If I were to concoct some story about angels visiting me and burning up the hotel rooms, or getting taken to heaven in a pillar of fire where I had surgery on a heavenly operating table, there are thousands and thousands of gullible people who would flock to hear me preach about such things as evidenced in the Lakeland Occult Revival meetings.
I am sure that with a little bit of good fortune, I could probably even do well for myself on the paranormal/psychic/ufo alien abduction speaking circuit. But in the end, that is all it would be is a story, but the account I share in this story had a far greater impact on me than so-called visitations or abductions. The reason is because what happened to me impacted me for eternity.
As a young man training to enter the ministry, everything seemed to be going my way! I was courting a young lady who desired to serve with me, and on the surface it appeared as though I was doing everything right, but something was dreadfully wrong.
One evening, a very godly older man spoke with me and told me that I had spiritual pride. Needless to say that made me quite angry. Who was he to tell me that I was a sinner? Did he not realize all the good things I did and all the ministries in which I served during the week?
For quite some time, we talked and then he asked me a question which stunned me – Stopping putting your trust in a date, and search your heart to see whether there was ever a time when you recognized your totally depraved condition and your need of the Only Person Who could ever be your Saviour?
I can point to that night as a turning point for me because that evening was the first time I had been brought to the point where I did recognize my spiritually dead heart for what it was. That was the first time, I began to actually realize that Jesus Christ came to this earth to become the Sin-Bearer. I realized that if my faith and trust were placed in Him Alone then the penalty for my sins were considered paid.
2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Each day that now passes, I am sobered and humbled to think that the Holy Spirit convicted my heart of sin, brought me to the foot of the Cross, and became the earnest (downpayment) of my inheritance which is found in Jesus Christ alone. I am overwhelmed to think that from before time began that He set His love upon me. The thought that He would do so much for me is many times more than I can ever find the proper words to give Him thanks.
I do NOT need fake signs and wonders to show the Holy Spirit has made a visitation! No, my friend, the signs and wonders in my life is that He sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free. He promised He was going to return and right before He does there will be a falling away – an apostasy which will come from within the church. It sickens me when I realize that much of the drivel going on is only lifting up the wicked depraved heart of fallen men, and it does NOT lift up and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
My heart knows the depravity which was found within me, and the depths to which I was willing to go to live my own life and follow my own path seeking to foolishly think I could make it to heaven on my own accord. I am still amazed that He would love such a wretch like me, that He would send His Holy Spirit to visit my depraved soul, that He would pay such a price so that I might reign with Him in glory and so that He might present me as faultless before the Father!
Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldest die for me! Now, that is a Biblical account and a true Holy Visitation. To Him be all the praise, honour and glory that is due HIS NAME ALONE! I am His, and He is mine! What more do we need? We certainly do not deserve even this, yet for me His blood was shed and now NO CONDEMNATION NOW I DREAD! FORGIVEN, FORGIVEN, FORGIVEN!!
In Christ alone, my hope is found!
The Desert Pastor
5 Comments
May 29, 2008 at 12:02 am
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
\o/\O/\o/
I pray that people will stop looking for signs and wonders like the Jews did in Jesus’ time. Yet, I know that, sadly, many nowadays want to see these and are not content to just listen to the preaching of the Gospel.
Today’s Christianity is all about experiences and feelings but true faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The Lord has given us everything necessary for our faith in His Word, why do many think they need look for more?
May 29, 2008 at 5:02 am
I’ve been speaking with someone about the signs and wonders seekers and she said if she didn’t have “personal words” from the Lord, healing and signs and wonders she would feel she was missing the power (despite the fact that none of these work for her personally). I tried to explain to her the power was in Salvation! A changed heart, a humble and meek person, who can find? It the most powerful statement to this generation. She doesn’t get it at all and she’s been seeking signs and wonders for years.
May 30, 2008 at 5:55 am
Thanks for the encouragement. I will be checking your blog daily for more.
Your meditation on 2 Cor. 5:17 is timely for me.
I have recently committed this and the following passage to memory.
We are new creatures, at His expense.
We are reconciled, brought into a right relationship, taken from a position of enmity against God. The dispute between us and God is over. Then, in a wonderful reversal, He entrusts the ministry of reconciliation to us.
We are then made His ambassadors. This is a great responsibility, the ambassador represents a king or a government of another country while dwelling in the hosting country.
Our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subdue all things to himself (Phil 3:21)
The ambassador has no right to change the message of his king. He is a servant only. No right to contextualize the message, or make it less offensive. The message is simple.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)
What a privilege we have. God saves us then gives us the joy of joining in his great work.
Thanks for your encouragement.
John in Toronto.
May 30, 2008 at 8:54 pm
wonderful! Amen and amen! Thank you for posting that!
All this “jesus wants me to have MORE X” (insert whatever our little hearts desire that day in place of the X – family fulfillment, money, health, purpose, happiness, spiritual power) is so WRONG!
As Paul Washer said “He saved me! Isn’t that enough?”
May 31, 2008 at 12:05 pm
“He who has Jesus and everything has no more than he who has Jesus and nothing else.”
I forget who said that, but it sure is the truth. So many people are seeking to be entertained in
coffee shops“churches” here in Laodicea that if they don’t get some funky freaky feeling, they’re missing out on something. How could anyone desire anything more than they desire Christ? What, so they can have something to show off to their friends?As Fernando Ortega once sang,
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.