Romans 13:10-14, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”By God's grace, I turned 53 years old on March 5th this year. Where did the time go? It is hard to believe, God willing, that I'll be 70 years old in just 17 years! Good night in the morning folks! Needless to say, my mind is set upon the things of God more than ever before! If you are wise my fine non-feathered friend, regardless of your age, you will also “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). Here's the tragic story of an 18-year-old girl in Colorado, named Whitney Hendrickson, who was pinned between her van and a gas-pump, sadly burning to death in 2009. Death doesn't discriminate—you or I could be dead by sunset. The $64,000 question is: Are you prepared to meet your Maker?
My days are numbered, my years are mostly spent, and my time is short! As born-again believers who live in the Holy Spirit, we should also walk in the Holy Spirit. What saith the Scripture? ...
Galatians 5:22-26, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”The apostle Paul said to—“PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST”! Walking in the Spirit is synonymous with putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” This verse speaks of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which is God the Father and God the Son living inside us as believers. John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
The Bible says in Ephesians 5:14-16, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” This is a quote from an Old Testament passage in Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” The apostle Paul is writing the epistle to the Ephesians from prison. Four of Paul's letters were written from prison; namely, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.
Paul is saying in Ephesians 5:14-16, that believers should LIVE FOR CHRIST! We were saved BY FAITH, and now we live the Christian life daily BY FAITH. Ephesians 5:8-10, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” That is so beautiful! God desires for every one of His redeemed children to PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
“Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death; but if you don't, you're gonna feed your doubts, and your faith will starve to death!” —Pastor Ralph “Yankee” Arnold, “1st John Made Simple”
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