Pursuing God through Open Doors
Ephesians 5:15-17
6 Steps to Engaging the “God Moments”
(the Opportunities He Sends You)
He reveals his plan when we see and take advantage of opportunities.
Reed Hastings, with Netflix, offered to partner with Blockbuster and they laughed him out of the office. It was a missed opportunity.
God moments can be missed because we are not looking in the right place, the Scriptures.
Ephesians 5:15
Be very careful, then, how you live (walk)—not as unwise but as wise.
How to walk… first according to the law, then the according to the light of Christ. Walk in love, as in the beginning of this chapter. “Walk” indicates a pattern of life. Don’t be influenced by the dangers of evil. Did Paul have something unique in mind? Yes. See Ephesians 5:14, SLEEP, a spiritual slothfulness, or indifference to matters that are serious, to sin in our lives. They were no longer morally vigilant.
1. Avoid an attitude of indifference about spiritual matters. We can get indifferent to the work of salvation in our lives. Spiritual matters represent who we truly are. Elie Wiesel speech, the perils of indifference, which is a state were the lines blur between light and dark, right and wrong, good and evil. God desires us to will and do his good pleasure. Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Greek stoicism has been challenged by Christianity. There is no difference between theology and ethics.
2. Recognize your daily decisions as directly related to your relationship with Jesus. Live in wisdom. Sometimes we don’t feel God is using us. Ask, “How many decisions are you making that reflect God’s desire.” God will use you when you make wise choices. What is in it for God? Not what’s in it for me. What you wear matters. What you write on Facebook matters. How you treat others matters. Gordon MacDonald traveled regularly, intimidated but the schools of academia he passed each day. Overwhelmed, and minimized the efforts of his congregation and his life.
Ephesians 5:16
Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
“Redeem the time.” It’s like buying something, a transaction. The moment is in front of you, be wise with your time.
3. Value the present moment with an eternal perspective. Look at the example in Acts 3, Peter and John taking time for prayer, saw the lame man at the gate, who was carried there each day. Why did this man capture the attention of Peter and John? God empowered them to seek, address, and heal this man. What is God doing right in front of us? Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that eternity is in the hearts of men. We face moments every day. We must ask ourselves, “Did God send this moment right now, for me?” C.S. Lewis said, “Those who do the most in this present world think most about the next world.”
4. Look for any opportunity to love in deed and truth. There is urgency in this passage. We know this world will not improve. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; the opportunities are in front of us. This world is evil and needs the light of the gospel. In soccer, children hover over the ball like organized chaos. But the effective goalie has a super responsibility, that 18×18 meter box is my area, I protect it no matter what. What about in life, where is my circle of influence. Am I taking responsibility for those around me?
Ephesians 5:17
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
5. Value your time through God’s perspective. We often value time by our own schedule, and not on God’s timing.
6. Keep your spiritual fervor. Walking well will not happen by accident. It will not happen in the flesh. Give God every moment. How easily do we give up, like a New Years resolution, how about exercise or eating better? Fatigue comes due to lack of internal conditioning. We give up when it becomes hard. Fervor of the Spirit to obey him.
These are six ways to prepare you for God’s service. An opportunist takes immediate action. Let these principles guide you. Give God glory in this moment.