Saturday, March 26, 2005
This morning, I woke up, expecting a normal day, swimming in the morning, then doing some work, then going to church in the afternoon for the youth Easter service. Little did I know how dramatic and awesome this day would turn out to be.
In the afternoon, I remembered that I had cell group just before service, and I hadn’t done any of the chapters in my book yet. So, when I had woken from my nap, I settled down to bible study. I read about God’s Will, not for my life, but about God’s Will for us in general, to keep the utmost faith in Him and abide in Him as He does in us.
During cell group, this issue of keeping God’s faith came up over and over again, and how we must indeed let go of everything in order to follow him properly. We talked and talked about it, little knowing how God would show us His might and His power.
When service started, I still remembered what I had learned during Cell group, and I had a certain sense of anticipation as the evening wore on. When the Rev. Miguel Escobar came up to speak, he said something utterly different from what I had expected. I expected one of his normal, humorous sermons and that would be that. He talked about the youth of today becoming the prophets and leaders of tomorrow, telling all of us how much faith he had in us. I sat up straight, and listened. Somehow, this message seemed meant for me. And when he talked about faith, having the faith in God that could lead men to do great things with His might and power, the cell group’s discussion suddenly had a deeper meaning.
After the sermon, an alter call was made. Normally I would have just sat there, and let all the other people go up and rededicate their lives to God. You see, I had gone up a few times, and I thought it would all be the same. You go up, feel the presence of God a little stronger than before, you thank God for it, and then you sit down again. However, when this alter call was made, God told me, “It is time” That phrase came to me all throughout Rev. Escobar’s prayer, and I started waiting impatiently for this precious chance to let God finally take over. So I walked down the aisle, and just stood in front praying for God to reveal himself. I stood there and prayed, and I started to shake all over, as though something indescribable was moving like a huge wave over me. And when everyone else was singing “Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I live for you alone,” I was trembling violently. And I told God, “This is what you want. I’m giving everything to you. I’m letting go and letting You take charge.” By then, people were being slain by the spirit, falling to the ground every time Rev. Escobar touched them. And I realised that God needed me to surrender myself completely and utterly to him. I began to pray harder. And when he started another prayer, emotions welled up inside of me and I began to sob. As I sobbed I gave everything up to God, and there was nothing left but joyful anticipation. When I moved up to the stage, I just waited, and waited. And I wondered how everyone around me could just drop from the touch of one man. But I shoved those thoughts aside, and told myself that nothing else mattered except God. So when it came to my turn, I just let go. And instead of falling, I was caught by people behind me. And I felt the Holy Spirit coursing through my body, and I felt as though my soul was a hundred times lighter. My body was still shaking and I was in the presence of God.
When I sat up again, I felt this stupendous awe of God. And when the worship leader sang “Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul,” I started trembling again. And the tears came, tears of joy, that God had finally taken all my burdens away and had replaced it instead with a hearts full of joy and peace. And as I was prayed over by someone, I could only say, “I love you Lord,” over and over again.
God never pushes us to go to Him. He tells you, and it’s all up to you whether or not you want to follow him. Letting go of everything isn’t easy, but God prepares us all for the tasks which he knows we cannot handle. The past few times I’d gone up for an alter call, I wasn’t willing to give up everything for God; but later I learned through Him that he will give us what we need. And so when I gave up myself to him, I was filled with His grace, and was renewed by His Spirit.
Jesus said to Simon Peter and Andrew, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they left their nets and followed him.
In the afternoon, I remembered that I had cell group just before service, and I hadn’t done any of the chapters in my book yet. So, when I had woken from my nap, I settled down to bible study. I read about God’s Will, not for my life, but about God’s Will for us in general, to keep the utmost faith in Him and abide in Him as He does in us.
During cell group, this issue of keeping God’s faith came up over and over again, and how we must indeed let go of everything in order to follow him properly. We talked and talked about it, little knowing how God would show us His might and His power.
When service started, I still remembered what I had learned during Cell group, and I had a certain sense of anticipation as the evening wore on. When the Rev. Miguel Escobar came up to speak, he said something utterly different from what I had expected. I expected one of his normal, humorous sermons and that would be that. He talked about the youth of today becoming the prophets and leaders of tomorrow, telling all of us how much faith he had in us. I sat up straight, and listened. Somehow, this message seemed meant for me. And when he talked about faith, having the faith in God that could lead men to do great things with His might and power, the cell group’s discussion suddenly had a deeper meaning.
After the sermon, an alter call was made. Normally I would have just sat there, and let all the other people go up and rededicate their lives to God. You see, I had gone up a few times, and I thought it would all be the same. You go up, feel the presence of God a little stronger than before, you thank God for it, and then you sit down again. However, when this alter call was made, God told me, “It is time” That phrase came to me all throughout Rev. Escobar’s prayer, and I started waiting impatiently for this precious chance to let God finally take over. So I walked down the aisle, and just stood in front praying for God to reveal himself. I stood there and prayed, and I started to shake all over, as though something indescribable was moving like a huge wave over me. And when everyone else was singing “Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I live for you alone,” I was trembling violently. And I told God, “This is what you want. I’m giving everything to you. I’m letting go and letting You take charge.” By then, people were being slain by the spirit, falling to the ground every time Rev. Escobar touched them. And I realised that God needed me to surrender myself completely and utterly to him. I began to pray harder. And when he started another prayer, emotions welled up inside of me and I began to sob. As I sobbed I gave everything up to God, and there was nothing left but joyful anticipation. When I moved up to the stage, I just waited, and waited. And I wondered how everyone around me could just drop from the touch of one man. But I shoved those thoughts aside, and told myself that nothing else mattered except God. So when it came to my turn, I just let go. And instead of falling, I was caught by people behind me. And I felt the Holy Spirit coursing through my body, and I felt as though my soul was a hundred times lighter. My body was still shaking and I was in the presence of God.
When I sat up again, I felt this stupendous awe of God. And when the worship leader sang “Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul,” I started trembling again. And the tears came, tears of joy, that God had finally taken all my burdens away and had replaced it instead with a hearts full of joy and peace. And as I was prayed over by someone, I could only say, “I love you Lord,” over and over again.
God never pushes us to go to Him. He tells you, and it’s all up to you whether or not you want to follow him. Letting go of everything isn’t easy, but God prepares us all for the tasks which he knows we cannot handle. The past few times I’d gone up for an alter call, I wasn’t willing to give up everything for God; but later I learned through Him that he will give us what we need. And so when I gave up myself to him, I was filled with His grace, and was renewed by His Spirit.
Jesus said to Simon Peter and Andrew, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they left their nets and followed him.
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