How You Live

ByJim Stephens

How You Live

Reading: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalm 94; Ephesians 5

15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT) I love Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus! Paul had spent more than three years with this church and he had developed deep and rich relationships with the congregation and its leaders. These were some of Paul’s dearest friends.

Unlike most of Paul’s letters to churches, the Ephesian letter isn’t written to deal with a problem. It’s written to inspire, encourage, and instruct God’s people in deeply spiritual and intensely practical ways. He gives such great encouragement about who Christ really is who we really are in Christ! Paul helps them understand more about the church, Christ’s many-membered body, and about how the church will grow and mature as we each find our place of service and fulfillment. Paul not only writes of God’s glorious purpose for the church, but also of God’s personal and practical purpose for our lives and how we live them. It all comes down to this – life is filled with opportunities to choose wisely or foolishly, to do good to others or to act selfishly for our own interests. Life presents us with daily opportunities to choose kindness, graciousness, forgiveness, and generosity. We must be careful how we think, speak, and act. We must actively seek to know and do God’s will for our lives, and not solely live for our own interests and ambitions. When we live carefully and consciously and caringly, our lives and our relationships grow rich and broad and deep. In this kind of daily living we will find the joy of fulfilling our purpose on this earth! Prayer:

Father, Thank you for Paul’s practical and challenging instruction about how I live my life in relationship with you and with others. Help me to live wisely. Help me today to think clearly and make wise choices, choices that honor you and bless others. May I make the most of every opportunity to do good. Amen.

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