The Will of the Lord

Ephesians 5:17-20

17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit 19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So how do you understand what the will of the Lord is? In order to understand the Lord's will you must be in communication with Him through prayer and be willing to stop and listen to what He says through His Holy Spirit. Sounds easy enough right? Many pray but don't take time to hear what the Lord is saying back. Yes, the Lord speaks but we do not always perceive as said in the book of Job. The Lord speaks in many ways. The way to be wise is to understand His will. Without the will of the Lord, the only wisdom one has is what they have learned from the world and how they see themselves in their own mind. But then is there anything that hinders you from understanding the will of the Lord? In this case, the apostle Paul is saying that being drunk hinders. And it does because one becomes under the influence of wine and spirits. Liquor stores sometimes have the "wine and spirits" listed because alcohol can alter a person. If you are altered and under the influence of something else, how can you hear and understand the will of the Lord? Alcohol isn't the only thing that can hinder one from understanding the will of the Lord. Whatever is your distraction whether food, phone, TV, a person,etc..whatever gets you so consumed.

Did you know the Lord can use music as part of His will? Yes, music sets the tone. Music brings about different feelings and can minister/encourage someone. It can be used to give praise to the Lord which is the primary purpose. A psalm is a song. David wrote many psalms. Before he was king, David used to play the harp to combat the evil spirit that would come upon King Saul. Music can be used to combat the enemy as David demonstrated. It is often used in worship service to break up the ground so when the preached word comes through God's servant, it will be received. The Lord can use someone to bring forth a particular song that someone or group needs to hear at a particular time. Do not take for granted when it said, "there is a song in my heart". It's there for a purpose. It is not for showcasing or showboating. It is all about encouraging as the Lord deems. I have been singing in church since I was baptized at age 16. The first time the Holy Spirit came upon in song I was 16yrs old. A heat that I cannot describe rose in my throat and head and as I briefly looked out on the congregation, the Holy Spirit made His way through the congregation. I was scared because no one told me it was possible. But the song wasn't for them, I was singing to the Lord. When I sing, it is not about my glory but rather His glory. I imagine I am before His face and want to give Him all I have. I love the Lord.

P.S. You now have two invitations. You have one for my home church, City of Restoration Christian Center's "Reviving the Fire" for September 25-27 at 7pm nightly. And you also have the DC Community Book Signing & Reading/Q&A I will be doing on October 5th from 2-4pm. I look forward to seeing you!!!