PREPARING FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY MAY 23 (2)
Almost 70 years ago as a 10 year old boy, at the end of a Sunday School class in the local Salvation Army, I responded to an altar call, and went forward and knelt at the Penitent Form, and asked Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my life. That was the most important decision I have ever made in my life, and I sure have no regrets. I could not have dreamed the results in my life (and all that has been accomplished in and through me) because of that day when I was born again of the Spirit of God.
William Booth the Founder of the Salvation Army wrote a hymn, the words are below, I would sing this hymn with gusto, but not fully understanding all that it meant, look at the last lines of verse one WE WANT ANOTHER PENTECOST SEND THE FIRE.
I remained in the S.A. for over 10 years, and in the last years I met 2 older ladies who gave me a copy of William Booth Clibborn’s little book “The Baptism of the Holy Spirit” this book created such a hunger in my life, some months afterward kneeling by my bedside one night I received my “Personal Pentecost”.
Today’s blog continues the series I commenced last Saturday on PREPARING FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY 23RD MAY.
Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
WE WANT ANOTHER PENTECOST
Send the fire!
2 God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire!
3 ‘Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight,
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire!
4 To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire!
O see us on thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day,
To crown the offering now we pray
Send the fire.
Booth’s hymn is all written in the plural, so I ask myself and you, does the Church today need another Pentecost? Sadly I believe it does, we are living in a generation of compromise when it comes to the Word of God, standards of holiness has dropped, and there seems little hunger for the Word of God, nor for the power of the Holy Spirit to be manifest in the Church. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 85:6 KJV Wilt thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?
As we prepare for Pentecost Sunday, we may need to give serious thought to the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Over the last 20 years there has been much emphasis on manifestations of the Holy Spirit (in the Pentecostal movement), sadly I feel there has been too much emphasis on “manifestations” and “experiences”, so the criteria was often “Did you laugh”? “did you shake”” were you drunk”? “were you slain in the Spirit” but often little emphasis on holy living etc. I have no problem with the teaching that the Holy Spirit can touch us physically like that, but the Word of God says the Holy Spirit wants to come and sanctify us, and empower us for service and holy living.
I have a CD I play very regularly in my car as I am driving, a chorus I love is on it, and the words are,
Lord I’m hungry for a mighty move of God, Lord I’m thirsty pour out your Holy Ghost,
I long to see the hand of God move mightily INSIDE OF ME, I’m hungry for a mighty move of God.
I pray regularly and during the next few days will be praying even more fervently David’s prayer in Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
I want the Holy Spirit to keep filling and flooding my life, so I can fall in love with Jesus more and more, and be an instrument of righteousness in His hand
Let us use these next few days to prepare our hearts for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit on our life, and in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
