Before these few verses Paul tells us to be imitators of God, and to walk in Love just as Jesus Christ did through His fragrant offering to the Lord upon the Cross.  Paul also says to put off the old self, all impurity, immorality, and coarse jesting (joking talk); in fact, these types of things should not even be mentioned among us.  Furthermore, Paul says we should expose the evil by shinning the light of Christ.  

Then we get to verses 15-17.  As a result of what Paul said, you must be careful how you walk.  What does it mean to walk as unwise men?  Unwise men do not walk in the light, they seek to live in the dark, engaging in various impurities or immoralities.  This can be gossip, slander, demeaning attitudes toward another and far worse.

Wise men seek out the light and willfully walk in it so that they can expose the evil deeds of others to the light of Jesus Christ.  Wise men do not engage in gossip, slander, coarse joking, immorality, impurity, or complaining.  But notice what Paul then says in verse 16-17.  We are to make the most of our time because the days are evil, and we are not to be foolish but understand what the will of God is.

How can we make the most of our time, not be foolish and understand the will of God?  1) We have to treat everyday as the only day.  We have to seek out ways to share Christ with a lost and dying world.  2) We have understand that scripture says "the fool has said there is no God" and so we need to embrace God in every way possible.  We need to pray, we need to study His word because this is the only way we an understand what the will of God is.  

Dear Christian seek to walk in the light of Christ, make the most of your time by sharing Jesus everywhere you go, and understand God's will by praying to Him and studying His word.

Not only do I show up to work, I show up early. In fact for the first hour or so I am the only person there. Do you know anyone like that? Seize the day, early bird gets the worm etc.. You see men when we show up to work, we don’t just show up and hum through our day. We show up with an intentionality that is innate within us and motivates us to close deals, make new partnerships, drive sales, fix problems and conquer the tasks and challenges we face daily. It is this mindset that comes from the very foundations of who we are. We use our mental fortitude, agility and skills of negotiation to put down any problems that may arise. We expend ourselves mentally and this is good. After all work was part of the original creation prior to the fall and therefore is good.


But what does it look like when you get home to your family? You may say, “I don’t have a family.” Sure that is alright but I still say, what does it look like when you get home? Many times when we come home from work we may assume we should not have to be bothered because we have put in our days duties. We drop the intentionality, mental fortitude, agility and skills of negotiation at the doorstep leaving work. We come home to a family happy to see us. We see a wife struggling to find purpose and encouragement in her daily plight. Children happy to see dad but also struggling with their own version of negotiation skills in various problems they face as siblings. What do we do? Many times we hit the couch or the La-Z-Boy and burn out in front of the T.V. to the destruction of our families.

​The point is simply this, is your intentionality rooted in your faith in Christ or your job? If it is rooted in your job, you will never come home with the intentionality that you take to work. Because it is not rooted in Jesus Christ, your family will continue to coast through life with no real leadership and direction. Playing with your kids and telling your wife how much you love her and them is merely surface level. Jesus is the head of the man and the man the head of the family.

If you are not aligned under Christ you may have success in your job but it will be to the forfeiture of your family. You say, “well I maintain order in my home and lead.” A family does not thrive under the rule of a dictator barking orders as his foot crosses the threshold of the door. Therefore, ask yourself, does your family rejoice when they hear your car pull up or do they cringe?


What does this look like you may ask? First and foremost, you cannot just show up physically and pat yourself on the back. Your family needs to know that you are there physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. They need to see your intentionality and desire to serve them. This needs to be rooted in Christ through faith or will quickly turn into an idol where you get the glory and when things go wrong, they get the resentment.

If you have read the book of Joshua, you have most likely read about Rahab the prostitute.  In Joshua chapter 2 we read that Joshua sent two spies to spy out the land in Jericho.  They come into the home of Rahab.  Scholars believe that Rahab was the proprietor of an Inn or probably a brothel (could have been one in the same).  We read that when the king’s men came to Rahab seeking the spies, she lied to them and sent them out of the city to pursue them.  There are 3 things we should take notice of here in this passage as it relates to faith. 
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1. Hear what the Lord has done!
2. Believe it!
3. Repent before it is too late!

Regarding the spies we read that “before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof.”  Take note of what Rahab says, “I know that the Lord has given you the land.”  This is interesting because the people of Jericho were pagans and did not believe in the God of the Hebrews.  Pagans believed in many gods, but not the one true God.  Romans 10:17 says “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  Paul tells us that hearing the word of God produces faith as the Holy spirit works supernaturally within us. 


Look again at Rahab’s response beginning in verse 9.  She begins by saying, “I know.”  What does she know and how does she know it?  She says that she knows the Lord has given the Israelites the land.  She tells us how she knows in verse 10.  The entire land has heard what the Lord God did for the Israelites when He delivered them out of bondage from Egypt (paraphrased).  She mentions the Lord drying up the Red Sea as the Israelites were vacating Egypt.  She mentions two kings Israel devoted to destruction, Sihon & Og.  This is fascinating to hear her speak of these incredible acts of God. 


It is worth nothing that the Israelites were in Egypt 400+ years and then wandered the wilderness for another 40+ years due to their lack of faith.  Here you have a pagan prostitute telling Israel that the whole land has heard about these great acts of God that have occurred over four decades ago. 


Hebrews 3:8-9 says 8 “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, and saw My works for forty years,”  God says, if you hear Him do not harden your heart as did the nation of Israel and as a result wandered the wilderness 40 years.  Rahab heard what the Lord had done, and her heart was softened. 


She not only heard what the Lord had done but she believed it.  “I know” said Rahab in verse 9, and verse 11 “for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”  Rahab heard it, believed it, and repented of her ways.  She was saved by grace through faith and not of her works but her faith was indeed justified by her works. 


Rahab had faith that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews would deal faithfully with her if she surrendered to Him in faith.  This is exactly what she did and what we all should do.  Do you hear the Lord speaking to you through His word the Bible?  Do you read His Holy scriptures with anticipation looking at all He has done, is doing and promises to do?  Do you believe it?  If you believe it, do you repent of your ways and put your faith wholly in Jesus?  We hope so.  Below you will find the start of a prayer, finish it as He leads you.
God, you are God of Heaven and of Earth, I have heard of your mighty works…