Sunday, November 17, 2013

What's The Answer To Cessationism?



So what is the meaning of Cessationism? Here's what Wikipedia says:                                                      

In Christian theology, “Cessationism” is the outworking of a three-fold belief-system:

1) The Holy Spirit’s purpose in imparting the “sign gifts,” has expired;

2) The sign gifts (or “Apostolic gifts”) were given exclusively to the original Twelve Apostles, so that the sign gifts and Apostleship are inextricably linked;

3) The gift of Apostleship no longer exists.

With this foundation, certain beliefs naturally follow, most notably, that

1) The sign gifts have ceased, and

2) The sign gifts are not expected to reappear. These sign gifts/Apostolic gifts are:
    a) speaking in unlearned, real, human, languages, A.K.A. “tongues” (Acts 2:5-12);
    b) interpretation of aforementioned unlearned language;
    c) prophesying (foretelling the future, not merely forth-telling already-revealed truth); and
    d) healing-on-demand.

What is the meaning of Continuationism? Wikipedia says:

Continuationism is a Christian theological belief that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have continued to this present age, specifically those sometimes called "sign gifts" such as tongues and prophecy. Continuationism is the opposite of Cessationism.

Continuationists believe that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit are still distributed today, are still in use, and are still needed in the church. The same Holy Spirit that inhabited the Apostle Paul and gifted him with supernatural abilities was present during Old Testament times and also endowed such abilities upon those God specifically chose to accomplish His works in New Testament times.

Here is what the scriptures say:

Acts 2:14-21 

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days (plural), says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all fleshYour sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above (aurora borealis, meteor showers, comets) And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke (volcanoes erupting). The sun shall be turned into darkness (solar eclipse), And the moon into blood (lunar eclipse), Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’

The above scriptures should be enough to end all debate, but we also have the real life testimony of millions of believers who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire over the centuries, most notably the 'Azusa Street Revival', where the saints spoke in other languages, prophesied, saw visions, had dreams, and witnessed mighty miracles of healing being performed on a daily basis and many souls were converted to Christ during a three year span.

Acts 2:36-39

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

And to show that the gift of the Holy Spirit was not just for the apostles or the rest of the disciples who were in the upper room, we have examples of Gentile converts to Christ upon whom the Spirit of God fell.

Acts 10:34-48

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days."

Peter even had contention with converted Jews of the circumcision about Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit and he had to explain what happened to the other apostles and brethren in Jerusalem!

Acts 11:1-18

"Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

I could go on with more scriptures etc... but I won't, the bottom line is, if you don't believe what the scriptures teach on any subject, then you won't receive what they say! If you believe it, then YOU WILL receive it! It's that simple.

God allowed a whole generation of His people that He called and delivered out of Egypt from the hands of Pharaoh to DIE in the wilderness, why? Because of unbelief!!!!!

Hebrews 3:16-19

"For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."

Even Jesus could not do many works in His home town because of their unbelief and hardness of heart! If you really want to hinder a move and work of God in your life, just don't believe His word. 

Mark 6:1-6

"Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Manget these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching."

Romans 8:9 tells us this:

"But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His."

Pretty clear right? And the only way to receive the Spirit of God into your heart is to be baptized with the Spirit by the Lord Jesus, and the initial sign that will tell you and others that God has come down to dwell in you is speaking in other languages, believe it or not, the choice is yours.

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Saturday, October 19, 2013

End Times - (John M., David W., Carter C., Derek Prince)




2 Peter 3:1-9

"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

2nd Timothy 4:1-5

"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Sunday, October 13, 2013

A Voice Crying In The Wilderness (John The Baptist)


John 1:19-27

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

John the baptist was one lone voice crying out in the midst of darkness and religious blindness. A great Light was coming and John was sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord. The same thing is happening today as it did then; the Pharisees and Jews read the law and prophets every Sabbath in their synagogues and memorized the scriptures and thought because of their intellectual understanding that they knew who God was. But here came John the baptist, a prophet of God who was killed just like all the other prophets who came before him! Do you see the ways of man? Even religious leaders of the day!

They were waiting on another Elijah and the Messiah, both of them came and the majority of people missed it!

Matthew 17:10-13

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

Luke 1:13-17

"But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Jesus said that there wasn't a greater man born of women than John the baptist, but today the least of those who enter the kingdom of God is greater than he was!

The time is upon us once again for true apostles and prophets to be sent out before the face of the Lord to make ready the remnant people that God has chosen for salvation. The true ministers of God will go forth in this last hour in the spirit and power of the Son of Man, Jesus! And you will hear the same message that John and Jesus preached, REPENT! For the kingdom of God is at hand!

Luke 1:76-80

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel."

Luke 3:7-9, 15-18

"Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire. And with many other exhortations he preached to the people."

Do you know the ways of God? Many today are waiting for the David's, Elijah's, John the baptist's, the sons of God, and the bride of Christ, but when they come, will you be prepared for the word of God that will flow from their mouths? I tell you, they have already come, but the world does not know them!

In Jesus,
Tyrone


Tuesday, October 8, 2013

CORRA! - Carter Conlon





2 Corintios 6:14-18

14 Não vos prendais a um jugo desigual com os incrédulos; pois que sociedade tem a justiça com a injustiça? ou que comunhão tem a luz com as trevas? 15 Que harmonia há entre Cristo e Belial? ou que parte tem o crente com o incrédulo? 16 E que consenso tem o santuário de Deus com ídolos? Pois nós somos santuário de Deus vivo, como Deus disse: Neles habitarei, e entre eles andarei; e eu serei o seu Deus e eles serão o meu povo. 17 Pelo que, saí vós do meio deles e separai-vos, diz o Senhor; e não toqueis coisa imunda, e eu vos receberei; 18 e eu serei para vós Pai, e vós sereis para mim filhos e filhas, diz o Senhor Todo-Poderoso.

Em Jesus,
Cynthia Palmer

Monday, October 7, 2013

Te Custara Tudo! - Steve Lawson



Lucas 14:25-27

25 Ora, iam com ele grandes multidões; e, voltando-se, disse-lhes: 26 Se alguém vier a mim, e não aborrecer a pai e mãe, a mulher e filhos, a irmãos e irmãs, e ainda também a própria vida, não pode ser meu discípulo. 27 Quem não leva a sua cruz e não me segue, não pode ser meu discípulo.

Em Jesus,
Cynthia

Sunday, October 6, 2013

It Will Cost You Everything - Steve Lawson




Luke 14:25-27

"Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Entregue Tudo! Se renda!




E quando ao teu ver voce ja rendeu tudo que tinha para render aos pes de Cristo, mas ai Jesus vem e pede para voce render todo o resto que esta em teu coracao para que voce de mais fruto e fruto que permaneca? Mas mesmo com o coracao esmagadinho voce le Joao 15:13-16 e ve que nunca sera demais continuar se rendendo, continuar dando a sua vida e tudo que aparecer no meio da jornada para ELE, pois ELE nos amou primeiro e deu a Sua vida para que hoje nos pudessemos ter vida.


Ninguém tem maior amor do que este, de dar alguém a sua vida pelos seus amigos.
Vós sereis meus amigos, se fizerdes o que eu vos mando.
Já vos não chamarei servos, porque o servo não sabe o que faz o seu senhor; mas tenho-vos chamado amigos, porque tudo quanto ouvi de meu Pai vos tenho feito conhecer.
Não me escolhestes vós a mim, mas eu vos escolhi a vós, e vos nomeei, para que vades e deis fruto, e o vosso fruto permaneça; a fim de que tudo quanto em meu nome pedirdes ao Pai ele vo-lo conceda.


Se renda,se renda, renda TUDO que esta no seu coracao, o que voce sabe e conhece que esta la e tambem o que voce nao ve e nao sabe. O Espirito Santo sabe de tudo....se renda, deixe-O te curar, te libertar, deixe-O lavar a sua alma.

Voce vai se admirar com o que esta dentro de voce se pedir ao Espirito Santo para realmente tirar o coracao de pedra e te dar um coracao de carne segundo a vontade Dele. Crucifique tudo que nao e como Cristo...TUDO!

Espero que essa mensagem curtinha edifique o seu dia e seu relacionamento intimo com o Deus Eterno que e merecedor de toda nossa submissao, rendicao, arrependimento e amor!

Cynthia