Beware of online ministries
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How does one get qualified to teach and preach. The Holy Spirit does that, not man or any organization. We are living in the "information" age when information, translations, commentaries, concordances, dictionaries, and other aids can easily be retrieved. We as Christians need to do our own research and study and not be so dependent on others to do the research and study for you. The search for Truth and understanding should be one of our priorities in life.
Beware of online ministries. And ministry by mail. And door to door prosyltizing ministries. And offline brick and mortar cult-churches. And false-teachers in general. And false-christs. And...
If by "love and care" you mean you're concerned for my soul and that I need guidance you can save it. I don't reject the gospel, but the so-called full gospel. That encompasses a lot, but some of the things it teaches that I reject are:
1. Modern-day apostles and prophets.
2. Signs and wonders, including the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" evidenced by speaking in "tongues."
3. Faith healing and deliverance from demons.
4. Prophetic words of knowledge.
5. Present-day truths and new revelations in God's word that have previously been hidden.
6. The belief that the church must be "restored" in all its fullness before Christ can return. In other words, the church is responsible Christ's slowness to appear.
7. We must attain to the "unity of faith" before Christ can return (ecumenism).
In short, practically everything the modern church has become. I'm not a cessationist. I'm not going to say God will not and cannot pour out His spirit and perform mighty signs and wonders; that would be ridiculous. I'm just saying the church is busy play-acting and the so-called full gospel encourages it.
I suspect that the churches that you are talking about are man-made churches consisting of denominations and non-denominational churches of today. Each have their own common beliefs with their own leaders and followers. I don't think that a true Christian would ever accept payment for service to the Lord or take contributed money that could be used help the less fortunate. The true Church consists of individuals who form the Spiritual body of Christ. As part of Christ's spiritual body we are adopted children of God and because we become one with the Son, we are considered the bride of Christ ( as the bride becomes one with the groom ). We become members of the true Church when we receive the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son ( who will reside in our hearts) and make us one with them by changing our spirit's motivation from self to love for God first and everyone else as we love ourselves. As part of Christ's body, He is the Head and are directed by Him to eat the same bread which is to do the Father's will and have all thoughts and actions motivated by love. All of this happens when we are baptized by the Holy Spirit of the Father and Son.
Having someone babel sounds and having someone else interpret what was said is not evidence of anything. Having someone speak and others hear him in their own language, now you've got my attention.
Christ is just as active today as always as evidenced by individuals whose lives he has changed ( and that includes mine). With the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in charge, I have total confidence in the true Church. Christ will return when His spiritual body is filled with all the spirits of those that are predestined.
Looks like it's all about teeth.Just kidding.
Yes. Having been blessed by being part of the "full gospel"' revival during the church restoration experience in the UK in the 70s and 80s, and being encouraged to believe what you read in scripture and seeing it happen even to the point of someone being raised from the dead, to have rejected it all would have been silliest thing I could have ever done.
You may have seen something, but not a person actually raised from the dead. I saw David Copperfield make the Statue of Liberty disappear once.
So you were there when it happened? Funny that I don't remember you being in the room. What was the date and day of the event? if you know that I didn't see someone raised from the dead, you will know the day and date. And what was the name of the person that wasn't raised from the dead?
Everyone has stories, but when the rubber meets the road all we ever really have is their word. Why is that? You can believe whatever you want, no worries, you're not under my tutelage.
Takes me back to another MIRACLE I experienced in 1976. We were having a fellowship clearing out week and one of our elders spoke on rejection. By the time he had finished I knew it was one of my main problems. When I submitted myself for deliverance from the spirit, it was a no contest. The spirt had to go and it did. From that day I have never been offended or upset by anyone or what has been said or done to me. Plus, I don't do ministry to get recognition. I do it because it opens a door for God to minister.
Thankyou for admitting that your comment was just that, not a fact with proof.
And then there was the day in 1976 where I should have died in a car accident, but I didn't because of a visitation by an angel. I was involved in a head on collision at 100ks. I came round a bend and was confronted by car overtaking on my side of the road and with me having nowhere to go.
I took my foot of the accelerator, put both hands on the wheel and said "Jesus, here I come" and waited for the collision. (I was not wearing a seat belt) A moment before an almighty crash, i felt a pair of hands take hold of my shoulders and held me in position as I watched the passenger of the other car fly through the windscreen and smash into my screen. All I had was a bruised knee and a small cut on my nose.
I knew that day the meaning of the words that God sends his angels to watch over us.
I took my foot of the accelerator, put both hands on the wheel and said "Jesus, here I come" and waited for the collision. (I was not wearing a seat belt) A moment before an almighty crash, i felt a pair of hands take hold of my shoulders and held me in position as I watched the passenger of the other car fly through the windscreen and smash into my screen. All I had was a bruised knee and a small cut on my nose.
I knew that day the meaning of the words that God sends his angels to watch over us.
What about online posters who warn about online ministries? lol, just kidding, couldn't resist.
I would say it's not online ministries being online per se that's the issue. The internet is just a medium. Are we still preaching on fisherman's boats, as Christ Himself did? Not necessarily, as times have moved on, there's another kind of net now!
I would say you know a True Preacher of Christ (1) if he glorifies Christ as much as he can (2) he does not love money (3) there are no scandals etc associated with him, i.e. his walk is blameless or close to it, and (4) he speaks as little as possible about himself. A ministry should be all about gaining glory for Christ in as many hearts as possible, i.e. either if those hearts never knew Christ, then to help them know Him, or, if they know Him, then to help them grow in His love and grace every day.
Just my personal thoughts. God Bless.
I would say it's not online ministries being online per se that's the issue. The internet is just a medium. Are we still preaching on fisherman's boats, as Christ Himself did? Not necessarily, as times have moved on, there's another kind of net now!
I would say you know a True Preacher of Christ (1) if he glorifies Christ as much as he can (2) he does not love money (3) there are no scandals etc associated with him, i.e. his walk is blameless or close to it, and (4) he speaks as little as possible about himself. A ministry should be all about gaining glory for Christ in as many hearts as possible, i.e. either if those hearts never knew Christ, then to help them know Him, or, if they know Him, then to help them grow in His love and grace every day.
Just my personal thoughts. God Bless.
And ministers who stand up and preach and are no more called or anointed to do so than the man in the moon.