anywhere or anyone else.

As we have spent time studying about the unwise have you seen yourself in any of these verses? We must admit that at times we are all unwise, but the question must be not are we ever unwise, but are we always unwise? Do we live the life of a fool? Anytime we are unwise we must repent, and we must ask God for wisdom. And anytime we fail to search for wisdom we must ask why. What was it that led us away from the truth and into error and sin?

If we are to walk in wisdom we must not walk as the unwise.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

The Potter and the Clay by George Whitefield
The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph by Charles Spurgeon

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Psalm 36:3; Prov 9:9; 10:14, 19; 12:15
  
• Psalm 101:2; 107:43; Prov 1:5; 3:7, 35; 8:33

Recommended Songs for Worship

• All That I Am I Owe To Thee
  
• Come, Ye Souls by Sin Afflicted

Redeeming the Time

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:16
...redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Daily Scripture Reading - Psalm 139

Puritan Catechism
Question #46 - What is forbidden in the second commandment?

Answer - The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, (Deut. 4:15-16) or any other way not appointed in his Word (Col. 2:18).


Devotional Thoughts
In order for us to walk in wisdom we must begin by walking circumspectly, that is, carefully and deliberately. As we walk with precise steps we learn to walk not as fools but as wise men and women. Wisdom is having a right perspective, that is, a right view of God, self, and sin. The next verse in our text then tells us that as we walk in wisdom we must redeem the time because the days are evil.

The motivation for redeeming the time is that the days are indeed evil. Is there any doubt that we live in an evil time? Of course we understand that there is nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9), but the days in which we live seem to be growing worse and worse. Paul told Timothy that in the last days "perilous times will come" and he describes these times with a list of serious sins. The days are evil. There is evil all around us. And that is exactly why we must redeem the time!

So what does this mean? How do we redeem the time? To redeem the time means to “make the most of our time”, to “buy up” and use our time wisely. The word time here does not refer only to seconds, minutes, hours, or days. It refers to the “time of our life, or lifetime.” The truth is that we are redeem every moment of our whole life, devoting ourselves to God's service and glory.

We have no guarantee of tomorrow, so we are to make the most of today! While this has been perverted by those who would proclaim, "Eat! Drink! Be Merry! For tomorrow we die!" They do not understand the vital truth here. They are living for self, seeking to fulfill their own lusts and selfish ambitions in order to experience life to its fullest. The Biblical response to that of course is that it is simply not worth it to gain the whole world and yet lose your own soul.

Here we see that we are to make the most of every moment of the rest of our lives for the glory and purposes of God. We live in service to Him as His blood bought slaves. We are His and so we live like it. Let us take some time then to study what the Scriptures say about redeeming the time and using our life for the glory of God.

The time of our life (our lifetime) is a fixed, appointed time from start to finish. This speaks of course to God's sovereignty and also to His Lordship over us. He is the Potter and we are the clay. The clay does not and cannot talk back to the Potter, nor can the clay influence the Potter in any way to change what He is making with the clay. Sometimes we need to remember that Jesus is Lord, we are not.

The Bible tells us plainly that God creates us our mothers womb (Ps. 139:16). He "knits us" or puts us together. He gives us life. He causes our delivery (Isa 66:9). He knows the days we will live before we are born and He knows how and when we will die (Ps. 39:4-5). He knows every word we will speak, every thought we will think, and He even keeps count of the hairs on our head.

And He tells us that death is an appointment (Hebrews 9:27). "It is appointed unto man once to die..." and this is an appointment we will not miss. It is an appointment that might be changed however! Our life may be shortened as the result of sin (Ps. 89:38-45; 102:23-24). This is why we are told not to fear the devil but to fear God - that is to rightly understand His power and prerogative concerning our lives. The devil may steal, kill, and destroy, and he may kill the body, but God is able to destroy both body and soul in hell (Matt 10:28)! There is no comparison of the abilities and the threat here.

We do see also that God is able to lengthen our lives if He so desires. He did so with Hezekiah. He spoke through the prophet Isaiah and told Hezekiah that he was going to die. Hezekiah prayed and asked God to remember his faithfulness, and as he prayed God sent Isaiah back to declare that he would live another 15 years. He even caused the shadow on a sundial to go back 10 degrees in order to confirm the Word He had sent by Isaiah (2 Kings 20:1-11).

God is in control of our lives. He gives and takes our lives as He pleases. As He does, we must never forget that our lives are full of opportunities for service and obedience to God. (Gal. 6:10; John 9:4). We have opportunities to do good and to do what is right. We have opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. It is sadly the case that we miss most of these opportunities because we are serving self instead of serving God with our every moment. Think about it - if we do not serve God with the moments then we will not be able to serve Him with our lives - because our life is simply a series of moments.

Let us not forget that our lives will be over before know it – it exists as a vapor of breath on a cold day, here one minute and gone the next. (Ps. 89:47; James 4:14). Time gets faster and faster the older we get, or so it seems. And when we look at all of our earthly life is comparison to eternity, whether it is 20 years or 100 years, it is over quickly and has existed as briefly as a wisp of vapor when we speak in the cold air. Here and then gone. Do we live with death in mind? Do we live knowing that we will die? Or do we presume upon tomorrow for ourselves and those around us?

The fact is, however long or short our lives, our days are in God's hands. (Ps. 21:4; James 4:15). We must not presume on the future - but "Lord willing" we will fulfill our dreams and desires in service to Him. We have no guarantee of tomorrow. (James 4:14; Matt. 6:34), and so we must “buy up” every moment we have an offer it to God in His service. (Eph. 5:16; Rom 12:1).

That is what it means to redeem the time. To have a view toward eternity and toward the sovereign control of God over His creation and over us. Today, even in the slow moments, give some thought to how you are using that moment for the purposes and glory of God. Think about how you can redeem the time.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Providence by Charles Spurgeon
The Only Source for Wisdom by John MacArthur

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Eccl. 1:9; Ps. 139:16; Isa 66:9; Ps. 39:4-5; Heb. 9:27; Ps. 89:38-45; 102:23-24; Matt 10:28; 2 Kings 20:1-11
  
• Gal. 6:10; John 9:4; Ps. 89:47; James 4:14-15; Ps. 21:4; Matt. 6:34; Eph. 5:16; Rom 12:1

Recommended Songs for Worship

• All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
  
• God, the Lord, A King Remaineth

Walk Not As Fools

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:15
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise...

Daily Scripture Reading - Psalm 111

Puritan Catechism
Question #46 - What is forbidden in the second commandment?

Answer - The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, (Deut. 4:15-16) or any other way not appointed in his Word (Col. 2:18).


Devotional Thoughts
When we talk about walking in wisdom we need to understand that there is good and godly wisdom and worldly and demonic wisdom. Wisdom, you see, is a perspective. How do we see life? What is our worldview? What determines our outlook and response to both good and bad circumstances?

Godly wisdom starts with a right perspective toward God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." From this right perspective then we learn how to view the rest of life. Ungodly or worldly, demonic wisdom serve only to warp us (Isa. 47:10) and lead to utter foolishness (1 Cor. 1:20).

We see then that if we are to walk in wisdom, in godly wisdom, then we must "walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." We have defined wisdom so building upon that foundation we will take a brief moment today to examine the difference between walking as fools or walking as the wise.

Our first step then is to search the Scriptures for the answer to this question, "Who is a fool and what does he do?"

Psalm 14:1

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

The fool declares with pride and misplaced confidence that he knows all that there is to know. He has seen all that is, has experienced every possible experience, has studied and comprehended the vast expanse of all of the universe. There is nothing missing from his logic, his knowledge, or his insight. What does this all mean? It means that the fool is the most incomprehensibly ignorant person on the face of the earth! For the fool believes that he knows enough to declare with assurance that there is no God. But the only way to know that something does not exist is to instead know all that exists! So the fool, the atheist, sets himself up as if he were a god! He claims omniscience for himself.

In reality, deep down in his heart and mind, the fool knows the truth. All men do according to Romans 1:28. There we read, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind." They decided to deny that God is. They know the truth and actively suppress it. This is utter foolishness! To think, talk, or act as if there were no God. This is to walk as a fool instead of the wise.

Romans 1:21-22

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.

The fool refuses to glorify God. They refuse to give Him His due. They refuse even to acknowledge that He is. This immediately leads to an attitude of ungratefulness. What is there to be grateful for if there is no one to whom we are indebted for life and goodness?

Their thinking is darkened. Their thoughts are futile. And though they profess to be wise they are in actuality fools. Contrary to their claims about seeking truth and setting up knowledge as the highest achievement to be reached in this life, they are truly ignorant of truth. They have chosen to ignore the truth of the Word of God. They have shunned truth and embraced a lie. They have been willingly self deceived.

How tragic to know the truth and reject it with the way that we live! But then, how often do we in the church do just that? We play the fool. For we know the truth, we understand the Word of God, and yet we do not glorify God, we do not obey God, we do not thank God, and we too become futile in our thoughts and lives. We must walk not as fools, but as wise!

Proverbs 1:7, 22

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.

While the fear of the Lord (a right perspective of God) is the beginning of true knowledge and wisdom, fools chose to despise wisdom and instruction. They will not be taught. Unteachable. They are set in their beliefs and will not be swayed by human reasoning, logic, or persuasion. They are convinced of the truth and call evil good and good evil.

From where is a person instructed in truth? It is the Word of God that is profitable for "instruction" (2 Tim 3:16). It is by the Word that we are taught and lead into all truth. But the fool rejects the Word of God as a fairy tale, as superstitious nonsense. Then again, many in the church approach the Bible with superstitions and hokey ideas about God and the Christian life, don't they?

Fools despise wisdom and instruction and we see that they hate knowledge. When it comes to true knowledge they would rather be ignorant. Have you ever noticed how complex the mind of man attempts to make things, as if the more complex and fantastic a belief or theory the more plausible it is? Rather than believe that God created all that is they would rather embrace a religion (humanism) that preaches a dogmatic doctrine of impossibility, namely evolution. It takes more faith to believe the lie of Darwinism than it ever takes to trust the sure Word of God.

Proverbs 14:9

Fools mock at sin

There it is in plain English. Fools mock at sin. A wrong view of God and a wrong view of self leads them directly into the snare of disbelief. They cheapen God's holiness by proclaiming that sin is not bad, evil, and horrid. Sin is a man made construct created to manipulate others they claim. And yet all the while they live to indulge their flesh and be enslaved by their own sin, they deny that sin exists at all.

When it comes to sin the fool laugh, excuse, justify, ignore, deny, joke, and reject truth. Sin is not evil. Sin is good. Sin is pleasing. Sin is watching our for #1. Sin is just a way of life.

How can we mock at sin? Sin is so awful and so unholy that God cannot stand it and must punish it. Sin is so heinous that the penalty for sin, the only remedy for sin, the only wage of which sin is ever worthy is death! It is not a toy with which to be played. Sin is not a game.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The sad truth for the fool, for the natural man, the lost man is that he is incapable on his own of receiving the things of God. The truth is foolishness to him. A waste of time. An unfathomable mystery. He cannot know the truth! He cannot discern that which is only discernable spiritually for spiritually he is dead, lost, enslaved, and unwilling.

The saved however are able to discern the truth. How tragic when we do not! How terrible when we play the fool and walk as the fool instead of in wisdom. It does not have to be that way.

Galatians 3:1

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

Finally we see that the true mark of a fool is found in how his perspective works it way out in his life. Those who are foolish are those who have a wrong view of God, self, sin, and truth. That wrong perspective leads them into disobedience. There then is the chief mark of a fool. The fool does not obey the Word of God. This point is made even more clear from the very lips of Jesus Himself who told us in Matthew 7:

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

The difference between walking as the wise and the foolish is the difference between obedience and disobedience. There it is - "whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them" vs. "everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them." This is the difference between destruction and safety, between contentment and ruin, between life and death.

This is not a small matter! If we are to walk in wisdom we must walk not as fools, but as wise. This means we must have the right perspective about God, His Word, ourselves, and sin. And as a result we must see this perspective work its way out in the way we live, motivating us to hear and do what the Word of God tell us.

We are foolish enough when we try to do things on our own, are we not? Let us determine today to no longer play the fool, but to be wise. Let us decide to hear and obey the Word of God. Let's face it - we all know those little areas of compromise, those areas where we refuse to surrender, where we indulge our flesh. Today it is time we give up! Surrender! Yield to the Spirit! Walk not as fools, but wise.

Here are 2 verses that will help us maintain a right perspective today, Psalm 111:10 and Psalm 8:4:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

See God for who He is, and see self for what we are. And then we will stand in amazement that has been gracious to us and called us to walk with Him in wisdom.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Take Up the Challenge by Alexander MacLaren
Commentary on Matthew 7 by Matthew Henry

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Prov. 19:29; 26:7, 9
  
• Eccl 5:1, 4; 7:9

Recommended Songs for Worship

• The Wise May Bring Their Learning
  
• Unless the Lord Builds the House

Walk Circumspectly

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:15
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise...

Daily Scripture Reading - Psalm 26

Puritan Catechism
Question #46 - What is forbidden in the second commandment?

Answer - The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, (Deut. 4:15-16) or any other way not appointed in his Word (Col. 2:18).

Devotional Thoughts
This week we are Learning to Walk by finding out from the Scripture how to Walk in Wisdom. Wisdom is mentioned many times in the Bible. It is "the principle thing" (Prov. 4:7). It is to be sought after, bought, treasured, listened to, stored up, found, kept, taught, learned, and loved. We are even told that if any of us lacks wisdom then all we have to do is ask God and He will give it to us liberally (James 1:5).

So what then is wisdom? If we are told to walk in wisdom and are expected to be wise then we need to know what wisdom is. The best definition I have found for wisdom says that wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. It is indeed a matter of perspective. How do we see life, trials, suffering, blessing, etc.? And if having wisdom is having a right perspective then how will that perspective affect the way we think, talk, and act?

This week we will learn that there are five things that we must do if we are to walk in wisdom, and each of these things will definitely affect the way we think, talk, and act. Walking in wisdom is something that changes our lives and our responses to people and to circumstances around us.

To start then today we see that according to Ephesians 5:15 if we are to walk in wisdom we must start by walking circumspectly. To walk circumspectly is to walk with great care, accuracy, and precision. This involves taking deliberate and carefully thought out steps. It is not running or rushing. It is not walking in a manner where we do not know where we are going.

This is the opposite of stumbling, tripping, or stubbing a toe on the furniture. It is not being clumsy or careless. To walk circumspectly is to be careful, accurate, and precise in the way that we walk.

One way that we do this is to be sure that we do not "step out of ranks." 1 Thess. 5:14 tells us that we are to "warn those who are unruly." The phrase "unruly" is a Greek term that refers to a soldier stepping out of ranks. It is as if in a marching column of men one soldier is out of step and is messing up the cadence and unity of the platoon.

The word was also used in Greek society to refer to those who did not show up for work. There was a job to do and someone took the day off - either sick, pretending to be sick, or simply absent. It affects the others at work when an employee doe snot show up. It means more work for others and it means that the one not showing up will have to catch up upon returning.

We are told that we are to warn each other so that we do not get out of line or step out of ranks. This means that we must know how to walk, where to walk, and what will hinder us. Let us look at these different aspects of walking, starting with the last mentioned.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us, "let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." If we are to walk or to run effectively then we must know what hinders us. Would a runner run very well with a weight tied around his legs? Or would being bound with a chain help him in the task of completing the race? Of course not. A chain and a weight would ensnare the runner. It would make it difficult to run and most surely impossible to win the race.

Sin ensnares us. Sin weighs us down. Sin prevents us from running as we should. That is why if we are to run this race, or walk and live the Christian life successfully then we must lay aside the weight and remove the sin that ensnares us. This is confession. We repent and confess our sin when we fail to meet God's standard and so we get the weight off and are able to run rightly.

If we want to know where to walk, then we understand that the Bible tells us to walk in love, to walk in light, to walk is wisdom, to walk in truth, to walk uprightly, to walk in obedience, and to walk worthy of the calling with which we have been called. To do all of this means that we need to know how to walk in the first place.

Walking of course is used to refer to living. This is how we live our lives. It is how we "walk the walk." And what is the foundational element that influences the way we live? It is what we believe. What we believe works its way out in the way we live. Don't believe me? Think about it this way - as I have said before, if we are out in the woods and we believe that a bear is chasing us, we will run just as fast as if a bear really is chasing us! What we believe is made obvious in the way we act.

As another example, if a man calls 911 and claims to believe that his house is on fire, and then hangs up the phone, walks down the hall, and gets in bed, and pulls the covers up over his head, and goes to sleep - does he really believe that his house is on fire? He surely does not ACT like it. And that is the key. What we believe we act upon.

This is why we are told in the Scriptures that doctrine affects the way we live. Sound doctrine produces godly living. Unsound doctrine produces ungodly living. That means that if we claim to believe sound doctrine but do not live a godly life then it really does not matter what we think we believe! We are deceived. Unsound doctrine produces the works of the flesh. Sound doctrine produces the fruit of the Spirit. So what we believe is evidenced by how we live.

That explains then why it is so important that we are taught and believe sound doctrine. Sound doctrine comes from the Word of God. We are told in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." The inspired, inerrant, infallible Holy Bible is profitable for doctrine - for telling us what to believe.

There are those out there who say that doctrine is not important and that doctrine divides. One liberal nutcase recently commented anonymously on a friends blog, "You fundamentalists need to wake up and focus on Jesus and his ministry, rather than get carried away with the wording of a doctrinal statment (sic)." But think about this. Is doctrine important?

Let us agree that we should just focus on Jesus. Okay. Which Jesus? The Jesus who is Lucifer's brother and the son of a man who became a God and is now populating the earth with his spirit children born to his eternally pregnant wife? (Mormon teaching). Or the Jesus who is not God but the angel Michael who was created by God and has not existed eternally with the Father? (Jehovah's Witness teaching). Or should we focus on the Jesus who was a man but was filled with the Spirit at his baptism and became the Son of God, and then the Spirit left before he died on the cross - so he was merely a man used of God? Or the Jesus who was a ghost, a phantom that appeared to His disciples but was not really a man?

You see, doctrine is important. We see that without doctrine we cannot even define who Jesus is, for without doctrine we do not know what to believe. If we do not know what to believe then we will live accordingly! That is why we see that in order to walk circumspectly we must rightly interpret the Word of God. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." This is to accurately interpret the Word of God so that we know what to believe and as a result how to walk.

Remember, as we walk with great care and precision, it is the Word of God that is a "lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119:105). The Word illumines the way. It shows us how and where to walk. And we must follow the Word carefully, precisely, and deliberately. The first step then in walking in wisdom, to have the right perspective, is to walk in obedience to the Word of God.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Loving Advice for Anxious Seekers by Charles Spurgeon
Useful Directions for Reading and Searching the Scriptures by Thomas Boston

Bible Reading For Further Study

• 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 12:1-2; James 1:5
  
• Prov. 1:2-3, 7, 20; 2:6-7, 10; 3:13; 4:5-7; 8:11-12; 9:10

Recommended Songs for Worship

• Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us
  
• Teach Me, O Lord, Thy Way of Truth

Walk in Wisdom

This week in our sermon and in the daily devotionals we will be working our way through a short but deep passage. Message 8 in our series Be Imitators of God is taken from Ephesians 5:15-17. There we read:

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

The message is titled Walk in Wisdom and will be available for listening or downloading later today. As I stated this is a short passage to preach from but it is rich and deep when it comes to studying all that is involved in these few verses. Here is the outline from which I will preach. I truly hope we can cover all of this in one message!

Walk in Wisdom - Ephesians 5:15-17

1. Walk Circumspectly (vs. 15)

To walk circumspectly is to walk with “great care, accuracy, and precision.” We are to be sure that we do not “step out of ranks” (1 Thess. 5:14 “unruly”) and that we avoid distraction. Rightly dividing ( accurately interpreting) the Word of God keeps us on track (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17).

2. Walk not as Fools, but Wise (vs. 15)

Who is a “fool” and what does he do? See Psalms 14:1; Rom 1:21,22; Prov 1:7, 22; 14:9; 1 Cor. 2:14; Gal. 3:1-3 (not obeying the Word). The “wise” have a proper perspective. They have a right view of God (Psalm 111:10) and a right view of themselves (Psalm 8:4).

3. Walk Redeeming the Time (vs. 16)

To redeem the time means to “make the most of our time”, to “buy up” and use our time wisely. The word time here refers to the “time of our life, or lifetime.” We have no guarantee of tomorrow, so we are to make the most of today!

a. The time of our life (our lifetime) is a fixed, appointed time from start to finish! (Hebrews 9:27; Ps. 39:4-5; Ps. 139:16)

b. It can be shortened, but the Bible only has one instance of it being lengthened! (Ps. 89:38-45; 102:23-24; 2 Kings 20:11)

c. Our lives are full of opportunities for service and obedience to God. (Gal. 6:10; John 9:4)

d. Our lives will be over before know it – it exists as a vapor of breath on a cold day, here one minute and gone the next. (Ps. 89:47; James 4:14)

e. Our days are in His hands. (Ps. 21:4; James 4:15)

f. We have no guarantee of tomorrow. (James 4:14; Matt. 6:34)

g. We must “buy up” every moment we have an offer it to God in His service. (Eph. 5:16; Rom. 12:1)

4. Walk not as the Unwise (vs. 17)

a. Corrupt yourself with sin and perversion (Deut. 32:5-6)

b. Store up iniquity and sin (Hosea 13:12-13)

c. Despise godly instruction (Prov. 1:7)

d. Be proud, thinking yourself self-sufficient (Prov. 11:2)

e. Despise your neighbor instead of loving him (Prov. 11:12)

f. Scoff at God and His Word (Prov. 14:6)

g. Think God is wrong (Prov. 21:30)

h. Fail to discipline or be disciplined (Prov. 29:15)

i. Be wise in the ways of the world (1 Cor. 1:20)

j. Be wise in the power of your own flesh (2 Cor. 1:12)

k. Seek Wisdom from anyone but God (James 1:5)

5. Walk Understanding the Will of the Lord (vs. 17)

a. It is God’s will for His elect to be saved – 1 Tim 2:3-4; Rom. 8:28-30

b. It is God’s will for His elect to be Spirit filled – Eph. 5:18; 1 Thess. 5:19; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 4:30

c. It is God’s will for His elect to be sanctified – 1 Thess. 4:3; Rom. 8:29-30

d. It is God’s will for His elect to be submissive – 1 Peter 2:13-15

e. It is God’s will for His elect to suffer! - 1 Peter 2:20

f. It is God’s will for His elect to be thankful – 1 Thess. 5:18; Eph. 5:4

Phillip's Phunnies - Sequels

A merry heart does good, like medicine... - Proverbs 17:22

Expose the Unfruitful Works of Darkness

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:11-13
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

Daily Scripture Reading - 2 Corinthians 6

Puritan Catechism
Question #45 - What is required in the second commandment?

Answer - The second commandment requires the receiving, observing (Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20), and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God has appointed in His Word (Deut. 12:32).

Devotional Thoughts
When we walk as children of light there are things that we are expected to do and things that will happen as a result of the way we live. We do not live in a vacuum. What we do affects others. Remember, what we sow we reap and contrary to the popular lie that is out there is no such thing as a sin that does not hurt anybody. We have been lied to and told that there are secret sins and things that we can do that only affect us and so the reasoning goes that as long as we do not hurt anybody we can do whatever we want. Sin is sin. The wages of sin is still death. When we sin there are consequences.

We cannot believe for a moment that we can sin without hurting anyone. It hurts us. It hurts those around us. It harms our relationships. And it brings consequences and results that can and will impact those around us. The best example found in the Scriptures to illustrate this point is found in Joshua 7. There we read about a man named Achan. As the nation of Israel was conquering Jericho in that great and impressive display of God's power over such a mighty city, God gave a command.

And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

The spoils of battle were to be left. No one was to take them for themselves. And what did Achan do?

But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.

One man took things and hid them under the ground in his tent. One man sinned secretly and he thought no one knew and no one would find out. And yet we learn that for one member of the body to sin affects the whole body. For God says that the children of Israel sinned. As a whole people they were guilty because one of them sinned.

We fail to see how we are indeed members of one another in the Body of Christ and what we do or do not do greatly effects others!! We are so narrow minded and so blinded by pride and self concern that we miss how we are connected to one another. And so God judged all of Israel for one man's sins. As they went to attack a small city, an easy target, they were defeated! God then exposed Achan's sin and he and his family were killed in judgment. We never ever sin but that it will affect others and of course, ourselves, for the worse.

As we walk in the light we are told to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." That means that when we walk as we should we will not find ourselves encouraging or excusing sin. We will not fellowship with these unfruitful works. This speaks of agreement, endorsement, and participation. We will not agree in our minds or hearts with sinful attitudes. We will not endorse sin by speaking out in its defense. We will not participate in sin with our actions. Not if we are walking as children of light.

Instead the way we live will expose the unfruitful works. This does not speak of an active confrontation as if we should run around and convince everyone of how sinful they are. This means that when we walk as children of light the way we live will expose the way they live as unfruitful. The things that sinners do are shameful. Where has shame gone? No one is ashamed anymore? Don't believe me? Look at how people dress and talk and act!

The Bible is clear here - the unfruitful works of darkness, those things that stand in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:19-23) are things we should be ashamed of. Yet how often do we boast about our sin? And how often do we eagerly engage in gossip, talking about the sins of others? These things are not to be talked about! We need to be very careful about the topics of our conversations. We must not enjoy discussing sin and we must not sin in the things we talk about.

These things are so dangerous that we have been given instructions in the church as to how to deal with sin between believers so that we can maintain purity and deal effectively with sin before it grows and corrupts the body. The steps for dealing with sin are clearly laid out for us in Matthew 18:15-17:

Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

We must be ready and willing to deal with sin in our lives and in the lives of those around us. And the truth is that we will not have to work hard at confronting and exposing sin, for if we are walking in the light then the light that we are and the light that we have, and the light who is the Light of the World, will expose these unfruitful works. It is enough to be holy in order to stand in stark contrast to the world around us. And when we are holy the unholy becomes clear.

To see that the light makes manifest is to see that the light allows us to see something for what it really is. And what is the standard by which we then think, say, or do in response to what is revealed? It is the Word of God. For only the Word of God is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb 4:12). The Word of God discerns thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Think of it this way - we are not called to contextualize the gospel so that those around us understand it on a cultural level. We are not to try and make the gospel relevant to the age. In fact we are not called to save the culture. We are called and empowered and expected to answer the call to be separate from the culture. What's more, we are called to live in the culture but to do so all the while living differently than the culture! This is to walk in the light - and the way we live then will indeed expose the unfruitful works of darkness. We are called to LIVE the gospel by walking in the light. When we do, we will be different and we will make a difference in the lives of the people around us.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Jesus' Death Shows Us How to Live by John MacArthur
Treason Against the Soul by Richard Baxter

Bible Reading For Further Study

• Gal 5:19-23; 1 Cor 5:9-11; 2 Cor 6:14-18; 2 Thess 3:6, 14
  
• Matt 18:15-17; Gal 6:1-3; Prov 6:23; 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 4:12; 2 Cor 1:12; Phil 2:14-16

Recommended Songs for Worship

• Father, before Thy Throne of Light
  
• Be Thou My Vision