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 do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-17

It is my prayer that we can carry out our lives with the right mindset of what is really important in life, so we do not end up in loneliness and regret. We do not need to miss out on what God has for us. We do not need to spend all of our energies chasing after what is fleeting while ignoring what is good.

Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:11-12

Fullness equals knowing who you are in Christ, and what He did for you on the Cross. This is paramount, because, all you do as a Christian is a response to what He has first done in you. With this knowledge, you will have the proper attitude and discernment to make correct decisions, based on God’s Will. With this knowledge, you will ask the right questions and look for fullness, not merely fulfillment! The difference is that fullness seeks Christ as Lord; fulfillment is seeking someone or something to meet your needs and wishes, or seeking to fill your own desires or lust! Fulfillment is seeking what we want, and that often is not the best for us. It is filling our emptiness with the wrong filler. It is much like putting gasoline in a diesel-fueled truck; it is fuel, but it will not work, and will damage the engine. These passages testify to such as this. Sin and the desires of our lust can, and will consume us, taking us far away from God and His goodness. So, this pursuit of fulfillment will end up bringing us nothing but emptiness, the very thing we try to avoid. Sin will dig in us, causing our thinking to be skewed, and our decisions flawed.

Fullness is the filling we have. It is like we are “Twinkies” and He is the filling, as Twinkies are not much without the filling! It is the realization that we are missing our “filling” and we are indeed Poor in Spirit. Being poor may conjure up ideas of physical and social poverty, but it actually means total dependence on God, realizing our sinfulness! It is the realization that we are sinners, having no righteousness of our own. We are saved by the grace and mercy of God alone! Poor in Spirit applies into our daily lives as we strive to be humble and surrendered, where we do not look to ourselves, but to God. Where we have a Christ-centered drive and not a self-centered drive to life and relationships, this is the letting go and letting God concept. So we are able to see though our poverty and discover it is much better to be in Christ and His fullness and not in our self. Letting go of our ways to surrender to His Way! The preface to the Matthew passage is the word Blessed or Happy, which means we are fortunate to realize who we are in Christ. We are overjoyed because what Christ has done for me and this gives us our fullness, He is our fullness (John 8:32). We rejoice because we are a part of His Kingdome. See how this all fits together? The cure to physical and spiritual poverty is the realization of what really is important, and who we are in Christ! Humbleness is the fruit that shows fullness has taken hold in your life.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Romans 6:12

The opposite of this concept is being prideful and self reliant, to the exclusion of allowing Christ to work in you, or allowing Him to use you to help others. In so doing, you are keeping yourself, and others, in spiritual, and physical poverty, and oppression (Luke 18:9-14; Rev. 3:17-19)!)

Galatians, chapter five, gives us two sets of fruits that we can choose to produce. There are the ones in verses 19 to 21 that are the rotten scum of life that create division and strife, or verses 22-23, what will produce goodness as we build one another up. In addition, verses 24-25 give us the reason for our motivation and pursuit. God’s Word tells us that we choose the ways of adultery, fornication, and impure thoughts, that make us eager for destructive behaviors, and pronouncing them to be pleasure. These are what the Bible calls uncleanness. These are what create relationships filled with hostility, quarreling, jealously, anger, selfish ambitions, and divisions between people and God. The focus is on envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and all kinds of sin. One’s attitude conveys the idea that everyone else is wrong, and those who will agree with you become the desired allies! The Bible gives us a harsh warning that if we pursue these things, then workable relationships cannot be built. Nor can one be formed with God, as you will impede His presence with you. You will not inherit the kingdom of God!

Fullness is first seeking Christ and His work in you, so you are pursuing righteousness and all that is good, as a way to glorify Christ as Lord. What we all need to be doing is applying fullness into our relationships from our friendships to dating is seeking someone to be your complement—a helpmate in your service and mission for His glory. And, this is to be the same in dating and on to marriage. This is real, authentic fullness that is essential—not only in our faith development, but also in how we are to prepare ourselves to build relationships and interrelate with others.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

This is serious business, as “The Kingdom of Heaven” directly relates to fullness as in living or lives as who we are in Christ. That means our identity, who we are, what we want and where we are am going is fueled from our fullness in Christ. This is the quintessential aspect on earth we are to pursue, after our salvation by what Christ has done. This was “inaugurated” for the Christian Church at Pentecost and is spiritual in nature for the time being. It will “culminate” when Jesus returns, where it will involve the day of judgment and the new heavens and new earth, where we will be with God and Jesus for eternity! Both fullness and the Kingdom of God exist, and are concentrated in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. This means He is the One to rule our Will and heart on earth, climaxing in eternity. This is where are fullness must reside! The Kingdom of Heaven produces the fullness as our completeness in Christ from our comprehension of who Christ is.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. Colossians 1:13

When we are just self-seeking, we are selfish and unconcerned with eternal values or with serving our Lord. By doing so, we fall into a trap, not because of God’s vengeance, but because we are not doing as we should. As a result, natural consequences will take over. God’s precepts are for our benefit and protection, and are what is best, just as loving parents would have for their child. Fullness makes a relationship real, centered upon Godly directions. Fullness will seek the love of 1 Corinthians 13, and will compel you to desire to share your fullness and self with others. So, out of your fullness in Christ, you build yourself up in Him, casting away what is wrong, and replacing it with Biblical character and values. This will be the foundation to create the lasting bonds with others, as you glorify our Lord.

Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise. Ephesians 5:15

Ephesians 5:15-21 gives us a picture of walking in that fullness, as people who are wise in the ways of the Lord are also on their guard to the ways of the world. We are to be careful how we live, so we treat our lives and others with dignity and respect. We ought not to be careless with what is precious. We are to make the most of our lives, and the opportunities He gives us. To waste it away is what a fool does; so, let us not be fools! When we understand what the Lord wants us to do—and, by the way, this is not hard—we will do good in life. It is not hard because what God is concerned with is our character. We form our character from understanding, and putting into practice this fullness.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

Verse 18 tells us that we need to be filled with the Spirit, which means having great joy from our commitment in God (Nehemiah 8:10). It also means we are to seek His power with joy for the overcoming of our sins, and for the courage to witness and do ministry, even to people we do not like. This will flow into attitude number three. This joy means radiant joy that fills us up with the joy that flows among the Persons of the Holy Trinity. That very love which God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit have for one another will be in us. And, it will overflow from us to others around us! If we follow the first part of verse eighteen, we will miss out on what Christ has, because our purpose and direction become cemented in sin, and not in Him.

This joy in Ephesians will become sealed in us as we mature in the faith and are filled with His Word. It is the power to enjoy Him in worship as a lifestyle that affects all aspects of our life and the lives of others around us. It then empowers us, for His service, for His glory. It literally means music flowing from our hearts!

This fullness creates joy. This is what will fuel our friendships, our search to find our love, and in making the right decisions. This is what we are to seek so it can be repeated; we are not to seek it for our betterment or attention to ourselves, rather, for Christ’s sake! It is a fullness that we are to be completely filled up with. This translates into joy that comes from being in His Word, and because we are in Christ! This is the extra power He gives us to glorify and serve Him, and the extra power that we need to make sure we are on the right track!

Will you be controlled by drunkenness, which is any kind of sin that takes you away from God? Or, will you allow yourself to be controlled by the Spirit? Remember, He does not force you; the choice is yours—and so are the consequences and rewards. We can ruin our life, or grow in fullness. Also, remember that what you do does not affect just you, but will touch all those around you, too.

Your objective is not just to seek fulfillment or desire, but, to build relationships that last, and that are impacting and real. In dating, your commission is to choose a mate with whom you can live together, with unbroken devotion to the Lord. This brings the fullness we talked about in the first chapter, that will make your house reflect God, serve for His glory, and be an example to those around you.

Regeneration means that Christ is at work in me and through the Holy Sprit making me completely new. He is my hope! This fact hits me when I have a sense of my need and futility. If I continue in sin I realize that my regeneration is in question. Because the control of the Christian life is grace not sin! (Matthew 5:3; Romans 6:15-23; Galatians 4:19).

My response to Regeneration is a desire to be humble, knowledgeable and repentive, and always seeking God. I can be a changed person and move in the direction of maturity and fullness in His Kingdome. My identity is in Christ and all I do is because of Him. So my desire is to continue to operate with passion, truth and conviction.

The key aspect to help you improve yourself and your personality will be how much time you spend in improving your spiritual life! This is what builds the fullness, character, and love we have been talking about! For a how to on this, see the Appendix on, “How to Build your Faith”!

Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:11-12