Focus
Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.
Read
Ephesians 5:1-9 (NRSV)
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
Reflect
Today’s technology seems to be obsolete almost as soon as it’s made available to the public. The iPhone 7 was barely out before word started circulating of the new iPhone 8. We are always waiting around for the next big thing. What gadget is going to make our lives easier or what phone app is going to save us scads of time? While some of the new things are indeed so revolutionary our lives are forever changed, most of the time we have been lured by the false promises of these new devices.
In the same way, sometimes people are lured by the words of false teachers and prophets. How many times have groups told us the world is going to end on a certain date, or that to get what we want we simply have to want it badly enough, or that salvation alone does not assure a person will go to Heaven? Martin Luther addressed false teachings when he nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg. Priests were selling indulgences, assuring people a place in heaven for payment. Luther asserted that only God could grant forgiveness. He also said that followers of Christ should remember to follow only God and not believe in false assurances.
Luther was right, of course! Following the Word of God is the only way to assure ourselves that we are not being lured by the promises of false teachers. The Bible is our source of the true teachings of God and we should remember that God’s Word is good and right and true.
Pray
Creator God, help us to remember to keep your word in our hearts and minds, rejecting the false teachings of those who do not know you like we do. We love you, God, and want to do right for you. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen
Go with God.
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