Catholic29:
I for one am aware of the mind games that Benny Hinn and other pentecostal televangelist preachers use. Playing up the sin and bondage card is one they use for a hook, and believe me I have scrutinized my life to bring it in conformity with God’s commandments in Exodus 20, though at times I have failed I never gave up the fight. Make no mistake about it, Catholics commited to orthodoxy have a very strong sense of sin and morality. But with all the other issues that have cropped up (such as different scriptural interpretations amongst Christians, etc), I am growing weary of the struggle against temptation.
To a Pentecostal my question would be is how does one correctly discern between what is the Holy Spirit, and what is emotional hysteria?
With that I rest. :yawn:
Good Morning,
I surely am not in the business of playing “mind games” … I left the “game” a long time ago. This “emotional hysteria” you describe is exactly what I experienced just before I came to fully submit my life to Christ.
Now, don’t think “sides” here. This is a heart matter (protestants AND Catholics have human hearts, you agree?).
ALL of your wisest Catholic friends would agree with the fact that if you don’t commend your heart (and will/Spirit) to the Lord, you won’t experience the fullness of His Spirit. He just won’t crowd into a heart full of “stuff”. Ask MrS and PhilThy and Wisdom and Nicene and they’d agree that we have to get our hearts right before our Holy God.
I am NOT trying to “trick” you into some posture…I am sharing with you what it is that took me from the ROLLERCOASTER of life to the Peace of Christ…a real faith with a real, living God.
You want that, or not? I am okay with your going to Mass to invite Him in through the Eucharist…He’ll meet you where you are at. I know Him well enough to know he’s not going to let our arguments keep you from Him.
So, I will pray for you, that you come to a place where this stirring of your heart will draw you to Him. My questions were only meant to help you to, as the apostles suggest, “a man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread or drinks of the cup.” Before you take the Eucharist, make time to really, prayerfully ask the Lord to search your heart to see if you are truly “in the faith”…that is, have you really
believed Jesus. Have you really come to full obedience…as that is the way to express our belief…we follow Him.
See…we can do this with the Eucharist as Catholics…can you consider that your God might be so loving that he’d accept others without the “circumcision” (i.e. outside of the Eucharist?). Man is exclusive, but really, is God? As long as hearts are sincerely crying out to Him in repentance…does He not say in the OLD covenant as well as the NEW, that He will “make us well” because of our “faith”.
As Phil has brought to my attention…maybe we have to look at both sides (protestant and Catholic) and understand that the truth can reach through our circumstances.
I will add no more to your post, since your message implies you really don’t want the help of a “protestant”…
I have to tell you that I am glad that there are some on this site willing to discuss things with me. I have gained a great respect for the Catholics who speak lovingly about their faith, without condemning me out of hand.
God bless you on your journey to Peace and Joy.
D.