After resisting the Lord for a number of years, I was saved in 1974 in a charismatic Christian home meeting.
The obstacle that had prevented me from an absolute surrender to Christ was the knowledge that I could not live a life approved by God. I knew that I was completely sinful and spiritually bankrupt. Praise the Lord, He shined into my heart-giving me faith to trust Him as my Savior. I attended a denomination with my wife for a while, and we eventually opened our home for charismatic Christian meetings. After a while God asked me if the gospel I was hearing was man-centered or God-centered. I had to respond that it was man-centered, so we left that group, stayed at home, and enjoyed the Lord as much as possible.
Praise the Lord! We finally found out about the local church and the Living Stream Ministry in 1977. Through the teaching of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, since that time we have come to know God in a more intimate way and to know God’s purpose. One of the many things that I have enjoyed is realizing that Christ as the Spirit came into me, so that I now have a life to live by which God approves. Another is the key to experiencing His life—my human spirit which is one with God (1 Corinthians 6:17). I also praise the Lord for the church, a fertile environment to let the incorruptible seed (Christ) grow. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity and to know God’s purpose as well as the way to obtain it. Praise the Lord that He has raised up the church (a lampstand) in Alexandria, Louisiana where we are learning to function as priests unto the Lord, enjoying the one accord in His Body.
Butch Linzay
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