Sit Down and Behave Yourself!

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

I have difficulty imagining Christ or His disciples working a crowd to a frenzy by saying things like,

"You can do better than that!", "Come on now, he has been better to you than that. Don't sit down on God!", "The more you worship, the bigger your blessing!" "ok let's sing that one more time... This time let's show him that we really love Him!"

However, at the same time, I can imagine spontaneous demonstative praise in the assembly of his saints. Not in any effort to impress God or observers, but a natural outflow of jubilant heartfelt worship.

Big difference.

To me one is appealing and the other appalling.

Im ok with encouragements to praise God but not coersion like that

[MarcBee]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

dHowever, at the same time, I can imagine spontaneous demonstative praise in the assembly of his saints. Not in any effort to impress God or observers, but a natural outflow of jubilant heartfelt worship.

The above seems ideal and what pentecostal could object? But such *ideal* rarely happens unless it's (JD's term) "cultivated." And there's the issue--what some regard as harmless cultivation, others perceive as coersion. For example, some pastors make it pretty clear they prefer to use demonstrative firestarters for any kind of leadership positions within the church, which amounts to built-in pressure to "get with the program," whenever possible.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by MarcBee

The above seems ideal and what pentecostal could object? But such *ideal* rarely happens unless it's (JD's term) "cultivated." And there's the issue--what some regard as harmless cultivation, others perceive as coersion. For example, some pastors make it pretty clear they prefer to use demonstrative firestarters for any kind of leadership positions within the church, which amounts to built-in pressure to "get with the program," whenever possible.

The cultivation for genuine moves of the Holy Spirit in our services start in the prayer room.


What if we can convince half of the church members of our church to consistently pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be made manifest in our services, 30 - 45 mins before every service, what the outcome would be!


Of all the things to pray for and to pray about-- if this became a priority, that revival that we ALL so DESPERATELY want will come.


I could have posted a youtube clip from the UPCI church in Spokane, Alexandria, or the Phillipines-- all of them showing the congregation enjoying the moving of the Holy Spirit in their midst.

There are people PRAYING for the Lord to move-- unseen on the youtube clips, but nevertheless, they're prayers are availing.


Prayer (and maybe fasting) is what makes experiences like what I posted in the begining of this thread something not shallow.



Oh GOD! Give ME a stronger desire, and greater RESOLVE to see your PRESENCE manifested in our services-- to encourage the hearts of your faithful and to convert the hearts of the church-goers!


Oh GOD! I don't want You to move just for the sake of seeing You move.

YOUR people need YOU GOD! YOUR people who are calling on YOUR Name, believing in YOUR Name-- make us HUNGRIER for YOU Oh GOD!

SHOW us Your Glory and destroy the thinking that leaves our services dry!

DESTROY the thinking that gives people the notion that You are satisfied with our golf claps!

OH GOD! Destroy the bondage that makes our services so dry and SATURATE our gatherings with YOUR Presence!

JESUS!!! WE NEED YOU!

OH GOD, Your people need YOU!

OH GOD! Hear this prayer.

Purify my mind, my thoughts, my life! Purify Your people!

Have MERCY on us OH GOD!

Have MERCY, OH GOD have mercy on Your people.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by houston

This is funny in a sad way. JD left the movement and now he's trying to preserve his Pentecostal identity.

you can find this in charasmatic or trinitarian pentacostal churches as well. Its not just a Oneness thing.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

The cultivation for genuine moves of the Holy Spirit in our services start in the prayer room.


What if we can convince half of the church members of our church to consistently pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be made manifest in our services, 30 - 45 mins before every service, what the outcome would be!


Of all the things to pray for and to pray about-- if this became a priority, that revival that we ALL so DESPERATELY want will come.


I could have posted a youtube clip from the UPCI church in Spokane, Alexandria, or the Phillipines-- all of them showing the congregation enjoying the moving of the Holy Spirit in their midst.

There are people PRAYING for the Lord to move-- unseen on the youtube clips, but nevertheless, they're prayers are availing.


Prayer (and maybe fasting) is what makes experiences like what I posted in the begining of this thread something not shallow.



Oh GOD! Give ME a stronger desire, and greater RESOLVE to see your PRESENCE manifested in our services-- to encourage the hearts of your faithful and to convert the hearts of the church-goers!


Oh GOD! I don't want You to move just for the sake of seeing You move.

YOUR people need YOU GOD! YOUR people who are calling on YOUR Name, believing in YOUR Name-- make us HUNGRIER for YOU Oh GOD!

SHOW us Your Glory and destroy the thinking that leaves our services dry!

DESTROY the thinking that gives people the notion that You are satisfied with our golf claps!

OH GOD! Destroy the bondage that makes our services so dry and SATURATE our gatherings with YOUR Presence!

JESUS!!! WE NEED YOU!

OH GOD, Your people need YOU!

OH GOD! Hear this prayer.

Purify my mind, my thoughts, my life! Purify Your people!

Have MERCY on us OH GOD!

Have MERCY, OH GOD have mercy on Your people.

The Spirit falls in praise and worship, and can happen in your house, why dont you fast for a move of God at church. I have done this in the past and watched God honor the fast..

a group of us fasted different things for 2 weeks at the end we wanted the Spirit to fall on sunday morning worship, and God faithfully Honored the fast we did.

Some fasted different things such as T.V. computer, romance novels, smoking, and meats,

[deltaguitar]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

1) What's not desireable about praising God?

2) Specifically, what's not desireable about the clip I posted?


I literally ache for my current congregation. I ache for GOD to just invade our services, pouring out His Spirit on the believers as well as the church-goers!

Is my ache misplaced?

Is there no value to dancing in the spirit, speaking in tongues in worship and praise, and leaping for joy?

I don't see anything in this clip that makes me think the Holy Spirit is anywhere around. It is just fast music and frantic behavior at a pace that releases chemicals in the brain that result in folks having a fit.

Now, you might ask what is wrong with having a fit. Well, isn't one of the signs that the Holy Spirit is in our hearts is that we have self-control? I don't see any self control being encourage here. Shouldn't church assembly be done in order and with self sacrifice for the sinner who may be in the midst.

Even the leader of the song knows it is just a joke. If everyone would have sat down and behaved themselves they would have then been reprimanded for not getting in the spirit.

There is nothing wrong with dancing for joy but lets not make it something more than what it is. It is just dancing and having a fit.

JD, if I could say this, I think that maybe your soul is craving something that you think you need. I know, I was raised this way and it was very hard for me to not have the emotional release every service. But now, being in God's presence is so much sweeter and rich and is not about my selfish needs.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

I don't see anything in this clip that makes me think the Holy Spirit is anywhere around. It is just fast music and frantic behavior at a pace that releases chemicals in the brain that result in folks having a fit.

Now, you might ask what is wrong with having a fit. Well, isn't one of the signs that the Holy Spirit is in our hearts is that we have self-control? I don't see any self control being encourage here. Shouldn't church assembly be done in order and with self sacrifice for the sinner who may be in the midst.

Even the leader of the song knows it is just a joke. If everyone would have sat down and behaved themselves they would have then been reprimanded.

There is nothing wrong with dancing for joy but lets not make it something more than what it is. It is just dancing and having a fit.

Self Control is the ability to control ones self

Allowing emotions to flow does not mean someone does not have self control. It might mean they are not excercizing self control. The bible also never says we need to be emotionless in order to be Christians

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

I don't see anything in this clip that makes me think the Holy Spirit is anywhere around. It is just fast music and frantic behavior at a pace that releases chemicals in the brain that result in folks having a fit.

Now, you might ask what is wrong with having a fit. Well, isn't one of the signs that the Holy Spirit is in our hearts is that we have self-control? I don't see any self control being encourage here. Shouldn't church assembly be done in order and with self sacrifice for the sinner who may be in the midst.

Even the leader of the song knows it is just a joke. If everyone would have sat down and behaved themselves they would have then been reprimanded for not getting in the spirit.

There is nothing wrong with dancing for joy but lets not make it something more than what it is. It is just dancing and having a fit.

JD, if I could say this, I think that maybe your soul is craving something that you think you need. I know, I was raised this way and it was very hard for me to not have the emotional release every service. But now, being in God's presence is so much sweeter and rich and is not about my selfish needs.

i think its ok to be a Jesus freak, I dont think any of this has to do with selfish needs at all.

why is it sinners can get fanatical at footballs games yet we cant get jumpy for Jesus? I like both types of services when there is Good preaching and when the Spirit Moves. when did sitting down in your seat become the measure of how good of a christian you are? whats wrong with a lil shouting alil dancing, whats wrong with tounge talking, laying on hands. Yea i bet when that lame man was told to get up and walk i bet he ran to. Im just saying there is nothing wrong getting excited at church.

[deltaguitar]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Self Control is the ability to control ones self

Allowing emotions to flow does not mean someone does not have self control. It might mean they are not excercizing self control. The bible also never says we need to be emotionless in order to be Christians

Looks like hysteria to me. I have seen a lot of stuff in the altar and a lot of it had nothing to do with worship.

Like I said, there is nothing wrong with this unless we start trying to call it worship. It is people having a good time.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

JD, if I could say this, I think that maybe your soul is craving something that you think you need. I know, I was raised this way and it was very hard for me to not have the emotional release every service. But now, being in God's presence is so much sweeter and rich and is not about my selfish needs.

Delta,

I will examine myself to make sure that I'm not being selfish.


I sincerely believe that there is something amiss when dry services are the norm.

Why shouldn't we be hungrier for GOD to manifest HIMSELF in our praise and worship? Why am I even asking this question on a Pentecostal forum? Have we forgot the rock God found us up under. His Mercy kept us from being ground to powder and now that we are planted upon that Rock, it's not necessary, maybe even not appropriate to demonstrably praise Him for His Kindness!

That is a lie from the pit of hell!


Yes, God can and often does change lives in the course of Biblical teaching.

Far too many Christians who are raised in church are never taught how to live in the real world outside of the church.

I get it. Plain speaking reaches many, many souls and can encourage change in the life of the believer and conviction in the life of the sinner-- but not plain speaking without the power of the Holy Spirit.


Still, biblical Christianity was birthed in the cauldron of praise and worship to GOD-- demonstrated praise and worship so radical that the sound of a rushing mighty wind was heard accompanying the praise and worship of the believers.

Who says we can't have that?

Who says we shouldn't want that?



We need faith.

We need praise and worship.

We need teaching.


I'd even suggest that these things are listed in the order of most importance-- biblical faith in the Gospel of Christ, praise and worship to God, and biblical teaching for doctrinal purity and everyday living.



It seems that so many are content with going without praise and worship that includes the DYNAMITE of the Holy Spirit-- within and without Oneness Pentecostalism.

It really has me concerned.

There is something wrong when the DYNAMITE of the Holy Spirit is missing from our gatherings for worship.