Charismatic Bible Studies - 1 Peter 1:22 - 2:3

[Hidden In Him]

Out of all the studies, i feel this one in particular has been a great overview of the forest. The broad picture and goal of your ministry. Very clear and concise. I love it and it seems like a good one to meditate on. The basic steps for calling on the Lord. Fasting, prayer and mourning.

You know, I was working on the outline for next weeks and it's turning into the same thing. I'm not doing it, though, it's just happening, so maybe the Holy Spirit is just guiding me to write this way right now.

Thanks for the compliment. That was very encouraging.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Judges 2.8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.

Wow could I comment on this. There are prophecies that judgment is coming to the denominational church as well, and they will be given into the hands of the world for a time until they learn to seek Him just like this study is talking about. It's referred to as a coming time of Humiliation, and that's always what ends up happening one way or another when we drift from the Lord.

Strange how God's people keep learning the same lessons time and time again down through history.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Dont let the dreams and visions, miracles, healings, what have you, over shadow the relationship we have with God Himself. The final quote in your study from His Handmaiden was a sober reminder to keep things in perspective, and it rounded off the study beautifully.

Yes it was, and I need to thank her publicly for it. I think it's been somewhat missing from my own prayer life. I pray for greater gifts and I pray for greater anointings and revelation and all that, but how often have I been telling Him that I need HIM and not just what He can give me. It's a different focus, and one I personally think He may be a lot more apt to hear.

 

[RandyK]

Wow could I comment on this. There are prophecies that judgment is coming to the denominational church as well, and they will be given into the hands of the world for a time until they learn to seek Him just like this study is talking about. It's referred to as a coming time of Humiliation, and that's always what ends up happening one way or another when we drift from the Lord.

Strange how God's people keep learning the same lessons time and time again down through history.

It just shows how valuable it is for God to see people choose Him on their own, without coaching. Sure, we do need assistance from others, but that's a choice to receive it as well.

Some just "endure" preaching from others. Others run to the Lord for any way He wants to speak to them. How valuable it is to God to see true children who love Him regardless....

I'd like to know more about the prophecies you've heard on denominational judgments? I was raised in Lutheranism, and when I extracted myself from my own spiritually-dead church, I read books by Charismatic Lutherans who wrote warnings about even Charismatics who might be tempted to grow slack and weary in well-doing.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Reading these scriptures with that perspective sure do add an elegance to that title

It absolutely does. I thought I had played out pretty much everything the scripture had to offer on this subject, and when I saw the Ancient Hebrew Research Center article, I was like "Good heavens look at this..." LoL.

Pretty amazing. Thanks again. I'm not sure where you came across that piece of information on the alternate meaning of the Hebrew "Almighty," but it's fascinating, and it kinda takes you back to what the Israelites must have been feeling when He compared Himself to such things.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I'd like to know more about the prophecies you've heard on denominational judgments? I was raised in Lutheranism, and when I extracted myself from my own spiritually-dead church, I read books by Charismatic Lutherans who wrote warnings about even Charismatics who might be tempted to grow slack and weary in well-doing.

Wow! I believe my uncle was raised Lutheran, and I care about him very much. That would be fascinating to read.

Trying to think how long it could be before I work that into a study...

Randy, if you can, I would not have brought this up unless you had mentioned it, but please pray I am able to get my old material back. That stuff is written about several times at my old Bible Study forum. But it's currently shut down and I can't get to all my old material because the owner and I ran into a disagreement and he has closed it down and cut off access to it.

Anyway, if I get it back, that stuff would be pretty easy to retrieve, and I don't wanna see 10 years of work go up in smoke, so if you can, say a word in prayer for me that I work things out with him. He wants a bunch of money I don't really have, LoL.

 

[RandyK]

Wow! I believe my uncle was raised Lutheran, and I care about him very much. That would be fascinating to read.

Trying to think how long it could be before I work that into a study...

Randy, if you can, I would not have brought this up unless you had mentioned it, but please pray I am able to get my old material back. That stuff is written about several times at my old Bible Study forum. But it's currently shut down and I can't get to all my old material because the owner and I ran into a disagreement and he has closed it down and cut off access to it.

Anyway, if I get it back, that stuff would be pretty easy to retrieve, and I don't wanna see 10 years of work go up in smoke, so if you can, say a word in prayer for me that I work things out with him. He wants a bunch of money I don't really have, LoL.

I sympathize. So much of our life experience is dependent not just on the Lord but on people, many of whom do not care to cooperate. My prayers are with you.
Randy

 

[hawkman]

1. How do you feel about prophetic dreams and visions.

The first prophetic dream I had it was of my future and where I would be in @ 6 months , I just thought it was a very interesting dream with a high detail to it . Part of the dream I was shown a view out of a window and it was so real in the dream I could see every detail of the city outside . @ 6 months later I spent a couple of weeks or so looking out that very window of the dream . God wanted me to have no doubt He knew my future .

2. Many teach that visions and dreams are not to be placed on the same level as the written word of God, and I personally agree. But how important should we view them, and on what level should we be placing them?

The visions and dreams are for us in the here and now , God is speaking to us through the dreams and visions . Once you know God is going to communicate with you through dreams you need to heed them , case in point from my 2 dreams .

The first dream was that me and a friend were driving a car in a cave like area and there was pools of water we drove between and even below , that was the total dream .

I had been talking with my friend about buying a camper from him. My wife also later got involved talking about the camper too .

The second dream , again with the same friend but now both our wives were present in this dream . We are riding in a car on a road with water present on both sides and the water comes up and washes us and car off the road , end of second dream .

My wife tells we should go look at my friends camper I agree to go look but I am thinking back to my dream and we are NOT getting into a car together with my friends at anytime ! It was nice summer afternoon when we arrived at their house and we started inspecting the camper after he popped it up . After we looked at it a few minutes my friend was going to show how the camper lowers and locks down but that did not happen easily that day . About this time I could see a thunder storm brewing about a mile away and it was making a beeline straight to where we were . We kept fighting with the locking mechanism on the camper before the rain got there . All of sudden a lightning bolt hit about 50 feet away from where we stood , the bolt hit a pond . My wife had already gotten in our truck and after the bolt struck I did too and then the heavens opened and it poured rain .

I have not shopped for a camper again and don't think I will . I think that was God's message in the dreams he sent me .

3. What would you say to Cessationists who still believe the gifts are not for today, and that we must trust only in the written word?

The gifts come from the Holy Spirit so it will be up to the Holy Spirit when it is time to end the gifts .

 

[RandyK]

Questions And Applications

1. How do you feel about prophetic dreams and visions. Are they something you desire to receive knowledge of from God (whether they come through you or from others), or do you still view them with suspicion and uncertainty?

2. Many teach that visions and dreams are not to be placed on the same level as the written word of God, and I personally agree. But how important should we view them, and on what level should we be placing them? If any have been especially important to your walk with the Lord describe them.

3. What would you say to Cessationists who still believe the gifts are not for today, and that we must trust only in the written word?

More comments on this... I think we should take seriously what the Scriptures say about God giving the Church visions and dreams in the last days.

Acts 2.19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Although dreams and visions can be given by the Holy Spirit for numerous reasons, a focus is given in this particular passage. It has to do with the last days, when the culmination of prophecy in previous ages comes to pass. Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel had confirming dreams in the book of Daniel, speaking of the progression of history towards the coming of God's Kingdom. It was an endtimes vision.

And here, in Acts 2, once again the perspective is endtimes, with judgment looming, while it is awaiting the salvation and repentance of men, just as the Flood waited until Noah was done building his ark.

When we focus on the main purpose of this age, which is to be a witness to Christ, and to place a premium on the coming Kingdom, our eyes may be opened up to see things the way God sees them.

He knows when we want to hear from Him and know His word. So we need to be doing that. And I believe we will see better--even in a supernatural way.

I don't need to see miracles, but I do need to see the supernatural, because God Himself is supernatural. Miracles are just icing on the cake, giving men evidence of His love for those who are looking for Him.

I have had a few fascinating dreams. Sometimes they end with full consciousness that God has been speaking to me in the dream. Like many dreams, I tend to forget them quickly. But when they're really good, I rush to tell my wife.

Probably the most fascinating dream I ever had was very special to me. I like to have answers, and in my dream the Lord showed me that He could answer every question I had. In my dream I began to ask all kinds of questions, and immediately had the answers. I woke up, still in this state, and rushed to tell my wife, asking her to ask me any question. I literally felt I could answer anything!

Well, eventually, my source of wisdom seems to have expired! I don't have that wisdom anymore. But I think God just wanted to tell me that He could answer any question I have, if He wanted to do so.

And I think He was encouraging me to always ask Him, expecting He might give me an exciting answer. Bless HIs name!

 

[Hidden In Him]

I have had a few fascinating dreams. Sometimes they end with full consciousness that God has been speaking to me in the dream. Like many dreams, I tend to forget them quickly. But when they're really good, I rush to tell my wife.

Probably the most fascinating dream I ever had was very special to me. I like to have answers, and in my dream the Lord showed me that He could answer every question I had. In my dream I began to ask all kinds of questions, and immediately had the answers. I woke up, still in this state, and rushed to tell my wife, asking her to ask me any question. I literally felt I could answer anything!

Well, eventually, my source of wisdom seems to have expired! I don't have that wisdom anymore. But I think God just wanted to tell me that He could answer any question I have, if He wanted to do so.

And I think He was encouraging me to always ask Him, expecting He might give me an exciting answer. Bless HIs name!

This is very cool!

I think the message may have been, "While I may be a little farther away, you can still ask Me anything and I will answer." It's cuz that's what James 1:5-8 teaches, but it just takes longer to receive that if He was right there, which is why you have to stay in faith for it and not start doubting.

But very cool dream! Dreams serve a lot of purpose, and encouragement dreams are the best. It's like positive dreams about your future calling. They give you hope, and a vision of all that is possible.

 

[RandyK]

This is very cool!

I think the message may have been, "While I may be a little farther away, you can still ask Me anything and I will answer." It's cuz that's what James 1:5-8 teaches, but it just takes longer to receive that if He was right there, which is why you have to stay in faith for it and not start doubting.

But very cool dream! Dreams serve a lot of purpose, and encouragement dreams are the best. It's like positive dreams about your future calling. They give you hope, and a vision of all that is possible.

Yes, I love and crave the encouragement. If He gave us all He wants to give us, it probably wouldn't help us. Sometimes we need discipline instead of too much encouragement.

Though God gives freedom even for evil, there's not an ounce of evil in Him. Everything He does is good, out of love for His people. We just have to wait for it, even as we almost unconsciously receive good from Him all the time.

God knows that I've had questions about the Bible for many, many years, and many of my questions have waited for many of those years. Still, God never forgets anything--including what we've asked Him for.

Decades later a stone is moved, uncovering something God has long had in mind for us. Thanks again!