SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : General Topics : Has this ever happened to you?

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( Previous Page 1 | 2 )
PosterThread
beenblake
Member



Joined: 2005/7/26
Posts: 524
Tennessee, USA

 Re: Has this ever happened to you?

Dear Chris,

That has never happened to me, however, it does sadden my heart to see such a mistrust of Christ.

Why do we call ourselves Christians, followers of Christ, if we constantly try to control each other?

God gave us a free will. You would think that we would let people exercise free will and trust that God will be their Lord and shepard as He says that He is.

Blake


_________________
Blake Kidney

 2005/8/25 13:24Profile
ccchhhrrriiisss
Member



Joined: 2003/11/23
Posts: 4779


 Re:

Hi beenblake...!

When people like my former pastor have warned me about listening to such preachers (like Leonard Ravenhill, David Wilkerson, A.W.Tozer, Keith Green, etc...), I have learned that they really feel that they are doing me (or perhaps, God) a service. Most of those who have made comments have made it seem like I [i]have not yet arrived[/i] to a place of [i]maturity[/i] where I see the [i]whole Gospel[/i] (or what they consider the [i]whole Gospel[/i]). I think that they truly feel uncomfortable with the messages of such men, and equate such discomfort as being judgmental or condemning. Of course, we know that this is not the case. I listen to such men because their words reveal truth -- and that truth brings life (through conviction and repentance)!

I am astonished by the growing movement within much of established Christianity that is shifting away from such messages -- and the labeling of such messages as being either judgmental or unspiritual. Some of the men who have warned me about Brother Ravenhill were even [i][u]required[/u][/i] to read [i]Why Revival Tarries[/i] in Bible School! Yet this movement seems to believe that any preaching that makes you feel uncomfortable cannot be from God. And since they feel that they [i]hear and understand God's voice with [u]complete[/u] clarity[/i], then they can never admit that they have been wrong in any area of their spiritual walk.

I would much rather hear messages that pricked my heart than the [i]diet[/i] messages that are repetitive of other easy-going "itching ear" sermons that are becoming more and more common in Christianity. I used to feel like I was hearing the same messages week after week (usually of the health/wealth prosperity sort). I felt like a person being served the same junk food over-and-over again.

The only good thing that came out of the situation was that it made me realize even further the need to [i]test everything[/i] -- and not take a person's word on any matter. Regardless of what I have been taught, I am still accountable for my own actions and beliefs.

I am blessed by the responses on this thread. I now realize that I am not alone in this experience -- and that I am not the only person who has endured criticism for listening to (or reading books from) such men of God.

:-)


_________________
Christopher

 2005/8/25 17:47Profile
GaryE
Member



Joined: 2005/4/26
Posts: 376
Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania

 Re:


I'm around people from many different churches at a truckers chapel ministry. Sometimes people say they don't like doom and gloom preaching. When they say this what I really hear is that they don't want to hear anything that may convict them of sin.

Once a person came around that was angry that the R H Brown revival in New York was a disappointment. He said the preachers in New York wouldn't support the revival. Around this time someone else had said it was prophesied a great revival was to happen when Mr. Brown showed up. He didn't find it very funny that there wasn't a lot of support for Mr. Brown in New York. It was a no laughing matter.

Once I was visiting a ministry that had lots of other people visiting. I had a bunch of Carter Conlon tapes that I was giving out as people left the parking lot. The administrator confronted me about this and I couldn't figure out why until later. As I visited at another time this administrator puts in a Gaither video and I was being very blessed as I watched it. In the middle of the video he pulls the tape, sticks in another tape, and tells me that this tape is much better. It was a R H Brown tape and it became obvious why he didn't want me giving out Carter Conlon tapes.

David Wilkerson and Carter Conlon both speak a message that isn't compromised by being seeker friendly. It's better to hear rebuke from God than to not hear from God at all.

In Christ,
GaryE



_________________
Gary Eckenroth

 2005/8/26 0:11Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy