Being Filled and Dancing...the Beloved's Awakening

The lines of W.B. Yeats lap through my mind: 'and the people came together and the people came to dance like a wave upon the sea.' Again, we do not serve a God of accidents: I've been reading through the GEPC (Go Eat PopCorn-baam!) books this month and spending a lot of time in Galatians and Ephesians and I noticed that much of what I am studying is reworked in the Tim Keller podcasts that I listen to almost daily: Being filled with the Holy Spirit as an authentic worshiper. This past Sunday Mum told me to check out a church that she believed is similar to my home church in North Carolina, North Wake--I'm church-hunting for the time-being. Well, I had checked the service times online but they didn't match with her info but hey, Mum knows best...SOME of the time. I went but another church was using the building, somehow connected to the International House of Prayer (IHOP). Apparently the building is utilized by a couple of churches at various times of the week. But this one was NOT like North Wake. The sermon was on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and specifically, speaking in Tongues. I appreciated much of what the young pastor had to say but the second baptism was not convincing (we all were baptized by One Spirit)...but I appreciated how zealous the church was to PRAY; to lay hands on people and intercede and prophecy over them. One lady came over and very respectful

ly and wisely prayed over me in a very non-Charismatic manner and displayed gentleness and clarity. And what she spoke over me was greatly insightful, encouraging and directive. I don't want to get into specifics here because those details don't really matter. As I go through Galatians and Ephesians, I keep getting this message: don't focus on others or gifts or works. Don't miss Christ! It's like when we say, Yes Lord, I know that you will take care of X and You can do Y through me and we ask for Z, yes, so that you will be glorified. Affirmations are good and necessary but like Jesus's response to Mary and Martha: I AM the Resurrection. Don't let your doctrine stay in your head. Be saturated, be FILLED with the Holy Spirit. Just like building castles made of sand, don't fill a bucket of sand, pour some water on the top (the head: yes, I've done a 15 min. morning devo,etc.), flip it over to empty the bucket and expect the form to remain: the content of the whole hasn't been converted, transformed in to a saturated mixture! In every area of my life, I need to continually yield to the Lord, leave no compartment, 'hidden' sin or 'small' indulgence remain untouched by the LIVING water. The power of the Gospel is indeed powerful enough to change the order of the universe, let alone one wretched sinner like myself...but only to the extent that I volitionally give over to God's right of way. As a Christian, I have forfeited my autonomy, and asked to become a slave to righteousness. In return, He has pierced by ear with a gold ring and sealed me with His Spirit as a promise that I am accepted as His. In a gratuity of love, and because He is Love, I am not without inheritance, 'just a slave,' but His beloved. Now I am both, a times feeling that connection as a slave to righteousness when I battle the old sinful nature, other times the comfort, and healing presence as His child. There is much work left to be done in me but I'm not unduly dwelling on that. I'm learning to dwell in Him. It's hard for a proud, self-reliant, 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps Christianity' that many people spout but the truth is we cannot clean ourselves; I'm too poor and needy. God will take care of my wretchedness the more I delight and have ongoing fellowship with Him. Be filled, be blessed and BE a blessing to others. PRay for gifts to bless others and begin with exhorting others, prayerfully and continually. God is faithful: keep seeking and asking and knocking. And pull up a chair and have a cup of mint tea with me.