Living Free - July 12, 2013
Power in Worship
Today's Scripture
"Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts." - Ephesians 5:18-19 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Sometimes we worship in private. Sometimes we worship with other believers. Worship is a reenactment of the resurrection. There is a unique manifestation of the risen Christ when his church worships in spirit and in truth.
Today's scripture shows a direct connection between worship and being filled with the Spirit. "Be filled with the Holy Spirit" in verse 18 is followed by worship in verse 19. Worship is a natural response to being filled with the Spirit.
Consider this ...
Acts 2 records the Holy Spirit's coming on the Day of Pentecost. One hundred and twenty were filled with the Spirit, and Peter followed with a powerful message about the resurrection of Christ. Three thousand were baptized and added to the church that day.
Peter preached about power. And he preached with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moved through that crowd with power and three thousand people received Jesus!
Jesus called us to worship in spirit and in truth. As we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us in our worship, he will bring power to our encounter with God, power to our walk with him, and power for us to reach out to others.
Father, thank you for the power available to me through worship. The power of the resurrection. Thank you that the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is living within me. Help me walk in that power, sharing the love and forgiveness available through Christ in my attitude, my words, and my actions as I reach out to others. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from ...
A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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