Category: QuietTimes

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Ephesians 5:11 [ESV]

Tonight, I am sitting here in a barn at a test facility in the Puget Sound doing late night testing with a device that requires outdoors darkness to validate. It is a beautiful evening, but I miss my family when I am out late like this. We have 5 hours of testing once it gets dark, so the fact that it is the longest day of light of the year, makes it an extra-long night. I expect to roll into my driveway at about 3am tomorrow morning.

This is another one of those quiet times where I started out with 3 verses to cover but have so much I have taken away, that I have to drop it to one verse.

Paul’s play on light and darkness, make the ‘exposing’ of these unfruitful works (likely from verse 3 but Paul talks like the Ephesians know the works he is talking about) an interesting thought that requires more investigation. Exposure means that believers don’t participate in or condone these works. It is in the believers’ upright way of living, by showing a different path, that such exposure has to take place. This is why it is so important for believers to live in an upright manner in terms of how they talk about, interact with and treat others. If these deeds are present, they are to be dealt with and exposed. It is clear from all that Paul has said that these deeds are not to be the actions of believers, but the fact that he has to exhort them about such activities, shows that it might be something the church body is doing that they need to avoid.

Another point is important: this is not a command against having relationships with unbelievers, but only of participating in their deeds. The call of the Great Commission assumes relationships with those outside the faith.

Application:

For me, this is one of the strongest passages I have come across against the practice a lot of ‘off the rails’ churches are exhibiting like supporting debauchery and lifestyles directly counter to God’s Word. Proponents of these churches use the “every sin is equally bad to God so Pastors who tell a lie are just as sinful and unqualified as same sex married pastors…everyone is in process”. The difference here is lifestyle and consistent sinning in the face of an Almighty God. It is one thing in a moment of weakness to tell a lie, confess, and repent, than to live a life of consistent blatantly sinful actions with intention: lowering the worth and significance of the work of the cross.

Finally, this exposure goes straight to our own hearts. In biblical community, it is important to expose our sin and failures to each other in the safety God has designed for us in the body of Christ. Where we can find accountability and admonishment so we can stand at the judgement seat ready to see the face of our Savior in full gratitude and love for what He did for us on the cross; securing an eternity in Heaven with Him.

Today’s Psalm:

Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.

Psalms 40:4-5 [ESV]

For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life. And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him]. 
Ephesians 5:9-10 [ESV]

This will be a little shorter than most days as it is late and it has been a long day, but I cannot let this write-up slide as God is helping to reinforce my need for Him as I read His word and see the Fruit (or as the Amplified puts it -> the Effect) of what it means to have the Light (which is really the Holy Spirit Who lives inside of us).

So, what does this fruit or effect of our salvation and life turned to Christ look like?

• Kindly Goodness – Outward action
• Uprightness of Heart – Inward condition
• Trueness of Life – Visible evidence to a watching world

Look at those items above again (just to ponder and let them sink in). Outward action in service to others. Inward heart condition that is bent on the leading of the Lord. All pointing to a trueness of life that is not hypocritical and evident of the ‘New Man’ in us.

Finally, I like how the Amplified says “…and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord”…meaning that this is not a trait that you just have…you have to work at learning what is pleasing to the Almighty God. It takes deep study and an active intimate relationship with Him. I also like how the Amplified adds [in your experience]. What this means is that as I grow in my sanctification, there will be indicators in my experience through trials, suffering, joy, and hard decisions where I will see the smile of the Lord on the outcomes of my choices when I choose His way. The ‘His Ways’ will become easier to forecast and I will learn more and more what I do that pleases Him.

Application:

Not much to follow up here as the takeaways are all in the notes above. So, I am just going to leave it at that. 🙂

Today’s Psalm:

I WAITED patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings.

Psalms 40:1-2

Therefore, do not become partners with them [sons of disobedience]; for at one time, you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light... 
Ephesians 5:7-8 [ESV]

Paul reminds us again that our lives are not to look like those of the world, nor are we to share in the practices of the world [sons of disobedience]. This was a world that we had once belonged. A world that was our normal but fruitless place. There is a distinction about living like those in the world but it does not mean, be withdrawn from the world in terms of engaging with others as the Great Commision makes clear. What Paul is calling out is to leave behind their immoral actions, not partaking in the same things that take place in the world. There is a scholar named Thielman who says it this way:

‘Paul’s point here is that fully participating in the worldview and conduct of unbelievers in matters of sex and money is incompatible with membership in the people of God.’

Thielman

So, what is the reason for this separation? It is the core change of association believers now possess. Darkness was our way of life – a metaphor for the presence and power of sin and moral failure that does not illuminate life, but obscures ‘the way’. To be in and of the dark, is as good as being blind.

But! Things have changed! Contrary to darkness, Light pictures an illuminated way of life, where the path of how to live is clear. The metaphor of light is rooted in the Old Testament.

Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!

Psalms 43:3 [ESV]

The light of life is found in the Lord! If the Lord Himself is pure light, then we walk as children of the Father to Whom we belong. Once again, a deep sense of identity and self-understanding about who we are is to drive our decisions and responses. We have now had 4 ‘Walks’ -> 4:1 [Walk worth of the calling], 4:17 [Do not walk as the Gentiles], 5:2 [Walk in Love], and finally 5:8 [Walk as children of the light].

Application:

Darkness is the way in which the ‘Old Man’ walked. I am now a ‘Child of Light’ who walks in the way of His Father…just read that again… Am I walking as a Child of Light in all that I do? Is my focus on the path God is lighting before me, or am I enticed by what is seen on the broad way of destruction. I can tell you right now that the evil of this world is all around us; it is conniving, sneaky, creative, and cruel. It wants nothing more than to extinguish the light of my path. I have to be on guard every day and night…never allowing any temptation to be entertained in any way. The slope is slippery and we as believers cannot give an inch. Although our Gracious God stands with new grace every morning, we cannot have an attitude of pre-decision grabbing of grace before the fact; this is grievous to the Holy Spirit. Lord, hold me strong in my weakness!

Today’s Psalm:

“Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.

Psalms 39:12 [ESV]

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6 [ESV]

Yesterday was a lot of ‘heavy’ and today the hits keep coming. Paul now moves to warn us about being deceived that the lifestyle described yesterday gets a free pass. Those who live this way are these ‘Sons of Disobedience’ and are destined for God’s wrath. However, that is not who the Ephesians are. Verse 7 is going to clue us in on this. The fact of the matter is, those whose identity is in Christ will see and respond as children of light.

Here Paul uses the statement that urges them not to be deceived with words that are empty, meaning ‘not true’. It appears that some people were suggesting that ‘it makes no difference how you live’. Paul makes it super clear here (and in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20) that these activities do not please God, so they should not exist among us or be advocated as in any way insignificant. If God judges these things, then His children have no business doing them.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8 [ESV]

This verse in Colossians says this in a way that looks at why such an approach to life is destructive. The present tense meaning of wrath ‘coming’ shows a relationship between the activity and the displeasure of God, something like a debt being stored up that one day God will assess because accountability is just around the corner.

Application:

As we let our vision wonder away from things of God, the other voices of the world and even false teachers in runaway churches, can grab the ear of the fleshly carcass our redeemed spirit lives in. I have to continually align myself with God’s truth through His word and my relationship with Him, to combat ’empty word deceivers’. We are all susceptible…we are kidding ourselves and opening ourselves to testing if we deny it. If I call myself a child of God, I must pursue living that way every day of my life. I cannot afford to let my guard down.

Today’s Psalm:

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

Psalms 39:7-8

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 
Ephesians 5:5 ESV]

This started out with me attempting to cover verses 5, 6, and 7 in my quiet time today but I could only get through the first verse (5).

When Paul begins the next two verses, he primes our ears for a truth that will resonate beyond the present moment. The weighty statements that follow serve as a wake-up call for those who choose to live contrary to God’s design. But it’s not just a warning; it’s an invitation to examine our own lives.

1. The Sexually Immoral: In this verse, Paul uses the term ‘pornos’ to describe the sexually immoral. It’s related to the sexual immorality mentioned in verse 3. According to texts from the book of Revelation, such individuals face the second death and find themselves outside the city of the redeemed. It’s a stark consequence.

2. The Impure: The impure person, known as ‘akathartos,’ is someone whose actions offend God. Contextually, they’re unclean and immoral. Think of unclean spirits or demons—the same term applies (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:36). Their alignment isn’t with God; they’re out of sync.

3. The Covetous or Greedy: Paul’s third call-out is directed at the covetous or greedy (pleonektēs). These folks are like mirrors reflecting verse 3. Their self-focus makes the world revolve around their desires. It’s idolatry in action—honoring the created over the Creator (Rom. 1:21–25). Picture the rich fool from Jesus’ parable in Luke 12:15–21.

Paul’s point is clear: these traits don’t align with the identity and position of believers. In Ephesians 5:6–7, he urges them not to participate in the disobedient ways of the world. We’re meant to stand out—not as mere name-bearers of Christ, but as living vessels of the Spirit. Jesus warned against being the odd person who utters His name but doesn’t truly know Him (Matt. 7:21–23; 25:31–46; Gal. 5:19–21). This verse isn’t about minor slip-ups; it’s about lifestyles oriented away from God. Paul reminds us that the kingdom of God and His Messiah call for a different way of life.

Application:

These verses call us to self-examine…hopefully harshly as there should be no doubt on ‘whose’ we are. I read this and the first thing my mind went to is how much I HATE sin. When I sin – even something in the world’s eyes as meaningless or miniscule, I cringe and feel immediate guilt for my sin that results in proactive changes to limit that sin from happening again. I have dear friends in my life who downplay their sin (even sexually immoral sin). In my humble opinion, this is a person who needs to understand their true standing before the King of kings and Lord of lords. Just as Paul has written here in Ephesians, a person who downplays their sin and does not do everything in their power to eliminate from their lives, is at risk of a disingenuous salvation. What I have found to be true in my own life is that the closer I get to the Lord in my sanctification, the more guilty I feel of sin that to others seems inconsequential…the real deal is that all sin separates us from a Pure, Just, and Holy God. It is our salvation through Jesus that catapults us into a new found love for righteousness and uprightness.

Today’s Psalm:

“O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

Psalms 39:4-5 [ESV]

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:3-4 [ESV]

To those of you who get my ‘Post Email Notifications’, I posted my last two Quiet Times without ‘sending the email’. I didn’t want you to wake up to 3 back-to-back emails. That being said, if you are interested in reading them, they are on the website.

The ‘put off’ and ‘put on’ alternating messages have been pretty prevalent in this letter. Paul now turns to things we should not do. There is a range of vices here, from sexual issues, to morality in general, to greed. The selfishness and self-indulgence of these activities and their destructiveness make them inappropriate for us as saints, those who have been set apart and sanctified to God. These vices are so serious that they should not even be mentioned among them…this is a big deal. Such activity undercuts the credibility of the church. We have in this verse and the next, core vices that have no place among God’s people. This is befitting to the earlier call not to walk as the Gentiles do.

It is not only what we do that hurts us and others, but also what we say. So, certain kinds of language are also not to be named or used among believers. The verb ‘to not let these things be named among them’ is shared with those things spoken against in verse 3. Certain things we do and certain kinds of speech are not to be a part of our Christian Walk. The term for vulgarity (aischrotēs) appears only here in the New Testament. It can describe something that is shameful or foul language since it refers to ‘that which shames’. It is probably a broad term here that covers more than speech, since a specific term for vulgar speech existed and we see it in Colossians 3:8. Foolish talk (mōrologia) describes speech which is worthless, or which makes no sense. It is ‘the language of fools’. The third kind of speech to be avoided also uses a word that appears only here in the New Testament, eutrapelia. It means coarse jesting, humor that is in bad taste, smutty talk. This kind of speech is not fitting for believers and is not to be named among them as it degrades others. Rather, they are to be characterized by thanksgiving, reflecting an appreciation for what God has done for them by grace.

Application:

I was convicted today by this passage. Most specifically the crude humor/joking. I think I ride the razors edge of death on this sometimes. Not totally brazen but too close to the line for me to be convicted about it tonight. I have removed the other 2 from my speech but my joking needs to be cleaned up. Lord God in Heaven, help me see the crudeness of joke I am about to tell and allow Your Holy Spirit to touch my heart so I can decide differently moving forward. Our minds are sick (Jeremias 17:9), and we can’t always keep something from popping in…but we can keep it from popping out.

Today’s Psalm:

​ I said, “I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

Psalms 39:1 [ESV]

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:2 [ESV]

Tonight, I arrived at our cabin on Herron Island. Bella and I drive down this afternoon as Marianne, Sophie, Prim, and Brooklyn came down yesterday. We have some work ahead of us downstairs as we work to remodel the basement to be Marianne and I’s new bedroom with on suite. Marianne and I took a walk tonight and there was the most beautiful sunset. This is such a little place of refuge!

Yesterday was about imitating God and I talked how tall of an order that is but Paul helps us see how we do this here in the following verse. We are to walk forward in love, reminding ourselves of where we have come from.

…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 [ESV]

To love is to give. So, living a life that looks to what others need and works to meet them is the call for the believer’s walk. God accepted what Jesus accomplished in his death for us. We are the beneficiaries of that work when we grasp what that death means for our forgiveness. It gives us our identity in Christ that is secured by the surety of Jesus’ death.

This pursuit to serve others ‘in love’ is what Paul tells us is a sweet fragrance to the Lord. Paul says that Jesus’ meeting of our need of Salvation is sweet fragrance in the throne room and so when we serve others sacrificially, that is also a fragrance.

Application:

Notice I said “in love” above when referring to serving others. Doing this service in love is paramount. 1 Corinthians is very clear about this. So, in order for that service to others to be a fragrance in the throne room, it must be born of a true love for those I am serving.

…if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:2-3 [ESV]

​Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.  
Ephesians 5:1 [ESV]

I feel like my write up on this passage is going to sound like a broken record. I think I have had no less than 4 previous quiet times just in the past year that talks about what I am about to say. However, God speaks to me this way a lot…through repetition.

In order to imitate God, we have to know Him. How do we know Him? We deepen our relationship with Him in prayer and through His Holy Spirit. We also dive into His Word and stay there, day after day. I like how Paul references children. One thing you can depend on when it comes to little ones, is that they are like little ‘repeaters’ of their parents. I think this is what Paul is referring to here. Like little kiddos of our dad, the Father God, we should look after Him and His character and be like Him in every way that we can. Like Father, like son or daughter.

This follows Paul’s own example to imitate God and he asks us to look at what he does in following Christ, and replicate it.

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1 [ESV]

What I love about God’s Word is that it is supportive front to back. In Leviticus 19:2, it says, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, you shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”. So, we have support for this idea of imitating God all through the Bible. I could reference about 4 other places where imitating God is call out.

Our adoption as God’s kids happens as we embrace his work and receive the Spirit.

Application:

As it seems that the Lord continues to bring this before me in my quiet times, I must heed and think through whether I am truly applying this to my life. If I am being honest, imitating God seems like such a huge challenge…I mean He is God, the perfectly just God who created everything we know and see. What I like about these translations is that the word “imitate” is appropriate. No imitation is perfectly the copy of the source. In fact, it takes practice to get better and better at mimicking what I see in God’s Word as representation of His character and actions.

Today’s Psalm:

There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

Psalms 38:3-4 [ESV]

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 [ESV]

Here we are at the final verse of chapter 4. What an awesome conclusion it is. So simple and straightforward after having ‘put away’ all of the other things yesterday.

Be Kind: Just do it. Kindness is not just a fruit of the spirit, it is a command here in Ephesians in the context of church unity.

Be Tenderhearted: We are to be compassionate and empathetic to one another in terms of struggle, patience, perseverance, and trials. We walk alongside one another in life and our Life Groups at Canyon Hills is where we see this put into action the most.

…and now the big one -> Be Forgiving: Paul adds in the reinforcement of “as God in Christ forgave you”. Here again we have the aspect of being in Christ and it is because of what He has done that we have forgiveness of our sins. The cross is the great equalizer; we have no excuse and no status in where we are because we are all deserving of the wrath from God for our sin. But God, in His great mercy rescued us from eternal punishment. We should be *very* quick to forgive others.

Application:

All of these things are indicative of a life surrendered to Jesus. When I am in this place where Jesus envelops all that I am, I will tend to be more and more like Him. Kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. What is embarrassing is that I am sitting here thinking about how I aspire to be a light and witness at work, and I have more wins than I have losses….but thinking about home, I am at best 50/50 and at worst more losses than wins. That is pitiful. My application today is to immediately put verse 32 into practice every moment of the day, most importantly when I am at home…quick to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving.

Today’s Psalm:

The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

Psalms 37:39-40

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Ephesians 4:31 [ESV]

This chapter has taken me so much time…and I love it! I can’t get through more than one verse a day! So much here!

All of the exhortations about what to ‘put away from us’ are all the things that create factions, divisions, and dissention, which all eat away at our pursuit of unity in the church. There are 3 different words used for ‘anger’ between verse 26 and 31.

• orgizō ; to make angry
• parorgismos ; irritation or provocation of
• orgē ; impulse, wrath

It dawned on me that the bible as translated into English, needs to be studied. It took me doing the word study to see these different Greek words for ‘anger’ help me understand the difference in the ‘sometimes righteous’ anger, and anger that must be ‘put away’. Refer back to my post on that topic. The word for ‘anger’ in this verse (31) is orgē which means the impulsive outburst or uncontrolled anger. These distinctions are so important.

Malice refers to ‘all wickedness’. ‘Put away’ is a personal action that Paul is calling us to; a direct command to set these things in a permanent (other) place, not to return.

Application:

I think there is so much here that is tied to ‘speaking the gospel to myself’, ‘crucifying my sin’, and ‘walking in a manner…’ that we are called to daily. I must have an active putting away of all wickedness and be sure that my heart is full of the love of Christ so it is not prone to bitterness, wrath, anger, slander, and clamor. The Psalm for today below is supportive of the point of putting to death these wicked and ungodly things. Let them be no more.

Today’s Psalm:

I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.

Psalms 37:35-36