wowie zowie church experience

Thursday March 20^th, John 3: 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  Nick comes to Jesus at night seeking the light in the midst of the chaos of darkness.  The term “born again” in Greek means to be born from above.  Too many Pentecostals try to conger up the born again experience in their own lives and end up with only being born from below and an endorphin rush.  Sort of a one night stand with God they hope to repeat someday through great music and a wonderful wowie zowie church experience.  Too many main line Protestants are afraid they will lose control and end up speaking in tongues or wanting to go on a mission and hold the spirit at bay and learning many good Biblical principles in church when they get around to going.  Both extremes suffer from wanting to be in charge.  God tries to work through these barriers and sometimes succeeds but all too often our free will gift to be able to say no wins the day and in the process loses the spirit.  On a continuum between God control and your control, where would you mark where your life is right now?  I don’t know if it is true, but we are told that prayer can move mountains, I do know it can move the mark between God control and self-control.  Evangelicals need a bit more self-control.  Main-line Protestants need a bit more God control.