Good Sunday to all of you. Most of you know that I'm a jump up and down, raise hands in the air, Bible-thumpin' holy roller. No - I won't thump that Bible so hard - that I end up trying to shove it down your throat. Holy roller is just what I am. If your worship is not the same or you are offended easily by people like me, read on at your own risk. I make no excuses. My God is the one for me.
I was reading a devotional this morning that really touched my heart and brought back some wonderful memories. Even for some Christians, this may not be something liked or believed in. I was the same way for many years. I was brought up Christian, made my personal decision for him when I was 13. My church was mainly Presbyterian with Lutheran generously sprinkled in. Years passed & something in me changed. This great change for me was this . . . are you ready?
The baptism of the holy spirit
First let me tell you - if you accept Christ, right then you receive the Spirit of God in you. The devotional uses Ezekiel 36:26, 27 as an early example of this. Basically it says he will give you a new heart and spirit in you and you will walk His way and live by His statutes. It was a promise to the Jews back then and to all of us now. This in 1Cor 5:17 where the word says: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Look at Acts 1:4,5. Take time to read the whole chapter. At that time, Jesus tells the disciples they will soon be baptized not in water, but fire. It's wonderful! I have known that promise and that is why I am writing this today. I would like to share my memory of that day.
While reading,the devotional the Lord brought to my mind the day I received the Holy Spirit. I had been so resistant . . . my old church? "others" out there who told me how stupid it was . . . too Holy Roller! In the end it wasn't any of that. It was the fear of what would be required of me . . . I was so close. It was a Saturday afternoon, the fourth day of camp meeting. I was in the parking lot talking to Brother Robert, and he said to me . . . "you're not using the gift the Lord has given you!" he placed his hand on my stomach, the other hand on my forehead. Oh what a feeling! Something rolled through me and I began to groan and speak words I did not know. What power and joy overcame me! I can not speak or write words sufficient to share the feeling. Others saw it in me and gave thanks.
It wasn't the way I thought it would happen for me, in the church with people surrounding me in prayer. I was in a parking lot speaking with an itinerant preacher and evangelist touching me gently and without another word . . . he let me find what was probably buried within me for many years . . . the Holy Spirit bubbled up from deep within me to set me free and give me the power He meant for me.
Lord, as your Spirit comes from within me today, let me be all you want me to be for you. Allow me to represent you by offering Jesus to all I meet, that they might feel your Spirit welling up from their very souls. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord In Jesus' name I pray Amen
Poor planning - I hate when that happens!
