This was in a BAPTIST church...

This is an excerpt from a book by Bro. G.E. Jones....


"In 1930 I was holding a meeting in a Baptist church at Birdtown, AR. One Monday morning the services began at 10:30. I only spoke about 30 minutes. But the Spirit of God came on us in a mighty way. For about two hours we wept, we shouted, we laughed for joy, we walked the floor and shook hands with each other. One wave of joy would sweep the congregation for 15 or 20 minutes. Then everything would get as quiet as death. Then another wave of joy would come over us an for about 15 or 20 minutes we would again shout, and laugh, and weep for joy, and shake hands. Then everything would be quiet again for 5 or 10 minutes. Then again a wave of joy would sweep the house and we would rejoice as before. It went on and on in this way for about two hours. I guess I must have shouted a dozen times that day, and so did others. A Negro woman nearby came out in the yard to draw water. The power of the Spirit rested on her and she shouted all over the back yard.

If something like this would happen in some of these fine expensive churches the people would be scared half to death. Well, brother, if you can't take shouting, you had better be getting ready to where you can take it. Some day our Lord shall split the heaven open with a SHOUT. He will begin it, and immediately He shall be joined by the shouting of millions of saints whose graves have bursted open, and by the livingt saints who shall be translated. The very heavens will ring with the shouts of angels and the redeemed and with Christ. "Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever SHOUT FOR JOY," Psalm 5:11. Many yet tell me that service we had that Monday morning at Birdtown was the greatest they were ever in. Take your fine church buildings if you want them. I will take a great spiritual service like this every time.

One Sunday morning in a service at the old Mt. Pleasant Church near Plumerville, AR, about 40 lost people came for prayer. I called on the saved to gather at the front to pray for them. They packed the front of that building. For about 10 minutes we knelt and wept. We were too full for anyone to word a prayer. After a while Bro. Trafford, who is now with the Lord, became able to control his feelings enough to word a prayer. As he prayed with fervor and with a choking voice, the sinners began to come out of the altar shouting. They were saved so fast we lost count. Would you like to see such as this again? Well, God has not changed. If we will get back to the old time ways of preaching, living, and holding services then we can see such again. "

WOWZERS. What do y'all think about that? I am open to hearing your thoughts....

What I want and what I need...

I've been thinking about this a whole lot lately. I have so much in my life that I am so very thankful for! My husband, children, family, church, house, cars, clothes, jewelry, shoes, decorations, washing machine/dryer/dishwasher, a/c and heater, flushing toilets, etc. The list could go on and on and on. But point of the matter is that I do not NEED any of it. Please don't get me wrong in this. Like I said, I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THESE AND MUCH MORE. But I do not NEED  it. What I need is Jesus. He is all I need. He is everything. He is.

There are often so many times that I get that thought in my head of "I need this new thing or that new thing." In my daily walk with Christ I have to make it a point to wake up in the morning and say, "Jesus, YOU are my all in all. You are Who sustains me. It's not things, and it's not even the people in my life. It's You."

Jesus tells us in Luke 14:26 "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple." Those are strong words, right? But we must take this to heart. The way we love others in our life can in no way compare to the way and how much we love Jesus. He is our All in All!

We do absolutely no good in people when we allow them to believe that our wants are the same as our needs. Everyone NEEDS Jesus! If we cause people to believe that they need anything other than Jesus, we have done them a great travesty. We must guard our witness among others and be sure to prove that all we NEED is a relationship with Christ. He supplies everything we NEED. EVERYTHING. Philippians 4:19 "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." That's a promise.  Jesus is ALL WE NEED.

I think John Piper said it best in his Prosperity sermon...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTc_FoELt8s&feature=player_detailpage

This is hard to swallow isn't it? As I type this, it is hard. But this is who we are called to be. I choose Christ and all that implies. If God says do it, I choose to do it.

Christ is worth it! He is Love. He laid down His life for me and you. That's not just a story that we have heard at church or on a television program. That's real life! He's real life. He is Life!