Ephesians 5:10-12 Pleasing
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living. True Christian living requires us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth

By Marni Montanez

Ephesians 5:10-12 English Standard Version 

10. and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

11. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

12. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

The days are becoming darker in our world.  Christians are being blamed for hate and criticized as we stand up for righteousness and truth.   It is Our enemy's plan to use people to create this anger and repulsiveness against Christianity.  It is not just that people don't agree with our beliefs, it is now a hatred that is instigated by demons.   We are told to be tolerant of sin while all along the same voices are intolerant of our stand against ungodliness.  This is a double standard, but it is the tactic of the devil to shame, divide and conquer.  Jesus was accused of the same thing, but He did not relent to the demands of Satan through people.       

Jesus was the most vocal critic of the world's evil ways and regardless of what words or actions came against Him,  He could not be stopped.     This is spiritual warfare in every way and if we, the Christian community stop praying or speaking out for what is right, this demonic infilitration will bulldoze right over us.   

We have the same Holy Spirit that dwelt in Jesus; the same power that rose Jesus from the dead and the same authority that was given to Jesus by His Father.  We can and must go forth unafraid and unhindered. Too many of us are held in bondage to lies of the evil one.  The world says don't speak against sin or you will be ridiculed, shamed and victimized.  The one who believes this lie is a warrior who is wounded and cannot keep fighting.   Our wounds can be easily healed if we would ask God to heal us. 

Many of us resort to self preservation and hide from the truth that could free us.  Satan attacks and that is his job.  he is supposed to attack and he does so with the goal of destroying us and taking us out of this world.   The attacks are not the problem;  The problem is the Believer cowaring in the face of evil.   Our shame is in not using our voices to silence darkness. It is time to turn it around instead of being silenced by the world's aggressive voices, we must raise our voices of righteousness and break out of our cocoon of fear.  Remember the devil has used this same strategy of silencing the Christian over the centuries, but we must look the lies in the face and determine in our hearts not to be intimidated by the decepton of fear.   

Feelings, thoughts and actions ignited in the power and peace of the Holy Spirit will give us wings of courage and purpose.   Expose the darkness or the darkness will expose you. God is not pleased with us when we run away from the fight.  He promises to be our strength and to be the One who fights for us.   He promises to give us grace in our moment of need as we move forward in His perfect will.   

God I pray, make us so uncomfortable in our status quo, that we willingly jump out of our stale position of lukewarmness. I pray revival to the Christian community. 

God bless

Marni

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The purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.