Stephen,
Can you please explain this,why do so many people who say they have the gifts of the spirit,continue to listen to the likes of Benny Hinn,Perry Stone,Joyce Myers,Joel Olsteen,Todd Bentley etc etc why isn't the Holy Spirit warning them to stay away from them? Does that make any sense at all that someone who says they are spirit filled would continue to listen to those people? How much of their support is by many people who claim to have the gifts of the spirit?
2 Timothy 3:1-9 (KJV) [SUP]
1 [/SUP]This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [SUP]
2 [/SUP]For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [SUP]
3 [/SUP]Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [SUP]
4 [/SUP]Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [SUP]
5 [/SUP]Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [SUP]
6 [/SUP]For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, [SUP]
7 [/SUP]Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. [SUP]
8 [/SUP]Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. [SUP]
9 [/SUP]But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all
men, as theirs also was.
Are we not on the brink of perilous times?
Is mankind more self-centered than ever before?
Is worldly carnal affections on the upswing?
Doesn't both sides of our argument believe the "form of godliness" issue is very visible?
With all the misinformation, isn't society as well as the church " ever learning, but are not coming to the knowledge of the truth?"
Matthew 7:12-14 (KJV) [SUP]
12 [/SUP]Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. [SUP]
13 [/SUP]Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide
is the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and
many there be which go in thereat: [SUP]
14 [/SUP]Because strait
is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it.
Jesus wasn't kidding. There will be few.
Guess who the majority of the few will be? No, not a denomination, but a class of people who are never considered or thought about. The poor.
How many of the poor can or is able to post Youtube videos, set up web sites, or broadcast their church services on TV and radio? Who would believe a video of a poor church? After all, if a church is spiritually successful, it is also financially successful, right? At least that's what the liberal churches preach.
Yet, when I look in the scripture, in the OT, the poor were left in their homeland when Israel went into captivity. In the NT, the apostles as well as Paul in most of his writings was taking care of the poor saints of Jerusalem because the Jerusalem church was steeped in poverty. This was one of the true churches........ Spiritually successful, financially unsuccessful.
Consider this: how many churches today are filthy rich? How many of those take care of the poor? How many of them mostly take care of themselves? Most of them won't even start a new ministry unless it will prove itself to be self funded.
In rich churches, When a poor & a rich person is considered for a position in the hiarchy, who do they choose most often? That's right, the rich person. Why? Because they believe the rich person represents them better. The last thing a rich church wants is a poor person standing on their platform in ministry. To them it just doesn't look good.
James 2:5-7 (KJV) [SUP]
5 [/SUP]Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? [SUP]
6 [/SUP]But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? [SUP]
7 [/SUP]
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
Isaiah 66:2 (KJV) [SUP]
2 [/SUP]For all those
things hath mine hand made, and all those
things have been, saith the LORD:
but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
[HR][/HR]
Matthew 5:3 (KJV) [SUP]
3[/SUP]
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[HR][/HR]
Luke 4:18 (KJV) [SUP]
18 [/SUP]The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because
he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Proverbs 23:4 (KJV) [SUP]
4 [/SUP]Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
[HR][/HR]
Proverbs 28:6 (KJV) [SUP]
6 [/SUP]
Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than
he that is perverse
in his ways, though he
be rich.
[HR][/HR]
Proverbs 28:22 (KJV) [SUP]
22 [/SUP]He that hasteth to be rich
hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
[HR][/HR]
Micah 6:12 (KJV) [SUP]
12 [/SUP]For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue
is deceitful in their mouth.
[HR][/HR]
Matthew 19:23 (KJV) [SUP]
23 [/SUP]Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[HR][/HR]
1 Timothy 6:9 (KJV) [SUP]
9 [/SUP]But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and
into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
[HR][/HR]
Luke 1:53 (KJV) [SUP]
53 [/SUP]He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
[HR][/HR]
Luke 6:24 (KJV) [SUP]
24 [/SUP]But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
[HR][/HR]
Luke 18:22-25 (KJV) [SUP]
22 [/SUP]Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. [SUP]
23 [/SUP]And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. [SUP]
24 [/SUP]And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! [SUP]
25 [/SUP]For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
[HR][/HR]
James 1:9-11 (KJV) [SUP]
9[/SUP]
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: [SUP]
10 [/SUP]But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. [SUP]
11 [/SUP]For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
James 5:1 (KJV) [SUP]
1 [/SUP]Go to now,
ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon
you.
[HR][/HR]
Revelation 2:9 (KJV) [SUP]
9 [/SUP]I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (
but thou art rich) and
I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but
are the synagogue of Satan.
[HR][/HR]
Revelation 3:17 (KJV) [SUP]
17 [/SUP]Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I think the real truth about the charismatic movement is this: in the beginning, it was totally real. This I think was the final worldwide revival for the church. Mind you, this is only what I think, brainstorming.
After the likes of Katherine Kuhlman come in with her cronies, the same movement that originally was started by God for the revival of the church was infiltrated by the devil to promote the Great Falling Away. To me this sounds like a real plan.
Humor me for a minute. Give this idea some real thought.
During the earlier part of the movement, churches claimed that they came to life for the first time in years. The love of God returned & true praise & worship with it. Years afterward, during what is known as the third wave & Vineyard I suppose, people started getting carried away in emotionalism and manifestations. Now, the majority of this movement is doing everything it can to destroy true Christianity. Your own witness confirms that.
In the meantime, other denominations are letting this third wave/Vineyard into their churches because of the excitement it brings. The reason they're doing it is because their services are stale. In other words, slowly going spiritually dead. This third wave pretty much finishes the job & helps them all unite for a "universal" purpose of presenting the Antichrist.
Another thing to remember is this fact: Freemasonry has also infiltrated the church & church organizations & holds key positions. zone has mentioned this & she's right. This helps to lead the apostate church toward a one-world religion.
After all this happens, how much of the " true church" will be left? The answer: few.
I believe if we could do some real research, together we would find similar results to what I've just brainstormed. The truth just may be somewhere in the middle where some have already claimed. 
