I'll admit it. I'm a cynic. Probably to unhealthy levels. I try daily to overcome this tendency and not allow it to hinder my faith. But especially when it comes to faith in PEOPLE...I have a hard time getting past my own mind, my history of men and women not being trustworthy, or being ignorant, etc.
Have you ever been in one of those services with a man who evangelizes as a "prophet"? And he goes about during the service saying things like any worldly "medium" might say.
Medium/Prophet: "Someone here...has children...in California? A name...that starts with a "D"..."
Woman in audience of 300 tentatively raises her hand.
Medium/Prophet: "God is going to restore your relationships."
Woman cries because she has children in California she gave up for adoption.
Now - I know this woman, and God DID reunite her and give her a relationship with all her children. But the whole "Is there...a woman...in here...who's name starts with "L"..." thing really, really sounds like any weird "medium" talk show you might see on TV.
There's a big name "prophet" in the UPC who we once saw...At one service, he called out a man who was visiting the US from Liberia. The prophet started talking about how he knew someone from Guyana...and started describing the country of Guyana...and how God was calling this man to go to Guyana...and how Guyana is near Liberia, correct?
Well, the problem is, Guyana is a country in South America.
The man awkwardly tried to correct the "prophet" that Liberia wasn't too far from Ghana, Africa...but Guyana was quite far away.
The prophet then tried to gloss over it that...well, God still needed him in Guyana...and that God would make a way.
I have to admit it - I and the person next to me could not keep a straight fact. It was very amusing to think that "God" messed up his geography when speaking through this prophet. Not long after that the prophet announced how there were two people in the whole service who were not on board with what he was speaking...and that he didn't care if we dressed in suits and looked the part...etc. etc. Pretty sure he was talking about us. But you didn't need a "word from God" to notice we could barely hold back snickering at the whole geographic snafu.
What's your threshold of trust for self-proclaimed prophets? If they get one thing wrong, are they considered a false prophet forever thereafter?
I just want to say first of all, I actually do share the skepticism of the whole "Prophet" deal.
It's not that I doubt the prophet. It's that I doubt these men ARE prophets. Further more, most people working the gifts I know don't build up a profitable ministry on it and do the one man circus act.
Having said that, in the story I can see God possibly speaking "Guyana" to the man and the man not knowing his geography began to blather on incoherently about it being located near Liberia.
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
You can be sure that my starting point with all these "prophets" is skeptisism. I have seen and heard too much... and ive lived enough life to know too much....
having said that, one of the Bustard brothers (I seriously dont remember which one) came thru out town back when I was 15 years old.
He started talking about someone who had suffered from a very specific type of headache and several people said it was them. He would look at them and just say "no it isnt you". He explained in greater detail and I knew he was talking about me.
when I was in the 6th grade I suffered a very serious concusion and the end result was occasional headache that was beyond my ablity to explain. like a bomb going off in my brain, unable to breath only lasting for 15 seconds. It didnt happen often but when it did, it was terrible.
He eplained in very clear detail. What it was, how it happened... everything. He didnt know me or any member of my family and I never told people about it. EVER.
he was getting irritated that no one would say it was them. and even said something like "we arent moving on until this is dealt with". So I stood up and at first he was skeptical and he asked me questions and I explained what happened etc.
He said "Its you. You wont have another one".
That was it. He didnt pray for me. didnt do any "thus sayth the Lord" just "you wont have another one"
I havent had another one. that was in the late 1980s
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Speaking of Bustard....Morton came through a nearby town and I went. I remember he "prepped" the audience before hand saying we were gonna have a little something to get the gifts working or something to that affect.
He walked around eyeballing everyone, then focused on this woman infront of me, saying "You have borderline anemia"...
I could have told her that by looking at her "pale" face and dark circles under her eyes.
I became more skeptical after that
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
Speaking of Bustard....Morton came through a nearby town and I went. I remember he "prepped" the audience before hand saying we were gonna have a little something to get the gifts working or something to that affect.
He walked around eyeballing everyone, then focused on this woman infront of me, saying "You have borderline anemia"...
I could have told her that by looking at her "pale" face and dark circles under her eyes.
I became more skeptical after that
ive heard more than one story like that too. I agree there is that kind of shinnagance going on. and that is part of my skeptisism. but the story I related about myself, there is no way anyone could have told him that or that he would know that.
and even if he did get told by someone there that day, its been more than 20 years and I have not had a single headache like that since. Not one. not even anything that comes close.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Years ago, the "profit" from Mississippi called a friend's wife out in a church service and told her that "her womb was tilted and that was why she was having so much trouble and pain". My friend said "I wish I could prove that, I would sue the doctor that did the complete hysterectomy on my wife". And that's WHY I'm skeptical.
__________________
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Do Not Argue With Idiots, they will just bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.
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If I am understanding 1 John 4:1-3, we are commanded to put prophets to the test, to see whether or not they are of God.
I know John used the word "spirits" at the first, but the reason he gives for such a test is because many false prophets have gone out into the world, thus linking spirits with false prophets.
Additionally, Paul taught that two or three prophets of a church may speak, but then the others must judge (1 Corinthians 14:29).
Judge what if not the accuracy and reliability of the prophetic utterance?
In fact, the Discerning of Spirits is in part, to take note whether or not a person is prophesying out of their own heart (i.e. the words are from a human, and not the Holy, spirit).
Therefore, I see nothing wrong at all with, if not outright skepticism, at least a common sense based approached that doesn't swallow everything or even anything that a prophet throws out there.
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For anyone devoted to His fear:
Years ago, the "profit" from Mississippi called a friend's wife out in a church service and told her that "her womb was tilted and that was why she was having so much trouble and pain". My friend said "I wish I could prove that, I would sue the doctor that did the complete hysterectomy on my wife". And that's WHY I'm skeptical.
Humans!! We are a nutty bunch!! ROTL!! We so want to be important!
__________________ For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. (Romans 14:11- NASB)
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