Touch Not God's Anointed

[nebula]

Cats - I know what you mean about Joyce. I'm no expert, but I appreciate the things she has to say about character development. So few preachers focus on this. It's sad the WOF teachings are mixed in with her messages.

[Guest dove2]

BTW, Dove,

I never mentioned this before, but I am actually glad you started sharing about this.  I was never in a WOF church or anything, but I was influenced by much WOF teaching (c'mon, these are "big charasmatic leaders!").  I always had a hard time connecting with the type of faith they talked about, and I felt condemned in my heart.  I also hear this all the time from friends, family, and church members about, "Just have faith!  Just have faith!"

Your challenges to this teaching have caused me to take a deeper look into this issue, and helped me to see some things I wouldn't have accepted from other "nay-sayers."  I still have a lot of contemplating and such to do - it's hard to adjust a mind-set I was raised in - but I am liking the idea that my concept of faith has been all wrong, and maybe I can find what it really is so that maybe I can actually walk in it for real.  (Long story on what I mean by that.)

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for that.

Nebula,

That is one thing that gets under my skin so much is that these teachings have flowed over into mainstream churches and they are teaching a lot of this stuff and some without realizing what they are doing.

The thing being are these people that are saying "Just have faith" having faith in Jesus Christ or are they having faith in their own words?

Faith to me: Looking totally at Jesus and what He has done for us. Not quoting scripture meaninglessly like mantras. The woman that was healed from the issue of blood said, if she could but touch the hem of Jesus' garment she knew she would be healed. She was looking at Jesus and not at what she said. She was not looking at her faith, she was looking at Jesus. That is true faith to me. The word "faith" has so much emphasis on it in today's world that people have lost the true meaning of faith.

Faith to many today has become one of saying a thing and believing it is going to come about because we said it. Some try to have faith in faith. I know about that too. Faith is supposed to be our servant. Not so!

Faith is our trust, belief and love of Jesus.

We have been told that there is already a WOFF thread in Doctrinal they called it Issues. We did not know that at any rate....

We did start a new thread under Controversial Issues called Word of Faith Cult. I think that is what Gary started the thread as. We would love for all of you to join the discussion and tell what your concerns and fears are. Also if you have been in the WOF to help anyone that might find this thread. We would like to know of ya'lls experiences with and how you came out of WOF. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Thanks for your encouragment Neb.

In Jesus Mighty Love,

Patsy

[Guest Calamity]

Dove2, I think the more Light shed on darkness, the better!

[Guest New Creature]

Dear Pasty your kind words have touched my heart so much. It is good to know that there are people who have come out of WoF movement and are stronger in their relationship with God. I feel like a huge burden has been lifted. I was always under such condemnation because I didn't have enough will power to do the faith formula.Looking at it now I can see how God has protected me, because I always felt so unworthy, I could never pray like they wanted me to. I have always told God how grateful I am that He takes such good care of me, even when I don't deserve it. And I have always prayed that I want His will and not mine. Thank goodness I never heard that I was not to pray for God's will to be done.

I think the real problem as to why we get involved with the wrong teaching is a true lack of Biblical understanding of the Essentials. I am reading Hank Hanegraaff book "Christianity in Crisis", it has been a real eye opener. These preachers and teachers are very careful in how they phase their beliefs. It is always filled with enough truth and of course divine revelation. Just so you know I did not just believe what Hank Hanegraaff had to say either. I have been on every web site I can find or have been sent to. I have had my Bible opened checking out what I have read from the WoF people. I said it before, you just can't get past how they pervert the scriptures. They are preaching a different gospel with a different Jesus.

Just today I turned on the T.V. and there was Fred Price teaching that Jesus had to go to Hell to save us. He taught how Jesus died spiritually in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said Jesus had to die twice for our redemption. This I have found out is one of their common teachings. The Cross was not enough. Its so hard to believe. You know whats funny? The reason I thought that these preachers were true was because they all knew one another. I saw them on each others shows all the time. I assumed that they would hold one another accountable for any wrong teaching. Do you think they really believe what they are teaching or are they just huge fakes out for the fame and money?

I gotta go. Thanks for reading this. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. It is my prayer to God that He is the one that led me to these Christian message boards so that I can really be set free.

YSIC,

Teresa

[traveller]

Amen New Creature! And BTW - welcome to Worthyboards!

YSIC

trav

[OneAccord]

Theresa:

I can only speak from personal experience with a small-town WOF, that was most definitely associated with Kenneth Copeland ministries.

The pastor believed absolutely in what he was teaching. He even preached one time about how he was reading a book about cults and found the WOF in it, and how ridiculous that was for anyone to think this was a cult, this is the Word of God, these people are just missing their blessings, etc. etc, etc.

You know the tune. As I posted earlier, he literally brainwashes himself with the teaching tapes and the leadership conferences, and the only people in the congregation are the ones who believe it too. Anyone who questions it or plants seeds of doubt, does not hang around long. So they insulate themselves from any criticism pretty well.

They only run in circles of other WOF-ers, and pretty much stick to their literature.

[nebula]

The thing being are these people that are saying "Just have faith" having faith in Jesus Christ or are they having faith in their own words?

Faith to me: Looking totally at Jesus and what He has done for us. Not quoting scripture meaninglessly like mantras. The woman that was healed from the issue of blood said, if she could but touch the hem of Jesus' garment she knew she would be healed. She was looking at Jesus and not at what she said. She was not looking at her faith, she was looking at Jesus. That is true faith to me. The word "faith" has so much emphasis on it in today's world that people have lost the true meaning of faith.

Faith to many today has become one of saying a thing and believing it is going to come about because we said it. Some try to have faith in faith. I know about that too. Faith is supposed to be our servant. Not so!

Faith is our trust, belief and love of Jesus.

Thanks for these beautiful words, Patsy!

[Guest dove2]

New Creature,

Praise the Lord, I am so glad that you have felt that burden lifted from you. I think, Trav, Neb, Psm91, One Accord and a few others helped me get over the last of my fears about things concerning WOF. It took me years to get over this. They were so wonderful. I can't even remember what it was that was holding me back so bad. What ever it was they said the exact words that I need to hear and this has not been very long ago. Isn't God great!!!

I believe with all my heart that God lead you to this board. If anyone can be set free the wonderful people on here can help with God's word and His love.

Amen to your post. Looks like most of us have been on every site we can find on the Internet that are exposing these people.

Blessings to you,

Patsy

[Fewarechosen7F]

Having heard the concern in all of your "voices", I would like to call your attention to each of the parables that speak of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Vineyard, tares and wheat, the wedding dinner, 10 virgins, etc. -- In the telling of each one, Jesus prophesied what the entire body of organized religion exhibits today.

The vineyard keepers were enemies of the owner, and did not try to hide that fact.

It was the people from the streets who actually came to the wedding feast.

The five virgins who had extra oil for their lamps actually KNEW the Lord well enough that they were prepared AS PER HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

And the tares WERE SOWED BY AN ENEMY WHILE THE (fore)FATHERS SLEPT, while Peter and John and Paul have been sleeping in their graves.

Now, imho, if tares have been SOWED by an ENEMY, then the enemy has come into every denomination and has SOWED generation after generation of TARES who believe that they are authentic Christians.

In First Samuel 3 & 4, The Lord God sent judgement upon the house of Eli for the sin that Eli already KNEW ABOUT. Does the judgement of God not begin in the pulpit?

[OneAccord]

Few Are Chosen:

I would just call your attention to the mustard seed parable, which is often misinterpreted. The mustard seed grew into a mighty tree (mustard plants are plants, not trees, so this is unnatural). And the birds of the air nested in its branches (Jesus told us in the previous parable about the Word as seed what the birds of the air represented). The mustard seed parable also looks at the religious institution. Check it out!