What Does it Mean to be Filled with the Spirit?

Photo Credit and Helpful Blog Via Cripplegate

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;  and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. – Ephesians 5:18-21 (NASB)


     What does it mean to be “filled with the Spirit”?  Many have given attempts to answer this question, but often I find the answer is not found using the Scriptures but subjective experience.  Often the Holy Spirit of God has been put in a box to be nothing more than a “warm fuzzy” which seems to only come when the slow songs are playing, and on the 6^th repetition of the bridge.  "We can unleash Him, we just have to get the situation right."  "We just have to set the mood."  But, according to the Scriptures, we have it reversed.  Being “filled with the Spirit” is not produced by our Sunday gatherings, but our being filled with the Spirit produces our Sunday gatherings!

Why “Foreknowledge" Doesn’t Solve the Problem

“…elect…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…” – 1 Peter 1:1-2

     In light of the most recent #CalvinismDebate (which can be found here and here), I felt a blog regarding election was in order.  Proposition 1 of the debate was, “Calvinism necessitates unconditional predestination and unconditional election is incongruent with the God revealed in Jesus Christ”.  Each side was asked to debate in an affirmation or denial form.  Those who affirmed (who would prefer to be non-Calvinists) spent most of their time arguing how “double predestination” was at the heart of their problem with Calvinism.  The problem isn’t so much so that God chooses people and seeks them, but that He doesn’t chose  and doesn’t seek others.  Why would God do that?  Why would God , who as 1 Timothy 2:4 says, “desires all men to be saved”, allow men to go to Hell under His watch?  If God could save everyone, why doesn’t He?

What Window Blinds can Teach us about Corporate Worship

"Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames." - 1 Kings 6:4

The windows in the temple of God communicate much to us about worship.  First, we know based on how other translations rendered this verse, they are "latticed","beveled" or "recessed" (i.e. the windows of the temple have blinds!).  What does God's interior decorating teach us?  First and foremost,worship must be functional.  The blinds serve a basic purpose, light the sanctuary so the priests can work.  So whatever is done in corporate worship must be done for a purpose, so the people of God (priests)  may do the work they are meant to do (the meaning of liturgy is “public- work”). What is our work?  Our work is to worship God through proclaiming the Gospel.  All of a worship service is about the Gospel: from the songs we sing (Col. 3:16),to the ordinances  we observe (Roman 6, 1 Cor. 11:23-34), to the sermon that is preached (Luke 24:44).  Our worship must function for the end of proclaiming the Gospel.

I'm Back!!!

After the advice of a friend I am back to blogging.  Hope to do it as the Lord gives me insights into His Word and grants the opportunity to share it with others.  Not going to allow it to consume me, but to be consumed by Him!  May it richly bless others.

How Should Christians Feel about “Blood Moons”?

In the news recently there has been swirling around talk about the “blood moons”, lunar eclipses which will set the moon to a red color.  There events are set to also happen on Jewish Feasts.  Many Christians and non-Christians alike see significance in these events and there timing.  But, how should Christians feel about these events?  Here are three quick thoughts.

Rediscovering Jesus' Hymnbook (via 9Marks)

Interesting article from 9Marks on Psalm Singing (which I have only recently meet people who do).

How interested would you be if archaeologists unearthed a hymnbook embossed with the name, “Jesus of Nazareth?” Overlooking the anachronism for a moment, wouldn’t “Jesus’ hymnbook” be immediately republished and rocket to the best-seller lists? Wouldn’t those songs find instantaneous popularity in worship services across the globe?

We have that hymnbook. We do know what songs Jesus sang: he sang the psalms.

Continue Reading....

Will we light the spark?

Reading up on the Third Great Awakening (1850-1900) for a history paper.  Many profound things marked this revival, both positive and negative, but the emphasis on prayer and unity really struck me.  Walter Hampel writes, "Denominational differences were considered important but secondary to the purpose of seeking God’s face in prayer."  This unity in prayer is credited with much of how the revival "spread to be like a lightning strike in a forest".  Christians, will we light the spark of revival on our knees?