You know how you're walking along and all of a sudden WHAM, you're spirit gets colder than leftover turkey...you can't fight off the enemy like you know you should? That happened to me last night. Don't be alarmed, I'm okay thanks to the Holy Spirit. Reluctantly I assure you, I shut everything down: the computer, the TV, and the video game system...to spend quality time with the Lord. Didn't want to at first...I admit...I was in the mood to wanna go the wrong way. Honestly, I have no clue how He got me to turn around and go the right direction because I was set on going my way and didn't care what He thought. I don't know how...but He did...
I read through the Old Testament...weird stuff was happening back then. From Elijah bringing a child back to life to "Elisha" hitting his coat on the water of the Jordan River, it parted and he walked to where he wanted to go on dry land. "?" Oh...another part was when 50 soldiers were sent to Elijah to arrest him, two times fire came down from Heaven and killed them all. Yeah, there's more weird things I read about, but my point is...God can do things that my brain can't take in or understand how He does it. Events have happened in history that are unbelievable to me. Another example...Elijah didn't die. Oh no! A chariot made of fire, being pulled by horses made of fire suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and took Elijah to Heaven in a whirlwind. I'm not making this up! I read it in the Bible...last night. I think I was reading I Kings or II Kings or some of both. I don't remember...I was making myself read it when I didn't want to. But after a while, my heart softened and...I kept reading.
From this experience, I realize one thing...you see all of my art and poetry and my MySpace page...without God in my life...it wouldn't look like that at all. Um...yeah...pretty much...the opposite of that. Okay I realize two things....He picked me, for some reason, to be...how am I now and do the things I do. Even when...not if...when I get into that mood where I wanna get away from Him...I can't. I tried...unsuccessfully... I read in the New Testament this morning that I'm no longer a slave to sin, but to righteousness...to God. So I stood back and thought about it. Would I rather be a slave to God or a slave to sin? Well...I had to think about it! Sometimes being a "good" Christian is hard. You can feel restricted. At times, the world looks fun and glamourous...like they're having a good time. But I knew...in being a slave to sin my life would fall apart. The restrictions God gives actually benefit me and don't hinder me at all. With righteousness, I know that I'll not only be a good person, but a help to other people. :o) "So" since I have to be a slave to someone or something...I'd rather be a slave to righteousness than sin. Actually...sin stops you from becoming...being all that you can be. You know? You find yourself turning into the type of person you despise and that's not good. I have the New Living Translation...well I read that the most. Romans chapter 6... Yay, I found it! :o) Yep...just read the whole thing...hopefully, if you're going through this similar situation, it'll help you too. Oh...and I found where I was reading last night...II Kings chapters 1 thru 5. Weird man...just some weird stuff was going on... God worked differently back then...when He said He was gonna show up...you "physically" saw Him show up...or you'd physically see something happened right then that would blow you away. Faith? No...not needed as much back then. Alright! I'm gonna be quiet now. :o) You just have yourself a lovely day. Take care then, bye bye now. :o)
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We will learn a lot about the workings of God if we will read and study both the Old and New Testaments, for the scarlet thread of redemption binds the two together, for it all points to Jesus. I enjoyed your article. I felt your enthusiasm as you read, though I hope this is only the beginning of serious Bible study for you. Oh, by the way, faith was needed back then. Read and study how God rewarded Abraham's faith in Genesis. Hebrews the 11th chapter is an excellent record of the faith that existed back then. May God bless you as you study, and thanks for sharing. Thomas
