Topic: Acceptable Fellowship — Wednesday August 30, 2017.
Text: Ephesians 5:10-20
Key Verse: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” (Ephesians 5:11,12).
A Christian youth worker, warned of the danger of fraternizing with his former club members, told his counsellor that there was nothing to worry about as he was spiritually strong enough to resist their attempts to lure him back. One evening, a former friend in the club rushed to his house and gave him a bag to keep for him and that he would return later to take it.
Soon after, the police, acting on a tip off, came in hot pursuit of the man and not finding him arrested the Christian worker and when the bag was searched a short gun was found neatly wrapped and concealed in the bag’s interior. Promptly, the Christian worker was arrested and taken away. Paul here, admonishes against slipping back to the world to have fellowship with old acquaintances who were yet to taste of the salvation of the Lord. Their acts were still evil. There was so much immorality and yet the teachers around never bothered to call a spade a spade but painted fornication and adultery in colours of moral goodness. The believers today should be wary of old relationships especially with those who still relish their habits of sin.
False teachers might teach error but “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience”. We, as children of God, are standing by grace, but this grace should not be taken for granted. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and is plenteous in mercy (Psalm 103:8). Yet, He is a consuming fire. Let us, therefore, at all times, abstain from all appearance of evil.
Thought for the day: There is no friendship between light and darkness.
Bible Reading in one Year: Nehemiah 8-10
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.