Why am I drawn to serve others in such a unique way? Why do others appreciate and express gratitude for what I do for them when it feels like I’m not doing all that much? If you affirm that Jesus is Lord and live accordingly, then the ways you are energized to love and serve others for the common good are given to you by God. Rather than fighting these inner currents or wishing you had the abilities of others, you will be encouraged in this message to thank God, abide in Christ and keep shining as God’s Spirit energizes you to do so, uniquely!
Have you ever wondered if God might use you? If so, how might He do so? Today we explore God’s plan to give spiriutal gifts to all who affirm Jesus is Lord. By distributing spiritual gifts to His people, God works through you in ways that are life-giving for you and benificial for others.
After learning about God’s Spirit in the Old Testament, how to begin well with the Spirit and what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit, we now turn to the important subject of Spiritual Gifts. As we consider this topic (primarily from I Corinthians 12-14) over the next several weeks we begin in this message where Paul begins, grappling with the essential question of who has the Spirit. For those who have Spirit of God are those who have the gifts of the Spirit!
Paul not only commanded the church in Ephesus to “be filled with the Spirit,” he also gave them a vision of what being filled would look like in the context of the community of believers. He is contrasting what these formerly pagan people would’ve known with what being filled sons and daughters of God would look like. His vision is of a community who expresses a melody from Heaven, thanksgiving to God and mutual submission from the depths of their hearts.
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.