PHOTO: In memory of Evangelist Bill Bowman

The following is a message from a sister on a public forum.
I trust it will bless you as it did me:

Sis. S-------,

That is profound! Powerful! Your bolded statement is what every child of God should learn to do. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.

I was the eldest daughter of parents of eleven children. Before I married I knew how to care for children because I had been "pushed" from the "nest"by those younger than I and helped care for them. As the elder children grew and matured, they helped care for those coming into the family. By the time I was married I had learned how to care for children, cook, do laundry, etc. I received the Holy Ghost just prior to my dad starting a church work. The eleventh child had been born earlier that same year. I had graduated from high school at 17 and helped provide for my little brothers and sisters. I married the next year after Dad started the work for the Lord in our community. As we had our children I was also helping nurture and mother my younger brothers and sisters and also the new"babies" coming into the church. So I learner a lot about mothering and nurturing. I learned first hand.

I heard Joyce Meyer on the radio say that people are always coming up to her and saying, "Joyce, I wish I had what you have". She said,"It's not fair for them to want what I have without going through what I have been through to get what I have". Think about that! Where are the mothers and fathers in Zion (the church) today! The elders!! They have been replaced by those who claim that the elders are the pastors or the ministry. I feel this has put a lot of undue pressure on pastors and ministers to do it all, so to speak. No wonder there are so many burned-out. Everyone is taught that the pastor or pastor's wife should do all the counselling. Paul told young Timothy not to rebuke an elder. When it is assumed that that only applies to the pastor, this puts the pastor into a position where the people in the pew look to one man and that's wherethey go for everything. Paul went on to tell young Timothy not only to not rebuke the older men and women but to intreat them as fathers and mothers, and to treat the younger men as brothers and the younger women as sisters, with all purity. If this was followed, there might be less problems all around. Jesus taught his disciples that they were not to call men "Father" andwe can talk about the catholics all we want. Jesus also told them not to be called some other things also. Perhaps Matthew 23 needs to be re-visited. Perhaps people need to get back into the Bible and out of man-made books. Read it for yourselves. Take the pressure off the men in the pulpits who should be sowing seeds on how to "deliver" spiritual babes.

My sister is going to have gall bladder surgery today. She has survived cancer the past two years. Her cancer doctor is not doing the surgery as that is not his expertise. He did recommend someone he knew was. There are physicians that have general practices but if you are wise you will go to the Specialist for your desperate needs. The Wonderful Counsellor should still be consulted for those things you are desperate or concerned about. Have we consulted HIM lately!We are told to know those that labour among us. Children are gullible.That's why they need good parents. Wise men AND women, (parents) will still seek HIM for those things that are precious to them. This is in no way intended to be offensive toward anyone. But there are some real problems that needs to be acknowledged sometime, some-where, by someone. Like that plumbing problem I have mentioned in other threads, you ignore it and it will show up sooner or later and sometimes much sooner and oh, what a mess.

Just some serious thoughts from a senior sister who been down the road a ways and am glancing back to those behind me, as to warn them, whether they are pastors and wives, saints, whoever, there are perils along the way.There is no greater place to go when we have problems or situations wecan't handle. THE Wonderful Counsellor is well able to take care of it all.Children should go to parents who should teach them early on to trust inthe Lord. But adults SHOULD be taking their burdens, their problems and situations to GOD in prayer and if you are not on speaking terms or do not have a CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with HIM, don't you think it's about time you did!!! HIS NAME IS JESUS!! We don't hear these old songs much anymore but many of them speak volumes.

What a Friend we have in JESUS,
All our sins and griefs to bear;
What a Privilege to carry,
EVERYTHING to HIM in PRAYER.
OH, what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,All because we do not carry,
EVERYTHING to GOD in PRAYER.

Blessings, Falla39

Thank you, Sis Falla39, for your inspiring words.

Well, good morning. I had hoped to be able to post more on this blog than I am, but, with all thats going on, its hard to find the time. Actually, I guess it has more to do with having time to formulate a thought or message. But, thats the beauty of blogs... you don't have to formulate thoughts and messages. You can just say whatever you want to.

So, I guess I'll let you in on "whats going on". I know this is suppose to be about "Our Pentecostal Heritage" and all, but, well, right now, something is taking precedence in my life. Did I mention that I am married? Well, I am, and have been for 12 years to a wonderful woman. Shes the jelly in my biscuit. The apples in my pie. She is, in fact, my 2nd wife. My first wife, Rose, passed away in 1988 and Lola and I were married in 1995. We have a great marriage.

But, this past August (Aug 1, in fact), Lola was diagnosed with cancer. She's been through radiation and is due to start chemo this Wednesday. This is a scarry time for us, but, come what may, we hold to God's unchanging hands. and we are grateful for those people all over the country who are praying for us and who offer words of encouragement.

So if my posting here is a little "sporadic", now you know why. I've thought about inviting some "co-bloggers" to help. In fact, I may be posting a very inspiring message from a wonderful sister who has been in the Pentecostal faith for many years. Her words are so uplifting. And, I'm sure she can contribute much to our discussions about "Our Pentecostal Heritage". I'll also be posting some photos from "the days of yesteryear" that may prove interesting.

In the meantime, your prayers are appreciated. God bless you as we continue our journey with Him.

[About the Photo: This is Brother and Sister Ronald Hyde. He was one of my early pastors in Tennessee. A fine brother who was used of God to proclaim the Gospel and who was instrumental in leading many people to the truth of God's Word Brother Hyde has gone on to be with the Lord, but his son continues the work begaun by Elder Hyde, The Landmark Church of Jesus]

I've always liked this picture. Its of Evangelist Oral Roberts from his tent revival days. He is praying for a little girl. I wish I knew more about this picture. Who is the little girl? What was her problem? When (and where) was the picture taken?

The intensity ... the sincerity... the compassion captured here exemplifies what is right about the Pentecostal message. Jesus came to " ...seek and to save that which was lost...". Have you ever felt like something was lost? Maybe you had more joy at one time... or more peace... or... more of something.... but now you seem to have lost it? I know the feeling.

I wonder if that is what this little girl was feeling. Like, maybe, she had lost something. Maybe her health. Well, I don't know... but there is an intensity here that says, "Here, let me help you find it". Jesus promised that if we "seek", we will "find". I wonder, what are you looking for in life? Everyboy is looking for someone. I read about a man who had been adopted as a child. He spent a good part of his life searching for his birth mother. He moved to a certain state and became acquainted with an elderly woman there. As they talked, they discovered... yep, you guessed it. That woman was his mother. So, have you lost something? Something missing in your life? Keep searching. Its there. And, you know what? It may have not been lost at all. Maybe... just maybe, in the hustle and bustle of life, it was you who had lost your way. Maybe its you who needs an encouraging word, the touch of a compassionate hand.

Scariest verse in the Bible

Mar 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.


Wouldn't it be awful to do everything you know to please the Lord, only to hear:
"One thing thou lackest..."?

Wouldn't it be awful to pray, read the Bible, live the Christian life, only to be told....
"One thing thou lackest..."?

Wouldn't it be awful to live a full life, only to be told on your death bed...
"One thing thou lackest..."?

Wouldn't it be awful to think you are ready to go to heaven, only to find out....
"One thing thou lackest..."?

Wouldn't be awful to give all you have to the poor, only to learn...
"One thing thou lackest..."?

Wouldn't it be awful to do all the Bible says and not love your brother, then hear....
"One thing thou lackest..."?

New name

This Blog is about an hour old and I'm already wondering if I should have named it something else. Indecisiveness...thats what I'm known for. The reason I am questioning it is because this isn't just about "That Ol' Time Religion". Its more about life, in general. To be more specific, its about my life. And, since Pentecostalism has played such a big role in my life... and since it seems to be my biggest interest... I guess "Our Pentecostal Heritage" is as good a name as any. I can always change it (I think), but it'll do for now.

Why Pentecostal? What makes a person become a Pentecostal? Well, I guess the answer to that is as varied as life itself. For me, the Pentecostal Message filled a very big whole in my life at a time when my life was one big hole. My mother had just died... I was living with an alcoholic dad and I was all of 12 years old. Life was not good is all I'll say about that.

It was then that I was first intoduced to religion. Any religion. It just happened to be the Pentecostal religion. Speaking in tongues. Divine Healing. The works. Names, unfamiliar to most, came into play. Names like A.A. Allen and William Branham. Later new words and new phrases were intoduced: Oneness. Water Baptism "in the Name of Jesus Christ", holiness...words we now take for granted to the extent that they have become "watch words" upon which we determine our fellowship with one another.

I guess, in looking back, had I been introduced to the Catholic religion, or the Hindu religion, I probably would have jumped at them as readily. Because any life... or anything that promised a better life...was better than what I had. It just happened to be the Pentecostal faith that snagged me from the life I had been enduring.

As it turned out, the Pentecostal religion was just what I needed. It was, at least to me, a living religion that soothed my hurts and gave me hope...real hope...for the first time in my life. Then I discovered it wasn't just a religion. It was, and is, a way of life. And thats what it is to me to this day... a better, vibrant way to live. Sure...it (like every other facet of life) has its fallings. Its not what it should be... and its not what it use to be, if that makes any sense. It is what it is. And, for me, it offers something I can't find anywhere else. Whats that, you say? Time will tell. But I can say this: Pentecostalism has changed. Thats not a bad thing, really. Times change, people change and, to offer them this vibrant way of living, our message has to change as well.

And thats what scares people witless. Change. Recently, my wife and I have went through some changes... drastic changes. I'll talk more about that as time goes by. But, the point is (thats what I love about "blogs", there really doesn't have to be a point), change isn't something to fear... its not always bad. Thats the thing about God- He can make something we fear...or think is bad... and use it for our benefit. Change doesn't destroy us..our fear of change dooes. But.... change is inevitable. We just have to adapt to it...change with it. So... for now...I'll just encourage you to keep on reading. More to come. Much more.

Welcome!

Welcome to Our Pentecostal Heritage. It seems that, since the early days of the 20th Centry Pentecostal Movement, the movement has gone off in different directions. And it seems that the trend is continuing. This is, in and of itself, a good thing, I suppose, in that message of Pentecostalism is spreading around the world just as Jesus intended.

But, what is the Pentecostal Message? That depends on who you talk to. Or who you listen to. Chances are, if you speak to two or more people, you'll hear two different things. And, I'll probably be one of those voices speaking something you may. may not have, heard. You may agree or disagree with what I have to say. You'll read some standard Pentecostal fare... and you may read things that are... well, different. And maybe...just maybe... you'll learn something along the way.

Who am I? is the first question you might ask. Well, that doesn't really matter. I'm just a man who is trying to find his way through this world of chaos and confusion. I was a preacher at one time. I was saved, baptized in Jesus' Name and filled with the Holy Ghost at a young age.

Now the labels begin. Am I Oneness? Apostolic? Just call me a Christian. I don't care for labels too much. But, if you are really dying to know what I believe, just keep reading. But, let me say this... WHAT I believe isn't nearly important as WHO I believe. I believe the Lord. I trust His leadership... I trust His Word.

The entire premise of this blog is based on Pauls words: "For by ONE SPIRIT are we all baptized into ONE BODY". As my name implies, I believe in the unity of the Body of Christ. Note I did not say "denomination" or "organization". I said BODY. His Body. The Lord's Body- a group of people, plucked out of the darkness of the world, redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb. The Church of the Living God. Want to know more? Keep reading. I'll be posting on occasion. And I look forward to your comments. Oh, and if you are looking to debate or fuss and argue...don't bother. I don't debate. I'm not trying to convert anyone...just postin' my thoughts. God bless you...in Jesus' Name!