Ephesians 5:15-21
(New International Version)
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Christine Carla
ReplyDelete18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. -- i definitely agree with this, yet i'm still allowing myself to have this experience.. For many times, literally, being drunk had caused me so much trouble before. And now, maybe it is a good thing that i am away from the people who urge me to have this practice. Yes, i love the feeling of it, i dunno why but maybe because i am used to drinking already. But then, i should remember that it is not good bcoz it is like being foolish allowing myself to be in harm.. So easy to say, yet too hard to do.
Christine Carla
16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. -- to be wise enough to know what is evil doing from good. Again, easy to say, yet hard to do.. Especially,when you don't exactly know that what you are doing is already leading you to evil thoughts and doings..
Hans Jason
in all these things that are commanded for us in those verses...i say...all of those are hard to do...as human beings. Without His presence and guidance on us...that's so hard to do. Lord, we ask that You guide us, assist us with Your Holy Spirit.
With our strength alone...sometimes we can do those things...but...hardly. :(
Christine Carla
True.. Without His guidance and strength we cannot do the things that we should do.. We sometimes find it easy to do the 'worldly' things, yet so difficult for us to follow His commands..
Hans Jason
in everything that we do... 18... Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Paano ba tayo ma filled ng Holy Spirit? (How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit?)
21. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. -- having that humility with us.
Hans Jason
It's really easy to do those "worldly" things, because this world is Satan's... while we (as followers/children of Christ), this world is not ours...but on His Kingdom.
Christine Carla
How can we be filled by the Holy Spirit? -- now, that is a good question that needs a really good answer..
Hans Jason
ReplyDeletei searched for an answer...
and i found that... related ito sa naging BS din natin...Galatians 5:22(Fruits of the Spirit)
and this answer for our question is what i found in scriptures..
Matthew 3
the other is at, Mark 1, and Luke 3...
before having the Holy Spirit...first...we need to Repent...
Christine Carla
Yes, i believe that is the first step.. To repent..
Hans Jason
More so... it is on Acts 2:38
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Hans Jason
repent - To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.
Christine Carla
So basically, the Holy Spirit are within us already when we were baptized, which is i belive the main reason why we were baptized in the first place.. To receive the Holy Spirit, being one with God.
Repent -- this happens when?
Christine Carla
Ok that answers my question then..
Hans Jason
repent...as what our pastors say...
renewing of our minds...
to get away from our sinful nature...
Hans Jason
yes...baptism is our Spiritual Birth.
Christine Carla
Ok. I get it now..
So we need to repent to get away from sinful nature. Once we repent we are away from the nature of it, yet it's still up to us if we choose to sin, yeah?
Hans Jason
yes...it's still up to us...but do you want to sin out of reverence and respect to the One who saved you from the slavery of sin?
Christine Carla
Of course not.. I am having this thought of understanding more what repentance mean. Because you see, many people repent yet doing the same sin over and over again which leads a person to repent again and again as well?
Hans Jason
ReplyDeleteRepentance
Jesus came to call people to repentance (Luke 5:32). Peter told people to repent and turn to God for forgiveness (Acts 2:38; 3:19). Paul said people "must turn to God in repentance" (Acts 20:21). Repentance means to turn away from sin and toward God. Paul told the Athenians that God overlooked idolatry done in ignorance, but "now commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). They should stop their idolatry.
Paul was concerned that some of the Corinthian Christians might not repent of their sexual sins (2 Corinthians 12:21). For these people, repentance would mean a willingness to stop their immorality. Paul preached that people should "prove their repentance by their deeds" (Acts 26:20). We change our attitude and our behavior.
Part of our doctrinal foundation is "repentance from acts that lead to death" (Hebrews 6:1). But this does not mean perfect behavior—Christians are not perfect (1 John 1:8). Repentance means not that we arrive at our goal, but that we begin traveling in the right direction.
No longer do we please ourselves, but we live to please Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:20). Paul tells us, "Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness" (Romans 6:19).
Christine Carla
Part of our doctrinal foundation is "repentance from acts that lead to death" (Hebrews 6:1). But this does not mean perfect behavior—Christians are not perfect (1 John 1:8). Repentance means not that we arrive at our goal, but that we begin traveling in the right direction.-- ok this answered my question i guess..
Hans Jason
ReplyDeleteRepentance means not that we arrive at our goal, but that we begin traveling in the right direction.
--if we are gonna be "perfectionist" in our Christian life :( we would be frustrated...instead of enjoying the walk with Him...and enjoying His grace
Hans Jason
i just want to share this too...
How can we know we have the Holy Spirit? Let's answer a few questions. Do we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9)? Are we moved in prayer to God in ways that sometimes surprise us (Romans 8:26-27)? Do we have a desire to obey God in love and bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:6-18, 22-25)? Do we love others and show them acts of kindness as we have opportunity (James 1:27)? Conversely, do we see the need to avoid things that are contrary to God's way (James 1:27; 1 John 2:15-17)?
Christine Carla
ReplyDeleteExactly.. I got the clearer vision of it now.. Thanks for that. Aiming to be perfect indeed leads to frustration.
Hans Jason
If we can answer "yes" to these questions, we can have assurance that God's Holy Spirit is leading us. Gradually, as we live in Christ, we will find clear marks of his presence in our thoughts, action and life. One individual explained the signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the following ways, with references to the first letter of John. As Spirit-filled Christians we will have a new:
* Desire to please God (2:5).
* Assurance of pardon (2:1-2).
* Willingness to face opposition (3:13).
* Delight in the company of fellow Christians (3:14).
* Generosity of spirit (3:17).
* Experience of victory over temptations (4:4; 5:4).
* Discovery of answers to prayer (3:22).
* Understanding of life and set of priorities (5:20-21).
If we see that these factors have been at work in our lives, we should have confidence that the Holy Spirit is still working in us. We should be careful not to deny these manifestations, as though we are not worthy of them, however. It is not pride to know we have been born again of God. We should be humbly thankful for God's mercy in bestowing his grace upon us.
Of course, as human beings even with God's Holy Spirit we will sin (1 John 1:8-2:5). We will never be perfect in this human life. This may even cause us to "feel" as though God is not with us. But the things mentioned above will be working in our lives because we do have the Spirit. When we sin we will go to God in heartfelt prayer acknowledging our sinfulness and need for forgiveness (Luke 18:9-14). That in itself is a demonstration that we have the Holy Spirit.
Hans Jason
ReplyDeleteWe can always have confidence in the fact that once God begins to work with us and gives us his Holy Spirit, he will never leave us. Despite the ups and downs of life, despite the problems we may have, we can have assurance in God's faithfulness. In the words of the apostle Paul: "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
Christine Carla
Those questions can actually help us evaluate ourselves on our following Him and wanting to bear the Spirit's gifts..
Hans Jason
yes, exactly :)
Christine Carla
ReplyDeleteI should study this more. Thanks for searching for answers to our questions.. Where are these from by the way?
Hans Jason
from our church website.
hope i don't bother you that i took it from GCI website.
Christine Carla
Well, it shouldn't bother me, i guess. In any means.. I think i should grab them and learn from them. I know that i do need much understanding, and the search for answers would not stop here anyway.. If i am aiming to understand more, then i should have views and understanding from different aspects or religions in that matter.
Hans Jason
:) that's good! ^_^
Christine Carla
Thank you so much, this night has been fruitful to me, and i know to you as well. To God be the glory!
Hans Jason
Thanks to Him, always!
thank You Lord for Your Word today.
Hey guyss you talk a lot. That's so cool. i am sorry. Today I am try to make some comments.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are awesome. I was reading your posts, and I found out that the help you need has already been given to you. Jason God listened to your prayer.
ReplyDeleteI thought that we couldn’t stop sinning because we are not perfect; we are humans and blah blah. Things that most priests/pastors say but are not true. Today I know that although I a not perfect and can refrain from drinking, smocking, fornication, any of those things including parting. I don’t really know how Christian party because I haven’t had in a Christian party. I do know how worldly people party and I can not be partaker of it. I can not be yoked with them.
It REALLY depends on our spiritual state and how much we want to give in for Jesus’ sake.
I had sinned , yes I made a huge mistake one day. I was really confused I didn’t know what to do.
ReplyDeleteI was Christian, I didn’t had boyfriend, and I didn’t want to have sexual relationships. Then, there was a guy who I used to talk to on the phone I liked him. Then I went to his house. “Nothing” happened, I mean we didn’t make sex. But we almost did! We were kissing and, doing things that I don’t want to thing about. Bad things in God’s eyes. I had never done it.
When I get home I was completely confused and regretful. I didn’t want to talk to the guy. I was feeling BAD! It was one of the most horrible feelings I had ever felt. A huge repentance. So after that, I happened to know that if we repent and make the same mistake afterwards, it’s a false repentance. I started fasting and reading Christians books. A book written by a person, who was guided by the Holy Ghost IS THE BEST CHOICE. My brothers, we need this . It is so helpful. I happened to know a lot of things. By the, I was more interested in knowing Jesus than the world. There is a phase in our lives that we should leave our friends and spend most of the time with the LORD. The Lord should be our best friend. He will give you the Holy spirit which will help you guys.
So:
ReplyDelete- Fast
- No wordly music
- Spend more time with the LORD ( try to do it in one month)
- Read a Christian book
I have a website ( for those who live in U.S) which sell 4 books for 20 $. Books for 10-15 dollars . And for those who don’t live in U.S you can start reading the newletters of this same website. The writer is Rebacca Brown & Daniel Yoder. Please take you time reading their articles and books they are really wise. And they sell books from other Christians authors. Please, we do need to grow.
http://www.harvestwarriors.com/store/ Here is the Store
ReplyDeletehttp://www.harvestwarriors.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=383 Here you can buy these 4 book for 20 $
http://www.harvestwarriors.com/newsletter=archives.htm Here you can read the Newsletter . Some things you may not understand, ask the Holy spirit to guide you every time you read it. Yu must rebuke any demon or sprit of destruction.
If you hear anything bad about the authour, which is possible, please don't judge before knowing the person. I learned a lot with this couple.
Wow! Very well said Romila :)
ReplyDeleteI was totally amazed by your testimony. Praise God!
Thanks for the links, would try to search for that..
Thank you . but I was a little bit oppressive, sorry guys. God bless you all
ReplyDeleteGod bless us all.
ReplyDeleteit's ok Romila :)