Favourite Church Father?

[Cassandra]

Now that I've heard about. But you can't deny he had extreme faith. He brought his wife back to life so many times, even out of her coffin that she had to tell him to stop. She wanted to stay in heaven.

God bless you , but i find that hard to believe.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Sometimes I think sanctification conversation is just a matter of "splitting hairs." We all should know how good or bad we are on a daily basis. Some have weaknesses in some areas, some in others. We know we're going to face God. So we do the best we can.

As for me, I know I can be rude and irritating, complaining and angry. And so, I know I'm not even close to perfect. But this doesn't stop me from looking to the perfect Christ, whose Spirit is perfect.

When I abide in Christ, I'm helped by his perfection. This enables me to "bear fruit," as you say. Beyond this, I don't get too deep into it.

If we get too negative, we will drag ourselves down and become fixated on ourselves, get into negativity, and try too hard to fix ourselves. If we get too positive, we will ignore how others really perceive us, as rationalizers, as deaf to criticism, as over-confident in things we shouldn't get so cocky about.

But we share an interest in holiness, and dying to ourselves, living by the Spirit. It is a daily thing. I doubt I'll get too over-confident, because I fall short *every day!* ;)

Jesus made it easy to abide in Him, because He also abides in us. As long as you keep abiding in Jesus, He will prune your fruit, and one day you'll be shocked at how much you've conformed to His image. Romans 8:29. We also have his divine power and the gifts of the Spirit.

A few months ago in Sunday School, the ladies mentioned that there were 3 seers in their small congregation. I asked what they were talking about. They said that three of the ladies could see a white halo around the pastors head and body once he go into his sermon. So seeing as I have all but two of the gifts I prayed a little prayer that if this was from Him, that I would like to have it too. And sure enough, I saw the pure white bright halo as if he was glowing.

Then I visited a church of my old denomination with some friends that drove that far to their church. I prayed that He again open my sight, but this time I was shocked beyond words. All of a sudden black billowing clouds of smoke was coming out of his head and then it became the backdrop for a tornado in front of the clouds. They had a small luncheon afterwards and I asked one of the elders to tell the pastor I would like to speak to him. So I told him so he could get before God and repent. I don't know what it is about, but whatever it is, its bad. I also told him I would not tell my friends anything about seeing anything.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Jesus made it easy to abide in Him, because He also abides in us. As long as you keep abiding in Jesus, He will prune your fruit, and one day you'll be shocked at how much you've conformed to His image. Romans 8:29. We also have his divine power and the gifts of the Spirit.

Don't talk to me like I'm a newborn--I've lived my entire life in the Christian faith, and I'm older now. I'm not a "Spring Chicken!" ;)

A few months ago in Sunday School, the ladies mentioned that there were 3 seers in their small congregation. I asked what they were talking about. They said that three of the ladies could see a white halo around the pastors head and body once he go into his sermon. So seeing as I have all but two of the gifts I prayed a little prayer that if this was from Him, that I would like to have it too. And sure enough, I saw the pure white bright halo as if he was glowing.

Then I visited a church of my old denomination with some friends that drove that far to their church. I prayed that He again open my sight, but this time I was shocked beyond words. All of a sudden black billowing clouds of smoke was coming out of his head and then it became the backdrop for a tornado in front of the clouds. They had a small luncheon afterwards and I asked one of the elders to tell the pastor I would like to speak to him. So I told him so he could get before God and repent. I don't know what it is about, but whatever it is, its bad. I also told him I would not tell my friends anything about seeing anything.

Interesting! Since I don't know you and wasn't there, I can't be sure. It may be that God has opened your eyes to discern certain things.

I'm just careful on this because it seems every other Pentecostal I know wants to claim special prophetic powers. ;) I won't put down these claims unless I really know they are false. If it's your experience then God will hold you accountable--not me. I really don't know.

I do have some ability to discern spirits, but like anything else I'm human and can be more judgmental than discerning. So we just have to be careful and yet pursue knowledge from God and recognize what is of Him and what is not. I wish you well!

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Don't talk to me like I'm a newborn--I've lived my entire life in the Christian faith, and I'm older now. I'm not a "Spring Chicken!" ;)

Interesting! Since I don't know you and wasn't there, I can't be sure. It may be that God has opened your eyes to discern certain things.

I'm just careful on this because it seems every other Pentecostal I know wants to claim special prophetic powers. ;) I won't put down these claims unless I really know they are false. If it's your experience then God will hold you accountable--not me. I really don't know.

I do have some ability to discern spirits, but like anything else I'm human and can be more judgmental than discerning. So we just have to be careful and yet pursue knowledge from God and recognize what is of Him and what is not. I wish you well!

This is why we must have the faith of a child, so I never doubt what people claim, even though I may not see it for myself. For instance, I never saw gold dust when that was happening in some churches, but I never doubted it was from God as He has made the streets of heaven out of gold. Come to find out, my missionary friend with whom I went to that church with her and her family I told you about has witnessed gold on herself and her son and daughter-in-law both woke up with a gold tooth in their mouth.

But on the other hand I'm a little like you when it comes to speaking in tongues. I can immediately tell when it is fake and when it is real. I have a friend who has been speaking in fake tongues for the last 48 years! I myself tried to speak in tongues "by faith" for six years before I finally received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and was born again of the Spirit and was cleansed of all desire to sin. Three days later on Sunday when our church sang praises to God as a choir I decided to speak in tongues but it was completely different than anything I "spoke" before. That is how I can tell the fake, it is from first hand experience! ;)