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Avoiding a Senseless Life

Words of Faith Final

Avoiding a Senseless Life

Words of Faith 4-2-2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Ephesians 5

[17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

 

      Don't be foolish.  Does that mean I cannot act silly from time to time?  Or that I cannot make the mistakes so common among frail humans? I hope not.  Actually, the Greek word translated "foolish" here is aphron.  It can also be translated as "senseless."  Do not conduct your life in a senseless way, rather understand what the will of the Lord is.

      In other words… it is foolish and senseless not to listen to the Lord and understand His will. Failure to do what the Holy Spirit says is the height of folly. But how can we know His will?  So much of God's will and guidance, all that we need for the living of our lives, is immediately at hand and revealed in His Word.

      I like the way that John Philips put it:  "Surely it is the height of stupidity to have in one's hand the very Word of the living God-- inbreathed by the omniscient, all-wise Creator of the universe-- and neglect to read it, study it, memorize it, and obey it! The angels must look at our foolishness in astonishment.

      We spend years going to college to study medicine, physics, chemistry, business management, engineering, and history. We invest time and money to sit at the feet of those we consider to be learned. We buy their books, attend their lectures, apply our minds to master what they have to say. But we neglect our Bibles. What folly! What an exposure of our warped sense of values!"

      It is indeed, literally, a "stupid imprudence" or "senseless folly" for us to ignore the guidance of God. There is no wiser or more knowledgeable being in the universe than the Lord, the author of the Bible. And there is no more patient teacher than the Holy Spirit. 

      So how do we understand His will?  The word translated "understand" means to give the mind to something so as to get hold of it. It implies that an effort has to be made so as to "try to grasp."  We cannot understand if we do not seek to engage the Word and the truth of God.  Ultimately, a knowledge of His will is something that only comes by the renewing of the mind by the Word of God.

      Romans 12:1-2 makes it clear-- Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

        As we offer ourselves to the Lord and we are renewed by the Word of God, we then find ourselves transformed by the renewing of the mind and then… we are able to test and approve the will of God, His good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

       Father God, I don't want to be a fool.  I don't want to live my life in a manner that is senseless.  Help me to grasp the truth of Your Word.  Help me to understand Your will for my life from the simple issues of obedience to the larger matters of guidance and direction.  I want to walk in Your will.  In Jesus' Name.