Be Thankful let the Holy Spirit Flow Through You

Be thankful, let the Holy Spirit flow through YOU

The Holy Spirit will reprove of sin Not only should we be thankful the Father chose us and the Son was crucified, died for our sins but we should be thankful the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins so we see the need of salvation. "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment " John 16:8.

No fear of God
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE" and "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES" Rom. 3:10, 18. If you think about it, those facts will just blow your mind. We were like that, weren't we?

Their heart was pricked through preaching "Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37. They responded gladly and "there were added unto them about three thousand souls." The key to all of this was that the preachers were "filled with the Holy Spirit." There is no greater joy in all of this world, than to preach in the power of the Holy Spirit, see people convicted and converted right before you very eyes.

Was I ever convicted
When Gene Gaskins took me to church in March of 1940, the pastor, Pat Wimberly, preached and I thought sure Gene had told him all about me. It seemed he named my sins one after another and knew all about me, I was so convicted I wanted to clobber Gene. Thank God I went back. Word spread all over the church that I was not saved and all the people were praying I would get saved. Three weeks later, under such conviction, I thought I was going to die, I went forward at the invitation to get saved. Pat Wimberly, told me the gospel again and prayed with me. I believed Jesus died for my sins and rose again and God saved me and changed my life forever.

I miss being a pastor
To God be the glory, we saw people convicted and converted almost every week. Our people witnessed, brought people to church, people prayed like mad and people got saved. That dear people, is New Testament Christianity and the way it ought to be in every church today. My prayer and passion was like John Knox who prayed "Give me Scotland or I die." I prayed for my town, where I pastored, just like that and God answered.

We all need a DD degree
It is 5 a.m. right now and God just gave me this. There is much written and talked about having a "designated driver." Every Christian needs a D. D., a "designated driver" all the time. The Holy Spirit is the "designated driver" given by God, "Be filled with the Holy Spirit" Eph. 5:18. Christians must "Walk in the Spirit" Gal. 5:a6. We must put the Holy Spirit in the driver's seat of our lives, ALL THE TIME, by asking Him to control us, to get in the drivers seat. How? "And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him" 1 John 5:15; Eph. 5:17,18. That dear people is how you "walk by faith" and "walk in the Spirit." "I will do as you say" Luke 5:5. Now do it, live that way every day. "Be thankful" for the Holy Spirit. He is so vital to the Christian life.

Prayer:  Father, thank You for giving the Holy Spirit to convict us, convert us and control us. In Jesus name. Amen and Amen.

Good News: Be Thankful!

The good news is "Christ died for our sins, rose again and was seen by hundreds" 1 Cor. 15:1-4. "For Christ also died for sins once for all " 1 Peter 3:18. "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross" 1 Peter 2:24. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him " 2 Cor. 5:21.

And they crucified Him
"They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Mark 15:17. 18. "And they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, "Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?" And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming" Luke 22:64, 65. Isaiah sums it up saying, "So His appearance was marred more than any man. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth " Isa. 52:14; 53:7.

Why have you forsaken me
The Son of the Living God took all the physical suffering and never moaned or groaned once, but when "the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all" He cried out, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" Mark 15:34.

He took my place
There is but one answer, He took my place and suffered and died for my sins, paid the eternal debt of my sins in full. Question? Did He die for YOUR sins? Did He pay your debt in full? Then THANK HIM. I find it keeps my heart warm and filled with joy to thank Him daily for dying for my sins. That is why the Lord's supper is so special as we "remember" his death and "proclaim His death, until He comes" 1 Cor. 11

Oh dear people, my all time favorite song is "When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride" and that last verse, "Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far to small. Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." Doesn't that make sense?

Be thankful for the Lord Jesus suffering and dying for our sins, paying our debt in full and rising from the dead so He can now be our personal Savior and we can be forgiven of our sins. Isn't that awesome and amazing grace? Now that is BIG NEWS!

Prayer:  Father, Thank you that You chose us and thank You that the Lord Jesus suffered and died for our sins and we are saved by receiving Him as our savior. In Jesus name.