The Pentecost that shook Jerusalem

[Brother Price]

I am so saddened. We have so much wealth, so much goods, and we have so little love. We have no real fire, no real Pentecost, because we have had it so easy. We send missionaries around the world, and then they have to almost beg for funds. We send $1 for offerings for missions, and $10,000 for TV advertising. Please understand what this fat man is saying, and I feel this so strongly in my heart...

Where are the all night prayer meetings for revival? Where are the men and women bowed on the altar seeking His face? Where are the preachers dripping from sweat of prayer? Where are the seekers, the Bereans, those who want so much of God that if they do not get Him, it would be almost to the brink of their own demise?

We have so much, and have so little. We have a powerless Pentecost, and a hollow explosion. We have devastation, but no cleansing. I hope I am understood on this.

This past Sunday morning, while in worship, the Lord actually showed me a vision. I saw a dark city, and something that looked powerful was slowly engulfing that city. I then realized what it was. It was an explosion of monumental magnitude. Suddenly, it went from slow to fast, and became a mushroom cloud. I was able to walk into the explosion, and there was no continued explosion inside. It was hollow. It had no real power, no continued effect. It just destroyed.This is what I feel is now the state of the American pentecostal church, a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

[Apprehended]

Originally Posted by philjones

St. Matt,

Just go back to the prophetic promise and the days preceeding the Acts 1 outpouring and see what the precursor was to the promise of Pentecostal Power. You will easily see why we do not have the results today. There will be no post Pentecost power without pre-Pentecost sacrifice and consecration.

I've been reading this thread with little comment. This post jumped out at me as probably the most poignant of all statements made on this thread or else where.

It bears emphasizing. I recall that it was the love of God that drove a certain one to sacrifice, if I am not mistaken here. What love drives us? Then, where does that love drive us to?

Light of truth can be bright enough to blind but when the fire and heat of love is missing, there is no true Pentecost, only dead ritual apart from the cloven tongues upon each of us.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Brother Price

I am so saddened. We have so much wealth, so much goods, and we have so little love. We have no real fire, no real Pentecost, because we have had it so easy. We send missionaries around the world, and then they have to almost beg for funds. We send $1 for offerings for missions, and $10,000 for TV advertising. Please understand what this fat man is saying, and I feel this so strongly in my heart...

Where are the all night prayer meetings for revival? Where are the men and women bowed on the altar seeking His face? Where are the preachers dripping from sweat of prayer? Where are the seekers, the Bereans, those who want so much of God that if they do not get Him, it would be almost to the brink of their own demise?

We have so much, and have so little. We have a powerless Pentecost, and a hollow explosion. We have devastation, but no cleansing. I hope I am understood on this.

This past Sunday morning, while in worship, the Lord actually showed me a vision. I saw a dark city, and something that looked powerful was slowly engulfing that city. I then realized what it was. It was an explosion of monumental magnitude. Suddenly, it went from slow to fast, and became a mushroom cloud. I was able to walk into the explosion, and there was no continued explosion inside. It was hollow. It had no real power, no continued effect. It just destroyed.This is what I feel is now the state of the American pentecostal church, a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

I agree that we don't give enough and we don't pray enough. I agree that our enduement of power bears little resemblence to that of the Day of Pentecost. But, we do give, we do pray and we do have some power, at least. But why not on the same level at that at Pentecost? Again, its because our giving is not united. Our prayer seems to run in every direction. And our power...need I say more. At Pentecost, their prayer, the every activity was for a single purpose. Ours is not. Corporately, they waited for 1 thing, the promise of the father to be filled with the Holy Ghost.

We cannot expect the same results until we move beyond the stage of divsion. The brother here who stated over and over again, "the UPC needs a Healer" had a point. But he, like the rest of us missed the mark. The UPC doen't need a Healer. The Body needs a healer. We need a healer. And that healer is found in the prayer of Jesus. "that they may be one..." Until we deal with how that can be accomplished we will continue to be a facade. A shell. No matter how much we splash around in the waters of water baptism. No matter how much we speak in tongues and debate all this doctrinal... we will continue to be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: Rev 3:17

[Nahum]

Wonderful thread.

[OneAccord]

see what I mean. I last posted on this thread at 10:13 and not one comment regarding UNITY. Plenty on other threads about the rifts regarding water baptism, but known about UNITY. We're dancing all around it, but we refuse to consider that, maybe, just maybe, we don't see Pentecost results, because we enjoy the fight, we love the debate more than we love our brother. Maybe we are so far removed from what God intended in John 17 that we have become spiritually blind. And maybe, we just don't know, or want to know what UNITY is. Oh, we are to 'contend for the faith". Yes, but with each other. Infighting? Is this what God intends? Didn't he say something about being One in Christ? In fact He said quite alot about it. We were just too busy fighting to hear it.

[stmatthew]

Originally Posted by Apprehended

I've been reading this thread with little comment. This post jumped out at me as probably the most poignant of all statements made on this thread or else where.

It bears emphasizing. I recall that it was the love of God that drove a certain one to sacrifice, if I am not mistaken here. What love drives us? Then, where does that love drive us to?

Light of truth can be bright enough to blind but when the fire and heat of love is missing, there is no true Pentecost, only dead ritual apart from the cloven tongues upon each of us.

The preacher, which was Bro Steve McMullen, pointed this out as well. He stated that the Feast of Pentecost had become only a ritual for the Jews of that day. The way I see it, the day of Pentecost was the day that substance came ("fully come") and replaced shadow.

[Thad]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

The preacher, which was Bro Steve McMullen, pointed this out as well. He stated that the Feast of Pentecost had become only a ritual for the Jews of that day. The way I see it, the day of Pentecost was the day that substance came ("fully come") and replaced shadow.

Matt,I agree with your initial post, and not to be disrespectful but where is the same books of Acts power found amongst Steve's group?? Is anyone getting heald by his shadow ? instead of preaching it why not live the example?? If the UCs was really having it like ACTS i'd be the first one to get behind them.

[Thad]

Originally Posted by Brother Price

I am so saddened. We have so much wealth, so much goods, and we have so little love. We have no real fire, no real Pentecost, because we have had it so easy. We send missionaries around the world, and then they have to almost beg for funds. We send $1 for offerings for missions, and $10,000 for TV advertising. Please understand what this fat man is saying, and I feel this so strongly in my heart...

Where are the all night prayer meetings for revival? Where are the men and women bowed on the altar seeking His face? Where are the preachers dripping from sweat of prayer? Where are the seekers, the Bereans, those who want so much of God that if they do not get Him, it would be almost to the brink of their own demise?

We have so much, and have so little. We have a powerless Pentecost, and a hollow explosion. We have devastation, but no cleansing. I hope I am understood on this.

This past Sunday morning, while in worship, the Lord actually showed me a vision. I saw a dark city, and something that looked powerful was slowly engulfing that city. I then realized what it was. It was an explosion of monumental magnitude. Suddenly, it went from slow to fast, and became a mushroom cloud. I was able to walk into the explosion, and there was no continued explosion inside. It was hollow. It had no real power, no continued effect. It just destroyed.This is what I feel is now the state of the American pentecostal church, a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

Bill, I use to lament over all this but i've come to place where I don't anymore. This is God's church and he knows what he is doing.
We all know the church is lukewarm but we need to just rest in God.
He'll bring it around in his way and time you watch and see.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

see what I mean. I last posted on this thread at 10:13 and not one comment regarding UNITY. Plenty on other threads about the rifts regarding water baptism, but known about UNITY. We're dancing all around it, but we refuse to consider that, maybe, just maybe, we don't see Pentecost results, because we enjoy the fight, we love the debate more than we love our brother. Maybe we are so far removed from what God intended in John 17 that we have become spiritually blind. And maybe, we just don't know, or want to know what UNITY is. Oh, we are to 'contend for the faith". Yes, but with each other. Infighting? Is this what God intends? Didn't he say something about being One in Christ? In fact He said quite alot about it. We were just too busy fighting to hear it.

PREACH!!!!!!!

[stmatthew]

Originally Posted by Thad

Matt,I agree with your initial post, and not to be disrespectful but where is the same books of Acts power found amongst Steve's group?? Is anyone getting heald by his shadow ? instead of preaching it why not live the example?? If the UCs was really having it like ACTS i'd be the first one to get behind them.

Thad,

He levied the accusation that those present were in the clutches of ritualism. His message was a challenge to those present, that they where not showing the fruits or humility that the early church showed.