And the thing that baffles me, who are ALL these people? Doesn't the Holy Spirit convict people, even if they are new believers, that something isn't right?
So maybe someone new to the faith needs to learn to discern the spirits 'whether they are of God'?
When I first came to California and I was invited to a couple of charismatic churches (also Crystal Cathedral--more the prosperity gospel) --e.g. Vineyard and another one--can't recall the name. I had never heard of speaking in tongues or slaying in the spirit-- I was 20 and had been going to church since I was six.
(Now, I am not against speaking in tongues if you are speaking in a KNOWN language and somebody is there to interpret----so far I haven't seen that at any church I've ever attended--it's always been people babbling all at once--precisely what scripture says NOT to do.)
In any case--my heart was pounding inside of my chest--I felt angry and agitated--the whole thing was unsettling/fake and to me devilish. My aunt had taken me to one--she was educated--her husband had been at one time a Presbyterian minister, but no longer believed. The other was a friend--sort of a hippie, but smart, 'seemingly' down to earth; however, neither was the kind of person I would expect to be hoodwinked by this nonsense. Sorry, but I would think you'd have to have a pretty low IQ--apparently not....
So maybe someone new to the faith needs to learn to discern the spirits 'whether they are of God'?
When I first came to California and I was invited to a couple of charismatic churches (also Crystal Cathedral--more the prosperity gospel) --e.g. Vineyard and another one--can't recall the name. I had never heard of speaking in tongues or slaying in the spirit-- I was 20 and had been going to church since I was six.
(Now, I am not against speaking in tongues if you are speaking in a KNOWN language and somebody is there to interpret----so far I haven't seen that at any church I've ever attended--it's always been people babbling all at once--precisely what scripture says NOT to do.)
In any case--my heart was pounding inside of my chest--I felt angry and agitated--the whole thing was unsettling/fake and to me devilish. My aunt had taken me to one--she was educated--her husband had been at one time a Presbyterian minister, but no longer believed. The other was a friend--sort of a hippie, but smart, 'seemingly' down to earth; however, neither was the kind of person I would expect to be hoodwinked by this nonsense. Sorry, but I would think you'd have to have a pretty low IQ--apparently not....
What is happening is exactly what Paul told us would happen.
2 Tim. 4:3-4
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
The "itching ears" is what Osteen, Furtick, etc, etc, are giving these people, what they want to hear.
They have turned from the truth and scripture and don't want to hear it.
They want to hear how they can prosper, and Furtick is feeding it to them.
-
2
-
1
- Show all
