144. Where’s the Filling?

Note from The Storyteller:  If you have not read entries 1-143, do so.  There is much insight that will help you as you walk toward spiritual maturity.  All of the entries can be found at the following website:  https://www.waiting4thetrain.com/.  Also, please forward this email to everyone you think would be interested in and would benefit from reading this blog.

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“My wife,” Stan began, “has a dear friend she has known since childhood.”

“She was talking with her on the telephone last night and there was a lot of laughing.”

“When she got off the phone, I asked her what that was all about.”

“She said they were talking about something that happened once when we were staying the night with them a few years back.”

“What was that?” I asked.

“Her friend had bought a cherry pie for us to have for dessert after dinner.

“When she took the pie out of the box, it looked a little flat.  And when she cut it to serve, she discovered that the bakery had not put any filling in the pie.”

Continuing, Stan said, “We all had a stomach-hurting laugh about that at the time.  And it is funny every time we think about it.”

“And,” Stan continued, “as you can imagine, there is a spiritual lesson from that story.”

“Tell me, Stan,” I replied.

“It is not unusual for God to ask, ‘where’s the filling?’ And He is not talking about cherry pie!” Stan said with emphasis.

“He is talking about the filling of the Holy Spirit.”

“If I am filled with the Holy Spirit, He is to make a difference in and through me.”

“Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a gift I have to choose to receive and exercise.”

Concluding, Stan said, “I am to be filled and continually filled by getting myself out of the way.”

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And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness.  Acts 4:31.

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Holy Spirit.  Thank you that you want me to be filled to overflowing with His presence so that you can and will make a difference in and through me.  You know and I know that it is my self that gets in the way of the filling you want and have for me.  I give all of that to you so you can and will do what you want.  Please fill me and keep filling me.  Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus.  Amen.