What Pleases The Lord

Ephesians 5:8-10

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.”

This is a very revealing verse. Not only did we once live and walk in darkness, we actually were darkness! At that time, we were “of our father, the devil.” (John 8:44)! Our fruit was sinful deeds of the flesh.

However, now we are “children of light”; that is, we are born again of the “Father of Heavenly Lights” (James 1:17), and, in the Spirit, we are brothers and sisters of Jesus, the “Light of the World” (John 8:12)!

Light and water are essential to fruit-bearing. Paul tells us that the fruit of the light is “all goodness, righteousness and truth”. Our Living Water, the Spirit of Christ, brings forth this kind of fruit in the lives of those who walk and live as children of light.

We have previously learned about the fruit of the Spirit (see April 30 and June 2) – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control – and it is this fruit the world needs to see in our lives. This pleases the Lord!

For many years I lived to please others, didn’t you? But now, as we find out more about the fruit of the light, and the fruit of the Spirit, let us become more intentional about pleasing the Lord.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Thank the Father for changing you from darkness to light. Tell Him you want to live today in such a way that will please Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live as a child of the light today.

Dive Deeper: Study Ephesians 5; John 8:12, 44; James 1:17.