It is very wise to recognize and know the spirit which we follow to insure that our children are being directed in the right direction. Satan is very clever in knowing how to deceive us when we lose sight of the steps that we take and we don’t take the time to know the message which is being delivered. For instance, Satan will sit back and allow us to go forward in worship because he knows what will take place when we get caught up in our emotions when we don’t have the spiritual wisdom and discernment to simply recognize what is right and what is wrong. This is where Satan often deceives us in the spirit because He wants us to think that we are following God when we could be leading to a division in the body of Christ.
There is unity in the body and harmony in the spirit of God that teaches each of us in love to learn from one another and how to respect each parties function within the direction of God. There is nothing wrong with us enjoying the spiritual high of God but if we do not recognize the importance of staying in tune with God in our emotions then we are setting ourselves up for a hard fall. We learn this in the lesson of Joshua and the Israelites when they ran out in front of God in their emotions after conquering the city Jericho.
It is vital for our youth and for every child of God to understand how to handle our emotional highs with our emotional lows that we face in this journey of life. Jesus Christ (NEVER) separated himself from the sinners nor the world and Paul supported the church that was first established by God with Moses as he lead the people out of captivity to reach the freedom that we receive in God’s promise. Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul addressed the people and the church not to bring division but to correct what was wrong by God in not properly following the Lord’s instruction. Division came because of Satan in the people for not humbling themselves to receive the Truth in the Word of God. Our Lord taught us how to walk in this world through Moses and the Israelites in order for us to maintain the freedom that has been given to each of us today in the spirit of God through Jesus Christ by having order and self discipline to keep our homes and our nations intact.
The Lord plainly teaches us how to listen, when to move, how to run, how to respect, and even how to walk in order to maintain our balance in this life. For if we just jump out on a tight rope without knowing how to reach the other side when the winds of Satan come our way then we really need to take a step back to learn how to walk with God rather than trying to do it on our own. Life has good times and life has very hard times and if we don’t know how to walk on our own under God with the love of Jesus in our hearts then Satan is just waiting at the door to hold us down when we fall.
It is very easy to speak out against what we see, but in true love that is directed by God we are to stand in faith while sharing the love of Jesus Christ. God shows us what is not right by others to help shape us into who He wants us to be. As we mature and learn to trust in God it is our duty to standfast in love within the winds of sin in this fallen world. It is when we take matters into our own hands that we cause divisions in our relationships to the point that they can cause anger and separation.
As long as we know the steps that we take in the Word of God and know how to act in love when we face confrontation then we are on the way to understanding how to follow God rather than acting out in our emotions. Regarding the Ramp in Hamilton, Alabama there are good points as well as there are bad points which we can find in any church or in any human being. It is great to see our youth speaking of God rather than chasing the world and watching them be set free from their suppression of Satan who wants them to lose hope in this life. But the part which is raising a flag of concern is the gift of speaking in tongues due to the confusion that it is bringing in the body. Speaking in tongue is a gift from God that no man can give or is to teach to another. The dangers of this practice in public display comes when someone does not know how to stand on their own under God and wants to be accepted into a group to feel loved by the people instead of learning to receive the gift in faith.
The Word of God teaches us in 1 Corinthians 14 about the gift of the Holy Spirit and we also learn the importance of decent and orderly worship. For there is a time to speak and a time not due to the confusion that it can bring upon the people. In reference to someone claiming to be chosen or to be a prophet this should be addressed with caution to insure that Jesus Christ is being properly edified and to insure that we lean on God rather than man. It is not our place to reveal something to someone but we are to lead by example and allow the Holy Spirit to give the confirmation rather than trying to reveal something for our own glorification. There is a big difference between being called and actually being chosen and many people have misled the people with this misunderstanding in the word of God.
There are good things taking place at the Ramp as well as some things that are causing some confusion in the church. This is where we as parents must understand the places our children attend and we as leaders in the church teach others how to recognize the proper spirit of God to insure the steps that they take. For God is not the author of confusion and if someone doesn’t understand what they are walking into then they need to take a step back to prepare for what they might face. We all encounter things in life that are different from time to time but one thing that we all must recognize is the importance of the unity within the body. It is vital to teach our children how to live in this world and not of this world through the love of Jesus Christ as they learn to hold on to the cross to maintain their balance in life… amen
James Harrison / Servant
enoughgrace says
Dear Administrator,
I seem unable to delete my own comments nor to stop receiving emails from this discussion. I feel as though it has become argumentative with no real spiritual benefits to either side. Please remove me from this discussion. To quote a Southern discussion I am fond of : “I don’t have a dog in this fight.” I thank you so much.
admin says
your comment has been removed based upon the request and the content of the post. this post was not posted to be argumentative but to give awareness and to have an open respectful discussion between someone who may not understand. you have brought a good point out to me and I thank you for your input.
HypocriteInRecovery says
I first attended the Ramp approximately 5 years ago when my wife and I took our older youth from church to a gathering. It impacted our youth group but it totally messed me up for ordinary worship ever again. I had straddled the fence for so long that I thought that was the only way to get by but the Lord showed me different.
I am challenged each and every time I am at the Ramp, to deepen my relationship with Jesus. I have seen healings right before my eyes, crutches thrown down, wheelchairs pushed aside.
Mark 9:38-40
Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side.
NKJV
I would hope and pray that all might get the opportunity to attend a gathering and witness it for yourself and not make your judgments based on what others would say.
James Harrison says
very good point.
One thing we should remember is how God is of order and discipline when He gives us direction to follow. On worship this is between each individual and the Lord. No one has a right to judge another on their relationship with God through Jesus Christ and no one should assume that their way of worship is any closer to God than anothers.
There is a difference between praise and worship in the angels of God. For in praise angels still stand watching over the flock to protect the herd but in worship the guardian angels lay down their swords and join in in worship.
admin says
Dear Hyprocrite in Recovery,
After meditating in prayer over your comment above this is what the Lord placed in my heart. I do not say any of this for debate or to hurt you but in the loving truth.
Based on your comment you are saying that you followed the (people) in your past church services verses properly following the Word of God. There is no straddling the fence when it comes to following the Lord. It is our responsibility as a true Christian to recognize the Holy Spirit with discipline and order to maintain and achieve what God has given. It is my sincere prayer that you don’t fall to this again in following the (people) and that you learn to challenge and encourage in a loving way to properly lead the youth that God has put you with. For the last thing any of us want is for the door to be shut and to hear these words,” I do not know you even though you say that you cast out demons in my name.”
ManOfGod says
You know what, the devil is busy boggling the thoughts of our minds. I have gone to The Ramp and can only seem to find possitive things to say. I am a college student and went with fellow college students and found that The Ramp was not just a worship service but a place that tried to mold the youth so that they would not just know the will of the Lord but live it. Put God first. The entire building was filled with the spirit of the Lord and it was in those instances that you find people outpouring their spirit to God. – As for speaking in tongues that is in the Bible. No one tries to teach other tongues at The Ramp. In your time of intamacy with the Lord I ask for you to read 1Corinthians chapter 12-14. It explains gifts of God and how when man begins to communicate in another language it is not for his neighbor but for God and that is what I and several others learned. I know speaking in tongues is contraversial, because people feel as though it is being taught or comercialized. Before coming to The Ramp I just accepted that I did not have that gift but then the Holy Spirit took over my lips when I was before the alter and no matter how much I tried to speak English it would not come out correctly. God allowed me to pour all of what I wanted to say to him without limitations of words or the nozy ear of the enemy. The ministers do not preach and relay the messages in tongues, they may speak to God for an instance in tongues but they use English because the Bible says ” I had rather speak five words in my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, rather than saying ten thousand words of the unkown.” Everyone at The Ramp does not speak in tongues and it is almost out of place for us to judge the relations of a child and God. The fear of the enemy is trying to scare parents now and days because they are not used to seeing children so in love with God like this. Everything is in God’s hands and if there is some ill-will musturing then God already knows the intent of the hearts that cry out to him. I really do not think it is appropiate to judge the workings of The Ramp because ever since I have been it has changed my life drastically. where God is present wonders occur and I appreciate evrything the Ramp is doing.
admin says
This information was not posted in judgement but in awareness for those that have not ever experienced certain gifts of God. We are not the judge nor the mediator. It is our place to speak the Truth in love and then allow God to take care of the rest.
As adults we should know how to walk in the world but as children it is vital that we teach the principles in the Word of God to help them develop into who God sets them out to be. The enemy is very clever and deceptive in this world. For if we don’t know the Word then we we will never know how to stand…
Mark says
Look at Jesus’ teaching in John 16. Telling us that the Father will send the helper to you, the Spirit of Truth, who will show you… Jesus said, John 16:15 “All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I, that he shall take of mine , and shall shew it unto you. That word shew (anagello) means: declare, speak, tell, it was an audible word. When we are to balance what is taught to the Word, could it be that the Word is God’s word spoken to us by the Spirit of Truth, not taught by theologians?
james says
The Truth is God’s Truth and it is guided by the Holy Spirit that indwells within the believer. Many theologians are nothing more than a history teacher that often miss the baptism in the spirit due to their focus being stuck in the past without learning how to apply it to our future. It is simply not enough to merely know the gospel, we must let it transform our life and let God impact every aspect of our lives.
With Jesus we have life and without Him we never discover how to live in the freedom that God has given….
Shirley Mitchell says
Mr. Harrison,
Are you saying that the youth coming to the RAMP are being taught HOW to speak in tongues? I am not a Bible scholar, by any stretch of the imaganation, but I too believe speaking in tongues is a gift from God, not given to everyone, and cannot be taught by human beings. We may be taught another language but only God gives us the gift of speaking in tongues. Some of our youth have attended the meetings at the RAMP I will ask them if they have witnessed any of these ideas being taught.
James Harrison says
Dear Shirley, I am saying that our children and young Christians are being introduced to this gift and it is very wise for us to teach what to expect before they walk in and experience something they do not understand. I would suggest talking with your children to allow them to share their thoughts and to insure that they don’t have any unanswered questions. This will help build a line of communication that will gain respect for the time that is shared in open discussion. Many people don’t address things they don’t understand and if we just shut the door to this discussion then we could be doing more harm than we are good…
Rev.J.D.Prasada Rao says
Dear Brethren in Christ ,
Greetings to you in the precious name of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.
We hope and pray that you all are well. Firstly I thank God very much for He has allowed us to correspond with you dear brethren in Christ. My name J.D.Prasada Rao Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh. it’s a great privilege to encourage of your words because we show your web Then we are inspired through the Holy Spirit so that we are writing this letter. We found your email address from Internet website. By God’s grace, I am running a Children home. I used to bring orphans from various corners and have been feeding and giving good education for them. My aim is to make them good citizens and spread His word across the world. Up to now, I maintained this Home successfully without expecting anything from the kids. But in these days, I am short in funds and thus struggling to run this. Days are becoming hard for me and my kids. We sincerely wish to fellowship and work with you for bringing up these kids and spreading the glorious gospel of Christ in India . I know many brethren in your country love the Lord’s work and encouraging brethren to start the congregation in every place. We thank God always for your wonderful efforts. I believe that you know the country India . Our country India is big one, contained twenty five states and 17 major languages. Our regional language is Telugu, we teach the word of God in Telugu. Only 28.5 percent people are Christians including all churches. Our people are so kind, gentle and love preachers who teach the truth in love. I thank God very much for He given me the opportunity to look after these kids and teach God’s word in our area and surroundings.
We need your prayers and encouragements for proclaiming the gospel of Christ in India . We also invite you brethren to India and strengthen the congregation to which we work. We hope that you encourage and strengthen us to do the great work for God and His glory. If you have any question please ask us, we answer with our humble heart. We respect and honor your suggestions and instructions. We wish to hear from you brethren. Thank you. Please send books and tracts materials for the pastors and believers because of here so many people are there in our ministry.
We are waiting for your kind reply and please pray for our ministry and visit our place and preach the word of God. Here i am sending my family and ministry photos. Thanking you. 111 John 1: 13 and 14.
Numbers 6:24 and 25:- “THE LORD BLESS THEE, AND KEEP THEE. THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE”.
Yours brother in Christ,
Rev.J.D.Prasada Rao
admin says
Personally, I was rebellious throughout my life and even carry some of the same beliefs that Damon points out in his dissapointments in the church. For one we must remember the church is only a building and the disaapointments that are received come from within the body for the lack of true following in the Word of God. There are people everywhere that are crying out in hurt and they know where they need to turn but due to the lack of (true) love being shown in the church body they continue to suffer in the world. Over the years we have allowed the world to enter the church when it should have been right the opposite of this.
In the hurt and rebellion that I carried I learned to trust God instead of taking matters into my own hands even when I knew what was wrong. This was the most excruciating thing that I have ever experienced but the most rewarding in the end. Because I was honored to witness first hand the Lords hand at work in reshaping the people verses taking matters into my own hands. The Lord does not want us to act in our emotions and leave where He guides us. All we have to do is stand strong in love and God will do the work that needs to be done. For He is the mediator and all vengeance belongs to the Lord.
Regarding the comment on the appearance of someone and whether they are wearing shoes or not this is out of line in the Word of God. For Jesus asked the Pharisees what does it take to please you people? John the Baptist wore animal skins and Jesus rode a donkey while the people continued to look for something wrong instead of simply hearing what needed to be heard.
We must remember that God is working in every circumstance and we should never have a worry that His will will not be done. Trust God and love one another. For nothing of God is forced upon another nor is there anything left to prove, for it has already been proven…