Archive through June 18, 2004 Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Edit Profile

Former Adventist Fellowship Forum » ARCHIVED DISCUSSIONS 3 » Twisted Bible » Archive through June 18, 2004 « Previous Next »

Author Message
Debbie
Registered user
Username: Debbie

Post Number: 74
Registered: 7-2000
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 12:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

One time a few years ago, I purchased a Joyce Meyer bible study. It is titled "Battlefield of the Mind." I actually picked it up at a secular bookstore. Since it was a bible study, everything was based on bible, because it required me to look all the answers up in the bible. (There was no commentary). Because I liked it so much, I called the Harvest Bookstore to order the companion book (which WOULD have provided commentary). The bookstore told me that they don't carry her books and wouldn't be able to order them for me because they don't agree with what she teaches. When I asked why, they stated that she is part of the "Word of Faith" movement. They told me that I could find information on her in the book "Christianity in Crisis" by Hank Hannegraff(they gave me the name of another book, but I forgot the name). Ever since then, I've hesitated to buy her books, because my experience with Harvest/Calvary Chapel Ministries is that they, in general, are very discerning. And actually this was the first time I had tried to order a book that the bookstore was UNWILLING to order for me.

Debbie
Melissa
Registered user
Username: Melissa

Post Number: 356
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 12:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Kme, Joyce is labeled as pentacostal, but not sure if she is affiliated with a specific denomination. There is a whole "christian" (and I used that term very loosely) culture that teaches a prosperity type doctrine. As with other false doctrines, it takes a few passages, ignores many others and creates a theology about them. Such as if you give a church/organization $1,000 God will bless you $10,000 ... or some other such outrageous claim. Some also teach incredible name it, claim it type healings, but those who have tried to get names and doctor verifications such illness ever existed, let alone were healed, have all failed. There are a couple of books that speak to it...Counterfeit Revival and Christianity in Crisis. Both by Hank Hanegraff. We've discussed it in some depth here in other threads and I can't remember which book was more thorough. The equip.org website has more free information online that may help. Some well-known word-faith teachers include Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, etc. This is brief explanation. Hope it helps
Debandhenry
Registered user
Username: Debandhenry

Post Number: 8
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 3:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Greetings all,
Here is the website to take the quiz; http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select

I really appreciate ya'lls info. on Joyce Meyer, I am so new to religious church surfing on Sky Angel and the few times I was able to watch for more than five min. was the end of her program, the part where she is pushing her wares. That is why I count on ya'll for your honest opinions.

Those programs are new to me, as I have never been in a church that does the "in the spirit slaying" or what ever they do and it looks to me so phoney. And, I would never send money to have it suppose to give me more, is this what they are?
We have seen the advertising for Hinn, Copeland, Dollar etc. when they are coming into the Philly area, again Thanks and goota scoot.

In Gods service,
Deb :-)
Freeatlast
Registered user
Username: Freeatlast

Post Number: 180
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 5:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hank Hanegraaf has lumped Joyce in with the other WOF movement "teachers" like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagin, and the entire TBN gang. I think that is a bit harsh. The worst thing Hank could come up with is that she is on TBN and she said one time that she could smell the stench of a demon. I think she has alot of good to offer and is not a heretic or preaching "another gospel". She's a bit forward but that's my own subjective judgement. Some people like that in their preacher. Just my 2 cents' worth...
Debbie
Registered user
Username: Debbie

Post Number: 75
Registered: 7-2000
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 6:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Interesting thing about Hannegraff...In his book, "Counterfeit Revival" which pretty much focuses entirely on the "Faith Movement" and has lots to say about Copeland, Hagin, and Hinn, he doesn't mention Joyce Meyer even once. I discovered this after I tried to get the Joyce Meyer book, like I mentioned above. Since I didn't already have "Christianity in Crisis" but I did own the "Counterfeit Revival" book. I looked her up in the index.

I have to admit I was I was somewhat confused by the fact that she wasn't mentioned in this book. Because, I thought, if she was so dangerous, this would be the book to discuss it in (especially being that "Christianity in Crisis" is well over 10-15 years old).

However, despite that I didn't find her in the "Counterfeit Revival" book, ever since the warning I received from the bookstore, I still have become very leary of buying any more of her books--and even more so over the past couple of years. This is because I have also discovered that she IS, unfortunately, associated, albeit loosely, with some of the Faith movement teachers. Also, I've discovered through people who are involved in this movement that she does sometimes speak at their conferences.

Debbie
Debandhenry
Registered user
Username: Debandhenry

Post Number: 9
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 8:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Greetings again all,

I went to my search engine and found Joyce Meyer on http://www.apologeticsindex.org/m26.html with a orange square in front of her name which is color code to mean; Aberrational, Heretical, Heterodox, Suborthodox, Unorthodox...Phew!

This is what I found out about Joyce Meyer:

A word-faith teacher, with a major emphasis on the so-called 'prosperity teaching'Doctrinal Errors.

Meyer can be classified as a Word-Faith teacher and as such has shown an inclination to waffle on major doctrines. In her 1991 booklet, The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make, an evangelistic work aimed at nonbelievers, she resounds the Word-Faith view of Christís atonement:
Meyer teaches the classic ìBorn-Again Jesusî gospel that has been taught by Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Fred Price, John Jacobs, Charles Capps, Benny Hinn and Jan Crouch, to name a few. Itís usually presented under the guise of ìrevelation knowledge,î given by the Holy Spirit and grounded in Scripture. However, this gospel does not stand up under biblical scrutiny.
Her assertions are not unlike those of leading Word of Faith proponent Kenneth Copeland, who also believes Christís death on the cross was not sufficient to atone for our sins, and that His work of redemption was completed by suffering in hell and being born again.
[...]
Also problematic are some of Meyerís beliefs regarding spiritual warfare. According to her, for instance, generational spirits supposedly torment families for generations with specific sins, and she even believes that a demon of lust torments her family.
Source: CRI Statement regarding Joyce Meyer, Christian Research Institute
Emphasis on Prosperity Teaching

Joyce Meyer says God has made her rich.

Everything she has came from Him: the $10 million corporate jet, her husband's $107,000 silver-gray Mercedes sedan, her $2 million home and houses worth another $2 million for her four children -- all blessings, she says, straight from the hand of God.

It's been an amazing run, nothing short of a miracle, says Meyer, a one-time bookkeeper who heads one of the world's largest television ministries. Her Life in the Word organization expects to take in $95 million this year.

Just look around, she told reporters last month from behind her desk on the third floor of the ministry's corporate offices in Jefferson County.

``Here I am, an ex-housewife from Fenton, with a 12th-grade education,'' she said. ``How could anybody look at this and see anything other than God?''

In many ways, Joyce Meyer is an American Cinderella.

Describing herself as sexually abused when she was a girl and neglected and abandoned as a young wife, Meyer has remade herself into one of the nation's best-known and best-paid TV preachers. She has taken her ``prosperity through faith'' message to millions.

``If you stay in your faith, you are going to get paid,'' Meyer told an audience in Detroit in September. ``I'm living now in my reward.''

Meyer, 60 and a grandmother, runs the ministry with her husband, Dave, and the couple's four children. All of the family, including the children's spouses, draw paychecks from the ministry.

But the way Meyer spends her ministry's money on herself and her family may violate federal law, legal and tax experts say. That law bars leaders of non-profits -- religious groups and other charities -- from privately benefiting from the tax-free money they raise.

Last month, Wall Watchers, a watchdog group that monitors the finances of large Christian groups, called on the Internal Revenue Service to investigate Meyer and six other TV preachers to find out whether their tax-exempt status should be revoked.

Meyer and her lawyer say she scrupulously abides by all federal laws.

Source: Summary: From Fenton to fame, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (USA), Nov. 13, 2003

Well, I did get my "itch", "scratched", if you want to read all of her info. go to the url above and you will find a lot of stuff. And, by-the-way another church came up with the same little orange square....yep the SDA Church...imagine that!

I know this is long but now we know the rest of the story, God bless and sweet dreams.
Deb :-)



Susan_2
Registered user
Username: Susan_2

Post Number: 614
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 9:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Who is Joyce Meyer and what is Word Faith Healer? When Janis Joplin sang, "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?" she didn't get one. So, therefore I don't think Joyces car, jet, etc. came from God either.
Dennis
Registered user
Username: Dennis

Post Number: 98
Registered: 4-2000
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 11:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As former Adventists, we must be most vigilant not to exchange one false prophet with yet another one (even their lifestyles are a commonality). Both Ellen White and Joyce Meyer teach various Arian views. Moreover, both do not extol the Bible as inerrant in the original autographs. Another obvious commonality between these two women is their money-making gospel.

As the founder of Scientology once said, "If you want to get rich, start a new religion." Joyce Meyer is clearly in the category of a false prophetess. James White wrote to his wife, "There is yet wealth in our pens." Both of the ministries of Ellen White and Joyce Meyer are multi-million-dollar enterprises today. Yes, both have enough truth and benevolence in their messages to deceive the unwary.

Dennis J. Fischer
Praisegod
Registered user
Username: Praisegod

Post Number: 85
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 3:26 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Somewhere in the past few months I heard or read that there is apparently a quite predictable cycle that before presidential elections there are more articles negatively targeting TV ministries and well known preachers. Supposedly the theory was this is a ploy to water down the Christian vote during elections.

I've no idea whether this has any credibility to it or not. Any one else ever heard that?

Praise God...
Dennis
Registered user
Username: Dennis

Post Number: 99
Registered: 4-2000
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 6:26 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Interestingly, the sales directors of the Mary Kay cosmetic corporation are promoting some of Joyce Meyer's get-rich-quick books to their local cosmetic consultants.
Freeatlast
Registered user
Username: Freeatlast

Post Number: 181
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:43 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Deadbandhenry, thank you for the research. Certainly some of those quotes are problematic. Dennis thanks for the clues about Arianism and Scripture manuscript issues. Joyce hasn't made some of the claims that Ellen White made, but her extravagant lifestyle and "reward now" philisophy is disturbing. I'll pay closer attention to her theology from now on.
Freeatlast
Registered user
Username: Freeatlast

Post Number: 182
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:48 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Debandhenry, dyslexia is an disease awful. sorry for butchering your username. Great research, thanks!

Postscript: I can't imagine such a gracious discussion of issues on some other forums.

Thanks to everyone for keeping this such a nice place to vist.
Sabra
Registered user
Username: Sabra

Post Number: 113
Registered: 10-2001
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 7:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'll tell you exactly what Joyce says since I watch her and hear it from her directly.

She frequently says: "Seek God's presence, not His presents."

She says that your purpose on this earth is to Glorify God.

She says seek God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you, not the other way around.

She says frequently that name it and claim it is not true doctrine, that she was taught in error and now knows that God is concerned with our spiritually blessing far above any earthly, physical blessing.

If a person is wrong and refuses to change that is one thing, if they are growing and changing that is quite another and we are judged as we judge so speaking against preachers of the gospel is not a wise thing to do in my opinion.

I'm not out there traveling from town to town preaching the Gospel, I'm in my bed every night so I am sure not pointing at anyone who has dedicated their entire life to reaching the lost.

It's worth praying over and at least checking out a 30 minute show.



Lydell
Registered user
Username: Lydell

Post Number: 599
Registered: 7-2000
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Debandhenry, as Sabra has said, it is entirely unnecessary to get someone else's opinion of what Joyce Meyers theology might be. Go to her website and read some of the articles there. Listen to a whole program, not just 5 minutes at the end. Debbie, it sounds to me like what you said is that the stuff Joyce wrote sent you to the Bible to dig. That hardly sounds like something that is trying to deceive you!

One of the passions that comes through clearly in Joyce's teaching is that she has a heart for the lost and hurting peopleand her Lord. The Lord is using her very effectively to minister to people who have been carrying deep hurts for years. I know, I'm one of them.

Hate to be a broken record here, but folks, Hanegraff is absolutely NOT unbiased in the things that he writes! He is opposed to the charismatic movement. So you shouldn't expect to hear from him anything but negativity about someone even remotely connected to the charismatics.

Oh, and Debandhenry, being "slain in the Spirit" or "resting in the Spirit" is real. Yes there is a counterfeit. Immature people tend to do that sometimes. But you know, counterfeits are only made of the real.

That said, that experience is not something a person is supposed to pursue. We pursue our Lord. But He will do whatever He has to do to minister to His children....sometimes it is causing a verse of scripture to leap off the page and grab them by the heart, sometimes He suddenly breaks down a wall they had erected in their heart and leaves them laughing, sometimes He uses the words of a song to touch them and leave them in tears, and sometimes He suddenly releaves a burden and leaves them laying on the floor in peace.

Can I give you a scripture to back up everything that He does. No, I honestly can't think of one scripture to back up a friends experience of being suddenly instantaneously delivered of drug addiction....that was a work of the Spirit. Can't think of a verse that describes angels as being black and having dreadlocks, but I know someone who had such an angel visit him repeatedly telling him that the Lord was working with him on his healing but it was time for him to start putting in some effort during his therapy to cooperate with Him. Also can't think of a single scripture that tells about suddenly feeling prompted to send a specific card to a friend NOW and learning from the later that the words on the card were very specifically what they needed at the very moment the card arrived...but I've had that experience. God just does stuff.

The ways He uses to touch lives are far too many for anyone to list. They are all a part of normal Christian life. The problem comes in when we put the focus on one particular thing that He does and just keep dwelling on that. I would imagine everyone here has had that experience of a particular verse suddenly "grabbing" us. That doesn't mean that we should expect it to happen every day, and every time we open the word, Right? As a former you are going to find yourself surprised by many things the Spirit does. Please stay open to at least listening.

If the numerous messages on the TV are giving you conflicting info then can I humbly offer a suggestion? Turn it off! As SDA we were accustomed to letting someone else interpret the scripture for us. That is the Holy Spirits job.

He is real good at it too. But we have to cooperate with Him by being willing to be students. That means we sit aside all the conflicting messages we hear and ask Him to help us read the word and just let it say what it says to us. If we are confused about something, have spent some time looking up the verses on the subject and are still confused after that, then likely He isn't too terribly concerned that YOU understand THAT subject at that moment.

Likely there is something else He wants to teach YOU instead. He is going to teach you in a different way then anyone else. Do NOT take that to mean that you keep yourself at home and don't attend church. You need to rub shoulders with Christians, to be challenged with the Word, to be prodded to study. Please keep open to learning.
Susan_2
Registered user
Username: Susan_2

Post Number: 618
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 8:53 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've been reading this discussion about Joyce Meyers and although I haven't a clue who she is I thnk I need to jump in anyway. Even tough she may say and believe some off the wall stuff she may otherwise be right on target, you weed out what is not good counsil and what is good counsil you take to heart. I am a member of the Lutheran church, which is named in honor of Martin Luther. Mr. Luther was personally a wonderful man with many sound teachings based on the Bible alone. Yet, he felt the infindels needed to be gotten rid of as they were a pollution upon the earth and God ment for people to be Christian. So, Lutherans just say that Martin Luther was a man of God who was given a profound understanding of the Bible and of grace and at the same time he was a sinner and we are to use wisdom in learning the good teaching and disregarding what is wrong. I hope you can do this with Joyce Meyers. BTW, do any of you watch Dr. Gene Scott? I just totally love his progam!
Debandhenry
Registered user
Username: Debandhenry

Post Number: 10
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 10:47 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Greetings ya'll,

Wow so much info to digest, I believe I read somewheres on one of the post about us formers being Gun Shy about new or different teachings and views and they are very wise. We are gun shy!!!!

And then again as Colleen says that the longer we are out the more we begin to trust again, but I do think there does come a point to turn off the boob tube.

I have experienced the urge to send a note of hello out of the blue or call a special friend and be told that it was right on time, a good feeling to obey that still small voice.

We are told also to be awares of false teachers 11 Peter 2:1-3 the false teachers here made no claim to being prophets, but were distoring the Scriptures with Heretical interpretations. (see also Matt. 24:4,5) and the word covetousness here is to mean the false teachers did not hesitate to take advantage of their followers in order to enrich themselves. We do have to disearn what we hear and whom we hear it from.

I did listen to the whole program of Joyce Meyers today and she does "sound okay" but then she really just uses her own life to relate with her teaching, but then as I have stated b/4 we are new to this and appreciate all you imput into the posts here,and all the honest answers and the flow of subject material, that is after all what it should be, we all learn from each other.

Is there anyone else that is good to get information or view their programing? Henry and I do like Charles Stanley of In Touch, anyone else?

FYI; we have been getting the e-mails from board members where we left and they just don't believe we left from EGW and SDA errors we found in our study. They think it was a shunning in some way, we were warned about this and for so long no contact but now the old devil has them inquiring. Just thought maybe it has happened to one of ya'll, we thought it strange that no one has called, (our supposed good friends) or returned our messages left for them, now we know why. At least if they are talking about us some other poor soul they are not!

God Bless and thanks for the responses,
Deb :-)
Debandhenry
Registered user
Username: Debandhenry

Post Number: 11
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 11:15 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wait a min. I had to go let in my dog and hit the Post button by mistake. I wanted to edit and add the following:

I also wanted to agree with Lydell in suggesting to us being open to new things and we are.
And as I stated it is time to turn off the boob tube, there comes a time when the brain can be overloaded. I love it when reading my bible and come across a verse that for the life of me I could not grasp and then BAM it is crystal clear and I will let out a "AWESOME" tarzan type yell, that is a good thing....bad for the ears though.

Now about the slain in the spirit when they go up front and the pastor or whom ever pushes them in the forehead and they go down, what happens?
My daughter-in-law is a AOG and my son Am. Luth. He will not change, says it kind of reminds him of his rave days? and she was raised AOG and yet they were married and joined the Am. Luth. but she chooses to attend the AOG. He says to him it looks phoney and that some who have this happen say they don't remember anything other than going out and then suddenly waking up. And then again some just fall down and nothing happens other than the falling (pushed down). Is this the sort of thing you have seen Lydell?

So much to pray about, so much to experience and learn....what an adventure.....LIFE.

Deb :-)

Lydell
Registered user
Username: Lydell

Post Number: 600
Registered: 7-2000
Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Deb that's not what I'm talking about. See when the Holy Spirit is in charge He takes the person down. No one pushes them down, suggests to them they fall, or manipulates them in any way(....it's ridiculous when someone does that. That's when you can be pretty sure the Spirit is not involved in what is happening.)

They are being prayed for and they just go down. Well, actually I've heard of times when someone isn't even being prayed for and it has happened.

It has not happened to me. But I have talked with several who have had the experience, my husband and two sons among them. A handful of the people who I know have had this happen, didn't even believe in that sort of thing. There are at least 3 or 4 of them that I would have sworn would never have this happen to. They certainly are not emotional types! One of them fell and hit a metal chair on the way down hard enough to seriously dent the chair. He felt nothing and had no bruises or soreness from this later, interesting.

Anyway, many of those who have had this experience said that they had been standing there listening to the person praying for them, the person was praying a rather ordinary prayer, and first thing they knew they found themselves laying on the floor. The thing they had been burdened about before was just not bothering them anymore.

Like I said, it has never happend to me. But I have had other interesting things happen. Like once when someone was praying for me I suddenly had this sense of just the most incredibly profound peace settling over me. The effect of that didn't fully lift for more than an hour and during that time my knees were too weak to stand for more than just a few minutes. I'd been in prayer for a couple of friends for a long time that day, really concerned about them. When I went for prayer, it was actually about a minor physical problem I was having. Certainly wasn't expecting anything amazing to happen. Afterward I realized that I was no longer burden about the friends, feeling that everything was going to be okay with them.

Those experiences have shown me that I can't put God in a box. It was unneccessary for Him to give me that sense of feeling so deeply loved, so why did He do it? I don't know. But I felt sure afterwards that I was not forgotten by Him, that His hand was with me. I just think it was the thing He felt needed doing.

Have also had an interesting experience of suddenly feeling completely wrapped around with the love of God. I doubt that makes sense, but it is the only words I can come up with to describe it. I had gotten a report from the doctor about 2 hours before that I had mononucleosis. When this feeling hit, I was just walking across my living room floor. When it lifted I continued on my way. As I was crawling into bed, I glanced at the clock and noticed the time. I learned later that at the very moment that I'd had that feeling, a group of friends had been praying for my healing. I think the prayers were answered, my case only lasted 2 weeks.
Lydell
Registered user
Username: Lydell

Post Number: 601
Registered: 7-2000
Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Deb that's not what I'm talking about. See when the Holy Spirit is in charge He takes the person down. No one pushes them down, suggests to them they fall, or manipulates them in any way(....it's ridiculous when someone does that. That's when you can be pretty sure the Spirit is not involved in what is happening.)

They are being prayed for and they just go down. Well, actually I've heard of times when someone isn't even being prayed for and it has happened.

It has not happened to me. But I have talked with several who have had the experience, my husband and two sons among them. A handful of the people who I know have had this happen, didn't even believe in that sort of thing. There are at least 3 or 4 of them that I would have sworn would never have this happen to. They certainly are not emotional types! One of them fell and hit a metal chair on the way down hard enough to seriously dent the chair. He felt nothing and had no bruises or soreness from this later, interesting.

Anyway, many of those who have had this experience said that they had been standing there listening to the person praying for them, the person was praying a rather ordinary prayer, and first thing they knew they found themselves laying on the floor. The thing they had been burdened about before was just not bothering them anymore.

Like I said, it has never happend to me. But I have had other interesting things happen. Like once when someone was praying for me I suddenly had this sense of just the most incredibly profound peace settling over me. The effect of that didn't fully lift for more than an hour and during that time my knees were too weak to stand for more than just a few minutes. I'd been in prayer for a couple of friends for a long time that day, really concerned about them. When I went for prayer, it was actually about a minor physical problem I was having. Certainly wasn't expecting anything amazing to happen. Afterward I realized that I was no longer burden about the friends, feeling that everything was going to be okay with them.

Have also had an interesting experience of suddenly feeling completely wrapped around with the love of God. I doubt that makes sense, but it is the only words I can come up with to describe it. I had gotten a report from the doctor about 2 hours before that I had mononucleosis. When this feeling hit, I was just walking across my living room floor. When it lifted I continued on my way. As I was crawling into bed, I glanced at the clock and noticed the time. I learned later that at the very moment that I'd had that feeling, a group of friends had been praying for my healing. I think the prayers were answered, my case only lasted 2 weeks.

Those experiences and others have shown me that I have to stop putting God in a box. It wasn't necessary to make me feel so loved while I was sick. So why did He do it? I don't know. Just because He knew it was needed I supposed. The thing that I have seen so clearly since leaving Adventism is that our God is a Father who is in intimate relationship with His children. Our walk with Him is not just words on the pages of a book. He is vibrantly active in our lives.
Sabra
Registered user
Username: Sabra

Post Number: 115
Registered: 10-2001
Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 6:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Deb,

Don't be too amazed that your former SDA friends haven't talked to you. I found the same and think they are basically so afraid of being deceived that they don't want to hear anything you have to say in case it persuads them.

Joyce does use her own life experiences to reach people. That is how all things work together for good, even horrible things. "They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony." God uses our life experiences to help others if we let Him.

It didn't take me long to figure out that God is not trying to confuse me. If I ask Him for truth He shows it to me. He isn't wanting to deceive us, we don't need to be afraid. He loves us and wants the best for us and there have been things that I rejected at first and later prayed for understanding and He showed me.

As far as being slain in the Spirit. That was one I thought was just ridiculous. Granted, there are plenty of people that fake it but it's really not a concern what people do. Mostly they just want to feel accepted.

I'm a member of a very charismatic Baptist church. They are not like many of the churches I've been in, it is very orderly. No confusion or weird stuff. There is a lot of weird out there.

Anywho.....I had major unforgiveness in my heart for years that I had suppresed and didn't even realize I still had it, had myself fooled. One Sunday the sermon was on forgiveness and I was really convicted. They asked for anyone who wanted prayer to come up front. I went and the pastor put his hands on my face and prayed for me and I just fell out. Craziest thing! I am SO not the one who wants to fall out in the front of the church in a dress! It was like my knees just went weak and I felt like I had no strength.

Made a believer out of me. I have had pastors try to push me down, not my pastor and I do not like that!

I started checking to see if there was any scripture for that because stuff like that kind of makes me uncompfortable and I noticed Saul was slain in the Spirit on the road to Damascus and John fell as dead and was in the Spirit in Rev. and there were a few more.

Why? I dunno. Not logical but I can't put God in a box.

I like the AOG people, all that I have met seem very sincere and preach the gospel foremost.

It's a journey and we see in part and when we get there I know we will all have things wrong but it's the blood of Jesus that gets us there, as long as we put our faith in Him He will not let us go.

Blessings,
Sabra

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration