If you love them and acknowledge that they really have a walk with God where they are, they will be open to listening to more truth. People are turned off when they think others consider them "unsaved" in their walk with the Lord.
I will be honest and say their lights outshine mine sometimes.
When my son was little he stood up in science class and told the teacher who was trying to teach evolution that she was wrong, he said God created the heavens and the earth. Just read the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible. He has always loved the Lord.
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If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
So what I am hearing for the most part about receiving the Holy Spirit sounds much the same as taught by Charismatics. Not being critical just stating fact. So the Charismatics are not as far off as we hear.
Anyone on this thread receive the Holy Spirit with tongues following who was NOT TAUGHT ANYTHING about tongues?
So what I am hearing for the most part about receiving the Holy Spirit sounds much the same as taught by Charismatics. Not being critical just stating fact. So the Charismatics are not as far off as we hear.
Anyone on this thread receive the Holy Spirit with tongues following who was NOT TAUGHT ANYTHING about tongues?
I was taught that when I received the HGB (Holy Ghost Baptism) I would speak with tongues. I was not grabbed, pushed, shaken, etc. I was told to just worship and praise the Lord and wait for Him to fill me. I was not told to repeat certain words or sounds to "prime the pump." When I received the experience, I was kneeling at the altar after a Sunday night service. I had my hands raised and I was praising the Lord in a calm manner. Then I realized that what I was saying was not coming out in English. I just kept praising the Lord and it kept coming out in some type of language that I was unfamiliar with. I felt joy inside as I just continued praising God in this new "unknown" tongue. Later I realized that the Sunday I received the HGB was Pentecost Sunday. So, I guess that makes me Pentecostal, doesn't it?
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Sam also known as Jim Ellis
Apostolic in doctrine
Pentecostal in experience
Charismatic in practice
Non-denominational in affiliation
Inter-denominational in fellowship
Really sad. We really need to get all the OP groups together and make a bold statement about this
prax,
you are so on target with this.
recently i have been teaching a bible study, and one of the people came to my house on a sunday afternoon, saying they wanted the holy ghost. now i had no music, no preacher, (to be honest i had to turn off the TV, i was relaxing after church).
anyhow i prayed for about 3 or 4 minutes, something along the lines of "Lord Jesus, deborah has come here seeking your Spirit, and I pray in your name that you would fill her as you poured out your Spirit in the book of acts."
The only thing I asked her to do was raise her hands, not to say anything. Though sometimes I will tell people to speak to God in english, as they pray for the holy ghost until the Spirit takes over.
Anyhow, she didn't speak in tongues, which at first, I was wondering and praying to God, because sometimes I don't understand.
Shortly thereafter I was made to understand that she had not repented, she tried to cook up a scheme to eat some bad food and try to sue the grocery store. She also quit the Bible study. (i guess i assumed when she wanted the holy ghost she had, I will be speaking to people about repentance BEFORE helping them pray for the Holy Ghost)
No this post is not really good news, but just truth.
We don't need to coach people to the Holy Ghost, we need to encourage people that if they are hungry God will fill them. I tell people, "I can pray for you, i can baptize you, but the baptism of the Spirit is something God has to do for you, i cannot give you the Holy Ghost, no matter how bad I want you to recieve it."
Anyway, in my ministry, I have sort of a policy now, I will pray for people to recieve the Holy ghost, but basically a simple prayer of faith and encouragement, and the rest is up to God. I don't see begging, "lalalal sellemahonda, rubbing throats, or any of that nonsense in acts. and if we are going to have an apostolic revival, we need God to move like He did in Acts. We want all the power, without commitment. I think you are absolutely right about overemphasis on an outward expression, to the point many people are told they recieve the Holy Ghost who never did.
I will be honest and say their lights outshine mine sometimes.
When my son was little he stood up in science class and told the teacher who was trying to teach evolution that she was wrong, he said God created the heavens and the earth. Just read the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible. He has always loved the Lord.
Don't tell that to folks like...J...well I better not name him...they believe in the tried and true ........ them to hell and scare the sin out of them method to create a sour bitter Fred Phelps like person that sounds like they hate everyone.
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
Oh gosh, that too. Don't get me started on the guys that wave their fingers infront of someone's mouth as if they are doing a spiritual operation to get that tongue to move. Or the guy that rubs his finger up and down someone's throat....
Then there are the back rubbers....as if that seeker is about to puke their guts out and need our comfort. If you come and rub my back Im gonna have a hard time focusing on God
LOL! I remember some of those when i was a kid..One way to cure them was to take off spining like a top and bulldoze through them. First year I did it, it was fun watching them move. the 2nd year at camp, well, that year it was God moving. But looking back, the almighty ticklers still got out of the way when I would come to pray!
Now days I usually just would look at them and tell them, I am not a scratching post!
He leads them in a prayer of repentance. But before anyone criticizes that, let me say that I've seen many of them with tears streaming down their faces as they pray that prayer. Some of them have no clue how to even pray, so they need instructing.
I hope you're not surprised but I agree with you. Leading in a prayer of repentance opens the floodgates of emotions and thoughts that is going on in a heart that is under conviction.
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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
What would happen if you guys just followed Acts 2:38 absolutely literally? A sinner is to repent. A sinner is to be baptized. That's where the instruction stops, then God's response takes over, so just leave it there. No need to beg and plead for the HGB, tarry, weep, be surrounded at the altar by teachers or cheerleaders, and repeat as needed every week until the goal is achieved: tongues!
Seriously. Repent and be baptized. Your work is done. Now God will do His part (according to that scripture). The gift will be given. Whether tongues happen or not is up to the HG. Why work so hard at receiving a gift?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
What would happen if you guys just followed Acts 2:38 absolutely literally? A sinner is to repent. A sinner is to be baptized. That's where the instruction stops, then God's response takes over, so just leave it there. No need to beg and plead for the HGB, tarry, weep, be surrounded at the altar by teachers or cheerleaders, and repeat as needed every week until the goal is achieved: tongues!
Seriously. Repent and be baptized. Your work is done. Now God will do His part (according to that scripture). The gift will be given. Whether tongues happen or not is up to the HG. Why work so hard at receiving a gift?
Come on now, we have all these years of Pentecostal tradition. Now you want us to line our tradition up with Scripture? Good grief man!!
So what I am hearing for the most part about receiving the Holy Spirit sounds much the same as taught by Charismatics. Not being critical just stating fact. So the Charismatics are not as far off as we hear.
Anyone on this thread receive the Holy Spirit with tongues following who was NOT TAUGHT ANYTHING about tongues?
We see it happen all the time. Lots of people who come forward when Eddie teaches about the Holy Ghost have never heard of tongues until that day. He just tells them it WILL happen to them and not to be afraid of it or freaked out - that it's God's language. So they believe him.