When I was born again, I knew almost nothing about Christianity, or the bible. I went from being a man addicted to many things, a man feared by many, to being a man who only knew that everything he did and believed was now wrong. I started reading John, then started reading the other gospels. When I was done, I read the rest of the new testament. I read the my over and over. I still wasn't a member of a church-though I went to a Calvary Church sometimes with Evaleen- the lady who took me to the place I was born again, which was her church. By now, I knew God had sent His Son to die for me(before, I only knew that I must believe Jesus died for my sins[some form of the sinner's prayer]). I soon moved to Oregon, where I joined the Pentecostal church that had prayed for me for weeks prior to my salvation. I was impressed by how lovingkindness of the pastor and his wife-two very loving people. Sandy encouraged me to ay my guitar, and I played an instrumental song for the first time. I eventually started singing and playing.
I soon heard that a Christian wasn't baptized with the Holy Spirit until they spoke in tongues, and I was sad for quite awhile, until I decided to look for what I saw at the Lighthouse Church in the bible. After many hours of searching, I finally concluded that the bible nowhere said that speaking in tongues was being filled with the H. S., or evidence of such: Especially the way I saw it done at the Lighthouse.
The book of Acts was the only place where anyone spoke in tongues, and in those cases it was people speaking in known languages to Jews. Only the first instance mentioned the sound like a mighty rushing wind and visible tongues of fire. And in that case , some 3,000 Jews from over a dozen different places heard the speakers speaking the languages of those places. So, I was very confused, to say the least. I spoke to the pastor, and he got angry, so I never asked him about anything, ever again. A dear friend of mine left the church when she was accused of speaking in a false tongue. When I talked to her after, she said she'd pretended because the pastor made her feel like a second class Christian. I completely understood, because I'd felt the same-until I actually tried to find the "tongues" I'd seen at the Lighthouse in the Bible. I never did, because it wasn't in there. After that, I started looking for anything like being slain I the spirit, dancing in the spirit(I saw my cousin squaredance in the spirit at a revival), or any of the other unusual behaviors I'd witnessed: There were none. I started going to other churches, where the people didn't get excited, but they knew the bible, and they seemed to live more peaceful lives. I still missed the excitement, but not the strangeness, so I started asking God in my prayers. He finally let me understand that the peace I felt from the very beginning was how I experienced being filled with His Spirit, and that everyone felt it as they needed to feel it. I continued to visit different churches over the years, and finally settled in a First Baptist Church after I moved to Arkansas. I married a Baptist woman there, twice, and eventually moved back to Oregon. I had spent much time studying the Bible, and was very outspoken for a long time-not realizing that I couldn't make anyone believe any differently. I spent long hours debating things I now realize aren't really that important. I had great head knowledge, but didn't yet understand the great truth I know today. Without love, I'm in darkness. Without unity, the body of Christ is weak, and can do little.
I soon heard that a Christian wasn't baptized with the Holy Spirit until they spoke in tongues, and I was sad for quite awhile, until I decided to look for what I saw at the Lighthouse Church in the bible. After many hours of searching, I finally concluded that the bible nowhere said that speaking in tongues was being filled with the H. S., or evidence of such: Especially the way I saw it done at the Lighthouse.
The book of Acts was the only place where anyone spoke in tongues, and in those cases it was people speaking in known languages to Jews. Only the first instance mentioned the sound like a mighty rushing wind and visible tongues of fire. And in that case , some 3,000 Jews from over a dozen different places heard the speakers speaking the languages of those places. So, I was very confused, to say the least. I spoke to the pastor, and he got angry, so I never asked him about anything, ever again. A dear friend of mine left the church when she was accused of speaking in a false tongue. When I talked to her after, she said she'd pretended because the pastor made her feel like a second class Christian. I completely understood, because I'd felt the same-until I actually tried to find the "tongues" I'd seen at the Lighthouse in the Bible. I never did, because it wasn't in there. After that, I started looking for anything like being slain I the spirit, dancing in the spirit(I saw my cousin squaredance in the spirit at a revival), or any of the other unusual behaviors I'd witnessed: There were none. I started going to other churches, where the people didn't get excited, but they knew the bible, and they seemed to live more peaceful lives. I still missed the excitement, but not the strangeness, so I started asking God in my prayers. He finally let me understand that the peace I felt from the very beginning was how I experienced being filled with His Spirit, and that everyone felt it as they needed to feel it. I continued to visit different churches over the years, and finally settled in a First Baptist Church after I moved to Arkansas. I married a Baptist woman there, twice, and eventually moved back to Oregon. I had spent much time studying the Bible, and was very outspoken for a long time-not realizing that I couldn't make anyone believe any differently. I spent long hours debating things I now realize aren't really that important. I had great head knowledge, but didn't yet understand the great truth I know today. Without love, I'm in darkness. Without unity, the body of Christ is weak, and can do little.
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