Purpose! Newsletter - February 2025

Just Keep Walking

Ephesians 5:1-14

1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Now, in this chapter we are going to study two more aspects of our Christian walk, namely, walk in love, and walk as children of light. These constitute the believers as being followers of God, as dear children.

Walk in Love 5:1,2

To properly know what this means we must look at our example, Jesus Christ himself. Christ has loved us, while we were yet sinners, and so loved us that he gave himself up to God as an offering and a sacrifice.

The sacrificial offering sent a pleasant scent upward to God, meaning God was pleased with the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. It is by faith in what Jesus accomplished at the cross that we are redeemed.

Reciprocation of that love toward Christ is in order and subsequently that love must extend out to our fellow human beings. Walking in that love will exclude some things.

Unsaintly Behavior 5:3

1. Fornication: Sexual intercourse outside of marriage.

2. Uncleanness: The impurity of lustful, luxurious, profligate living: unrestrained by convention or morality.

3. Covetousness: Greedy desire to have more, avarice. This leads to idolatry, or worship of the object of desire. (5:5)

These should not be on the believer’s to do list.

But wait, there is more.

Inconvenient Communications 5:4

1. Filthiness: shamefulness, obscenity: Dirty talk, causing shame or embarrassment to yourself or others.

2. Foolish Talking: silly talk, i.e. buffoonery: clowning, frivolity, prank or the playing of tricks or practical jokes.

3. Jesting: scurrility, which is making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation; ribaldry, which is amusingly coarse or irreverent talk or behavior; and low jesting, or dirty jokes. 

The antidote: Giving of thanks. You can never go wrong being thankful to God and others. That is more of the walking in love conduct.

The Reason 5:5

The practice of such behavior will result in exclusion from the kingdom of Christ and God, to wit:

a. The eternal blessedness in the consummated kingdom of God which is to be expected after the visible return of Christ:

b. The share which an individual will have in that eternal blessedness.

-Thayer’s Greek Lexicon-

In other words, that person will end up in hell.

Don’t Believe the Liars 5:6,7

Don’t listen to the smooth talkers or the naysayers. Nor engage with those who run to such excess, as the Apostle Peter calls it in 1 Peter 4:4:

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.

Walk don’t run. Refusing to participate with those of riotous conduct will cause exclusion from their group and berating talk concerning you, but that is preferred to the wrath of God, the eternal wrath of God. So, from such turn away.

Walk as Children of Light 5:8-14

This is the fourth time the Apostle instructs us concerning our Christian walk.

What we used to be is in stark contrast to what we are now. We used to be darkness, now we are light. By virtue of the saint being in the Lord is he now light. So then walk as what you are, walk as children of light. Let’s take a look at what that entails.

For one, it has to do with the Holy Spirit. In a parenthetical sentence the Apostle indicates the Holy Spirit is already at work in the life of the believer. The Spirit in conjunction with the light of salvation, produces fruit that moves us from the former life-style to an expression of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

This dynamic enables the believer to better decipher what behavior, teaching, and practice is acceptable to the Lord. Proving means: 1. to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing be genuine or not). (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). Our discernment will be heightened so we choose correctly.

Secondly, our fellowship changes.

Fellowship here means to become a partaker together with others. Dropping some friends may be necessary. The level of participation with others in the family may change. Isolationism is not a requirement, but participation in their practices will wane. Eventually, they may just exclude you as they become uncomfortable in your light, especially if you pursue witnessing to them. The fruit of the spirit in you will conflict with their unfruitfulness. The potential exposure by the light will cause them to move away. Neither will you feel comfortable with their deeds and you will have to separate yourself from them.

When we awaken from our sleep and rise from the dead, the light of Christ comes in to our lives and makes the difference. We become children of light. It’s called being born again.

Paul sets very high standards for the believer.  Let us endeavor with the Spirit’s empowerment to attain to this level in our Christian walk, and avail ourselves of God’s grace when needed. Amen. -By PJ Flores-

And now a word from Pastor Shirley…

Joseph

 Genesis 39:2-6, 21

2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

In our Tuesday evening Bible Study we are going through the book of Genesis. We began studying this book over a year ago and in a few months we will be finished. A few weeks ago we read Genesis 39 and, as I shared that evening, the common thread throughout the chapter is “and Lord was with Joseph.” From the time Joseph’s brothers sold him to the Midianites merchantmen and all the way to Potiphar’s house, the Lord was with him. 

God looked out for Joseph in everything he did. Verses four to six tells us how Joseph became the overseer of Potiphar’s house; how the Lord blessed the house of an outsider for Joseph’s sake. Even when Potiphar’s wife lied and had Joseph thrown in prison, verse 21 begins “But the Lord was with Joseph,” and showed him mercy and gave him favor with those in charge of the prison. 

When I look back at my life, I see those times when “the Lord was with Shirley.” From the beginning to the end of the rough seasons, “the Lord was with Shirley.” In the great times that sometimes took a turn for the worst, “the Lord was with Shirley.” Through every season I see that, “the Lord was with Shirley.” 

When you look back at your life, I hope that you too can see that, “the Lord was with you.” -By Shirley Flores-

---

Behold the fowls of the air:

for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;

yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?

Matthew 6:26

---

Happy Valentines Day-February 14

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Song of Solomon 2:4

 A free complete printed copy of this monthly newsletter is available.

Go to "Contact Us" tab and email us your mailing address to receive it.

Purpose! Ministries Inc.

16605 Sunrise Lakes Blvd Suite 6

Clermont, FL 34714

Sundays 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm

Join us in person or live on Facebook.

Pastors PJ and Shirley Flores

     Purpose! Ministries

A Praying Church - A Healing Church - A Holy Spirit Church - A Preaching Church

© 2025 Purpose! Ministries Inc. All rights reserved.