Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Thursday, 26 October 2017 "Be Filled with the Spirit" by Duane Brush - Ephesians 5:11-20
Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14 since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says,
“Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead,
and the Messiah will shine on you!”
15 Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16 Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Don’t get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled with the Spirit — 19 sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other; sing to the Lord and make music in your heart to him; 20 always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
As a boy, I learned a few things about taverns: They were generally dark, they had their own distinct odor, and people inside talked very loudly while country music blared from a juke box. I asked my dad once why it was always dark in those places. He said, “They don’t want you to see who is in there.” That made sense to me. You see, even as a boy I knew that if I was going to do something I shouldn’t, the dark would be the best place to do it. Crime statistics seem to bear me out.
Life as a Christ-follower calls us to live in the light, in demonstration of the power of the Spirit, not in the dark and debased ways of the world.
-------Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14 since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says,
“Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead,
and the Messiah will shine on you!”
15 Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16 Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Don’t get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled with the Spirit — 19 sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other; sing to the Lord and make music in your heart to him; 20 always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
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In my early years, we lived in “Calf Town,” the nickname for the German section of our city. The German immigrants who settled there brought elements of their native culture. The men of Calf Town worked hard in local factories, stopping on their way home at the taverns, which seemed to be on every block. They would fill up their empty lunch pails with beer before heading home.As a boy, I learned a few things about taverns: They were generally dark, they had their own distinct odor, and people inside talked very loudly while country music blared from a juke box. I asked my dad once why it was always dark in those places. He said, “They don’t want you to see who is in there.” That made sense to me. You see, even as a boy I knew that if I was going to do something I shouldn’t, the dark would be the best place to do it. Crime statistics seem to bear me out.
Life as a Christ-follower calls us to live in the light, in demonstration of the power of the Spirit, not in the dark and debased ways of the world.
Hymn for Today:
"The Light of the World is Jesus" by Philip P. Bliss
1. The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
2. No darkness have we who in Jesus abide;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
We walk in the light when we follow our Guide!
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
3. Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Go, wash at His bidding, and light will arise;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
4. No need of the sunlight in Heaven we’re told;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Saint Martin.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
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1. The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
2. No darkness have we who in Jesus abide;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
We walk in the light when we follow our Guide!
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
3. Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Go, wash at His bidding, and light will arise;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
4. No need of the sunlight in Heaven we’re told;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Thought for Today:
Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life.(Galatians 6:8}Sweetly the light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Thought for Today:
Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Saint Martin.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
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