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Path To Pentecost (17)--May 15

May 16, 2025

The Path To Pentecost is leading us to understand what being filled with The Spirit (under His influence) is in life. Ephesians 5:18-21 gives details for our understanding of this life.

In the previous post I suggested that this life is that of conversations that have spiritual songs and hymns in the content. In other words a mouth filled with spiritual content.

Today we look at another expression of being filled with The Spirit (under The Spirit's influence) as "singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart." (vs. 19) Here is the expression of one's heart whereas the previous verse had to do with lips ("addressing one another").

The terms "sing" and "melody" are 2 differnet terms to communicate "sing." There is an sense in which Paul is emphasizing some action of singing.

The singing listed in this text is not simply a vocal event. This singing here is an expression of being filled with The Spirit so the singing is "to the Lord with your heart." Note the goal ("to the Lord) and the method ("with your heart"). This suggests that singing here is not some perfunctory action but an act that comes from within. A person filled with The Holy Spirit will surely have a heart filled with praise to God.

REFLECT: Is your singing to the Lord from the heart or simply a vocal matter? Will you allow The Holy Spirit to take you on this Path To Pentecost in the area of singing with your heart to The Lord?

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Path To Pentecost (13)--May 11

May 14, 2025

A Condition for being filled on a continual basis The blog yesterday showed that Ephesians 5:18 exhorts us to be filled with the Holy Spirit on a continual basis. The present verb "filled" makes this clear. I also stated that a way to experience this continual work of The Holy Spirit (being under the influence of The Spirit) is based on humility. Humility is the experience of realizing that I do not have the internal power to be the person that I see in God's Word. Humility is the acknowledgement that I need God's Spirit to live the life of following Jesus. It is the humble person who can experience this continual influence of the Holy Spirit. That is because the truly humble person has a right assessment of their own need and a right assessment of God' provision. The proud person cannot receive much from God because the proud person does not assess that they need anything or at least not much from God. This is not a failure of God's power it is a failure of one not recognizing one's need. In this notion of being humble enough to experience God's continual presence of The Holy Spirit I remember a verse from Jesus' brother, James. James 4:5-6 reveals God's contrast in response to the proud and to the humble. Note in vs 5 about God's yearning "over the Spirit that he has made to dwell in us." Then James gives a contrast between the humble and the proud we see that God gives "more grace" (vs. 6). How can God give more grace.....well I want to suggest that God can give more grace to the humble because the humble have more capacity for grace. Think of it, a humble person is open to receive from God because they do not assume that they are capable in their own strength. Note also that the continual influence of The Holy Spirit would be impossible for the proud. God opposes the proud (vs. 6) because they do not recognize their need of God's Holy Spirit. REFLECT: So, instead of denying your inability and need for more grace, embrace it. God has "more grace" for you. This is life in the the continual influence of The Holy Spirit

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