Searching for lightning thunder, and goosebumps?

Searching for lightning thunder, and goosebumps?

What's your opinion...

Recently at church, some visitors came in saying to the Pastor, "I want to feel lightning and thunder"... It distubed me that he smiled and agreed instead of saying we go after Christ (not goosebumps)...

I'm not against goosebumps, I get electricity myself but should this be the reason we go to any Church.

If it is we could easily be decieved by our feelings:(
 
Too many people seem to think that true worship has to involve excitement and explosive emotionalism. My opinion is that it draws people's attention to the the person more than to God, but then I'm not an emotional person.
 
Well said Jon
I figured that out too when I went to church 1 month ago, when everyone was yelling and all things.

Pastors were telling people to say Amen louder lol..
etc.. it's all about false excitement. I realized that during and after leaving that sermon, I did not feel anything, except I had fun with my brothers and sisters, but I did not get closer to Jesus.
I get closer to Jesus when I pray. not with false-fire or church.
I just learn new ways of praising God in church :p but it doesn't mean I am closer to Jesus. It is good to learn though.

I noticed I get closer to Jesus when I talk about Him than when I listen about Him.
I get much closer to Him while preaching.
 
Too many people seem to think that true worship has to involve excitement and explosive emotionalism. My opinion is that it draws people's attention to the the person more than to God, but then I'm not an emotional person.

Yes, I agree...Our first love should be to Christ not our feelings.:)
 
Well said Jon
I figured that out too when I went to church 1 month ago, when everyone was yelling and all things.

Pastors were telling people to say Amen louder lol..
etc.. it's all about false excitement. I realized that during and after leaving that sermon, I did not feel anything, except I had fun with my brothers and sisters, but I did not get closer to Jesus.
I get closer to Jesus when I pray. not with false-fire or church.
I just learn new ways of praising God in church :p but it doesn't mean I am closer to Jesus. It is good to learn though.

I noticed I get closer to Jesus when I talk about Him than when I listen about Him.
I get much closer to Him while preaching.

Hmmm! Me too! I also get that electricity when I preach His Word.

Somewhere in the New Testament it says God likes order not dis-order...

I've been in both.
 
I don't like the trend of late that people seem to have adopted of 'seeking miracles' or something special to indicate God's presence - like thunderbolts or gold flakes falling or feathers or other 'signs'. I don't think God is up for performing for his people - he is always present and we need to seek him and not viceversa.
 
I agree, and I think the reason many revivals of the past have fizzled out is that people have begun to focus on the experience of the revival rather than the person of the Lord.

At the same time we need to be careful not to swing to the opposite extreme and say that all experience, or all emotion, or all noise is bad. I have been in meetings where it was very noisy, very emotional, and totally God. I have also been in meetings where it was very noisy and emotional and totally hype.

Also, even when a meeting is being hyped up, we have a choice whether we go with the hype or tune it out and put our focus on God anyway.

blessings,

Lynn
 
Yeah, "lightning and thunder" to me says, "signs and wonders." God is beyond that. Worship should be personal. It's not a used car commercial.

When I go to church, I do seek my Lord. Sometimes worship songs feel like going through the motions. I sing anyway. Usually when that happens the teaching is dynamic. Sometimes the other way around. It's all on God's timetable. Sometimes the teaching is not for me, and the worship is just not there, and it's simply the fellowship is what God wants me to have. And I am content.
 
El Pollo, I love your car commercial reference, it is so apt in many cases.
"The boss is away and we're going price ka-razy!" I've seen services with that exact same vibe.:p There's a huge difference between hype and a powerful move of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, some congregations use the first in an attempt to conjure up the second.
 
we need to be carefull seek God not experiences and test every spiritual experience according to Gods word and pray and ask God to give us dicernment in Jesus name


Exactly and not be one of those seekers who runs from one church to another seeking so called " blessing " If we are humble and read the word and pray... God will bless us in our own environment. Not to say that we don't need the body of Christ and the assembling of ourselves together so don't get me wrong..
 
Well wait a minute now-

Lets not discount why God has such a variety of Churches for His Children. There are millions of individual Children of God with just as many specific needs. As such, God has provided big Churchs, little ones, medium sized, musical, some following rituals, others not, some louder, some quieter, some attuned to missions, others to thier areas, on and on.

Just because we don't like a certain type of Church does not make the other ones bad. Nor thier form or style of worship, praise or teaching or preaching.

What does God declare- "sing a new song", make a joyful noise unto the Lord, Scriptures showing all kinds of instruments to be used, on and on. David was so excited, he danced uncontrollably before God, that his clothes fell off. His wife thought he was nuts, but who cares? David did as God commanded, when filled with the "joy of the Lord".

So, people looking for quieter, to medium noise, to really noisy Churches are all looking for a need to be filled by God. And God has a Church for them.

But... if they are not right, false, fake, etc, then who is to say we are genuine because we judge them? Judge not lest ye be judged. Judge not others, that your Lord in Heaven will not judge you the same, etc, etc.

God Bless!!
 
I think the issue here is not so much style of worship as it is the motivation of the participants. Some people are thrill seekers, and some services are designed to cater to that mentality. Goosebumps are not a reliable indicator of Holy Spirit activity. I am reminded of the Scripture in I Kings 19:11-13. "So He said, 'Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. It came about when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"

Sometimes we get so caught up in the pyrotechnics that we fail to hear God's voice. We can certainly enjoy the "show", but let us always be mindful that it is His voice we seek.
 
I think the issue here is not so much style of worship as it is the motivation of the participants. Some people are thrill seekers, and some services are designed to cater to that mentality. Goosebumps are not a reliable indicator of Holy Spirit activity. I am reminded of the Scripture in I Kings 19:11-13. "So He said, 'Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. It came about when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"

Sometimes we get so caught up in the pyrotechnics that we fail to hear God's voice. We can certainly enjoy the "show", but let us always be mindful that it is His voice we seek.

Yes Rumely

And you will find those churches everywhere . That is why we need the discernment of the Holy Spirit . to help us divide the Word of Truth and if those churches are not honouring and preaching , Jesus then run as fast as you can.

There are more and more " false " doctrines poping up and we are told that in the last day we will be deceived if we do not know the Word of God. Because satan is a lier and a deciever so we need to follow the Truth which is Jesus Christ. He is the way the Truth and the light.
 
Since most of us here know the truth that is in the Scriptures.
It certainly doesn't hurt to go to a new church every week and try them out. We will know them by their fruits after all :)

God will help us, for sure.
Just as long as we do not go to the cultish ones.
 
Since most of us here know the truth that is in the Scriptures.
It certainly doesn't hurt to go to a new church every week and try them out. We will know them by their fruits after all :)

God will help us, for sure.
Just as long as we do not go to the cultish ones.


Ramsey,

I think we need to put our roots down in a church that we feel God has led us to and there serve and belong to groups and Bible Study and be active in our church. I find it most comforting to belong and fellowship and get to know other believers and how can you do that if you church hop from church to church.?

And we are told in the word to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together with other believers because we are fed the word from our pastor who equips us to go out to win others for the Lord.

We also get support from other believers and we have small house groups. There I have found encouragement and support which is vital especially when you are going through a trial or sickness as they all pray with you and offer help. I love my church family.
 
Quite right Dusty-

People need to have a Home Church to belong to. People to get to know and help support each other thru trials and tribulations.

But, I have one request-

Can anyone on this Board tell me they go to a perfect Church with all perfect people going to it or belonging to it?

God has to find a way, to fulfill the needs of each individual Child of His. I'd like to see any of us, do any better than God has for what He has supplied for variety.

Secondly- Don't judge other Churches since you cannot know thier motivations. You can judge the "root" of the tree by the "fruit" shown, or can judge the influence over the people by that fruit seen, but not those people.

Let us not go off half cocked thinking we can take God's place in judging people. Judge not, lest ye be judged. Judge not another, that your Father in Heaven won't judge you the same.

I've dealt with alot of people over the years that didn't demonstrate the greatest of fruit, only to find there were other motives driving them to do that, than what everyone thought.

Lets also be careful how we judge God's workings in other Churches. I know for an assurity, not all people going for Charismatic type services are not all "thrill seekers". Many of them, in my years of Evangelistic Ministering, have been incredibly convicted and committed to God.

Just because a Church has been run across like described, does not mean all like that are. Remember, we all will be judged according to how we've judged others for one aspect. No one can be sure of the motive(s) of any other, until they actually spend enough time around them to learn them.

God Bless!!
 
I was a deacon in a pentacostal church, and have fellowshipped at various times of my life in Baptist, Congregational, CMA, AG, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Evangelical Free, and various independent (mostly charismatic) churches, so I hope I haven't given the impression that I'm judging a particular group. I'm speaking of a common human tendency which manifests itself in many settings.:)

Oh, in case anyone is wondering, I'm not a church hopper, I just moved around a lot.:D
 
Dusty! sister

First of all, I was only going with the context of this thread. To find out which church bears good fruits. That's why I thought what I said was good. That's all.

Secondly, I am a type of traveler person, not a person that likes to stay in one place too long, I don't like to get close to people that I know I will not be comfortable with, I am selective, and very picky, I choose carefully who I want in my life, I don't let anyone just because they want to, I have had a lot of trouble dealing with people and I wish to avoid that. I always only take the quality people in my life and not to have quantity. So the rest, I may speak to them a few times to help them, but not to have a close friendship with them.

I am that type of person, that loves to travel and see things and talk about God where I am. if it is possible to do that in the future, the Lord will guide me.

Peace to you :)
 
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