Not indeed will I dare speak anything except of what Christ has accomplished through me, for the submissiveness of the Gentiles by word and deed.1
My friend Shelby was a true hobo. This is an amazing thing in this age but he would hop trains traveling around the country. He had the mindset of child, not unintelligent but uneducated, not knowing how to read or write, and he had a child's innocence. He was also an alcoholic. He came to our town under a bridge to die. He was what is considered a chronic homeless person, also a chronic alcoholic, when he was in the hospital they would sneak beer into him because he could not go without alcohol for two hours without getting the shakes.
I met Shelby under the bridge where many homeless would come. For many of them it was a last stop and most I have become friends with have passed. Shelby would come to church with me, at first people were somewhat acceptable of this but eventually they started adding rules; they might give us diseases they said. So we would give them showers and clean clothes. Then we were told we could not bring them if they smelled like alcohol, we don't allow members to come smelling of alcohol they said.
Shelby had begun to fall down quite a bit. Everyone would say he is just drunk, except for one person, this person told me there was something seriously wrong with Shelby. Our spirits agreed, so I took him to church that night, we gave him a shower and mouth wash. He stumbled down the aisle that night and gave his heart to Jesus. I was accused of bringing a drunk person to church but I would do it again. I will see Shelby at homecoming, he was later diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and passed away.
I saw Jesus in Shelby, he would sing with tears coming out of his eyes and he would pray with such aggressiveness. He knew there was a battle going on, he continued to struggle with alcoholism. And I was taught God's unconditional love, Grace, the principles of Justification and Sanctification, and the meaning of transformation by the renewing of the mind. But some people came against me, they would say he can't be a Christian he is living in sin, the truth will set you free they would say... But I learned from experience the meaning of God's word. Some people only have an educated knowledge of God's word, without deed, without accomplishment.
Paul made a promise not to speak of anything except that which Christ accomplished through him. This experiential knowledge and revelation would be the means by which he would reach the people. And they would be obedient by words and deeds. This is the principle that faith produces works, or faith without works is dead. While we might try to justify our treatment of others based upon other principles we can't override His greater principles of love, anything done without love is nothing. Anything done without Faith is a sin. Hurting the Faith of others is a sin. Faith produces works because there is accomplishment of the word within us. We believe in our hearts, and when such persuasion occurs, through hearing of the Word of God, who is Jesus author of Faith, it produces a confession of salvation as his work is accomplished within us.
Our stories are powerful, our testimonies speak life. This is how Jesus overcame evil, And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death.3 Christ through us accomplishes his word and deeds, we become his hands and feet. The ultimate purpose is to bring his chosen children Home. This was the will of the Father for Jesus, that he would loose none the Father had given him.4 When I believed God spoke to me, you are home. I experienced His amazing peace in my being, I felt at home. It is sad when his children are left without home based upon worldly guidelines and traditions of men that do not reflect God's word nor his heart. Let us only speak that which Christ accomplishes in us so that others too, come home.
Softly and Tenderly
I met Shelby under the bridge where many homeless would come. For many of them it was a last stop and most I have become friends with have passed. Shelby would come to church with me, at first people were somewhat acceptable of this but eventually they started adding rules; they might give us diseases they said. So we would give them showers and clean clothes. Then we were told we could not bring them if they smelled like alcohol, we don't allow members to come smelling of alcohol they said.
Shelby had begun to fall down quite a bit. Everyone would say he is just drunk, except for one person, this person told me there was something seriously wrong with Shelby. Our spirits agreed, so I took him to church that night, we gave him a shower and mouth wash. He stumbled down the aisle that night and gave his heart to Jesus. I was accused of bringing a drunk person to church but I would do it again. I will see Shelby at homecoming, he was later diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and passed away.
I saw Jesus in Shelby, he would sing with tears coming out of his eyes and he would pray with such aggressiveness. He knew there was a battle going on, he continued to struggle with alcoholism. And I was taught God's unconditional love, Grace, the principles of Justification and Sanctification, and the meaning of transformation by the renewing of the mind. But some people came against me, they would say he can't be a Christian he is living in sin, the truth will set you free they would say... But I learned from experience the meaning of God's word. Some people only have an educated knowledge of God's word, without deed, without accomplishment.
Paul made a promise not to speak of anything except that which Christ accomplished through him. This experiential knowledge and revelation would be the means by which he would reach the people. And they would be obedient by words and deeds. This is the principle that faith produces works, or faith without works is dead. While we might try to justify our treatment of others based upon other principles we can't override His greater principles of love, anything done without love is nothing. Anything done without Faith is a sin. Hurting the Faith of others is a sin. Faith produces works because there is accomplishment of the word within us. We believe in our hearts, and when such persuasion occurs, through hearing of the Word of God, who is Jesus author of Faith, it produces a confession of salvation as his work is accomplished within us.
Our stories are powerful, our testimonies speak life. This is how Jesus overcame evil, And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death.3 Christ through us accomplishes his word and deeds, we become his hands and feet. The ultimate purpose is to bring his chosen children Home. This was the will of the Father for Jesus, that he would loose none the Father had given him.4 When I believed God spoke to me, you are home. I experienced His amazing peace in my being, I felt at home. It is sad when his children are left without home based upon worldly guidelines and traditions of men that do not reflect God's word nor his heart. Let us only speak that which Christ accomplishes in us so that others too, come home.
Softly and Tenderly