The Same Lord

                In our verses from 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, quoted below, Paul is teaching us regardless of what we are, regardless of what we have become, and regardless of the depth of the valleys or the height of the mountains we obtain, He is the same Lord.

            We know God and His Son Jesus through our Faith. However, we are told that we have a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.  We still cannot see the Holy Spirit, but the knowledge of His existence is within us.  I cannot touch, nor can I hear the Holy Spirit speak, but I know He lives within me.

            There are moments, even hours, I can feel His presence. He has changed my direction, He has changed my attitude, and definitely cleaned my mouth and my mind. 

            When Bro Huntress phoned me and asked me to come to Fundamental Baptist in view of a call, I immediately said “no.”    (I had not been seeking a church; I assumed that Lighthouse Baptist in Benton, AR, would be my first and last church.)  Finally, I told him I would pray and ask God for direction.  It took several days for the Holy Spirit to get through my thick skull, but He did.  The knowledge I was given was unquestionable.  God was ready to move me to another church.  (I knew others were also praying concerning what God would have me do.)

            Our problem with our Salvation is that we usually leave an important part out of our lives.  We do not consider what the Holy Spirit is doing for us through the Lord.  We get prayers answered and go about our lives ignoring “the answer.”  “The answer” may be an answer we do or do not like.  Instead of giving God the credit through the Holy Spirit, we sometimes tend to attribute it to “luck” or “good fortune.”  We may even allow “Mother Nature” to give us good rains, or good crops.  

            We do believe we have one God, one Lord, and one Holy Spirit. Why then can we not live the way He asks us to live?

Bro John R. E Chastain

1 Corinthians 12:4-7  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5)  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  (6) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  (7)  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.