Lionheart! (Ephesians 5)
Ephesians 5.18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit [nkjv]Jesse Martin was just 18 years old when he became the youngest solo yachtsman to sail non-stop around the globe. Sailing in his 11-metre sloop, named 'Lionheart', the trip covered 50,000 kms and took 328 days to complete. To Jesse, the dream of sailing was perfect weather, with a nice breeze pushing you along so you can just be steering the boat. His dream of sailing the globe became an adventure of a lifetime and an inspiration to many.
Paul tells us in this verse to be filled with the Spirit. Immediately my mind pictures someone pouring water into a glass until it is filled to the brim. Having grown up in Pentecostal circles, we are told constantly to lift up our hands and be filled with the Holy Spirit. But in thinking about it, once the glass is full, then what? It can't get any fuller, unless of course some spills over the sides.
The picture Paul is trying to paint for us is not a glass being filled but rather of a sail on a ship catching the wind. As the sail is hoisted up, it fills with wind, propelling the boat forward. To me one of the most amazing signs of a Spirit filled life is the ability to move forward in the journey. We are not meant to stand still. A Spirit filled life is not a stationary one. There is movement and energy associated with it.
Just like young Jesse discovered, a boat with wind in its sails can lead to all sorts of adventure and will be an inspiration to many.
7 comments:
Verse 26 says - that He(Christ) might sanctify and cleanse her(church) with the washing of water by the Word...
It occured to me that God uses the Word to wash and cleanse us regularly, but if we aren't even in the Word then how are we being washed?!!
Amen. I believe also that we are filled with what we hunger for. We will be filled if we are so hungry for the Word and His presence.
Hello from Singapore airport!
Verse 8 says "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.."
I love this verse because for so long in my Christian walk I have lived a shallow walk in the shadows. Not quite in the dark but never coming fully into the light. We can be so fearful of judgement of others that we hide things from them and from ourselves. In doing so we think we are saving ourselves but in the end we are only robbing ourselves of wholeness. It is only when we are willing to choose to walk into the light and let our inner secrets be revealed to ourselves and to God that He can begin to heal us and make us whole. When we understand this and step out, no matter how scary a concept it is, we find true freedom and growth in Christ. And, it is then that we realise the things we thought were so terrible and so shameful.. God already knew and had already forgiven us.
Ephesians 5:10 and find out what pleases the Lord
Whenever we start a new job we always have to learn how to do things and how to do them correctly so we can please the boss.
Even when we first start going out with someone new we try our best to please that person, so we find out what things they like.
When we make new friends we find out what will please them.
In all cases what pleases them may not necessarily be the right thing to do. In order to please them we might be asked or tempted to do things we know to be wrong.
Sometimes after we have done much to please them we can become a little fatigued by familiarity or become complacent and the relationship becomes routine and the same effort to please is not made. We can become distracted by different things and the intensity of our desire to please wanes.
However if we find out what pleases the Lord and importantly make sure that we do those things we will gain greater fulfilment in our relationship. God never demands the wrong things from us and each new day brings even greater enlightenment so that we can never become weary of Him. There is so much to marvel about God that everytime I read or pray I receive more understanding of His greatness.
To find out what pleases the Lord enriches us more than what we can give.
Eph5:17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
To be absolutely honest, I sometimes feel like I play life a little like 'Who wants to be a millionaire'...I wing it along, choosing my own adventure and only pulling out the call-a-(divine)-friend when I get stuck on a tough question.
Yet, this is not 'Who wants to be a millionaire'..and as I recently heard alluded to in a song - if Jesus, the Son of God, Author of Life felt that it was necessary to keep talking to God, asking his direction, going where he directed, doing as he instructed and saying what he said to say...then who the heck am I to think that I can work it out on my own??
This verse reminds me once again that it is not enough that I direct my life with occasional advice from God.
I recently got a new phone with a GPS on it - now I would be stupid to head into unknown area and only turn it on every 30 minutes. Sure it would point me in the right direction again each time, but the amount of time I could potentially waste again getting off track and driving in the wrong direction for 25 minutes in between each check would just be ridiculous.
No, a GPS is most useful when it stays on, a constant companion for the whole journey, warning against wrong turns and speed cameras.
So too, we need to keep an open line between our Counsellor God and ourselves - seeking guidance in all things, understanding what HE wants us to do.. not acting off our own limited understanding.
Eph 5:10 "Carefully determine what pleases the Lord." (NLT)
I see here that God want us to carefully determine what He wants of us. I guess this means not to extract a half-truth from the Word to suit our situations, but truly weighing up what is being said and how to apply it to our lives.
And we have to be finding out what God is saying to be able to do that...
You know - as I read all of the posts from today I think we are all on the same page on this one!!
8-10 MSG You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.
We need to get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours.
It seem to take sometime for a verse to stand out to me. This evening my ear caught a story on ACA, it was a continuing story from May, on a family of seven being torn apart by cancer. Both the mum and dad both passed away in the weeks that followed. The ACA veiwers bought the 5 ophans a house and it was in the process of being renovated with volonteer trades man working on it and many company's donating materials and goods. One 22 year old sparky drove 9 hours to get there and worked for 2wks on the house. The children were also treated, they were given the oppitunity to see and do things they could only dream of. Such as meeting a favorite footy player and tickets to a Pink Concert. The support of these children is still continuing.
I was so touched, truly God in action through people wether Christian or not I don't know! (I guess God can use non Christians and the Media to do his work too can't He)?
We need to get of the couch get out and take action following God’s bright light wherever he leads us.
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