"Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me."
Psalm 51:11
When a person dies, his spirit departs. I'm afraid that's what has happened to many churches: the Holy Spirit has departed. After talking to people about the goodness of God and the Holy Spirit moving in our church, many have told me that their church feels cold and dry, now why do you suppose they feel that way. The Holy Spirit may have departed from their church. The organism has become an organization and the movement has become a monument. I read an article a few years ago from Dr. Carl Bates. What he said in his article got me to thinking: "If the Holy Spirit were to suddenly die (now, of course, you know that's impossible. He cannot die) but "if the Holy Spirit were to suddenly die, most of our churches would meet next Sunday and go right on and never know the difference."
I wonder if that's not true about many churches today. The Holy Spirit has not died, but He has departed. I've been in some churches where you'd think that Hallelujahs and Amens cost $100 a piece. You just can't find them. There's a sort of barren stillness. The Bible says where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I don't think we have to fry in fanaticism or freeze in formalism, but I believe we ought to have a burning, passionate, blazing, emotional love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and when we have that feeling toward Jesus The Christ, I believe the Holy Spirit of God will once again move in our churches.
Psalm 51:11
When a person dies, his spirit departs. I'm afraid that's what has happened to many churches: the Holy Spirit has departed. After talking to people about the goodness of God and the Holy Spirit moving in our church, many have told me that their church feels cold and dry, now why do you suppose they feel that way. The Holy Spirit may have departed from their church. The organism has become an organization and the movement has become a monument. I read an article a few years ago from Dr. Carl Bates. What he said in his article got me to thinking: "If the Holy Spirit were to suddenly die (now, of course, you know that's impossible. He cannot die) but "if the Holy Spirit were to suddenly die, most of our churches would meet next Sunday and go right on and never know the difference."
I wonder if that's not true about many churches today. The Holy Spirit has not died, but He has departed. I've been in some churches where you'd think that Hallelujahs and Amens cost $100 a piece. You just can't find them. There's a sort of barren stillness. The Bible says where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I don't think we have to fry in fanaticism or freeze in formalism, but I believe we ought to have a burning, passionate, blazing, emotional love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and when we have that feeling toward Jesus The Christ, I believe the Holy Spirit of God will once again move in our churches.
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