i thought it would b good 2 say how i came 2 know Christ more n a
certain way.
as i was sitting n church 1 day my Pastor(now a Bishop)& still
a man of God was preaching & he said n short,"God just doesn't like some people .... I mean u get on his nerves"(more to me like some of our ways aren't like His ways!) then he went n2 teaching about vexing the Holy Ghost, grieving the Holy Ghost, he talked about lying 2 the Holy Ghost, quenching the spirit and so forth... well, about that time i didn't know y i hadn't had a spiritual awakening that great n my life ,but, had a lot of spiritual happenings so maybe God was just talking to me... i set myself (God Helped me)to know God n the power of His ressurection! but, of course back then i could not have written out my experience like i am today! Just like some of u! But, if Christ has freed me then i am open to speak boldly! Y did Paul & others write down what they went thru, don't look down that satan had u down but, rather look up that Christ has forgiven u! He who the Son sets free is free indeed! Christ Jesus said that! well here goes ...
@ the time we had a basement, so that is where i went & i called on the name of the Lord! & i called him... & i called him... and i called him...1hr went by ...2 hrs went by...3 hrs went by....4hrs went by... u c i wasn't going 2 stop until i met the Lord! I believed n God so i was for sure that all that i had banked on since i was a little kid that if u asked 4 something n Jesus name that same Jesus would pay & it would come 2 past!! Thinking back i said Jesus over & over & over for 4hrs not wanting 2 say anything else (cause 2 a smart aleck like myself, if i said anything else it wouldn't be calling Jesus' name but, requesting something else or asking Him 4 something else or trying to snow God by impressing him through wordy prayers, but, i wanted Jesus himself because of what i learned through the Christian environment that taught me!) because i wanted something from God and i wasn't going 2 stop by imagining Jesus was going 2 help me, but, because He himself would show up in some great way! i didn't finally stop until the Lord Jesus allowed my mind 2 think what kinda faith do i have if I didn't believe God alread heard me ... and until that i kept calling cause i also was taught that we couldn't snow God, so, i had better let God know I was serious about needing just Him![I know this is my experience but, What God has done for others Jesus can do for you! i told myself when i got tired, b4 the time was up, that, i was not going 2 doubt or even die because of my wanting & praying so hard. Have u ever needed something so badly that u ached while you cried about it and felt like you were going to die! Doubt just kept tearing @ my mind and soul, but God gave me conviction, a good desire, and the resolve to carry my load til Jesus would save me! Once U reallly love the Lord u r like the New Testament says ," Addicted 2 the cause of Christ"! I was addicted & gladly so!! Next, I went out & found someone to pray with and saw another one of God's happenings... the person was filled w/ the Spirit of God and spoke in tongues! I woke up sunday morning gave the Lord some time [because of being in love with him] then went to church. The pianist I had known for awhile, was on his last day with our church then he was going to move from our city. When I saw him in the vestibule i began to sing to him the songs he taught us.One was "Anybody Here that Loves my Jesus" and the other was "Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired!"( this was way back in *87*88*) and boom just like Pauls says in Ephesians chapt5 if u want to be filled sing songs hyms & spiritual songs.Not only did I know what had just happened but, so did the two worship leaders standing with me know! And the one said to the other something like , "You couldn't have been sent off any better!"
Now, I know what it takes to get started on your way,just believe God will reward you for your dilligence, ask him for that time of singlemindedness [hope u r ok /w my grammar] & go for it! Once u have reached the promised land or rather that your heart is constantly needing God 4 every situation it becomes a fertile rich soil made 4 all the 9 fruits of the spirit 2 grow and shine thru that new creature personality in ways such as... gentleness, goodness, love, joy, longsuffering, patience, mercy, peace, & faith. But, this never happens 2 some people cause they really haven't done what God liked about Moses. The bible says..." and when God saw Moses, that he turned aside 2 see the burning bush, he called His name ... some
folks would never stop their busy life to call on God 4 n_e_thing! They believe God has empowered them once they first got saved and now they don't even have 2 pray everyday for God's guidence on how to use that power! They don't treat God like a person u really love! U call that person everyday or often thru out the day cause u constantly have them on your mind or want just 2 b with them. (the only time u wouldn't call them is when they got to get some sleep....lol my wife Jacquie.... she loves me but calls me during the day eventhough i work @ nite to tell me she loves me,he he he...) Some folks treat God instead like a best friend, they call them not when it's time to go to bed like lovers do or spend every waking moment with that lover but, when that special event arises ( which may happen once every couple of days or may be even a week or three!). Or they call that special friend up when they r just laying back doing nothing & they want a good time! Never intimacy like lovers in marriage never like father & son or mother & daughter but, an outsider, as if the Lord Jesus couldn't tell them one bad thing or one good thing about themselves 2 lighten up there Loads & help them 2 pass thru difficult dilemnas of right now catastrophic proportions! I mean since that's the only time u call friends when u r @ the end of your rope & need help with a little cash then bam ... your friend steps to the bat! But , i read the bible say God sticks closer than a brother!
Another thing ...All my SAVED life my wife knows i have one pet peeve u know , that bugs me to no end, it irks me, burns a little righteous indignation in me, sets me off, makes me feel HIGH & MIGHTY like God wants Me 2 come down & set the record straight, as a matter of fact the bible says who shall believe our report... another place says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, God was justified in the spirit, God was seen of angels, God was preached unto the gentiles, God was believed on in the world, God was received into glory. This may b a little heavy 4 some but, i am sure soon enough you'll be able to handle it. so, how can anyone christian call God "father earth" or "mother earth" or The Man Upstairs". that just irks me to know end!!!!!!!!! instead of saying specifically the name of Jesus or Christ Jesus or Lord Jesus... oh, i could go on. And i am not referring 2 those older christian folks who were taught that Jesus is the son of God only and not God himself, or those baptist that say n the name of the father, the son, & the Holy ghost but don't know that father God's name is Jesus because in Jesus dwelt the FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily,... Children all around the world know that Jesus is the son of God ...I am against that fear in some that r afraid to say the name of Jesus out in the open for fear that someone might c them take sides and stand 4 Christ & say like Isaiah 9v6 and the son given, the son born shall be called Everlasting Father! We could call him Lord Jesus. Christ Jesus! Or talk about him and say He's The Alpha the Omega! young christian have u not been so long with me but yet, u ask show me the Father? it's as if they r afraid, & don't want 2 b ostracized for saying the name of Jesus. Or u know how secular singers have a song out about God's help or descibing God, & they may even say son of God but, no they just wont ever say Jesus name cause then their record is sold by gospel standards and not secular: which means that the record itself may lose money!! They only say his name when they r surrounded with a Christian backup choir in robes! Jesus said not everyone who cries Lord ,Lord will come into the kingdom of God(it's his kingdom! Cause isaiah 9 says the government shall rest on His shoulders) and it's probably because they don't know what Lord they have had need of. This life we christians now lead is not humanism... i definitely am not a humanist cause Jesus has done so much for me!! Have u wailed to Christ to lose this life & gain THE ONE that moths & worms can't corrupt??
Grace and Peace to U that r called by His Name!
n His Love,Todd, aka [email protected]
