Have you received the Holy Spirit?

[stevehut]

Maybe someone can elighten me here?

Now that we have a canonized Bible, why do we need prophets?

Steve

[kenod]

Maybe someone can elighten me here?

Now that we have a canonized Bible, why do we need prophets?

Steve

Here's three reasons:

the perfecting of the saints

the work of the ministry

the edifying of the body of Christ

ps ... I have to admit I cheated - I copied them out of a Book

[Natt]

I've had an experience where I was introduced to the slain in the spirit secretly. We were all invited to a church leaders house and someone who we didn't know was also invited. He began praying over people and people fell backwards. He told them what their future holds for them. He went through everyone(about 10 of us). When it came to my time I wouldn't do it and shortly I left.

How is this different to Tarot Card Reading?

I've also had a healing experience. Both my children were waiting to have some ear surgery. They were prayed over by some missionaries. When their time came for surgery they had their usual checkup and the doctors noticed their ears were better. Doctors were puzzled by what happened. They do not need surgery now and they've had no ear problems since. I should mention that the missionaries were Mormons.

Matthew 24:24

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect

[Natt]

Well Natt, in the case of the person who gave the personal prophecies, the Bible says if anyone makes a prophetic prediction and it fails to come to pass, they are a false prophet. The way it is differen't from fortune tellers is that in one case, the word is from God and will be accurate, and in the case of a fortune teller or false prophet, it is not from God and will usually have an accuracy rate in the single digits.

As far as the healing of the ears goes, if you don't believe the Mormons are of God, why would you let them pray for your children? If they are false ministers, weren't you concerned that instead of their prayers helping, they might actually unleash unclean spirits?

My feeling about the healing is that they were healed because someone believed God, plain and simple. God is able to heal, even if the minister in question is not Biblically sound. There have likely been people legitimately healed at Benny Hinn meetings, but his doctrine is off.

The healing was before I was saved. I saw no harm in it.

[kenod]

I've had an experience where I was introduced to the slain in the spirit secretly. We were all invited to a church leaders house and someone who we didn't know was also invited. He began praying over people and people fell backwards. He told them what their future holds for them. He went through everyone(about 10 of us). When it came to my time I wouldn't do it and shortly I left.

How is this different to Tarot Card Reading?

No one in our church falls over ... unless it's me stumbling over a chair leg!

Psychics can sometimes foretell with accuracy what will happen, but unless a gift is used to bring honour to Jesus Christ, I would be very wary of it.

Mar 9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

Have you ever heard of the ministry of William Branham?

Some books you might find interesting:

"William Branham: A Man Sent From God" by Gordon Lindsay,

"William Branham: A Prophet Visits South Africa" by Julius Stadsklev.

"All Things are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America" by DE Harrell Jr

"The Healer-Prophet William Marrion Branham: A Study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism" by C. Douglas Weaver

[Tzav_LaTzav]

Ephesians 4:11-13

And he gave some,

apostles;

and some, prophets;

and some, evangelists;

and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints,

for the work of the ministry,

for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith,

and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

unto a perfect man,

unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

.

Nice!

[Floatingaxe]

Isn't William Branham the one who says that women are sows? When I read a book transcribed from one of his sermons, I got physically ill and burned the book...it was borrowed, but I just couldn't give it back.

[stevehut]

the perfecting of the saints

the work of the ministry

the edifying of the body of Christ

Isn't this what every minister is supposed to do? Or for that matter, any mature believer?

Steve

[stevehut]

An apostle is basically a church planter and overseer.

A non-prophet can't do this? And isn't an overseer (episkopos) the same as a Bishop?

Steve

[stevehut]

A prophet is someone that is used by the Lord to give timely messages to individual churches or nations, and can also be a gifted teacher of Bible prophecy.

Well, this is something that I do almost every day. But I would never claim such an exalted title.

Steve