Psalms 113-115
1 Corinthians 6
“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is….be filled with the Spirit…” —Ephesians 5:17-18
In Jesus’s Parable of the Ten Virgins, where five were wise and five were foolish, the primary imagery that Jesus used to distinguish between the two was the light of the lamp. As the virgins waited for the bridegroom’s arrival, the wise brought oil with their lamp while the foolish did not. When the bridegroom arrived, the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out” (Matthew 25:8). The Greek word for “going out” is sbennumi, which means “to extinguish, to quench, to snuff out.” The word appears about eight times in the New Testament.
One of its instances is in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians when he writes about the end times and the eventual return of the King—the Bridegroom—for His bride, the Church. He gives instruction to the Church on how to prepare herself and live in a manner oriented toward that day. Paul warns, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). In other words, do not suppress the Spirit’s activity in our life.
The foolish are individuals who quench the Spirit’s activity in their lives. In our present day, the foolish person does not prioritize and gives little to no significance to the teaching and presence of Jesus. They are practicing a casual Christianity that is not rooted in God’s Word or in His Spirit’s activity; rather, they are mimicking the forms of spirituality and going through the motions. They have no light, no oil and no substance in their lamp. Their container looks shiny, but their inside is full of resistance and rejection. The foolish love themselves and it shows up in their finances, their attitudes, their treatment of others, and ultimately, in their rejection of God’s activity in their lives. They quench the Spirit and embrace all the pleasures of this life.
Paul cautions, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:15-18). The word he uses for “be filled” is a present-tense verb in Greek, meaning it is not a one-time thing, but something we continually do. In addition, it is an imperative, a command, which is not a suggestion. In other words, we are to continuously cultivate our relationship with the Holy Spirit, allowing it to be active in our life.
In our life, may “our lamp” always be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Lord Heavenly Father, help me to continuously be filled with Your Holy Spirit. Being rooted in Your Word, I want to live a life that is wise. Thank You, Lord.
1 Corinthians 6
“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is….be filled with the Spirit…” —Ephesians 5:17-18
In Jesus’s Parable of the Ten Virgins, where five were wise and five were foolish, the primary imagery that Jesus used to distinguish between the two was the light of the lamp. As the virgins waited for the bridegroom’s arrival, the wise brought oil with their lamp while the foolish did not. When the bridegroom arrived, the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out” (Matthew 25:8). The Greek word for “going out” is sbennumi, which means “to extinguish, to quench, to snuff out.” The word appears about eight times in the New Testament.
One of its instances is in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians when he writes about the end times and the eventual return of the King—the Bridegroom—for His bride, the Church. He gives instruction to the Church on how to prepare herself and live in a manner oriented toward that day. Paul warns, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). In other words, do not suppress the Spirit’s activity in our life.
The foolish are individuals who quench the Spirit’s activity in their lives. In our present day, the foolish person does not prioritize and gives little to no significance to the teaching and presence of Jesus. They are practicing a casual Christianity that is not rooted in God’s Word or in His Spirit’s activity; rather, they are mimicking the forms of spirituality and going through the motions. They have no light, no oil and no substance in their lamp. Their container looks shiny, but their inside is full of resistance and rejection. The foolish love themselves and it shows up in their finances, their attitudes, their treatment of others, and ultimately, in their rejection of God’s activity in their lives. They quench the Spirit and embrace all the pleasures of this life.
Paul cautions, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:15-18). The word he uses for “be filled” is a present-tense verb in Greek, meaning it is not a one-time thing, but something we continually do. In addition, it is an imperative, a command, which is not a suggestion. In other words, we are to continuously cultivate our relationship with the Holy Spirit, allowing it to be active in our life.
In our life, may “our lamp” always be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Lord Heavenly Father, help me to continuously be filled with Your Holy Spirit. Being rooted in Your Word, I want to live a life that is wise. Thank You, Lord.
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