Bourland Family Blog

...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:19 [ESV]

I am posting my back posts for the week that I was in Mexico. With all of the activities and helping to manage all the gears and mechanicals of the week, I did not have time to post my quiet time thought but want to get them in.

What is awesome is that Ephesians has been so awesome for this trip. Today is no exception. For the next 3 days I am focusing on the 3 commands that create situations that can spur a spiritual response. Said another way, it is these kinds of situations that can encourage the heart to draw near to God. Those three commands are:

1. Addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
2. Gratitude in all situations and for everything
3. Submitting to one another

These are not the means by which we are filled with the Spirit. That is too mechanical a way to read into the passage; rather, Paul’s words are more likely about the kind of environment where access to the Spirit is encouraged. Paul is not giving us a formula that says that if you do these things in this way, spirituality will follow automatically. Spirituality requires an open heart and is not entirely dictated by outside circumstances. The list in this passage is repeated in Colossians [below].

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16 [ESV]

Today’s Psalm:

But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer.
do not delay, O my God!

Psalms 40:16-17 [ESV]

Therefore, do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.
Ephesians 5:17-18 [AMP]

First day in Mexico! Today was a travel day that started at 3:45am at Canyon Hills and ended at 4:00pm in Ensenada, MX. We are here at Yugo and met the family that we are building the house for tonight. I will attach the videos of our activities as we progress through the week.

For today’s quiet time I am going to stick with the Amplified’s interpretation of these 2 verses as it best captures what appears to be Paul’s intent and exhortation. The ESV simply says, “Don’t be foolish” but the additions of vague and thoughtless capture lack of deliberateness in striving for God’s will in our lives. I think it also calls out distractedness as foolishness as well (thoughtless). Instead, Paul instructs s to ‘understand and firmly grasp’ what the will of the Lord is.

When we seek to understand the will of God in our lives, we “Enable” the Holy Spirit. This leads us to verse 18. The term used for debauchery, asōtia, refers to “something that leads to recklessness or wild living that brings nothing of value”. This is when we give ourselves permission to allow substances to change the way we behave and open the door to our sinful heart (which can lead to debauchery). The term “ever be filled” tells us that this is something that is done to us when we allow God to do it. This then ‘enables’ the Holy Spirit to become active in our heart and decisions.

Application:

The question that immediately came to mind when I read this is, “What things are keeping me from fully grasping God’s will and being stimulated by His Holy Spirit. Is it my desire for ‘things’? Is it a fear of man. Is it self-sufficiency? It is probably a little of all of these vices/idols. I am convicted in the possibility that I am missing out on things God has for me; ways He wants to use me. I must raise the importances of bringing these things before the Lord, asking Him to not only forgive me as I confess, but a commitment to turning from these things once and for all.

Today’s Psalm:

As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!

Psalms 40:11 [ESV]

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16 [ESV]

Last day before we leave! Tomorrow morning will be an early one and what I would affectionately call controlled chaos. Organizing and herding 45 Middle School Students for a trip to another county without their parents is quite the feat. Matt and Charity are amazing at what they do and it is always such a great time of growth for everyone involved.

The idea of taking care (or look carefully) suggests something that does not come naturally or instinctively, but a way of life that requires some concentration and deliberateness. The Christian life is a thoughtful, reflective life that takes the road less travelled. As in several other sections in this letter, the call is to walk, that is, to live, moment to moment in a certain way.

Part of the discernment of wisdom is the ability to see the opportunity and work through it, even though the situation or circumstances may be challenging. Living life in a setting filled with bad choices is not easy, especially when there are efforts all around to draw one into those bad choices. So, the call is to live wisely. What is required is a sensitive perception that has insight into God’s will in the face of circumstances that often are not the best. The assumption of this passage is that we cannot isolate ourselves from the world in a way that inoculates us from such choices. The text assumes engagement, but it is interaction made with careful choices.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Colossians 4:5 [ESV]

The verb that is translated to ‘making the best use of time’ is notably exagorazō which normally means ‘Redeeming’. It’s an economic term associated with purchasing. The idea of wisely redeeming the time looks at using the opportunities we have well, because the threat to do otherwise is significant. Taking advantage of time is the point.

So what does a wise walk look like? Besides being discerning, as Paul has already indicated in verse 10, the wise walk cashes in on opportunity by making the right decisions across time. It ‘snaps up every opportunity’. It steers clear of evil days, not by escaping, as that is not possible, but by living distinctively, showing the way of light. Fear is not necessary because believers have been given what they need and a model for how to live in such a dangerous context. Two examples come to mind: how Joseph handled his brothers’ betrayal in Genesis 37–50 and how Paul viewed and approached his imprisonment (Phil. 1:12–14). The call is to serve the world through good choices). As we will see, the Spirit has been provided to give us the enablement to do this.

Application:

The most impactful thing in this passage to me is the aspect of Redeeming every moment I am presented with choices and seeking God in His wisdom to navigate it and make the right decision. These are not just areas of potential sin or even work related. There is a constant and consistent wisdom here that is suggested. This almost eliminates a freewheeling life UNTIL something crazy happens and we are faced with a life decision…not at all. The is a way of live that is aligned with the new creation God has given us in our Salvation.

Today’s Psalm:

I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

Psalms 40:10

For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.  But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.
Ephesians 5:12-14a [ESV]

Only 30 more hours or so before we head off to Mexico on our Middle School Missions trip. 85 of us are going! Sophie and I are super excited, but we are also a bit nervous about missing Marianne, Bella, Prim, and Brooklyn. We are all so close and love the time we have together. Even though all of us love and support going on the Mission Field, it is still hard to be away.

The Greek word aischros (shameful) describes behavior and actions that, when weighed morally, are unacceptable to speak about and which bring dishonor on those tied to them. That judgment may not be something that exists among those who practice these things, but it is how God sees it, and that is what matters for us as believers.

Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,
whose deeds are in the dark,
and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”

Isaiah 29:15 [ESV]

In Romans 13:13, Paul says, “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.” The things Paul calls out in Romans, I believe are the things that he is talking about here about ‘living in the light’. This activity is so shameful that it should be avoided and should not be attached to any follower of Jesus. As yesterday’s verse noted, these actions are not to be ignored but exposed, because they are damaging to people. It is the light that does the exposing. Paul states this Light as a principle of the activity of the Holy Spirit. Light reveals evil so it works to bring good. It also shows things for what they are, without any obscurity. With the exposure also comes the opportunity for a change in direction.

Application:

I have to ask myself – What in my life right now could be something considered ‘done in secret’? I am confident in saying that orgies, drunkenness (have not participated in alcoholic drinking in almost 10 years), sexual immorality, sensuality, or…wait a minute…I have quarreled and even coveted in secret. Paul calls these out as part of the list. The Greek word for ‘quarrelling’ is eris which can also mean strife. The word for jealousy is zēlos which can also mean fury or zeal. I will say that I have, in the quiet of my own mind harbored strife of over issues with another person or even jealousy over something someone else had that I did not. It is super convicting that these 2 things are counted alongside sexual immorality and drunkenness. Light being in all areas of the our personal house, is paramount to the godly life Paul is calling the Ephesians to in this short passage.

Today’s Psalm:

I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

Psalms 40:7-8 [ESV]

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]