Sand Mountain Sermonette 12
Ephesians 5:18
Sand Mountain Sermonette 12
Ruby Falls or God’s Reservoir
“Don’t be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18, New Living Translation.
The original Greek verb Paul uses translated, be filled is a plural verb in the present tense indicating continuous action and the passive voice which means the subject doesn’t act; it is acted upon by some outside force. Therefore, the verse literally reads, “All Christians must always be “being filled” with the Holy Spirit.” In other words, all of us are to “keep on being filled with the Spirit”.
In His Book, “The Holy Spirit,” Billy Graham describes his home in the North Carolina mountains this way, “Our home is supplied by a reservoir fed by two mountain springs. These two springs on the mountain above the house, according to the mountain people who lived here before we did, never fluctuate. Rainy season or dry, they remain the same. We draw on the water as we need it, and the springs continually flowing into the reservoir keep it filled to overflowing.
Drawing off another story, after my mom and dad were married in the mid 50’s, their best friends Hollis and Doris Jean Hendricks (the best man and maid of honor), accompanied them to Lookout Mountain, Tennessee to celebrate their wedding. Once there, they stopped off to see the famous “Ruby Falls.” Mother said they purchased their tickets and then proceeded to ride an elevator down to the falls, but once off the elevator, they had to travel way back in a cavern and across a rocky terrain to see the falls and along the way it was all mom and Doris Jean could do to keep from falling in their high-heeled shoes! And get this, once they arrived, mother said Ruby Falls “was the nearest nothing” she had ever seen for it was nothing more than a little trickle-like falls coming out of the rock! Christian, I have great news for you! You were “born again” in Christ to live filled and full Holy Spirit two-mountain-springs-reservoir-fed style, not Ruby-Falls-little-trickle-style! The former strengthens you to stand on the solid rock of Christ daily whereas the latter will keep you stumbling through life. The Person of the Holy Spirit lives in you. Trust Him today to empower you to walk in faith as you choose to place Christ on the throne of your heart.
Pastor Louie