Have you ever wondered why Paul contrasted being drunk with wine to being filled with the Spirit? Why is being filled with the Spirit a command and how do we continue being filled?
In previous weeks we discovered that everyone who awakens to the reality that Jesus is King over all including our lives (i.e. repentance) receives God’s Holy Spirit. This indwelling of God’s Spirit is essential for all who desire to have a deeper life with God. God also commands His people to “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” In this message we shift our focus from beginning well to living well as we discover what it means to be filled with the Spirit!
The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a basic but often overlooked fact of the true Christian life. God has always wanted to dwell inside His people to give us a new heart and live out his life through us. In this way, the world will see His people living out His Life and will glorify Him as Lord of All. But, how do we begin well with he indwelling Holy Spirit?
Like our physical birth, our spiritual beginning sets the trajectory for our relationships with God, others, the world and ourselves. After investing June and July to discover many realities about God’s Holy Spirit, this week we shift to consider the role of the Holy Spirit in the beginning of our journey which Jesus describes as being “born of the Spirit.”
So much in our 2020 world is changing and spinning around us. Is it possible to stay kind and gentle? How can we stay centered and peaceful? In this week’s message we discover how Jesus remained centered even in the midst of uncertainty and change.
Many of us enjoy hiking to beautiful places. On the trail we often encounter those who have already experienced the beauty. They assure us that it’s coming soon and that it’s worth it. The moment we finally see it, it surprises us and amazes us, surpassing our expectations. In the same way, God’s people were assured by prophets, angels, and the Holy Spirit that the Savior of the world was soon to be revealed. When he finally was, the beauty, nature, and purpose of our triune God was boldly presented, a cause for worship and theological reflection.
July 12, 2020 Welcome Kids Activities – God’s Holy Presence Packet Video – Moses and the Tent of Meeting Worship & Song Lyrics – Holy, Holy, Holy The Lord’s Prayer Worship Song – Blessed Assurance Pastoral Prayer Scripture Reading – Exodus 49:32-38 When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the Lord commanded Moses. And…
The importance of beauty and artistry are often devalued. Yet, God and His creation are glorious. So, when the Lord directed the construction of the Tabernacle, He filled His artists with the Holy Spirit so that the Tabernacle would reflect His glory and the heavenly reality it was intended to reveal. May the Holy Spirit awaken and empower His artists today to create anew for the good of humanity’s soul and the glory of God.
After his mysterious dream beside the Nike River, Pharaoh’s “spirit was troubled” because confusion troubles the soul. What Pharaoh didn’t know when he woke up perplexed was
that God was carrying out His good plan. The Holy Spirit soon revealed to Joseph and then to Pharaoh the plan which provided discernment for the attentive listener, peace for the troubled soul and nourishment for the hungry world.
June 21, 2020 Welcome Kids Activities – The Power Activity Packet and Father’s Day Note Kid’s Worship – Never Let Go of Me and ’Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus Prayer Worship Song – Great are You Lord Pastoral Prayer Scripture Reading – Genesis 1:1-5 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness…