Samuel Morris was born around 1873 on the continent of Africa near what is today the country of Liberia.1 He was from the Kru people and his original name wasn't Samuel, it was Kaboo. His father was the leader of his people and young Kaboo was a favored son and a prince.
Kaboo nearly lost his life when he was beaten by a drunken and murderous band from a rival village while his parents and the other villagers were killed. He was then beaten, tortured and left to die. As he was only a boy at the time and there would have been no hope for him because his people's enemies had determined to end his life forever.
God however was Kaboo/Samuel's hope because God had another plan. Even though Samuel Morris was not saved and had never even heard about the Lord Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, God knew the boy's heart and He intervened in his life. The Lord acted upon His plan when He sent a blinding light to Kaboo's murderous enemies and spoke saying, "Rise up Kaboo! Rise up and run away!"2 The boy was astounded by the strange and unseen power interceding in his life, but he did not hesitate, as the ropes that bound him, "fell from his hands", and he fled through the forest and to eventual freedom.3 After a difficult trek to freedom, he eventually found his way to a farm run by missionaries. On the farm the boy Kaboo began to heal as he was fed, housed employed and clothed and subsequently he recognized the power that had intervened in his life. He later accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and began his journey.
As a Christian, Kaboo developed a love and a hunger in his heart to know all that he could about the Almighty and His Son. He also desired to find out all he could about the Holy Ghost, but his teacher and mentor could not help. As his desire to know more about the Holy Ghost deepened, Kaboo's struggles continued until he made up his mind to travel to America to seek someone who could teach him about the Holy Ghost.
Kaboo became a Holy Ghost traveller as his desire for the Holy Spirit caused him to embark upon a journey of thousands of miles to an unfamiliar land to seek that precious Spirit. When he arrived in America, his name was changed Samuel Morris when he found what he was looking for. And Samuel Morris remembered today not only for his remarkable journey but also for the spiritual impact that he made upon the lives of a multitude of people and for the evidence of the Holy Ghost in his life.4
1 p19, W. Terry Morris, Samuel Morris, The Apostle Of Simple Faith. Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio, 1996.
2 Ibid, pp 38 - 39 W.
3 Ibid, p 43.
4 Ibid, p173.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Holy Spirit Led The Revival At Azusa Street
When the Holy Spirit fell on the participants of the revival at Azusa Street, Los Angeles California it was referred to as a "glorious outporing of the Holy Spirit"1. All participants, women, men, young and old fell under the "power". of the Holy Ghost. They came "seeking God."2
The building wasn't anything to look at. It was old, needing multiple repairs and was referred to as "tumble down shack".3 The people were rich and poor, educated and illiterate and they were led by William J. Seymoure, a poor, humble Black Man, but it was an interracial, Holy Spirit led, powerful group.4
To be sure there were some who came not to receive the Holy Ghost. They came instead to scoff and to discredit what was happening, but as one actual participant reported:
"Presumptuous men would sometimes come among us. Especially preachers who would try to spread themselves, in self-opinionating. But their effort was short lived. The breath would be taken from them. Their minds would wander, their brains reel. Things would turn black before their eyes. They could not go on."5
Another participant simply stated:
I wish I could describe what I saw. Prayer and worship were everywhere. The altar area was filled with seekers; some were kneeling; others were prone on the floor; some were speaking in tongues. Everyone was doing something; all seemingly lost in God. I simply stood and looked, for I had never seen anything like it. 6
It is most often said that the Azusa Street Revival started what is now the Pentecostal Church movement. Which seems to show that that the Holy Spirit movement led men and women to do that which God had intended. That is to say, God filled who sought Him in earnest all with His Holy Spirit- the Holy Ghost. People were filled with the Holy Ghost with speaking in tongues. Those who needed healings were healed and those who needed to be delivered from demons were delivered. Worship was the bottom line however, God was in that place and the people truly sought the Lord and they received His fullness as a result.
1 Services and Worship, Azusa Street Revival, Wikopedia.
2 Azusa Street Testimonies, River Of Revival Ministries, http://www.azusastreet.org/
3 Conditions, Azusa Street Revival, Wikopedia.
4 About AzusaRevivla Ministries, http://www.azusastreet.org/
5 Frank Bartleman, Azusa Street Testimonies, Ibid
6 Ernest S. Williams. Azusa Street Testimonies, Ibid
The building wasn't anything to look at. It was old, needing multiple repairs and was referred to as "tumble down shack".3 The people were rich and poor, educated and illiterate and they were led by William J. Seymoure, a poor, humble Black Man, but it was an interracial, Holy Spirit led, powerful group.4
To be sure there were some who came not to receive the Holy Ghost. They came instead to scoff and to discredit what was happening, but as one actual participant reported:
"Presumptuous men would sometimes come among us. Especially preachers who would try to spread themselves, in self-opinionating. But their effort was short lived. The breath would be taken from them. Their minds would wander, their brains reel. Things would turn black before their eyes. They could not go on."5
Another participant simply stated:
I wish I could describe what I saw. Prayer and worship were everywhere. The altar area was filled with seekers; some were kneeling; others were prone on the floor; some were speaking in tongues. Everyone was doing something; all seemingly lost in God. I simply stood and looked, for I had never seen anything like it. 6
It is most often said that the Azusa Street Revival started what is now the Pentecostal Church movement. Which seems to show that that the Holy Spirit movement led men and women to do that which God had intended. That is to say, God filled who sought Him in earnest all with His Holy Spirit- the Holy Ghost. People were filled with the Holy Ghost with speaking in tongues. Those who needed healings were healed and those who needed to be delivered from demons were delivered. Worship was the bottom line however, God was in that place and the people truly sought the Lord and they received His fullness as a result.
1 Services and Worship, Azusa Street Revival, Wikopedia.
2 Azusa Street Testimonies, River Of Revival Ministries, http://www.azusastreet.org/
3 Conditions, Azusa Street Revival, Wikopedia.
4 About AzusaRevivla Ministries, http://www.azusastreet.org/
5 Frank Bartleman, Azusa Street Testimonies, Ibid
6 Ernest S. Williams. Azusa Street Testimonies, Ibid
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Smith Wigglesworth Was Filled With The Holy Ghost
Smith Wigglesworth was a powerful and anointed man of God. After many trials and personal struggles, he was filled with the Holy Ghost and his life's work changed. He became one of the most powerful, and Godly men of his time. His comments about being filled with the Holy Ghost are as follows:
The multitude chose out seven men to serve tables. They were doubtless faithful in their appointed tasks, but we see that God soon had a better choice for two of them. Philip was so full of the Holy Ghost that he could have a revival wherever God put him down. Man chose him to serve tables, but God chose him to win souls. O, if I could only stir you up to see that as you are faithful in performing the humblest office, God can fill you with His Spirit and make you a chosen vessel for Himself, and promote you to a place of mighty ministry in the salvation of souls and in the healing of the sick. There is nothing impossible to a man filled with the Holy Ghost. It is beyond all human comprehension. When you are filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, God will wonderfully work wherever you go.
When you are filled with the Spirit you will know the voice of God. I want to give you one illustration of this. When I was going out to Australia recently, our boat stopped at Aden and at Bombay. In the first place the people came round the ship selling their wares, beautiful carpets and all sorts of oriental things. There was one man selling some ostrich feathers. As I was looking over the side of the ship watching the trading, a gentleman said to me, "Would you go shares with me in buying that bunch of feathers?" What did I want with feathers? I had no use for such things and no room for them either. But the gentleman put the question to me again, "Will you go shares with me in buying that bunch?" The Spirit of God said to me, "Do it."
And that is just how Smith Wigglesworth was. God spoke to him and he (Wigglesworth) just did it! He succeeded in the prayer of faith resulting in thousands of persons being healed of all manner of diseases. In fact, he prayed with his wife- who was filled with the Holy Ghost also- and God healed him of a long-standing physical ailment as well as healing him of stammering. Smith Wigglesworth preached, prayed, led the lost to salvation and prayed for healings until in his later years, God just took him. He was not even sick, he did not lay around on a bed of affliction, God just took him one day while he was standing and talking to another person. God Abides!!
Smith Wigglesworth, "Ever Increasing Faith: Chapter 11": What It Means to Be Full of the Holy Ghost"
The multitude chose out seven men to serve tables. They were doubtless faithful in their appointed tasks, but we see that God soon had a better choice for two of them. Philip was so full of the Holy Ghost that he could have a revival wherever God put him down. Man chose him to serve tables, but God chose him to win souls. O, if I could only stir you up to see that as you are faithful in performing the humblest office, God can fill you with His Spirit and make you a chosen vessel for Himself, and promote you to a place of mighty ministry in the salvation of souls and in the healing of the sick. There is nothing impossible to a man filled with the Holy Ghost. It is beyond all human comprehension. When you are filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, God will wonderfully work wherever you go.
When you are filled with the Spirit you will know the voice of God. I want to give you one illustration of this. When I was going out to Australia recently, our boat stopped at Aden and at Bombay. In the first place the people came round the ship selling their wares, beautiful carpets and all sorts of oriental things. There was one man selling some ostrich feathers. As I was looking over the side of the ship watching the trading, a gentleman said to me, "Would you go shares with me in buying that bunch of feathers?" What did I want with feathers? I had no use for such things and no room for them either. But the gentleman put the question to me again, "Will you go shares with me in buying that bunch?" The Spirit of God said to me, "Do it."
And that is just how Smith Wigglesworth was. God spoke to him and he (Wigglesworth) just did it! He succeeded in the prayer of faith resulting in thousands of persons being healed of all manner of diseases. In fact, he prayed with his wife- who was filled with the Holy Ghost also- and God healed him of a long-standing physical ailment as well as healing him of stammering. Smith Wigglesworth preached, prayed, led the lost to salvation and prayed for healings until in his later years, God just took him. He was not even sick, he did not lay around on a bed of affliction, God just took him one day while he was standing and talking to another person. God Abides!!
Smith Wigglesworth, "Ever Increasing Faith: Chapter 11": What It Means to Be Full of the Holy Ghost"
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Holy Spirit Gives The Truth About Things To Come
I am amazed at the way the Holy Ghost prepares me for things to come. I am also very ashamed at how long it has taken me to learn that He is the Spirit of Truth and take it to heart.
In His word, the Lord Jesus Christ said, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come, " -St. John 16:13, Old King James Bible. That is the truth, and I had to learn the hard way to recognize and accept this.
A few years ago, when I was living in New York city, I needed to see a dentist. Now I did not know New York, and I knew even less about the dentists there. My spouse however, knew of a coworker who had just had dental work done. So I talked to the coworker, and from my human perspective, she had received very good treatment and fine dental work from an upscale dentist on Madison avenue. "What luck," I thought. But when I prepared to go to that dentist, I got a gentle nudging from the Holy Ghost which said, "do not go". It was not the audible voice of God which I do hear from time to time, but it was the unmistakable leading of the Holy Ghost.
My flesh told me that the Lord would not tell me not to go to the dentist. After all, I thought, I have done my research, and all indications tell me that I now have the opportunity to have my aching tooth taken care of. So I went. I went directly to the dentist that was recommended by the person who had had very excellent dental work done there.
My aching tooth was patched up and at the suggestion of this New York dentist, and at his suggestion, I had my four back crowns re cemented. All was well until I thought. However, two years later in a far away city and a distant state, I was at work when I bit into a snack and I felt something like a nail shoot through my head! "Ouch", I yelled! My head was on fire! I was in such pain that I wept much of that day and the next until I got an emergency appointment at a trusted dental clinic. To my utter dismay however, I went to that clinic only to be told that I had been horribly deceived!
"Who did this work," exclaimed the dentist while examining my aching mouth! She was horrified and disgusted all at the same time. And as for me, I looked at her with a growing sense of powerlessness and shame!
"The person who worked on your crowns", she said, " simply sawed the top off of them and cemented a substitute on top!" The teeth underneath the fake crowns had deteriorated so much that they could not be repaired. "I'm sorry", she said, "there is nothing that we can do except remove what is left of those teeth, we cannot fix them!"
It is now many years later, I am missing four precious molars, and I am still smarting about the way I ignored the nudging from the Holy Spirit and followed my flesh ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit of God! I praise God, that I survived this painful lesson! I praise the blessed name of Jesus, my savior, and I thank him for all he has done for me. Praise God! I now know and understand the importance of attending and listening to the nudging from the Holy Ghost!
In His word, the Lord Jesus Christ said, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come, " -St. John 16:13, Old King James Bible. That is the truth, and I had to learn the hard way to recognize and accept this.
A few years ago, when I was living in New York city, I needed to see a dentist. Now I did not know New York, and I knew even less about the dentists there. My spouse however, knew of a coworker who had just had dental work done. So I talked to the coworker, and from my human perspective, she had received very good treatment and fine dental work from an upscale dentist on Madison avenue. "What luck," I thought. But when I prepared to go to that dentist, I got a gentle nudging from the Holy Ghost which said, "do not go". It was not the audible voice of God which I do hear from time to time, but it was the unmistakable leading of the Holy Ghost.
My flesh told me that the Lord would not tell me not to go to the dentist. After all, I thought, I have done my research, and all indications tell me that I now have the opportunity to have my aching tooth taken care of. So I went. I went directly to the dentist that was recommended by the person who had had very excellent dental work done there.
My aching tooth was patched up and at the suggestion of this New York dentist, and at his suggestion, I had my four back crowns re cemented. All was well until I thought. However, two years later in a far away city and a distant state, I was at work when I bit into a snack and I felt something like a nail shoot through my head! "Ouch", I yelled! My head was on fire! I was in such pain that I wept much of that day and the next until I got an emergency appointment at a trusted dental clinic. To my utter dismay however, I went to that clinic only to be told that I had been horribly deceived!
"Who did this work," exclaimed the dentist while examining my aching mouth! She was horrified and disgusted all at the same time. And as for me, I looked at her with a growing sense of powerlessness and shame!
"The person who worked on your crowns", she said, " simply sawed the top off of them and cemented a substitute on top!" The teeth underneath the fake crowns had deteriorated so much that they could not be repaired. "I'm sorry", she said, "there is nothing that we can do except remove what is left of those teeth, we cannot fix them!"
It is now many years later, I am missing four precious molars, and I am still smarting about the way I ignored the nudging from the Holy Spirit and followed my flesh ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit of God! I praise God, that I survived this painful lesson! I praise the blessed name of Jesus, my savior, and I thank him for all he has done for me. Praise God! I now know and understand the importance of attending and listening to the nudging from the Holy Ghost!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
God's Love So Real And So So Powerful!
I didn't understand just how powerful GOD'S love was until I recently had extreme difficulties. I was feeling lonely, and sick and I was really down. Truthfully, I had forgotten all about John 3:16- "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave...". What more can I say.
How could I forget the scripture that every child learns in Sunday School. But I did forget! I wasn't feeling well, and I found that I just could not eat! Now how positively sick is that! When you can't eat, you cannot go on. You cant' work, you can't sleep, you can't do anything that is worth doing, and eventually of course you will die.
Nevertheless, a few days ago, I sat down at the dinner table with my meal. I looked at my food with disgust and thought," I'm just not going to be able to eat this". Then my sister walked in the room.
My sister and I never eat together because our schedules are very different, so I usually eat alone. She is Saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. However, she is not overly demonstrative about her salvation. She just lives her salvation as best she knows how. Mentally, I personally did not even think that her type of Salvation meant much. But God Abides, and He knows her and the presence of His Holy Ghost in her life is more powerful than I even suspected.
When my my sister sat down, she said nothing about my predicament, I don't even think that she knew that I was having a problem. Instead, she was genuinely focused on troubles at her work place. As she sat across from me, however, I felt the Love of GOD and His power radiating from her presence! My shoulders relaxed and I began to eat. The food tasted great and I ate everything in front of me! I actually felt the Love of God radiating from the saved Holy Ghost filled woman across from me. And the love from that radiating, Holy Ghost power stayed with me the rest of that night and is still with me even now. And my sister still doesn't know what the power of GOD in her brought me through!
How could I forget the scripture that every child learns in Sunday School. But I did forget! I wasn't feeling well, and I found that I just could not eat! Now how positively sick is that! When you can't eat, you cannot go on. You cant' work, you can't sleep, you can't do anything that is worth doing, and eventually of course you will die.
Nevertheless, a few days ago, I sat down at the dinner table with my meal. I looked at my food with disgust and thought," I'm just not going to be able to eat this". Then my sister walked in the room.
My sister and I never eat together because our schedules are very different, so I usually eat alone. She is Saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. However, she is not overly demonstrative about her salvation. She just lives her salvation as best she knows how. Mentally, I personally did not even think that her type of Salvation meant much. But God Abides, and He knows her and the presence of His Holy Ghost in her life is more powerful than I even suspected.
When my my sister sat down, she said nothing about my predicament, I don't even think that she knew that I was having a problem. Instead, she was genuinely focused on troubles at her work place. As she sat across from me, however, I felt the Love of GOD and His power radiating from her presence! My shoulders relaxed and I began to eat. The food tasted great and I ate everything in front of me! I actually felt the Love of God radiating from the saved Holy Ghost filled woman across from me. And the love from that radiating, Holy Ghost power stayed with me the rest of that night and is still with me even now. And my sister still doesn't know what the power of GOD in her brought me through!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Praise God For The Holy Ghost
Believers,
We are living in a time of challenges, deceptions and onslaughts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We must all fight the fight of faith as never before! Many of the old saints of God and powerful prayer warriors are moving on, and leaving the battle to us, and many of us are not ready to fight!
If you are saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, then your battle is raging and you are probably going through difficulties that you never imagined possible.!! If you are saved and not filled with the Holy Ghost, then seek to be filled!
I thank The Almighty that through His Holy Ghost, His Precious Holy Spirit, I am made ready to fight a battle that I often don't understand.
When I first became Holy Spirit filled, I rejoiced in the ongoing presence of God's Holy Spirit. Later on, I realized how that the Holy Ghost was guiding me through storms and difficulties even before I knew they existed.
On one occasion, while I was driving down the freeway and the Holy Spirit nudged and warned me that was not keeping to my lane of traffic. I moved over just in time for a car to speed down the lane next to me!
When I was jobless, I prayed to the Almighty and His precious Holy Spirit directed me to the perfect job for me. There was no unproductive searching, no false starts and the doors opened as I approached. Then I walked right into that position and enjoyed great success!
The Holy Ghost is always with me and I'm never alone! Praise God for His Son Jesus and for the Comforter, His Holy Spirit!!
We are living in a time of challenges, deceptions and onslaughts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We must all fight the fight of faith as never before! Many of the old saints of God and powerful prayer warriors are moving on, and leaving the battle to us, and many of us are not ready to fight!
If you are saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, then your battle is raging and you are probably going through difficulties that you never imagined possible.!! If you are saved and not filled with the Holy Ghost, then seek to be filled!
I thank The Almighty that through His Holy Ghost, His Precious Holy Spirit, I am made ready to fight a battle that I often don't understand.
When I first became Holy Spirit filled, I rejoiced in the ongoing presence of God's Holy Spirit. Later on, I realized how that the Holy Ghost was guiding me through storms and difficulties even before I knew they existed.
On one occasion, while I was driving down the freeway and the Holy Spirit nudged and warned me that was not keeping to my lane of traffic. I moved over just in time for a car to speed down the lane next to me!
When I was jobless, I prayed to the Almighty and His precious Holy Spirit directed me to the perfect job for me. There was no unproductive searching, no false starts and the doors opened as I approached. Then I walked right into that position and enjoyed great success!
The Holy Ghost is always with me and I'm never alone! Praise God for His Son Jesus and for the Comforter, His Holy Spirit!!
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