DATE:Oct. 22, 1989
  BY:  Danny Waddell, Pastor at Christian Center, Anniston AL.

  This is the account Mike Erwin heard and was able to right down- in a
  foriegn chicken scratch language.
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                   HOW TO KEEP A RIGHT PERSPECTIVE.


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    Ephesians 5:18 , "Do not be filled with wine which leads to debauchery.
    --------------    Instead, be filled with the Spirit." (NIV)
                     "And do not be drunk with wine,in which is dissapation;
                      but be filled with the Spirit," (NKJV)


    Living for Jesus can ONLY be done by living and being lead by the Holy
Spirit. That is why the command, "be filled with the Spirit", is not to be
taken in the light sense that a majority of believers place it in.
    The following will explain the 'how' and 'why'to this issue, which to me
is a very controversial one, because being filled with the literal presence
of God- His Spirit -does not bring one to a higher exalted state, nor does
it make one "feel" more spiritual. Instead, it causes us to love all others
around us and causes us to serve / caiter to them, hence; allowing the power
of GOD to flow through  L O V E .


1) Ephesians 3:19 ;(a) To keep your life on track you need to be full of Him
                   (b) If you are being controlled in your life by your own
                       'self' or by worldliness, then you do not have the
                       fullness or are not filled with the Spirit.


2) Colosians 3:1-2 ;(a) Set your heart ( effections ) on things above.
                    (b) All other things will grow dim in the light of His
                        grace.
                    (c) Love the things that God loves.


3) 2 Tim 3:16-17 ;(a) Discover yhe principles to live by and do them.
                  (b) The principles will equip us thoroughly for every good
                      work.


4) Matt 7:24-27 ;(a) Jesus equates doing the word to a firm foundation that
                     will not fall.
                 (b) The one who does not actively (by faith) do the word in
                     every day life gets beat up by the storm and falls!


5) Galatians 6:9 ;(a) Do whatever it takes to survive with God.
                      (Heb 10:35-36)
                  (b) Don't cast away your confidence.
                  (c) You will need to begin to do the will of God first 
                      before you can receive a manifistation of the promise
                      of God.
                  (d) When you want something bad enough you'll do anything
                      to get it. So, DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FOLLOW JESUS
                      because you will never recieve an easy way to do it.
                      Be agressive in your faith in Him, not agressive to
                      other people. Remember that being full of the Spirit 
                      will cause you to be a servant.


6) Matt 7:6 ; Take back whatever we have given away!!!
                  (a) Holy thing : the gifts of God
                  (b) Dogs       : unholy, ungodly people
                  (c) Pearls     : eternal qualities (eternal life)
                  (d) Swine      : demonic spirits


    Remember to believe God and stand strong in Him, and don't give in to
the lies of the devil. And as Matthew 6:26 explains to us, the things that
we value are what we put our time, energy, money, and heart into. Test your
own heart and life and see what your treasure is. If you are a born again
believer in Christ Jesus your treasure should be in Him and all that He came
to accomplish in your life.
    
    Brothers, pray for me. That what I have just shared with you will also
be true in my life daily until I finish my commision. Pray especially that
I will never sway again .