THE GIFTS AND THE FRUITS

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Having lived in the most exciting times since our world has existed I still find it interesting the changes that are occurring.

When I was born, radios were just coming into vogue. It always intrigues me to think that the Assemblies Of God church organization was formed 14 years before my birth and some 25 years before it the famous Azusa Street revival was in full swing.

The teaching emphasis in those days was on the Gifts of the Spirit in the Pentecostal movement with tongues and interpretation being a major part of the practice. As time went by they began to emphasize the fruits of the Spirit more.

When the Charismatic movement came along they opted to be known as Charismatics instead of Pentecostals. Their feelings were that the Pentecostals were a little crude and out of touch with “What’s happening now.”

The Charismatics were a little more liberal than the Pentecostals in the daily walk and were sometimes chided for it.

It seems strange that the Charismatic movement is about 50 years old depending on when you set the beginning date and you don’t hear many who go around saying I’m a Pentecostal or a Charismatic any more.

The fifties were exciting because of the healing evangelists and the praying for the sick. I attended several of these meetings with Oral Roberts, A.A. Allen, William Branham, and several others.

Sadly when some non-anointed ones saw where the action was they went where GOD had not sent them and the move of GOD died down and God moved on.

The church has endured several new teachers that were not mainline. One who comes mind was Bob Munford and the Shepherding Movement. While its goal was to make people more moral in their daily walk the process of placing shepherds over the flock soon become abusive in nature and was abandoned.

There have been several localized revivals where hungry souls have flocked to, but after awhile excitement cools off and people look elsewhere for the supernatural and reality.

Much of what is happening today is little more than self enrichment programs, self promotion and spouting out scripture out of their mind and not out of their spirit. There is a desperate need for the next true move of GOD.

Perhaps what is lacking and keeping a move of God on hold is there isn’t a person whom God can trust, and is an individual after GOD’S own heart.

Someone whose only goal is to do GOD’S will, and win the lost, and to whom self-aggrandizement is an offence to them.

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This post is Linked with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

and with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday Use it on Monday