Ephesians 5:15-21 “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. 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. 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.”
Pastor Herk continues: Christians are supposed to be a light that shines in the darkness and in order to do that, we cannot isolate ourselves. Evil encountered creates obstacles, pressure and fear causing people to seek God. Evil days open opportunities, so redeem the time; walk as light in the midst of the darkness, demonstrating the love of God and the abundant life in Christ [the Prince of Peace], which the unsaved population does not know. Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission is not an inconvenience for a servant of the Lord. Divine appointments to bring someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is a true blessing. As the body of Christ, the people of God need to make the most of every opportunity that we are given. Our vision and passion comes from the joy of our salvation by grace through faith.
Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.
(2) Be wise by understanding the Lord’s Will. The purpose of serving the Lord is to do His Will. Do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. I have encountered individuals that ignore or redefine Scripture because they want to do their own Will, which conflict with the Word of God. Many times, people are biblically illiterate and do not know what the Lord requires or the full context of Scripture. The Apostle is stating: Stop being ignorant. Grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Word of God constantly. With today’s technology, we have a Christian University of resources to use. Be wise; don’t compromise. The Greek word for “unwise” is “aphrōn“, meaning living without reason, senseless, foolish, stupid, without reflection or intelligence, acting rashly as someone who refuses to acknowledge dependence on God an thus acts unwise. Repentant sanctified Christ followers, have been separated from the ungodly sinful world to live by God’s Word and purposes, do not return to their former unsaved living.
The Greek word for “understanding” is “syniēmi”, meaning to put (as it were) the perception with the thing perceived. To set or join together in the mind; to understand. The active engagement of our mind in order to assemble individual information into an organized whole. Put together the pieces of the puzzle to understand the full picture of God’s Will and overall plan. Proverbs 3:5-6 Tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God is redeeming a people for Himself to one day restore His entire creation. God Will has been revealed and it is up to us to move beyond an intellectual head-knowledge of God’s will and come to a point where we put all the pieces together and grasp its significance. There are no shortcuts.
Ephesians 1:4-10 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”
In Christ, Brian
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