Saturday, January 28, 2012

When the Holy Spirit Moves In

1 John 4:13 "We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit."

      Dearest Lord, thank You for my internal tenant!
I remember our pastor at the Bible Baptist Church of Sodus, NY, Dr Bill VanSant, once told us, when asked how one could know if they were truly saved, that there could be no mistake if the conversion within us is real.  He said that if someone moved into your home, you would know it.  I can't remember exactly what examples he gave, but these are the ones I thought of:
      There might be a drop of toothpaste in the bathroom sink I had just cleaned,  the shower might already be wet when I stepped in for the first time in the morning., there might be a dirty dish in the sink I had not placed there, my water or electric bill would be unexplainably higher, and there would be food missing from the fridge and pantry.
     The evidences of the invisible guest need not all be negative either. I might find a $20 bill in a pocket I know was not there before, the dishes I left in the kitchen sink might be washed and put away, my laundry might be done and folded for me to put away, and the bathroom might be cleaned before I ever touched it.
     His point was that if I had truly trusted You as Savior, the Holy Spirit would have "moved in", and I would be able to see the changes He was making.  The changes might be radical in a reprobate that had given his life to You, and might be much more subtle in the sweet natured compliant child who had been raised in a Christian home, but there would be evidence.
    That is how I KNOW that I live in You and You in me.  You have made such major changes in me over the years.  Before salvation I never read Your Word, and could have cared less about going to church.  Truth be told, there were times when a man came to the house to take Lance to church and I feigned that we were not up yet so we would not have to bother.  Now, I can't wait to get with You in the mornings, and look forward to, and participate in, corporate worship.  I love to spend time in Your word and with other Christians and feel more comfortable with them than I do the world.  You have made me more patient, loving, wise, truthful, humble, gracious, and merciful than I ever was before.  I cannot praise You enough!

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