Renda, I'm gonna "think a little more," dangerously.
Have you ever noticed the videos made during some church services and around some of the altars in the churches. The looks on individuals faces so often seem to be looks of distress, pain, hurt, grief..etc. When praying with someone to receive "the gift" of the Holy Ghost so often there is no look that represents what I would think would be proper for someone receiving "a gift!"
Yep....BeenThinkin'
__________________
"From the time you're born, 'til you ride in the hearse, there ain't nothing bad that couldn't be worse!"
LIFE: Some days you're the dog and some days you're the hydrant!
I have ... Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia! The fear of long words.
"Prediction is very hard, especially about the future." - Yogi Berra
"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave in reflection." - Thomas Paine
There is nothing wrong with responding with human emotion. It is when certain emotions are sought or expected or deemed to be the sole demonstrations of a move of God that emotionalism is dangerous.
Renda, I'm gonna "think a little more," dangerously.
Have you ever noticed the videos made during some church services and around some of the altars in the churches. The looks on individuals faces so often seem to be looks of distress, pain, hurt, grief..etc. When praying with someone to receive "the gift" of the Holy Ghost so often there is no look that represents what I would think would be proper for someone receiving "a gift!"
Yep....BeenThinkin'
I haven't seen it on video much but I've seen it live and in person, yes. I've been in the prayer room and seen the same as well. And heard enough kids say-"I really prayed tonight! I cried and cried," to know that there is sometimes a huge disconnect between what we consider the presence of God and what is actually the glory of God.
Last edited by missourimary; 01-12-2010 at 10:11 AM.
Much of Pentecostal worship is "rejoicing in the Lord". Which is fine. But it's generally just us "rejoicing", not necessarily a supernatural move of God bouncing us around.
I know when I feel the presence of God, but I don't know how to put it into words.
Interesingly, I preached about the Presence of God this Sunday Night. I preached from 2Chron 7:14 "If my people...", but I focused on where God said "seek my face" (or presence) in addition to Him saying pray. I believe that most often when we pray, we seek the Hand of God (His Power and His Ability), but God has been dealing with me about seeking, entertaining and appreciating His Face (simply His Presence). I believe that is the missing ingredient for the healing that He promised in the verse.
In His Presence is the fullness of joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Where His spirit is there is liberty.
I'm just to the point where in addition to the Hand of God, I must seek His face.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
God can be present without us feeling anything. Our emotions are ours and are not directly linked to "God's presence". Sometimes we feel things when God is present and sometimes we do not.
God can be present without us feeling anything. Our emotions are ours and are not directly linked to "God's presence". Sometimes we feel things when God is present and sometimes we do not.
And sometimes our emotions get out of hand and what we do does not glorify God in any way. (imo) I remember as a boy in church, one man who would supposedly "come under the power of God" and start straightening out in the pew and eventually fall over backwards over the back of the pew. The impression that I got was that he was unable to control his actions in "the presence of God."
Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel that actions like that did the church more harm than good. I've seen folks knocked down while someone was running the isles. Holes in sheetrock, things broken. Is this the presence of God that is making this person do this?
I want my actions to be such that a visitor is not "scared to death" but is drawn to the presence of God! How does shouting in church give glory to God?
BeenThinkin'
__________________
"From the time you're born, 'til you ride in the hearse, there ain't nothing bad that couldn't be worse!"
LIFE: Some days you're the dog and some days you're the hydrant!
I have ... Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia! The fear of long words.
"Prediction is very hard, especially about the future." - Yogi Berra
"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave in reflection." - Thomas Paine
I can clearly remember two experiences where I know without a doubt I was in the presence of something nearly impossible to describe. The first time I was so scared I thought I was going to die. The absolute purity, holiness of this presence paralyzed me. I could not stand to be where I was. I feared that I was literally going to die. Then, the most sweet calm I have ever experienced in my life.
The second experience didn't scare me to death, but I was again paralyzed, then the most warm, calm.
In both instances, I couldn't respond with any emotion at all. I was frozen, speechless.
I've been in services where the shouting scared the visitors. I've been in services where the shouting even scared me! And I have been in services where the dancing and praising and lifted hands were directed to God, totally for God, and the focus of the service was on God, and visitors and saints alike were drawn closer to God.
In my experience, I've seen times when the dancers-that group of 5-10 people, you know who they are-rushed the altar at the beginning of the song and started doing their steps, or hit the aisles before the first chord was hardly struck. That is not holy. It is merely hype. There are also services I've been in when people spontaneously began to smile, to raise their hands, to cry, to dance... when nothing was prompted and almost everyone was involved, and an hour seemed like minutes and I leave feeling refreshed. Those are the times when I leave knowing I've been in God's presence.
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