07/04/2024
De-LIGHTFULLY-inspired
This week keep the following suggestions in mind:
Be… Inspired to live each day with Jesus as your centre.
Be… Inspired to live each day filled with the Holy Spirit.
Be…. Inspired to LIGHT UP the world.
The question then follows… How do you live like that?
Begin your meeting with a prayer.
Readings and Sharing:
- The Blessing of God Covered (anointed) Worship.
Read Psalm 133. This is a “Songs of Ascents”. These “songs” were most likely sung by pilgrims as they made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate any number of annual religious festivals, including Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The wonderful metaphors used to describe being covered in the blessing of God are oil and dew. Remember the blessing of God is poured out (oil) and settles on (dew) the believers who live together in unity.
What does it mean to live in “unity”?
What does it mean to be “anointed” (covered) by God?
What would it mean for you to live each day as someone anointed by God?
Is St.Thomas (or your church) a church family that shows the examples of being anointed by God?
- The Blessing of being Inspired by Jesus.
Read John 20:19-22. What is the “Peace” that Jesus mentions in verses 19 and 22? The word “inspiration” in the Bible means “to be filled with” and to “breathe in”. With that in mind what do you think Jesus was doing in verse 22? Note how the presence and inspiration of Jesus took away the fear of the disciples (verse 22b – they were filled with joy).
Would you like to be “inspired” by Jesus? What does that mean?
Is St. Thomas (or your church) a family of people that is “inspired” by Jesus?
- The Blessing of being De-LIGHTFULLY-Inspired.
Read 1 John 1:1-10. This is a firsthand account, a witness story, to the life of Jesus (verses 1-4)! Who is the witness? A very powerful image in this reading is in verse 5 – God is light, and verse 7 – live in the light. The world of philosophy, science and physics teaches that it is not possible for us to make “darkness”. One cannot go into a laboratory and “make darkness” as darkness is actually only the absence of light. We can make light, not darkness! Imagine then a lighthouse at work! A lighthouse beams a strong light into a place where there is an absence of light (darkness), to show the way for shipping.
What does it mean to say, “let God fill you with His Light”?
How could you use your life to be a light house for others? What would that mean?
Is St. Thomas (or your church) a lighthouse in your community?
Closing thought:
How will you live this week ANNOINTED and COVERED in the BLESSING of GOD and live DE-LIGHTFULLY-INSPIRED!
God bless you,
Tim.