God is not religious
How will I write something every day for 3 weeks???? I'm sure there is not a lot of interest in my rather ho-hum life. But it was not always so. Here's a story..............
For many years I ministered in prisons in this area. Mostly to women. Just before Easter one year I invited our church band to come and play for the inmates (both male and female) in the chapel. The band took requests including Elvis, and many secular songs. One song, 'Tequila', was an oldie, mostly intrumental, and the inmates loved it. Our chuch band was really good! We also had our praise and worship leaders who also were great. I had asked Melanie Hawtin to sing 'I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy' ( I dont know if that's the actual title of the song but it's a beautiful one and perfect for the Easter season. As soon as 'Tequilla' was finished I had her go up and sing it. There was a hush amongst the prisoners as they listened and felt the presence of God in that room. He definitely ministered to them by that song and by Melonie as she sang it so wonderfully! Can you imagine singing a song about liquor in church and then singing one about Jesus and the people not having a fit? We think we must sing a few songs in order and end with a worship song (and there's nothing wrong with that) but we would never expect the annointing to be there if we sang an secular song like the ones we did there that night. I will never forget what happened!
Another story: Some to the inmates would ask for prayer for various reasons and we would pray individually for them. One day a woman asked for prayer and then, after hearing about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and how it was a gift given by God as a further help in our lives, she wanted that gift. She was a very new Christian, just having accepted Jesus as we ministered in the jail there, so when she received and began to speak in tongues she was so surprised that she jumped up and swore! (yes, the f word) God was not surprised nor was He offended by her. He wants to fill us with as much as we'll accept and it does not require any effort on our part. Just to believe and receive! That's what she did! Obviously she was not perfect and did not have to be, thank God! Neither do we. It is not necessary to earn any of God's gifts for us by our works or our own goodness. We have none! It is all ours by the finished work of Jesus. Now that's Good News!!
