this is amazing!

[Mark2010]

Ok, so I was watching the, um, "show" in Lakeland, Florida on GOD TV Channel. It's just too far to travel to for me, as it would require taking more than a week off from work.

Well, there was this elderly lady from MY CITY who claims she was healed a month ago while watching on TV. Said her pastor and a group from her church were there and they have started a "healing revival" at this church in my town for the last 31 days. I've never visited this place, but know of it. So, I think I am going to go and check it out.

Who knows? I might even ask my editor if I can do an article for our newspaper. (I work on staff for the only daily newspaper in our area.)

For the record, I was watching the tape delay Tues., May 27, not live, so I know that this person on there has NOTHING to do with me.

As Alice said in wonderland: Curiousier and curiousier.

 

[Glenda]

Ok, so I was watching the, um, "show" in Lakeland, Florida on GOD TV Channel. It's just too far to travel to for me, as it would require taking more than a week off from work.

Well, there was this elderly lady from MY CITY who claims she was healed a month ago while watching on TV. Said her pastor and a group from her church were there and they have started a "healing revival" at this church in my town for the last 31 days. I've never visited this place, but know of it. So, I think I am going to go and check it out.

Who knows? I might even ask my editor if I can do an article for our newspaper. (I work on staff for the only daily newspaper in our area.)

For the record, I was watching the tape delay Tues., May 27, not live, so I know that this person on there has NOTHING to do with me.

As Alice said in wonderland: Curiousier and curiousier.

Mark,

Go check it out.. Think about all the other people who are in the world in the same position you are.. People are coming back from Lakeland & bringing an ember to their area.. so that they can recieve what God has for them in their own area.

For the record, I was watching the tape delay Tues., May 27, not live, so I know that this person on there has NOTHING to do with me.

Don't be so sure.. there are no Coincidences with God..

Open your heart.. and allow God to just love on You.. Look at the men that Jesus called to be His disciples.. IF Jesus could use them, he can use me.. and you.. and ANYONE else He chooses..

I KNOW God will use you - if You allow Him too..

God bless you..

 

[Mark2010]

Thanks, Glenda. I'm not making it about ME, in the least. I'm simply one person who is interested, curious. No axe to grind. No point to prove.

No "God, if you don't heal me, I won't love you" rhetoric. Nothing like that at all. I've never been a fanatic.

 

[Glenda]

Thanks, Glenda. I'm not making it about ME, in the least. I'm simply one person who is interested, curious. No axe to grind. No point to prove.

No "God, if you don't heal me, I won't love you" rhetoric. Nothing like that at all. I've never been a fanatic.

That's good Mark..

It is not about the healing.. It is about the Healer..

The healing is just a by-product.. because God loves us so much..

I have something that I could use a little healing.. and it hasn't happened yet.. although God told me it would through a girl He sat beside me in a meeting I went to ..

I have been watching the outpouring in FL for 4 weeks now.. and loves continues to pour into my heart more & more as I watch how God is blessing my brothers & sisters..

It's not about me either.. It is all about my Lord.. Alleluia.. He is Good.. He is Good... and His love endures..

 

[Mark2010]

Ok, a different twist of these healings. When I see some of those people, my reaction is "Thank you, God, that I don't have such and such. Thank you that I am (comparatively) healthy." My issues, while important, are small in comparison to some of these people with life and death matters.

 

[iafic]

My issues, while important, are small in comparison to some of these people with life and death matters.

I hear ya there! My little swollen toe and my stiff hands are nothing in comparison to the death-row tumor victims and terminal cancer sufferers...yet God healed me!!!!!!!!!!!

It's like sin. Doesn't matter if we murdered or told a little lie. Sin is all the same size to God. All sickness is a curse on our body, no matter how small. and Jesus came to break that curse.

 

[CindyisHis]

Ok, so I was watching the, um, "show" in Lakeland, Florida on GOD TV Channel. It's just too far to travel to for me, as it would require taking more than a week off from work.

Well, there was this elderly lady from MY CITY who claims she was healed a month ago while watching on TV. Said her pastor and a group from her church were there and they have started a "healing revival" at this church in my town for the last 31 days. I've never visited this place, but know of it. So, I think I am going to go and check it out.

Who knows? I might even ask my editor if I can do an article for our newspaper. (I work on staff for the only daily newspaper in our area.)

For the record, I was watching the tape delay Tues., May 27, not live, so I know that this person on there has NOTHING to do with me.

As Alice said in wonderland: Curiousier and curiousier.

Yeah, that was really cool! And it is so wonderful to rejoice with her and all the others. I didn't know that was your city! When they said the state I thought of you and was going to tell you about it. I see you already know! Go check it out!

 

[Mark2010]

I just thought it was ironic. The town is not all that large (around 70,000) and not a particular spiritual hotbed.

Funny thing, if I hadn't been watching (looking for Cindy and iafic), I never would have known.

 

[Mark2010]

Ok, so I visited this church tonight. Came in late to the meeting on purpose. Worked out perfect. The crowd was around maybe 100 or so. Not so large as to be overwhelming, not so small that every eye in the room was on me. Took a seat on the second to last row. I was careful to dress in a way that would not draw attention to myself: black slacks, button down dress shirt, windbreaker on a cool evening.

The music team did about another 30 minutes of music (they were already well into it when I arrived), no songs that I recognized and one lady came up to me and asked if she could pray for me. I smiled politely and said "sure" and she did. Didn't feel anything particular.

After a while, the preacher/evangelist got up and started talking about this great move of God and how kind and loving God was. Several other people got up and gave prophecies of a very general nature. Then the preacher starts calling out various injuries and illnesses. Nothing that I happen to have. Not much response in the room.

Then he starts picking out people out of the audience. After a while, he picks me. Now he knows less about me than I know about him, having done my research on the internet I know his name, where he went to school, how many kids he has and other stuff.

First he asks me if I have a prophetic word. I politely smile and shake my head no. Then another guy tries the "fortune telling" routine on me. Says I am annointed by God and people I talk to feel a special blessing and feel like they have received a word from God when I speak with them. (All this, of course, is news to me.)

So guy no. 3 gets up and says I'm a "wave maker". OK, he's part right, I tend to be an instigator and when I think something is wrong, I don't hesitate to say so.

By this time, the guys are taking shots in the dark, like playing pin the tail on the donkey. The lead preacher gets the mike again and says he "sees" my brother. After the fact, he asks me if i even HAVE a brother and I confirm I do. (My real brother is agnostic and lives 3,000 miles away in the southern United States, but he doesn't know this.) So, he proceeds on this tangent about how I am supposed to play a key role in my brother's life and the crisis he is going through. That I should call him up and "go out for coffee or something."

It's like these guys are taking shots in the dark. Seriously, I've read stuff in horoscopes that was more on target. Oh well. Some lady comes up to me and asks if I am a pastor. I politely say "no". And she responds: "You have a pastor's heart" (whatever that means)

At the end of the service, he invites people who were in attendance for the first time to come up for prayer and "impartation". About a dozen of us line up and the ministers pray for us, assembly line style. At least no one tried to push me over. I was very polite and smiled, but I'm real questioning the legitimacy of some of this.

I may go visit another time, not sure.

 

[iafic]

I may go visit another time, not sure.

I wouldn't.

Sounds like a bunch of baby's holding power tools.

In Lakeland when they have their other sevices at 10 and 1:30...everyone is told they are not allowed to lay hands on others or prophecy unless asked to. They are trying to keep the fanatisism out.

 

[riverpastor]

OK, Alice (Mark2010)

Do you want to see how far the rabbit hole goes?

Truly, it's not about getting more of this or more of that...

When God gets more of you, it'll change the way you see things and hear things.

Tommy Tenney kind of coined the phrase "God-chaser" years ago. Know that God is a "Mark2010-chaser"...

When you fall into the rabbit-hole, it will change your life, friend. But it's a leap of faith and you can trust that God will be on the other side.

 

[riverpastor]

Sounds like a bunch of baby's holding power tools.

In Lakeland when they have their other sevices at 10 and 1:30...everyone is told they are not allowed to lay hands on others or prophecy unless asked to. They are trying to keep the fanatisism out.

Aye. I would never dare to venture that I am 100% correct in words that I feel the Lord has given to me for others. I see in part, I know in part. It is a "body" ministry. Which means that we rely on the Holy Spirit within us, as well as allow for grace and mercy (even when it's not on target) as others are attempting to rely on H.S.

We were doing a simple training at our church... getting people to get still and allow God to speak to them for others... small groups (no larger than 4)... and one guy says to me just off the cuff ("ok, well, you're going to have a great dinner tonight...". I was 2 days into a 3 day fast...

Was he a fanatic? No. He was trying to learn something here. Did I bombard him with being a fanatic? Call him a baby? Nope. Just offered mercy and prayed that God would reveal Himself to this man.

If only specially "anointed" preachers and ministers have the gifts of the Spirit, what does God need the rest of the body for?

If we can't feel free to make honest mistakes (not sin), then we will never attempt.

If if we don't attempt, we are just warming a pew...

 

[iafic]

Aye. I would never dare to venture that I am 100% correct in words that I feel the Lord has given to me for others. I see in part, I know in part. It is a "body" ministry. Which means that we rely on the Holy Spirit within us, as well as allow for grace and mercy (even when it's not on target) as others are attempting to rely on H.S.

We were doing a simple training at our church... getting people to get still and allow God to speak to them for others... small groups (no larger than 4)... and one guy says to me just off the cuff ("ok, well, you're going to have a great dinner tonight...". I was 2 days into a 3 day fast...

Was he a fanatic? No. He was trying to learn something here. Did I bombard him with being a fanatic? Call him a baby? Nope. Just offered mercy and prayed that God would reveal Himself to this man.

If only specially "anointed" preachers and ministers have the gifts of the Spirit, what does God need the rest of the body for?

If we can't feel free to make honest mistakes (not sin), then we will never attempt.

If if we don't attempt, we are just warming a pew...

..and there is also fanatisism.

I saw a lot of people just being silly with the laughter move. Yes people can make mistakes but there are also those who need to LEARN before they run off and prophecy. Never put a novice in a role of leadership the bible says.

I understand what you are saying, and agree, but according to what Mark posted, I don't see that as people trusting God and making innocent errors. Sorry i am a little tainted by what I have been exposed to. I simply said they are baby's with power tools. And that's what I see. They are not matured yet to be firing up such power tools.

How many times did Jesus tell people not to follow them or testify so they could learn and grow?

 

[riverpastor]

iafic,

got your PM...

Honestly, I was agreeing with your previous post and trying to find a balance in the middle somewhere...

Just didn't want Mark2010 to throw out the baby with the power tools...

Needed to be a balance there. Thanks for your understanding.

 

[charityagape]

Maybe God finds it easier to use babies?

 

[Mark2010]

Hi River Pastor,

I don't think it's God that's chasing me..... LOL.

Frankly, I don't know what to think about some of these things. Certainly different than the kind of churches I am accustomed to, but I'm not throwing anything out. With some of the things that have happened in my life in the past week, I have other matters to deal with anyway.

Thanks

 

[riverpastor]

I can appreciate that Mark2010.

I too have been in many places where the things that you have described took place. I guess after a while, you develop a discernment of these types of people. My post was simply rather a statement that for everything that does not appear real, God does have something that is real.

Counterfeiters don't mass produce $1 bills because they aren't worth much. The higher the bill (the greater the value), the greater the production of the counterfeit.

Satan can get in the fray, but oftentimes, simply, so do people...

I wasn't stating that you should go back... but to understand that sometimes well-meaning people simply "miss it".

 

[Mark2010]

Yeah, that's my feeling, too. I didn't sense anything remotely hostile or evil.

My question is whether most of this stuff I am witnessing is legit or just a big show.

 

[riverpastor]

Could be a mixture of both...

If nothing else, you can put a notch in your discernment belt.