get into the word. Ephesians chapter 5. Our text today will be verses 15 through 17. I'll have you

turn there if you're not there already. And once you do, if you're able, I'll ask you to stand.

You can follow along as I read. If not, that's all right where you're seated.

Beginning in verse 15 where the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit is writing to the church in Ephesus

and says be very careful then how you live not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore,

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

Let's pray if you would join with me.

We'll ask God's blessing on our understanding.

Loving Heavenly Father, we need for you at this time, as only you can, to settle our hearts and enable us to focus our attention on you and your word and that which you have for us today.

Lord, we're keenly aware that the enemy would love nothing more than to have our minds wander and be distracted so that we miss that which you desire to minister to us.

Lord, I pray that you would speak very clearly in our time together in your word today. So Lord, will you?

Speak. Your servants are listening. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. You can be seated. Thank you.

I want to talk about how it is that we can live wisely, or as some of your translations render the text, circumspectly in a world that seemingly waxing more and more evil by the day.

This is the reason actually that I'm only taking three verses in Ephesians.

I hope you know that at the beginning of the week, I always start

preparing my heart for the teaching of God's word. And I always ask the Lord, inquire of the Lord,

you know, Lord, I don't want to get ahead of you. What is it that you have for us? What is it that

you would have me to do and speak and teach and preach?

And the sense was pretty clear that it was to just be these three verses.

And the reason is is that the Apostle Paul is addressing a matter of paramount importance and it's a word fitly

spoken as it were for the day and age in which we live. I suppose in some way you can see

this as invaluable instruction to navigating our lives in a wicked world.

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