- Dec 31, 2010
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John Wesley had a terrible time in Georgia and was basically ran out of the colony. In Wesley’s case, he was involved to some degree with a young woman during his time in Savannah. But he could never commit to marry her. After waiting around for some time, the young woman finally left him and eventually became engaged to another young man. When she wanted to be admitted to the local church’s communion with her new husband, Wesley, for some reason, promptly refused! Her husband responded by indicting Wesley for defamation of his new bride’s character, and it went downhill from there. His dad also dying the same year was basically left a total failure at age 35. Despondent, sad, heartbroken he went to a Moravian meeting and records the following encounter.
"In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." - John Wesley
The problem with our mental reasoning is that it cannot develop spiritual warmth or light. We must come to a place of total surrender to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to find that. I was raised a Sardisian in which I didn't even like to be touched as a teenager. I use to dress up for church and walk around with my nose in the air as if I were walking onto a yacht. Then the summer after high school I decided to stay the summer with my grandmother. As I would dwell with the people they would invite me to church. As the summer came to the end I was at the alter after each service falling in with the people. At one particular revival one of the saints of the church came behind me praying for me. As he was praying warm tears were falling from his cheeks and hitting my shoulder. As a guy who didn't like to be touched this was profound. That evening I can only express the sensation using a few lines from John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress..
Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. Isaiah 26:10. Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.
He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.
Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, “He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death.” Then he stood still a while, to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. Zech 12:10. Now as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three Shining Ones came to him, and saluted him with, “Peace be to thee.” So the first said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” Mark 2:5; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment, Zech 3:4: the third also set a mark on his forehead, Eph 1:13, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the celestial gate: so they went their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing,
After that experience I lay down on my Grandmothers bed. My Grandmother was a very clean and decent woman and I could smell my clothesline fresh surroundings as well as hear the kady dids singing (this night it was as if they were praising the Lord) in the back drop with fire flies coming up our hill. Then for the first time in my life the Holy Spirit began to talk. When I went back to school in another state that year people would want to sit next to me in church so 'a little of that' would rub off on them. I wish I could say that I kept that spiritual experience alive in my own personal life, but as Philadelphians are in and out of revival, have had my challenges.
I still like to go to heartwarming events! I treat my nephews and nieces to Dollywood and the Dixiestampede where some of the drama rewarms my heart. Drama that warms the heart is my favorite kind of event! Below are two videos of a Lakewood church service. Though I cannot defend Joel Osteen in everything he does I will say that was one heartwarming service.
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Qj_e28NYb1Y
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Z97wvigyovs
"In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." - John Wesley
The problem with our mental reasoning is that it cannot develop spiritual warmth or light. We must come to a place of total surrender to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to find that. I was raised a Sardisian in which I didn't even like to be touched as a teenager. I use to dress up for church and walk around with my nose in the air as if I were walking onto a yacht. Then the summer after high school I decided to stay the summer with my grandmother. As I would dwell with the people they would invite me to church. As the summer came to the end I was at the alter after each service falling in with the people. At one particular revival one of the saints of the church came behind me praying for me. As he was praying warm tears were falling from his cheeks and hitting my shoulder. As a guy who didn't like to be touched this was profound. That evening I can only express the sensation using a few lines from John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress..
Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. Isaiah 26:10. Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.
He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.
Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, “He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death.” Then he stood still a while, to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. Zech 12:10. Now as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three Shining Ones came to him, and saluted him with, “Peace be to thee.” So the first said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” Mark 2:5; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment, Zech 3:4: the third also set a mark on his forehead, Eph 1:13, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the celestial gate: so they went their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing,
After that experience I lay down on my Grandmothers bed. My Grandmother was a very clean and decent woman and I could smell my clothesline fresh surroundings as well as hear the kady dids singing (this night it was as if they were praising the Lord) in the back drop with fire flies coming up our hill. Then for the first time in my life the Holy Spirit began to talk. When I went back to school in another state that year people would want to sit next to me in church so 'a little of that' would rub off on them. I wish I could say that I kept that spiritual experience alive in my own personal life, but as Philadelphians are in and out of revival, have had my challenges.
I still like to go to heartwarming events! I treat my nephews and nieces to Dollywood and the Dixiestampede where some of the drama rewarms my heart. Drama that warms the heart is my favorite kind of event! Below are two videos of a Lakewood church service. Though I cannot defend Joel Osteen in everything he does I will say that was one heartwarming service.
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Qj_e28NYb1Y
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Z97wvigyovs
