Glory Clouds And Gold, or Fog and Glitter?

[Reader]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Exactly! We've turned the power of God into sensationalism as though we live in a Disney movie. Ridiculous.

God is not in the business of "entertaining us" though you would not know that from some churches and ministries. If our faith is such that we need feathers, gold dust, gold teeth, jewels, clouds and whatever else comes along, then something is wrong. God did not do similar anywhere in the Bible, but that doesn't stop those who promote these things. Instead, some mock and belittle when a person asks them for any scripture to back up these events.

Look back at when Jesus performed miracles - real miracles - and people still did not turn to God. People are not going to turn to God or be kept in him by these other so-called acts of God, which are not real miracles.

Others can seek and long for those things. Someone somewhere will give them what they want. For me, I have no desire for "entertainment" or following after signs.

[Praxeas]

I have seen the "glory cloud" twice.

Trust me it does NOT look like dust kicked up in the air.

Once years ago a brother and I were praying at church, around 11 PM, alone. I saw what appeared to be mist or a cloud covering the ceiling

When we finished praying we went outside and talked for a while. I looked up and saw a rectangular cloud..it reminded me of a pillar on it's side. I asked the brother if he saw it and he said "See what?". When I looked at him to see if he was looking, he was looking up and said "Oh yeah! Now I see it"

When I looked back up the "cloud" was further up in the sky. Clouds don't float upwards into space

The next time was at a Camp meeting. There was no dirt on the ground to kick up. Nobody was running or jumping. We were all standing still. Most people were just worshiping or crying. You could see what appeared like a cloud had filled the place. It was hovering over our heads.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/...manifestations

Bill Johnson senior pastor of Bethel in Redding CA... Talks abut and shows video of a "glory cloud".

Any thoughts?

I'm skeptical.

I'm a skeptic.

[Hoovie]

Yeah me too ILG! It seems the people making the claim are generally stroking their ego... That appears to be the case in the CA pastor video (IMHO).

Then again I have no reason to think that or doubt Praxes accounts.

I have not ever remotely experienced something like that. It's weird to me, and I don't understand why God would do such.

[Hoovie]

Yeah me too ILG! It seems the people making the claim are generally stroking their ego... That appears to be the case in the CA pastor video (IMHO).

Then again I have no reason to think that or doubt Praxes accounts.

I haven't even remotely experienced something like that. It's weird to me, and I don't understand why God would do such.

[jediwill83]

yeah skeptic here too...this comes from someone that used to eat stuff like this up...then I realized that the power of suggestion is a powerful thing.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Yeah me too ILG! It seems the people making the claim are generally stroking their ego... That appears to be the case in the CA pastor video (IMHO).

Then again I have no reason to think that or doubt Praxes accounts.

I have not ever remotely experienced something like that. It's weird to me, and I don't understand why God would do such.

My first impression was they were putting on a show to impress people. It's hard to believe, but people actually do that kind of stuff.....

[ILG]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

yeah skeptic here too...this comes from someone that used to eat stuff like this up...then I realized that the power of suggestion is a powerful thing.

I used to eat up stuff like that too until I finally figured out that not all that glitters is gold. I can't imagine hiring people to set up smoke machines to deceive the members of my congregation (as this man is), who trust me. Unfortunately, people do that.

[Praxeas]

Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

Exo 16:10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

Exo 19:9 And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever." When Moses told the words of the people to the LORD,

Exo 24:15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
Exo 24:16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Exo 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

It's a common OT theme. Rabbis referred to t as Shekinah, before the mystics later incorporated it into Kabbalistic philosophy

NT
Mat 17:5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

Act 1:9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

1Co 10:1 I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

"Cloud" and "glory" referred to the same thing. You can see this theme of "glory" in the NT. We all experience this Glory all the time...we just don't always SEE it.

[Praxeas]

I was always skeptical of the glitter stuff. And from what I've experienced it most certainly does not look like a smoke machine. It looks more like a cloud that just appears and hovers. Smoke machines "push" the "smoke" out with a fan.

What I saw doesn't move around like that