He look different, He smelled different, He was different

 

April 26, 2020

 

Mark 1: 4 – 8

 

“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

 

This reminds me of a man named Del, who came to our church in Spring, Texas with a caravan of people living in travel trailers.  One of the families was expecting any moment a child to be born, and I for one was vocal with the men I prayed with each Saturday morning, that was the craziest thing I had ever heard.  It was not a one-week revival, but two, and guess what, they wanted my wife and others to cook for them in our church kitchen, three meals each day? 

 

Now it was called the “Life Action Singers” and I could not help but wonder how we were going to survive two weeks of singing.  We had heard that at the last church they had stayed for a full month; I was sure not looking forward to this!

 

Do you recall that Isaiah the prophet of God, stated that God was going to send a forerunner to prepare the way for His Son’s entry into ministry?  Do you recall how different he was, but do you also recall he came baptizing, but it was a baptizing of repentance of sins.  Do you recall his dress was different, his approach to ministry was not even close to what the Jewish Priest was doing at the temple service?  What happened?  People were awakened to sin they confessed their sins and they repented of them!

 

Why did I begin by talking about Del Fehsenfeld Jr. the founder of Life Action Ministries?  Because for the first time in my spiritual life I witnessed a revival in a local body of believers.  Del was different than anyone in ministry I had ever met, and I believed he and John the Baptist had a lot in common.  It is recorded that Del often said; 

 

“One of the problems in much of our church work today is that we sit in a meeting room and make our plans, then ask God to bless them … rather than getting in the Word of God on our knees first and getting the mind of God, then moving ahead with the confidence of knowing that what He has ordained, He will bless!”

 

The Life Actions Singers stayed for three weeks, and many came and confessed sins, one of the staff got up one night and stated that God had shown him he was not teachable and ask for prayer.  The night that God got hold of me, the Life Action Singers passed out a paper called the “Complete Spiritual,” it was three pages front and back, and as I took the test, it became clear I had failed, it was part three and I had several question marks, three, yes and it stated if you circled one or more yes, check this box.  Then it quoted Proverbs 6:16 &17, “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,”  and this thought came into my mind, I’ve never shed innocent blood, but I’m surely guilty of the other two.  I’m glad I did not quit taking the test, for the next six questions should have been answered yes, and I did, but I knew I was not being truthful, but I also knew God knew I was not being truthful.  It states in print:  Realize “. . . Your iniquities have separated between you and God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

 

Spring Baptist is a large church, and many seemed to have finished the test quickly and the noise was upsetting, how could they be so happy when I was in such pain, I had failed the test!  I was a follower of Christ; I had entered into Him and He lived in me, but pride and arrogance had made me like a pharisee, and that night I confessed to my Father and was restored to fellowship with the LORD.

 

The Complete Spiritual ended with this statement; “Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:40)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice