Hello Friends!
Today we are in Ephesians Chapter 5. According to Strong's, Ephesus was the capital of the chief province of Asia. It was located about one mile from the Aegean Sea. The temple of Diana (Artemis) was important to the commerce of the city because the Mediterranean world considered it to be such a sacred and impeccable institution that it became the chief banking establishment in all of Asia Minor (which modern day Turkey). The great number of pilgrims that came to worship at the temple also bolstered the economy in Ephesus. In fact, the population of Ephesus is believed to have exceeded a quarter million.
In his second trip to Ephesus, Paul stayed for three years. He was forced to leave by a mob of merchants who were making and selling statues of Artemis and, seeing so many of the population turn from that cult and follow THE WAY, became fearful of their income.
When I take into consideration where he was teaching and the number of people he was teaching to--all of them in the dark the first time he entered--I can't help but be amazed by him. He had no fear. He truly lived by scripture. In Psalm 118:6 we read, "The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" He paraphrased this scripture in Romans 8 when he said, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" I wonder: Did he quietly pray Psalm 118:6 each time he stepped before a crowd and faced down evil in its own territory?
darkness - Greek 4655: Moral darkness, the absence of spiritual light and truth
light - Greek 5457: to shine, make manifest especially by rays
light - Greek 4151: breath, light, spirit, Holy Spirit
goodness - Greek 19: active goodness; benevolent
righteousness - Greek 1343: character, conduct: being just as one should be, uprightness
truth - Greek 225: what is not concealed, but open and known; true
in - Greek 4790: to share in company with; to partake; to participate
"For you were once (the absence of spiritual light and truth), but now you are (shining) in the LORD. Live as children of the light--for the fruit of the (Holy Spirit) consists of (benevolence), (uprightness, being just as one should be), and (what is not concealed, but open and known) testing what is pleasing to the LORD. Don't (share company with) the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them." Ephesians 5:8-11
Friends, this message is very real today. We live in a nation that says it is alright to kill a baby (in some states) up to the day of his birth! There is great darkness in our land...but we have the Light! We must be the goodness, the righteousness, and the truth that the people around us see. (Believe me...I know it's hard. In fact, I'm struggling with this now. I am so weak when it comes to this. I can only pray...over and over and over again...that everyone I cross paths with sees those things in me. NOT what they've been seeing.) If we don't show them who Jesus is through our actions and our love...our goodness, righteousness, and truth...how will they ever know?
We're searching for Jesus...we know we need Him in everything we do and say and experience...but most of them don't. It is my prayer that as we go out into the world armed with the goodness, righteousness, and truth we were gifted by the Light Himself, we will be so different that people will want what we have. We have Christ...they need to have Him, too. Remember, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:5)
Until next time, My Friends! May you seek AND FIND Our Savior!
Terrie
No comments:
Post a Comment