The Church has always persecuted Fresh Moves of God

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by Felicity

I understand.

I think that the first post was talking about the church in a broader sense. Our view on what the church is and the world's or society's view in general is different.

Early Judaizers were born again!

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by keith4him

Shall I mention some strangeness in the Ranks of the prophetic:

God using a depressed prophet-Jeremiah
A guy with a bitter heart and bad attitude towards those he suppost to reach-Jonah
Another one subject to extreme mood swings-Elijah
A mystic subject to weird visions-Ezekiel
One who went naked for a long time-Hosea
Another that talked to animals-Balaam
A guy who resorted to lying to get his way out of trouble-Abraham
Vegeterian-Daniel
Wears unusual clothing-John the Baptist
A guy who would argue with God-Habakkuk

My point is we should judge what God does alone on the package that he brings his ministry through!

We should, or shouldn't?

Typo, maybe?

I would also remind us all of the way Isaac was deceived.

It "felt" like Esau...but you best listen to the voice.

If the voice isn't speaking Truth, better be cautious.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by keith4him

Shall I mention some strangeness in the Ranks of the prophetic:

God using a depressed prophet-Jeremiah
A guy with a bitter heart and bad attitude towards those he suppost to reach-Jonah
Another one subject to extreme mood swings-Elijah
A mystic subject to weird visions-Ezekiel
One who went naked for a long time-Hosea
Another that talked to animals-Balaam
A guy who resorted to lying to get his way out of trouble-Abraham
Vegeterian-Daniel
Wears unusual clothing-John the Baptist
A guy who would argue with God-Habakkuk

My point is we should judge what God does alone on the package that he brings his ministry through!

The proof is in God backing up HIS WORD. If it is the word of God and a work of God....God will confirm it.

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

The proof is in God backing up HIS WORD. If it is the word of God and a work of God....God will confirm it.

To reach the world, God uses flawed human beings prone to error. There's not a preacher anywhere that doesn't have flaws.

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

We should, or shouldn't?

Typo, maybe?

I would also remind us all of the way Isaac was deceived.

It "felt" like Esau...but you best listen to the voice.

If the voice isn't speaking Truth, better be cautious.

Thanks, I always type to fast, old habits. And yes, the voice is the key, but equally is the fruit of that voice.

[Pastor Keith]

Let’s give a few brief lessons from History for the sake of Rford,
Keep in mind that history is often written by the victors, so in many cases we are not sure what some of these groups practiced.

I already mentioned the Montanists.

The decentralized group that bishops Theodosious made become a part of the large institutional church cut off any kind of spiritual church and renewal AD 380

Priscillian was a Spanish nobleman who, already in the 4th century, immediately revolted against the State-and Priest-religion. This man, on fire for God, ”initiated a large lay movement in Spain and France; even many priests and bishops joined in. They started small fellowships they called brotherhoods, where, only converted and baptized Christians could take part of their simple meetings in ordinary houses. That was too much for Orthodox Church to take: Priscillian and six of his friends were killed in Trier”, says Ch. Babut, who studied this movement.

[Pastor Keith]

Luther had a very influential disciple and teacher, Caspar Schwenckfeld (1480 - 1561). Initially, Luther greeted Schwenckfeld, who was a preaching non-theologian, as ”a messenger from God, ” and was greatly influenced by him. Schwenckfeld had a dramatic ”born again” experience in 1527, and through his subsequent biblical studies of scripture, however, he started to critizise Luther, pleading with him not to follow through with his sudden new direction after 1530, an almost Roman-Catholic ecclesiology and his teaching that a person can be born again by baptism. ”Luther started to persecute Schwenckfeld with bitter hatred, called him a demonized fool and heretic, and refused to even read his writings; he sent them back unread. The Reformer of Schlesien had to wander around Europe like a hunted deer,” writes french Bible teacher Alfred Kuen. The outlawed reformer went around and established lively fellowship in many places, which were basically homecells, biblegroups and prayergroups. To avoid further tensions with the established church, Schwenckfeld did not introduce baptism and the Lord’s Supper into his groups. When Schwenckfeld died 1561 in Ulm, Lutheran Pastors tried, by force, to bring back his many disciples into the churches, and if they were not willing, had them thrown into jail and their children taken away from them.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

To reach the world, God uses flawed human beings prone to error. There's not a preacher anywhere that doesn't have flaws.

I agree with you.

I wrote that post thinking of the lame man who was let down through the roof and Jesus forgave his sins. Then after knowing the hearts of those around Him saying within themselves only God can forgive sins......He healed the lame man.

In another place, Jesus told those around him not to believe him for his words alone, but for the works which he did.

I guess what I'm saying, there will be those that doubt a move is of God, but if it is followed with signs and wonders, we need to be open that it truly may be God moving even if it is in another denomination that doesn't preach the "whole" truth of the new birth and the true identity of Christ.

God will confirm HIS word and will lead into more truth..

[Barb]

I remember a time when folks in the church I grew up in said that if you spoke in tongues with your eyes open, it was in the flesh and not God. It was silly and not true.

I remember Apostolic folks ridiculing and mocking other Apostolic folks for too much shockamoo or not enough.

And as Felicity posted, I can still remember when the Pentecostals, as we were known then, were beaten and talked about and laughed at and made fun of.

It wasn't right when we did it or do it to each other, it wasn't right back in the day when it happened to us, and it's not right now when we do it.

We really can't say that some of those who were a part of these other moves never came to the knowledge of baptism or One God. The simple truth is we have no way of knowing how many may have come to be baptized because of an initial move of God on their life outside of our four walls.

I was sharing with someone just this morning that a woman I used to go to church with told me that she came to the Apostolic Church because she was first drawn to a move of God by listening and viewing...are you ready?! Kenneth Copeland!!

Eleanor's heart was pricked for more, and she found it, but the hunger began with a man's doctrine most here do not hold.

I am convinced a move of God can happen anywhere men and women are hungry.

We are admonished to try the spirits, and there will truly come a day that the Lord will say to those who may have had signs following, "Depart from me..."

But to make a blanket statement and say that there is nothing there because it is not in our circle or under our banner is just as wrong, to me, as it was back many moons ago when it happened to us.

Just my opinion...

[Revelationist]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

An individual out of line is not "the Church" resisting a move of God.

Huge difference there, Rev.

Peter was resisting the revival that was taking place with the Gentiles...