How to Live a Life of Love

Ephesians 5:8-20

Pastor Miles

1. A life of love requires Living in the light.

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
"Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you." (Ephesians 5:8-14 ESV)

Start by seeking what pleases the Lord.
Living in the light makes things visible. Let the light exposé the good, bad and ugly in your life.
Our greatest problem is living in the dark. We don't have to be afraid of the light as believers. Let Christ shine His light on us. This keeps us in fellowship with God and other believers.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:5-9 ESV)

2. A life of love requires Wisdom.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV)

Be watchful how you live your life. Do not be distracted or side tracked. Be discerning about what the Lord's will is for you.

3. A life of love requires The Holy Spirit.
We need the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom on how to live. However, just because he is resident doesn't mean he is president in our lives.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:18-20 ESV)

Let the Spirit control our lives. We are filled with the Spirit when we surrender control of our lives to Jesus.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24 ESV)