Before I was saved I was probably the weakest one on the forum. But now I can do all things through Christ who STRENGTHENS me, including keep his commandments and stay pleasing in His sight. Part of my testimony is just how weak I was, but I would be doing Christ a huge disservice by claiming He left me that way, and that His Spirit in me keeps me weak, when I know the reality of the difference in my character immediately when the Holy Spirit filled me to overflowing. There are millions who have never experienced the power that the filling of the Spirit gives them to become born again. In fact, I was in church for 30 years before it happened to me.
cc:
@Ezra @Renniks
After 50 years in various churches, I believe God pours out his Spirit as he sees fit. Yes, some do great things through Him, but only through Him. And all those Spirit filled people also wax and wane in their experience and they all still sin.
I wrote this about that:
When we were still so young
they all seemed to fly so high
like pure and perfect clouds
In a clear blue summer sky
They are talked in tongues of Moses
They all prayed like Elijah on the mountain
Sang about that old Rugged Cross
and plunging low in the blood filled fountain.
I didn't know, then, I couldn't see
that all the saints were sinners too.
Only He is holy all the time
We all got feet of clay, Brother,
You got yours and I got mine.
Now, I'm not so young anymore
and in my mind some still fly high
but there's a smudge or two on all their clouds
in a sometimes stormy sky.
We may talk in tongues of Moses
like Elijah on Caramel we may pray
but lay me 'neath that Old Rugged Cross
because I need forgiven just like they say
We all got our weakness
We all got our moment of shame
We've all looked around the corner
when the devil called our name
And all the saints are sinners
and I'm a sinner too.
Only One is Holy all the time
and He isn't me, He isn't you.
Yeah, all the saints are sinners too
Only Jesus is perfect all the time
We all got feet of clay, Brother
You got yours and I got mine.