Almost 5 years have passed since I made an OP in another forum under the following link (Click into it if you wish) livingwater.createaforum.com/general-discussion/is-it-possible/.
During that time I've trolled around other forums and experienced quite vicious condemnation re my convictions ... totally the opposite of the gentle, loving, and understanding responses that characterised the above thread.
Sadly (maybe) I still haven't changed.
I am reminded of the time when I was a very young believer and found myself in the company of three 'Pentecostal' brothers who asked if they could lay hands on me and pray that I might receive the 'Baptism in the Holy Spirit'.
At that time I truly believe that I had a totally open mind and I asked God to grant them their wish (but with the proviso that it should only happen if it really was God's will that it should)
After the three had spent a long time getting increasingly fervent in their endeavours I found that nothing happened and they abandoned me with the declaration that it was entirely due to my denominational 'cessationist' background that nothing had happened.
Few cessationist denominations still exist, and some will put that down to "except the Lord had built the house, those that had done so had laboured in vain".
But could not the same be said re the even longer period after 'tongues' had ceased, up until the time that it re-emerged?
Some might say that it never ceased, but I can find no reference to pockets of continuation.
Nevertheless I have to face up to the fact that I may never be blessed (or burdened) with blind belief and am unable to believe stuff that I find to be intellectually implausible.
That puts me right out of kilter with many Christian Forum members and, since it may be me, rather than 'all those others' that is out of step, I’m tempted to ask myself whether I really ought to continue to involve.
During that time I've trolled around other forums and experienced quite vicious condemnation re my convictions ... totally the opposite of the gentle, loving, and understanding responses that characterised the above thread.
Sadly (maybe) I still haven't changed.
I am reminded of the time when I was a very young believer and found myself in the company of three 'Pentecostal' brothers who asked if they could lay hands on me and pray that I might receive the 'Baptism in the Holy Spirit'.
At that time I truly believe that I had a totally open mind and I asked God to grant them their wish (but with the proviso that it should only happen if it really was God's will that it should)
After the three had spent a long time getting increasingly fervent in their endeavours I found that nothing happened and they abandoned me with the declaration that it was entirely due to my denominational 'cessationist' background that nothing had happened.
Few cessationist denominations still exist, and some will put that down to "except the Lord had built the house, those that had done so had laboured in vain".
But could not the same be said re the even longer period after 'tongues' had ceased, up until the time that it re-emerged?
Some might say that it never ceased, but I can find no reference to pockets of continuation.
Nevertheless I have to face up to the fact that I may never be blessed (or burdened) with blind belief and am unable to believe stuff that I find to be intellectually implausible.
That puts me right out of kilter with many Christian Forum members and, since it may be me, rather than 'all those others' that is out of step, I’m tempted to ask myself whether I really ought to continue to involve.