Walking circumspectly without dissipation (Ephesians 5:15-20)

So be careful how you live (walk circumspectly kjv). Don’t live like fools (in dissipation), but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 5:15-20

In the Bible, "walking circumspectly," primarily from Ephesians 5:15, means to live with extreme care, watchfulness, and wisdom, like someone looking closely around them to avoid stumbling in darkness or folly, making the most of every opportunity in evil days, and understanding God's will, not as fools but as the wise. It involves deliberate, accurate steps, being alert to dangers, and diligently guarding against sin, often empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

Key Meanings and Implications

• Careful & Precise Living: Not rushing or being clumsy, but taking deliberate, thought-out steps in life and behavior. 
• Awareness & Watchfulness: Being alert to your surroundings, guarding against surprise, and being watchful in every direction. 
• Wisdom vs. Folly: Acting wisely by understanding and following God's will, in contrast to foolishness (dissipation). 
• Redeeming the Time: Making the most of every moment because the days are evil, buying back wasted time for good. 
• Spiritual Discernment: Living in the light, understanding God's plan, and being guided by the Holy Spirit to do good works. 

The passage moves from posture (how you walk) → urgency (why you walk carefully) → content (what you walk toward) → power (by what you walk). It is Paul's integrated vision of sanctification: attentive, urgent, discerning, and Spirit-empowered. The children of light do not drift — they choose, reclaim, understand, and yield.

The word circumspect also appears in Exodus 23:13 which commands Israelites to be diligent (circumspect) in following all of God's instructions, specifically forbidding them from invoking, mentioning, or letting the names of other gods be heard from their lips, emphasizing exclusive worship of Yahweh. 

Key Aspects of Exodus 23:13:

• Context: It concludes a section of laws, including the Sabbath rest, separating Israelites from pagan practices.
• The Command: To not just avoid worshipping other gods, but to avoid even speaking their names (e.g., Baal).
• Significance: This command prohibited elevating or validating foreign deities by mentioning them in a respectful or formal manner, reinforcing the first commandment.

In the Bible, dissipation refers to a reckless, wasteful, and dissolute lifestyle marked by self-indulgence, excess, and a lack of self-control, often leading to spiritual and moral ruin. Derived from the Greek asotia (meaning "unsaved" or "wasteful"), it represents the scattering of life, resources, and focus away from God and toward harmful worldly pleasures:

• Prodigal Living: The "wild living" or "dissipation" of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:13 demonstrates the wasteful squandering of resources on selfish, temporary pleasures.
• Lack of Self-Control: It is linked with drunkenness, revelry, and immorality, often described as a "flood of dissipation" in 1 Peter 4:4 and 2 Peter 2:13
• Spiritual Obstacle: Jesus warns in Luke 21:34 that dissipation (along with drunkenness and anxieties) can weigh down hearts, distracting believers from spiritual readiness and God's kingdom.
• Contrast to Virtue: It opposes biblical virtues like temperance, sobriety, and diligence, as noted in Proverbs 21:17 and Ephesians 5:18
• Opposite of Spiritual Filling: Ephesians 5:18 contrasts being "drunk with wine" (a form of dissipation) with being filled with the Spirit. 

Ultimately, dissipation represents a life focused on worldly lusts rather than godly pursuits, often associated with a rejection of divine discipline.

Ephesians 5:15-18 Themes

1. The Contrast of Two Ways Paul structures the passage as a series of sharp antitheses — wise/foolish, circumspect/reckless, Spirit-filled/drunk. The believer's life is defined by choosing, not drifting.
2. Urgency Rooted in Cosmic Context "The days are evil" is not pessimism — it is situational awareness. Wise living is always eschatologically aware. Time is not neutral; it is contested.
3. Wisdom as Active Discernment Understanding God's will is not passive reception but active pursuit. Wisdom involves the mind, will, and renewed spiritual perception.
4. Spirit-Filling as the Alternative Governing Power The wine/Spirit contrast is not merely about sobriety — it is about what controls a person. The Spirit-filled life produces community, worship, and gratitude (vv.19-20), which drunkenness destroys.

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I. Walk Wisely — The Posture of the Disciple (v.15)

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise"

• "See then" (βλέπετε) — a call to conscious, attentive living; not sleepwalking through life
• "Walk circumspectly" (ἀκριβῶς) — precisely, carefully, with exact attention
• exactly, accurately, carefully, or diligently. It stems from a root meaning to ascertain, inquire diligently, or to know to the last point. 
• The fool assumes life is safe; the wise person knows it is not
• The walk is public witness — outsiders observe how believers navigate the world

Additional References:

• Proverbs 4:26 — "Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways"
• Psalm 119:9 — "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word"
• Galatians 5:16 — "Walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh"
• Luke 16:8 — Jesus notes that worldly people are sometimes shrewder than the children of light in their generation

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II. Redeem the Time — The Urgency of the Disciple (v.16)

"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil"

• "Redeeming" (ἐξαγοραζόμενοι) — buying back, reclaiming what is lost; a marketplace metaphor
• Time (καιρός) — not chronological time but appointed opportunity, the decisive moment, a "season" or "appointed time"
• "The days are evil" — not escapism but realism; the age is under hostile spiritual influence (cf. 2:2; 6:12)
• Every believer lives in a window of opportunity that will close
• The Christian Code of Conduct for the Church Militant (Ben Lorence)
  

Additional References:

• Colossians 4:5 — "Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time"
• John 9:4 — "We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work"
• 1 Peter 4:2-3 — contrast of former life vs. life lived for the will of God
• 2 Timothy 4:2 — "Be ready in season and out of season"
• Psalm 90:12 — "Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom"
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 — "The time is short... the form of this world is passing away"

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III. Understand God's Will — The Mind of the Disciple (v.17)

"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is"

• "Do not be foolish" (ἄφρονες) — without reason, mindless; to drift is to be foolish
• "Understand" (συνίετε) — to bring together, to comprehend by synthesis; moral and spiritual intelligence
• Understanding God's will requires: Scripture (Col. 3:16), prayer (Col. 1:9), community (Heb. 10:24-25), and the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:12-16)
• This is the hinge verse — wisdom about time leads to discernment of will

Additional References:

• Romans 12:2 — "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind... that you may test and approve the will of God"
• Colossians 1:9-10 — being filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom
• James 1:5 — asking God who gives wisdom generously
• Proverbs 2:1-6 — the diligent pursuit of wisdom
• Psalm 143:10 — "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your Spirit lead me on level ground"
• Hebrews 5:14 — mature believers have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil

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IV. Be Filled with the Spirit — The Power of the Disciple (v.18)

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit"

• The contrast is one of governance: what controls you? Wine diminishes judgment; the Spirit sharpens and empowers it
• "Reckless indiscretion" (ἀσωτία) — wastefulness, dissipation; the prodigal's lifestyle (Luke 15:13)
• "Be filled" (πληροῦσθε) — present passive imperative: continuous, ongoing, not a one-time event; it is a command, not a feeling
• Spirit-filling is evidenced communally (v.19 — speaking, singing), vertically (v.20 — thanksgiving), and relationally (vv.21ff — mutual submission)

Additional References:

• Acts 2:4, 13 — at Pentecost, observers mistook Spirit-filling for drunkenness (the comparison Paul may be invoking)
• Acts 4:31 — "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly"
• Galatians 5:22-23 — the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of Spirit-control
• 1 Corinthians 14:15 — singing with both spirit and mind
• Colossians 3:16 — the parallel passage: "let the word of Christ dwell richly" produces identical outcomes to Spirit-filling (songs, gratitude, mutual instruction)
• Luke 1:41, 67 — Spirit-filling in the nativity narratives as models of Spirit-governed speech and praise
• Romans 8:5-6 — setting the mind on the Spirit produces life and peace

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Thank God with all your heart, proclaim his wonderful deeds (Psalm 9, Matthew 9)

Psalm 9, Matthew 9

 “According to your faith let it be done to you” Matthew 9:29

The Actions:

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;

    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and rejoice in you;

    I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. (Psalm 9:1-2)

The Results:
 - Enemies turn back, stumble and perish before God
 - God upheld me, rebuked nations, destroyed wicked - blotting out their name for ever

The truth:
 - Lord reigns forever, established his throne for judgment
 - Rules the world in righteousness/judges people with equity
 - Lord God is a refuge for the oppressed, stronghold in times of trouble

Those who know your name trust in you,

    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)

 - Sing praises of the Lord, proclaim among the nations what he has done (11)

The consequence:
 - Nations fall into their own pits, caught in hidden nets, work of their hands, stricken with terror
 - Lord God is known by his acts of justice, he won't forget the needy, hope of afflicted won't perish
 - we are mortal and will be judged in God's presence

Jesus fulfills Psalm 9:18 in Matthew 9:2-8 recognizing the faith of others who brought another to receive healing and the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus calls sinners to follow him, he desires mercy - not sacrifice (Matthew 9:9-13)

Jesus reminds us there is a time for fasting and mourning, Improper patching makes the garment tear worse, new wine in old wine skins makes it burst. As he said this a synagogue leader knelt before him and said "my daughter just died, but put your hand on her and she will live." As they went to the daughter, another woman who was sick for twelve years had faith to touch Jesus cloak to be healed, and Jesus told her "your faith has healed you" and it was true. Then he raised the dead girl (Matthew 9:14-26).

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.(A)36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,(B) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.(C) 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest(D) is plentiful but the workers are few.(E) 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Cross references:

1. Matthew 9:35 : S Mt 4:23
2. Matthew 9:36 : Mt 14:14; 15:32; Mk 8:2
3. Matthew 9:36 : Nu 27:17; 1Ki 22:17; Eze 34:5, 6; Zec 10:2
4. Matthew 9:37 : Jn 4:35
5. Matthew 9:37 : Lk 10:2 - teamwork

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The mission of every Christian church

Commanded by Jesus, the first church obeyed and every church since has followed that same path or perished. So what was the mission of the first church and how was that mission to be carried out? I found a few scriptures to help understand the mission of every church who believes in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his promised to return to judge all the living and the dead, to eternal life or eternal punishment. Hope this is helpful for you to remember our mission and stay on task towards that purpose.

Mark 16:15;Romans 10:13-15; Acts 13:47; Psalm 96:1-13,3;1 Chronicles 16:24; Matthew 24:14; 28:19; Luke 24:27; Mark 13:10; Acts 1:8; Revelation 14:6

Evangelism, Proselytizing, Preaching
Mark 16:15 - Go to all the world and preach the good news to everyone
Romans 10:13-15 - Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved and Spirit of God in the church will send out the messengers so they can hear
Acts 13:47 - Lord gave this command, "I've made you a light to Gentiles to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth"
Psalm 96:3, 1 Chronicles 16:24 - Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
    Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
Matthew 24:14 - Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

Singing, praising God, letting the world know his great works
Psalm 96:1-13 "sing to the Lord, praise his name" he is the one true God, not an idol he reigns - tell the nations, he is coming to judge the earth's nations with justice and truth

Make disciples of Jesus, baptized in the name of God by the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19 - Go make disciples, baptize them in God's name
Luke 24:27 - explain the whole revelation of God about himself and his plan from creation, redemption to consummation
Mark 13:10 - preach the good news
Acts 1:8 receive power with the Holy Spirit on you to be witness of Jesus, telling people about him everywhere
Revelation 14:6 - Proclaim the good news to everyone on earth

http://www.openbible.info/topics/missions

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6 reasons people come to church

A desire for healing is exactly why people do come into our churches to seek after God.  Many people, even those who are Christian believers are bound by situations and difficulties that they are powerless to change and come to the worship of God for hope.  It is often what motivates their steps into the doors of our places of worship.

1. Desire for Healing
Many crowds came to Jesus for healing and he healed them. Matthew 14:14;15:30-31 

2. Hope, "what must I do to be saved"
If you've ever had a behavior that kept hurting yourself or people you love, you've been impacted by what the Bible calls personal sin. If someone has hurt you by their behavior then you've been impacted by other peoples sin. People come to church to understand what must be done to be saved from the bondage and punishment of sin.

• Romans 15:4,13 - through the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
• Romans 12:12 - Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
• Romans 5:2-5 - We rejoice in hope of the glory of God...More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings
• Hebrews 6:19 - We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain

3. To be a Witness for God
Think about it, if no one shared the Bible and taught people about Jesus, there would be no Christians. We who have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation to God and bear witness to his truth when we come together as believers.

• Psalm 78:4 We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.
• Deuteronomy 4:9 Watch out, be careful, don't forget what you've seen, be sure to pass them along to children and grandchildren.
• Galatians 6:9 - And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
• Hebrews 10:25 - And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

4. To give thanks and worship God, in fellowship with other believers
People encounter God through his word outside of church and come into church as a testimony of his presents in there lives.  

• Luke 17:11-19 - One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.

5. To learn who God is
Who is this God that heals people like Nick Vujicic, Joni Eareckson Tada and Corrie ten Boom? Who is this God that establishes Feed My Starving Children, Compassion International, Good Will, Salvation Army and others who change the world through education, healthcare and grace filled love of God? 

• 2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
• John 14:6 - Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through him
• 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

6. Because they were invited
We are in a "grace period" where all people are invited to come to Jesus for salvation and to live a new life with him as Lord.

• John 3:16-21 God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
• Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

 http://www.minnesotamarion.com/mature/leadership/#more-478
https://www.openbible.info/topics/hope
http://www.faithgateway.com/bible-verses-about-hope-20-scriptures/#.VyQLMFsrLnA

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New song, gospel proclaimed and final harvest

Revelation 14
AIM: The gospel is the power of God
A) 144,000 redeemed sing a special new song to God and Lamb
(1) John sees Lamb on Mount Zion with 144,000 his name/his Father's name written on foreheads.
(2) Heard sound like roaring water, thunder, harps
(3) sang new song before the throne, 4 living creatures, elders - no one could learn but the 144,000 redeemed from earth
(4-5) Not self defiled, virgins, follow Lamb wherever he goes, purchased, offered as first-fruits to God and Lamb, no lies, blameless
Thoughts: Everyone has sinned, so who are the 144,000? Could they be people like Job and the prophets who believed, loved and obeyed God before Christ's death and resurrection? Isaiah 1:18; Romans 1:16-17.
Application: Do I understand how Jesus "purchased" us with his blood on the cross? Do I understand 'redemption through his blood' and 'forgiveness of sins' enough to explain to people without Bible knowledge? Can I explain God's grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit for all who repent, confess and believe?

B) Angels awesome proclamation of the eternal gospel
(6-7) Another angel flying proclaimed to all the earth,eternal gospel "Fear God...hour of his judgment...Worship the maker of heaven, earth, sea and springs"
(8) Second angel said, "Fallen Babylon the Great...made all 'drink maddening wine her adulteries'"
(9-10a) Third angel said, "anyone worships the beast (Rev 13), it's image or receives its mark on forehead or hand, they, too, will 'drink wine of God's fury-poured full strength-cup of his wrath
(10b-11) They will be tormented, burning sulfur, presence of holy angels, Lamb, forever, no rest for those who worships the beast, it's image or receives the mark of its name"
(12)  This calls for patient endurance for people of God, keep commands, remain faithful to Jesus
(13) A voice from heaven, "Write this: Blessed are dead, who die in the Lord from now on." (second of 7 blessings) "Yes" says the Spirit, "they will rest from labor, deeds will follow them"
Application: How do I display patient endurance with family, friends, coworkers and students as I'm sharing the gospel? How do I share salvation from the wrath of God's judgement to people who don't know?



C) Son of man harvest the earth for final judgement
(14) son of man, seated on a cloud, gold crown, sharp sickle (Daniel 7:13)
(15) Another angel from temple "Take sickle and reap harvest of earth"
(16) Swung sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested
(17-18) Angel in charge of fire calls to another angel with sharp sickle, "gather the clusters of grapes"
(19-20) Swung sickle on the earth, gathered grapes into great wine-press of God's wrath, trampled blood flowed high as horses bridles for 180 miles
Application: How am I using my time, talent and treasure to build the kingdom of heaven?

Helpful resources:
Bible teaches people are naturally in sin and going to hell, but salvation is found in Jesus Christ

How are Christians "purchased" ?
Revelation 14:1-5;Ephesians 1:4-7, 12-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19;1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 5:1-11; Philippians 2:1-16; 1 John 1:9-10

What is the Gospel, what are Christians to do with it?
Revelation 14:6-13; Revelation 13:5-10; 16-17; 14:9-11;

What happens to people who aren't Christians?
Revelation 14:6-13; Revelation 13:5-10; 16-17; 14:9-11;

Daniel dreams of four kingdoms leading to God’s final judgement

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