I grew up in a small town where the Baptist or Methodist church was your choice. My mother was Baptist, so our choice was clearly made for us. It is us when we were just kids, so I have no memory is not there. We loved it and all the friends who joined around us every Sunday. Our pastor is a bible teacher and he taught us well the facts from the Bible. He was a short circuit colleagues with very little hair. All loved him dearly. He was a gentle man who never raised a voice and then the only man who could make me cry by showing her love. I was fourteen years ago when he died. Our small community has been shaken from its foundation. Why did God take such a great teacher and leave us alone to fend for themselves? I do not remember it ever becomes a close second and preacher Reverend Hancock memories will always be dear.
I was a Sunday School teacher for youth and I enjoyed it very much. I think I probably learned more than they did, because I had to study very hard to stay ahead of them. I've always felt that something was missing in my religion or faith, but does not have any idea what it is. I visited prisons and resorts, but I still had an empty spot in me. So I continued the search going for years. I visited all kinds of churches anywhere near where I lived. They were all so cold and empty feeling. Would you ever be able to find whatever it was that I longed for so much?
My search gotten me no where, even though I meet a lot of nice people. I think people are going on a church becomes part of it as I had when I was growing up never thinking about going in another. Then I saw it! He sat on the left side of a small senior community where mostly older people live forever. white wooden building jumped out at me as I drove past, trying to see service hours posted outside. It was about ten or twelve cars parked along the roadside so that I did not have parking problems along with them. I had arrived about half an hour late for their services, but I would just go sit near the back. Maybe nobody would notice me.
The children were all singing at the top of their voices and clapping hands. music is the beat to my surprise. They actually had drums and electric guitar. Suddenly the man took off running around inside the church. What kind of church in the world have I entered? I certainly never been in the church as loud or as active as this one. It did not take long for a small group of people to pull me in with his love. blank stop is getting smaller and smaller. I found myself tapping your toes before a long time keeping the beat to the music. Then it happened!
One Sunday evening I was sitting along the back, and the service was about to end. Everyone stood singing songs of praise. Most eyes are closed because they worshiped. Suddenly I felt a warm hand on my forehead. more hands left my face became warmer. Something was happening to me, but I had no idea what it is. I was taught about the laying on of hands, but I was never taught about the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Baptist church that I attended all of my life is not taught about it. In fact they were taught that speaking in tongues is of the devil.
My mind raced as an arm rest on my head. What would my dear mother think of me in a church like that? What will all my friends think? My prayer is that God wanted everyone and everything, if it came from him alone. My lips moved in silent prayer when suddenly my tongue just went wild and I had no control over it. It was rattling for a kind of language I know. My ears were hearing for the first time gift of tongues. God gave me the gift of speaking in tongues. Alleluia!
an elderly man behind me leaned over and said to me: "Honey half of the world would give their right arms to get what they've just won!" He was right. My empty space is gone and I was filled from head to toe with the baptism of the Holy Spirit! God pursued my pride and gave me exactly what I needed.
For years I had let pride stand in the way of my worship and my receive from God. This small Pentecostal church and the nice people I loved. I am sure that God hears all prayers and He answered my that night. Do not let pride rob you of the gifts God has in store for you. I'm so glad I gave mine.
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