This quote confirmed and made clear my thoughts on the filling of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life.
He shall bring forth from us the sweet music!
(Frederick Marsh)
Mendelssohn, on one occasion, hearing an organ being played--asked permission to play it for a few minutes. The organist reminded Mendelssohn that he was a total stranger to him--and that strangers were not allowed to touch the valuable instrument.
At last permission granted, and then Mendelssohn brought forth such music from the organ as to make the organist weep! Ah! But before the music came forth, there were two things necessary:
the first was, the instrument had to be abandoned to Mendelssohn;
and the second, Mendelssohn had to take control of it.
The same is true with us in the spiritual realm. There must be the entire surrender to Christ first--and then He shall bring forth from us the sweet music of . . .
a holy heart,
a lovely character,
a gentle disposition,
a surpassing peace,
a sweet humility,
a lowly service,
a beautiful sympathy,
and a Christlike life!
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship!" Romans 12:1
So what I got from that was, being "born again" is where we experience a true and deep conversion, we see ourselves clearly as dead 'in Adam' and we cry out for the forgiveness and life of Jesus. Then as we walk for a little while we see within ourselves a deeper need, and we give complete control in what Art Katz calls the "continual turning to the cross" and the Holy Spirit fills us, again and again as we turn over the situations and area's of our lives where "we" are still very much alive and slowly but surely His love conquers our land and our lives are transformed.
He shall bring forth from us the sweet music!
(Frederick Marsh)
Mendelssohn, on one occasion, hearing an organ being played--asked permission to play it for a few minutes. The organist reminded Mendelssohn that he was a total stranger to him--and that strangers were not allowed to touch the valuable instrument.
At last permission granted, and then Mendelssohn brought forth such music from the organ as to make the organist weep! Ah! But before the music came forth, there were two things necessary:
the first was, the instrument had to be abandoned to Mendelssohn;
and the second, Mendelssohn had to take control of it.
The same is true with us in the spiritual realm. There must be the entire surrender to Christ first--and then He shall bring forth from us the sweet music of . . .
a holy heart,
a lovely character,
a gentle disposition,
a surpassing peace,
a sweet humility,
a lowly service,
a beautiful sympathy,
and a Christlike life!
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship!" Romans 12:1
So what I got from that was, being "born again" is where we experience a true and deep conversion, we see ourselves clearly as dead 'in Adam' and we cry out for the forgiveness and life of Jesus. Then as we walk for a little while we see within ourselves a deeper need, and we give complete control in what Art Katz calls the "continual turning to the cross" and the Holy Spirit fills us, again and again as we turn over the situations and area's of our lives where "we" are still very much alive and slowly but surely His love conquers our land and our lives are transformed.
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