Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Filled Up or Falling Down?

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart
(Ephesians 5:19 – ESV)

It’s all too easy to fall into the same old traps. That is why in Ephesians 5 Paul says we need to be careful with our time, and wise about our walk (vs.15), rescuing our time from being wasted on evil things (vs.16). Don’t let the devil steal your day. We must stop being foolish and learn to be understanding God’s will (vs.17), and not allowing excesses and lesser things be our source of joy, but endeavoring instead to be filled with the Spirit (vs.18). If you are not doing this, then this is why you are having trouble.

Now going forward we see from Ephesians 5:19-21 what are certain results of being filled with the Spirit. We cannot ignore what the Bible says we need to be doing in this text and still think we are trying to consciously and diligently seek God. Speaking, singing, sanctifying, and submitting in the context of community; this is being in God’s will and how we can be developing a Spirit filled life.

Lots of people know that being filled with the Spirit is the key to the Christian life, but there are marks to identify what being filled actually results in. Too many think it just means being overly emotional and they act as if being filled with the Spirit means they lose self control, but the fruit of the Spirit IS self control (Galatians 5:23). Now it can be exciting, but there are markers of the Spirit filled life, and this text points them out. Too many are all barks and no marks when it comes to being filled with the Spirit.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

15 comments:

MrsEvenSo... said...

Too many are all barks and no marks when it comes to being filled with the Spirit.

Excellent point!

Even So... said...

...enter rastro...

Rank Ru Rery Ruch...

Even So... said...

You got that, right?

Barking like dogs, Astro from the Jetsons, right?

MrsEvenSo... said...

Yes, I did get that. On behalf of those who may not have, thank you for the explanation. :D

Even So... said...

Rokay, Runny...

Even So... said...

This meta has gone to the dogs...

MrsEvenSo... said...

Rarf!

One Sheep's Voice said...

You two are something else... :) Good word!!

Craver Vii said...

"Naked for Jesus." What a novel idea... I wonder how that will go over on casual Friday. Of course, I'd probably catch pneumonia, Friday's high temps may be in the single digits again, with sub-zero wind chills.

My oldest daughter is expecting her first child around Valentine's day, and though they expect us at their church on Sunday, I'd like to see if there's a chance to at least sit and have a cup of coffee with you. Would you email me your contact info, Dave?

craverseven (at) aol (dot) com

Oh, and I totally got the Astro joke. heh heh

Craver Vii said...

Why did I call you "Dave?" I meant "J.D."

Even So... said...

Dave is my middle name...

Even So... said...

We have a "Progressive Dinner" on Feb.14, and you would of course be wonderfully welocomed for that, but email me:

Primesoul (at)hotmail (dot)com

We'll see if we can meet up, that would be a real treat...

T said...

WOW! Great post...funny comments... I love this blog :-)

Even So... said...

Thanks T!

Even So... said...

Or should I have said, Ranks Ree?