THINK ABOUT THIS!!!!

Aren't you glad Christ isn't like this?

What is the use? The workings of the Holy Ghost and its purpose!

In class recently we have been on the topic of evangelism and salvation. Dr. Bayles raised the question the other day asking what happens to the people who have never heard the gospel when they die. This question has struck me pretty deep. Another question however has risen in my heart. It is not concerned per say with world evangelism. My question is this, “If a Pentecostal/charismatic church has what we call a “good” holy ghost filled service, and no one is saved was the true Holy Ghost their?” This question could also be extended to the absents of healings, desire to evangelize, and the release of the captives. In acts1:8 Jesus says the following about the Holy Ghost, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you ; you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest parts of the world”(NASV). If we really have the true power of the Holy Ghost, which doesn’t entail just speaking in tongues, we will be the witnesses of Christ. Jesus told that we would have the power to witness, not just the desire. I do believe that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence, (I cite the 2^nd chapter of Acts, and the events following to back this claim up) but there are also others way to tell if someone has the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Paul discusses the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law” (NASV). I really have a problem with churches shouting, when souls are dying by the thousands, even millions and going to hell. I wonder, if all the souls are going to hell, then what good is the church? Where is the power given to us by the Holy Ghost to be witnesses in all the world? How are we fulfilling the Great Commission if we never even evangelize to the people living right beside our churches, let along the people in Africa, South America, and the remote parts of Asia, and Europe? I heard a saying once that echoes in my mind while I ponder these questions, the saying was one a billboard in my home town, and it read as follows, “What on earth, are we doing for heavens sake?” What are we doing? Let us be up and about the Father’s business.
Time is running out.

Do we use our praise to bargain?

In the beginning chapter two of Awakened to a Calling, the author discusses art, and it’s importance to God, and worship. I like this, and it really stuck out to me. He discusses the shack town in Cape Town, South Africa, and how even though there was nothing there, except shack made out of scrap metal, carpet and wood, there was a little girl with a radio who was dancing. This to me stood out for several reasons. One reason a person should not base how they praise God on their circumstances. David teaches us this in the 22^nd Psalm, verses 1-5, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. Yet you are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted and you delivered them.” David probably was probably having a pretty crappy time (excuse the expression) but he didn’t use that as an excuse not to praise God. It is the same thing with the little girl living in a shack in South Africa. She is in the depts. Of poverty, but she can still dance because she has a life, she woke up that morning. It is my opinion that sometimes Pentecostals base too much on emotion. We praise if we feel like it and give if the sermon was great, but this is wrong. I have developed the mentality of David, If God never answers another prayer, if I never see my dreams come to fruition, I am still going to praise God, because He gave me life, and because he gave me salvation. I understand that it is hard not to base our praise on circumstances, but I think it is wrong to use your praise as a bargaining technique. One passage in the bible that underlines to me the true essence of praise is the story of the Shunammite Woman from the 4 chapter of 2^nd Kings. In this story the woman who offered a room to Prophet Elisha, when her son dies she carried him to the prophet and when asked how she was she said all was well. To me this is amazing, the woman had just lost her son, but because of her faith in God she could say it is well. I believe that God honors unselfish praise, he desires the praise of his people. I think so many times we as humans are used to bargaining, that we try to place this same trait onto God. He doesn’t need our praise but he desires it. This is why I have come to the conclusion to have a David like mentality.

Where is God

So we have been discussing the whereness of God in time, in my Mission of the Church class.
It is kind of mind blowing to realize that God see all time at once. The 7 days of creation are as present to God as the Day of the Rapture. I guess the fact is is that we can not comprehend God, because we are not supposed to.