Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
September 3, 2023
Ephesians 5:8-20
8 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. 9 Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. 10 Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, 11 and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. 12 It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. 14 Everything that is revealed by the light is light. Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper! Get up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 15 So be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly. 16 Take advantage of every opportunity because these are evil times. 17 Because of this, don’t be ignorant, but understand the Lord’s will. 18 Don’t get drunk on wine, which produces depravity. Instead, be filled with the Spirit in the following ways: 19 speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts; 20 always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Good Morning. Always give thanks for everything in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Have you ever stumbled around in the darkness because you didn’t want to turn on the light? Perhaps you don’t want to awaken someone else or you’re not quite ready for a new day to begin.
Along our Christian journey, we are sometimes tempted to stay out of the light because we want to experience what goes on in the shadows. It must be fun, or why do others stay there? Maybe you think I’ll just step in and come right back out. I have to know what is happening in there. Once you step in, though, you are bombarded with distractions and tempted by all that is being offered. Before you realize it, you have been in the shadows for a long time.
God will always send light to those who are seeking it so that we may find our way back home. Wake up, Sleeper! God is waiting for you to come. It is time to be the light of Christ for the world.
Loving God, We love you! Evil is working so hard to pull us from You. Help us never lose sight of the light so that when we get lost, we may find our way back home. Thank you! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: How is God calling me to use my time?
Allow the light of Christ to shine through you! Pastor Liz
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