Being serious now

[Sister Alvear]

I love to joke and be happy...I love to smile and see others smile...that is my nature. Often I joke about this or that especially if there s tension in the air however something really bothers me...


It is LEADERS that say God said this or that and next week God has changed his mind...
I just don´t understand people that are seasoned and can go along with wishy washy people that cannot make up their mind what God is saying.



How can we ever believe in people like that? How can we put such shallow people in key offices?

[KWSS1976]

Mabey God really did not tell them anything to start with I think man will do certian things to keep the faith up....

[Sister Alvear]

Like the pastor that told his saint they could come visit us on the field...GOD oked it...and the very next day when he found out we were NOT being a part of his organization he calls my friend and says God changed his mind...lol....

[KWSS1976]

You need to let that pastor know that god has no organizational boundries or better yet you go visit him and that saint and show them who the better person is...

[Sister Alvear]

I often hear people say such stupid things...using the name of God...I wonder if it makes them feel more spiritual or something....

[KWSS1976]

I don't know when someone tells me god told them to do something no offence but I take it with a grain of salt...

[edjen01]

i think there are to many weak leaders who don't spend time making sure of something...and take the "easy" way out by saying "God said"....when they don't have the guts to say "this is what I think". besides...you can argue and disagree with me...but not God.:)

Tenny talks about this in his book "God said..or was it me". an enjoyable read.

[KWSS1976]

If you don't mind me asking what organization are they with

[Sister Alvear]

Some people would back a friend KNOWING Gd did not speak to them,,,and that is very dangerous.

[Ron]

Sis Alvear, what about people who have missed God?
I know I have missed God in some things, is that what you are referring to?

[RandyWayne]

I love to joke and be happy...I love to smile and see others smile...that is my nature. Often I joke about this or that especially if there s tension in the air however something really bothers me...


It is LEADERS that say God said this or that and next week God has changed his mind...
I just don´t understand people that are seasoned and can go along with wishy washy people that cannot make up their mind what God is saying.



How can we ever believe in people like that? How can we put such shallow people in key offices?

There are two things at play here.
1) Fear. People are afraid to question what their grand exulted mystic potentate has proclaimed across a pulpit. Usually because of some story (also told from the pulpit) of someone who DID question once and died/backslid/went blind/grew hair on their palms.

2) People have short memories.

[A.W. Bowman]

My friends, we have a great number of men and women in "ministry" that were never called by God, but rather by friends, family, and even personal pride. We also have those who were call, but have succumbed to pride, the desire of money, and/or the need to control (power over) others. This is one of the result of placing such importance on (and allegiance to) organizational/denominational affiliations and to the local church/pastor, rather than on the unity of the body of Christ.

This failing also exposes the major weakness of the church, as a whole, and of individual congregations, in particular. The fall out effect is often apparent in what we some times call "church or pastor bashing": A growing dissatisfaction with the church experience and the poor quality of spiritual leadership.

There are a growing number of believers who know in their heart that something is amiss within the church body. A few can even identify some of the problems. But they don't know what to do about them! This disease effects churches across the entire spectrum of Christianity (Oneness, Trinitarian, Catholic, etc.)

The growing number of Independent churches and "non-churched" Christians here in the US are growing at an alarming rate. The American church structure is broken! And, it sounds like it is also breaking elsewhere in the world.

Perhaps it the evidence of the infestation of wolves among the sheep that we have been warned to be on guard for? They look so good, act just right, and say all of the wonderful sounding words - and they are slowly bleeding the sheep to death.

Sheep may not be able to identify a danger, but they can "sense it" and they will get very nervous. Watch the"young" sheep. They have not yet become tired and complacent.

Beloved sister, you have exposed a crises within the church body.

[KWSS1976]

I think people are starting to ask more questions and now we have the internet to view things and that causes issues also cause all you have to do is google it...LOL

[Timmy]

Ya buncha rebels!

:toofunny

[KWSS1976]

Rebels..LOLhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usstates/aaposter/indean.jpg

[Hoovie]

Personally, I feel it should be very, very rare for us to claim God said anything not established in the written word.

[Sister Alvear]

I have seen people get up in pulpits in campmeetings saying they sold everything because GOD called them to timbuktu or wherever (BUT NAMING the PLACE and on down to the city) and the next thing you know it was not Timbuktu and home they come soon to be off on another adventure and wasting God´s money...and people back things like this...lol
Where are the mature soldiers in the army to sit a person down and tell them they are NOT ready to lead because they do not even know the voice of the Leader...

But it might offended...so here they go agreeing God suddenly changed his mind because of some of the family might get offended...

When will Pentecost ever grow up?

[Sister Alvear]

Personally, I feel it should be very, very rare for us to claim God said anything not established in the written word.
agreed...

Since I have lived all my life mostly among standard keepers (Yes, I keep them too) but it seems that there is always a spirit we hear more from God than so and so because we keep standards...however this past year I have seen so much foolishness and so much God said...that I am beginning to wonder how many among us REALLY know HIS voice and call...
I am very sad in my spirit (not bitter) but sad to think the signs and signals that are being sent out to our young ones coming up...

[KWSS1976]

People in my opinion are scared to speak out for what ever reason I am tring to still figure that one out it is like what ever is said just let it be don't question it I question everything myself..

[Sister Alvear]

All here know me by now I don´t get on here to fuss or fight and that is not the intention of the thread however I am very worried about the next generation...If they see people they look up to unsettled what do we expect from them?

[KWSS1976]

I will just be glad when the petecostals quit linking standards as being able to be closer to God. Sis Al..if you were to stop wearing skirts and wear pants I promise god would not change just because you changed the way you dressed..I am not against the standards but it is how the women use them as if they did not do it they would loose that closeness to god and that is not the case..

[Sister Alvear]

I was once in a meeting (not pinning no flowers on me) in fact I was teaching ...there was no praise...no hype no nothing just reading the word of God when all of a sudden I said, Someone here will die tomorrow...
WE ALL feel to our knees and before 12 noon one of the Bible school students fell dead...


We need more of the fear of God when we say GOD SAID...

[Timmy]

I was once in a meeting (not pinning no flowers on me) in fact I was teaching ...there was no praise...no hype no nothing just reading the word of God when all of a sudden I said, Someone here will die tomorrow...
WE ALL feel to our knees and before 12 noon one of the Bible school students fell dead...


We need more of the fear of God when we say GOD SAID...

You think it was God that told you this? Why in the world would He do that? Did it bring about something good? It brought fear, apparently. Was that His intention, to scare everyone?

[Hoovie]

Some of us - like you Sister Alvear have influence over a large number of people, so it's refreshing to hear you say this.

Others are like myself, whose influence is limited to our families and a bit beyond.

Whoever we are, we should all be careful when we claim to speak for God - especially when directing other people's lives. God communicates with individuals this we know, but it is generally through changing hearts, and very seldom through a ruling hierarchy.

[Timmy]

Personally, I feel it should be very, very rare for us to claim God said anything not established in the written word.

"Should be"? Or did you mean "is"?

By "not established" do you mean things like specific instructions, such as calling someone on the phone, or becoming a pastor, or making a movie? :winkgrin

[*AQuietPlace*]

Personally, I feel it should be very, very rare for us to claim God said anything not established in the written word.
I completely agree.

[Timmy]

"Should be"? Or did you mean "is"?

By "not established" do you mean things like specific instructions, such as calling someone on the phone, or becoming a pastor, or making a movie? :winkgrin

Actually, I think you mean "should be", in contrast with reality where it happens a whole lot, but mostly bogus. Is that about right?

[Hoovie]

"Should be"? Or did you mean "is"?

By "not established" do you mean things like specific instructions, such as calling someone on the phone, or becoming a pastor, or making a movie? :winkgrin

Anything. Yes all of that.

[Hoovie]

Actually, I think you mean "should be", in contrast with reality where it happens a whole lot, but mostly bogus. Is that about right?

Yes.

[Elizabeth]

Honestly when someone comes and says God told them or God said, there is some confirmation I think-

I had many tell us that God was calling us to India, (although some did say they felt it was God, and NOT THUS SAITH THE LORD)

But we were the ones that needed the confirmation. We go to India and teach but God has not called us to live there....yet.

God is opening doors for us in the drug community so, we have a bigger influence here.

[Timmy]

Yes.

OK, cool. And I agree. Except maybe with the actual percentage of real vs bogus, since your estimate is (apparently) greater than zero! :lol

[Elizabeth]

For one thing, I feel there are people who have a reputation for hearing God, what they say happens, so when they say God spoke to them they have a track record.

My husband's word of knowledge has been pretty keen for the most part, I have rarely seen him not be accurate.

I used to give people words more frequently, but I got turned off by people living on prophecies than living on the word. Some people need a daily prophecy to function- I knew people like this, I regret hanging around them-lest anyone think I was like that. But you live and learn.

[Timmy]

OK, cool. And I agree. Except maybe with the actual percentage of real vs bogus, since your estimate is (apparently) greater than zero! :lol

I need to clarify, since my post looks like I'm accusing everyone who says God spoke to them of lying. But I don't think of it that way. I think they are misled. Misinterpreting natural things as messages from God. Hunches, dreams, wishes, even intuition. These things may be part of God's design for how things work, but I don't think God taps anyone on the shoulder or whispers in the ear. Or plants thoughts in their minds.

(Now, I'm sure there are also some who are bald-faced lying, just making it up out of thin air for any number of reasons, but that's another story.)

[Elizabeth]

When a person life is a big fat mess and think they hear God, always makes me wonder.

God said this or that to them, but how about something simple like "Get a job!" God never seems to say that!

[Sister Alvear]

You think it was God that told you this? Why in the world would He do that? Did it bring about something good? It brought fear, apparently. Was that His intention, to scare everyone?




Timmy, I did not know who would die....but the boy God called home the next day lingered and prayed a long time...Maybe there was something he needed to make right...I don´t know...I never did anything like that before or after but we know God spoke that night. No, I don´t think God specializes in scare tactics for God is love however that night his love was strong enough to reach for a soul that would go out into eternity the next day.

NO it is not his intention to scare everyone. He is tender and kind...and very very meciful...even to the disobedient and unthankful. His love reaches further than we could ever imagine.

[Sister Alvear]

Some of us - like you Sister Alvear have influence over a large number of people, so it's refreshing to hear you say this.

Others are like myself, whose influence is limited to our families and a bit beyond.

Whoever we are, we should all be careful when we claim to speak for God - especially when directing other people's lives. God communicates with individuals this we know, but it is generally through changing hearts, and very seldom through a ruling hierarchy.


We must be very careful leading our people for we must lead them to JESUS not to ourself...

[Timmy]

Timmy, I did not know who would die....but the boy God called home the next day lingered and prayed a long time...Maybe there was something he needed to make right...I don´t know...I never did anything like that before or after but we know God spoke that night. No, I don´t think God specializes in scare tactics for God is love however that night his love was strong enough to reach for a soul that would go out into eternity the next day.

NO it is not his intention to scare everyone. He is tender and kind...and very very meciful...even to the disobedient and unthankful. His love reaches further than we could ever imagine.

Sometimes, maybe. Too bad about Ananias and Sapphira. And that little incident did spread fear. (So it says, anyway.)

And stories like these always make me wonder about the randomness of it all. God happens to step in at the last moment and somehow make a way, maybe rescue someone from despair just before they take their own life. Most people aren't that lucky.