The Lakeland Revival

Let me get this straight: you think there are NO contemporary miracles, and you think that the reason for this is that God decided to cease working in the world through the Holy Spirit because the ONLY reason for miracles was to establish the Church? So these days, it's just too bad if your child has an incurable disease because the deadline for miracles has passed?

What kind of God do you worship? He sounds like a contemptible bureaucrat to me.

I wouldn't call myself a cessationist, as I don't feel it's right to limit the prerogative of God to act as he pleases; yet any honest look at the majority of these 'miracles' shows them to be anything but. Just as I don't believe every tale of bigfoot or alien abductions that might be heard on Coast to Coast, I don't believe in every reported miracle performed by a 'faith healer'; especially from one preaching unadulterated greed, just as this man is assuredly doing.

"Let me get this straight: you think there are NO contemporary miracles, and you think that the reason for this is that God decided to cease working in the world through the Holy Spirit because the ONLY reason for miracles was to establish the Church? So these days, it's just too bad if your child has an incurable disease because the deadline for miracles has passed?"

That's not what I said and if I believed that I certainly wouldn't prayer at all, would I? But if you've read this blog at all, you'd notice that I do ask for prayer.

I believe that public healing and resurrections which Christ and the apostles did were limited to the establishment of the church.

"I'm with you there, ecleticEe. But I'm equally skeptical about people who think they have the Creator of the Universe (if such a being exists, and let's face it, none of us knows that with certainty) all figured out and neatly whittled down to fit their pet denominational theories about when and where and how He will or won't act."

You don't read this blog enough if you think I'm one of them.

"And dare I say that there are no cessationists in foxholes?"

You demonstrate your ignorance of the cessationist view in this statement.

Just something quick ... more later:

People seem to need to be "touched by God" they want emotions and if they can't see things happening then they don't believe that God is in their midst.

I feel about extra-biblical Rapture eschatology (Left Behind) the same way as you do about revival:

how much more exciting can it get than what's described in Scripture?!

So enlighten me, Michele. Do cessationists believe that miracles have ceased or don't they? Or do they have a list of categories of supernatural phenomena that no longer occur (healing, prophecy, tongues), while other supernatural interventions are allowed for (say, an answer to prayer from the person in the foxhole)? And may I ask, is this an argument from Scripture or from experience, or neither, or both? Given that there are other passages in Scripture that strongly suggest the continuation of (at a minimum) the charismata, I wonder if you are basing your theory more on your experience (or, more precisely, on your lack of experience) with said phenomena.

That's not what I said and if I believed that I certainly wouldn't prayer at all, would I?

You are not saying that the only purpose of prayer is to give God a wish list, are you?

Doesn't a corpse have to be embalmed before it's buried? I thought it was the law.

Are you suggesting that death is not an impediment to resurrection, but embalming would be?

You demonstrate your ignorance of the cessationist view in this statement.

Wouldn't it be better to explain that view than to insult the commenter? Or do you only want to preach to the already-persuaded choir?

Props to Karen, yalladawg and some of the other commenters on this blog for their willingness to continue to engage in such a substantive and respectful way. I wish you'd respond in kind. And in kindness.

It seems to me that events like this provide a good model of how a group of people can convince themselves of events happening that have no supporting evidence. For example the resurrection claims being denied by medical authorities but believed anyway.

It's not hard to imagine a similar phenomena at work during the Fatima apparition in 1917. Or during previous miracles in earlier generations.

The Lakeland movement was a great experience!
Sometimes people who profess to be christians are afraid to witness his works.Pastor Bentley does not,nor does he proclaim to heal anyone!
Our creator put us on earth to have dominion over this earth.
We worship Him and praise Him and He moves on our prayers,and,unless we believe this then we will pray in the belief of fatalism.
With me so far?
If you believe that God hears our prayers,and wants us to,through his miracles heal us;and,you believe in how God loves corporate prayer,why would one not appreciate the Lakeland movement?
If you are afraid of participating at such an outpouring and not 'feeling' what is going on around you???...you may want to consider the word 'feel' and the word 'me'.Your feelings and your pride(me) are one thing;doing and following where GOD leads ya are something different.A person can or may not have the same 'feel' that others attending have...heck,you are an individual and He works in each of us differently,of course.
When I hear someone use the excuse of maybe not feeling what some others may feel????Does your faith allow you to be so unsure of God?

GARBAGE.

I didn't mean for it to upset you, MH. The video stirred in me the impulse to put this rogue down.

Good catch on the organ donation time frame.

I just watched that video and it also made me want to throw up.

Huge mistakes are being made in this revival. Too many cooks in the kitchen, too many random prophecies, too many unsubstantiated testimonies. Hype and fanaticism has reached a boiling point. We don't need to make God look good and powerful. But such is the way of carnal man. The move is in dire need of intercession, reverence and order. For a great read check out "A Step Into Deliverance" by T. Pugh. It's a riveting autobiography about one pastor's journey into the deliverance ministy. A real page-turner!