Thank you for joining me in understanding the sound guidelines for Our Charismata’s, my, Anne Marie Varrella’s practices in relation to Christian theology, Principles, and Ethics.
Thank you also for understanding that I have being connecting with people from very diverse backgrounds of belief since the beginning of my Profession. I do offer just one service option that is in place for practicing Christians, Specialized Spiritual Direction, so this post, and writing throughout my website will reflect the language within Christian terminology because Christians are also reading this material and it is very important for them to know. Kindly understand that I also regularly connect with people who do not practice as Christians. With this all in mind, be assured that in all sessions I use only neutral language and I do not ever impose my personal beliefs onto you, the session, or correspondence. This is a trusted promise.
Biblically Founded Guidelines in Anne Marie's Services
PART I
Biblical Verses about Spiritual Gifts
Isaiah 11:2–3
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
Romans 12:3–8
3 For by the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Corinthians 12:8–10
8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits,
Ephesians 4:7–13
7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;
PART II
RIGHT MOTIVE for the use of Charismata
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
"...are given for 'strengthening' and 'edification' (Acts 15:32; Rom. 1:11; Cor. 14:26), for the 'common good' (Rom.12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:7); to know God's purposes (Eph. 1:18-22); so as to be 'pure and blameless' (1 Cor. 1:8; 1:10, cf Col. 1:10), 'than in everything God may be glorified (1 Pt. 4:11). Eph. 4:12 sums up the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit: 'for the equipment of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.' It is explicit that these gifts are employed not simply by or for apostles, but ideally by everyone in the Christian community." (Ruthven, 67)
Quote from
Ruthven, Jon Mark. On the Cessation of Charismata: The Protestant Polemic on Post-Biblical Miracles. Word & Spirit Press. 1993, 2011.
You can read my full Notebook Post on the Cessation of Charismata here:
AND
From Wayne Grudem’s book:
The Gift of Prophecy: In the New Testament and Today. Wayne Grudem. Crossway. 1998, 2000.
"...One who prophesies (as an ordinary congregational apostle by the power of the Holy Spirit) speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation."
(1 Corinthians 14:4 parentheses mine.)
Edification: Latin aedificationem (nominative aedificatio) "construction, the process of building; a building, an edifice," in Late Latin "spiritual improvement," from past participle stem of aedificare "to build". Religious use is as translation of Greek oikodome in I Corinthians xiv.
Exhortation: from Latin exhortationem (nominative exhortatio) "an encouragement."
Consolation: consolari "offer solace, encourage, comfort, cheer."
There is right focus in Grudem's book that the Christian who prophesies is sure to "emphasize Scripture as the place where people can always go to hear the voice of the living God... 'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path' (Ps. 119:105)." (Grudem 226).
You can read my full Notebook Post, which defines “the ordinary congregational one who prophesies” here:
"The Gift of Prophecy" by Wayne Grudem. Context and Substantiation for Our Charismata Services
PART III
O U R C H A R I S M A T A holds no intention that the services offered should supersede the Principles and teachings of Religious traditions.
These services are made possible by Grace and Anne Marie is a steward of them in the name of, for the glory of, Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit.
Anne Marie has been and continues to be in earnest discernment about the Right use of the Spiritual Gifts within her to uplift, edify, and console others.
Doing years of academic study on this topic, Biblical studies, and being counseled by Church elders and pastors, Anne Marie also has a network of practicing Christians to help keep her and her services accountable.
She is always learning and always listening for God's direction with humility.
By reading this, you understand that Our Charismata's services do not exist to contradict the honor, respect, and loving reverence that we owe to God alone.
Services do not add to, change, or contradict the supremacy of Scripture.
Anne Marie has nothing to do with being a Prophet.
Anne Marie does not practice as a soothsayer or diviner as found in the Judeo-Christian scriptural or Spiritist traditions.
Anne Marie does not ever speak in the name of other gods.
Anne Marie does not ever lead people to "worship foreign gods."
Services are not a place of false practices, fortune-telling, tarot, palm-reading, astrology, interpretation of omens and lots, not for the profit of power, not to control the future, not to falsely unveil the future, not to create or nurture an unhealthy curiosity about the future.
These services have nothing to do with spirits, ghosts, channeling, spiritism, psychic phenomenon, necromancy, mediumship, magic, or lottery.
Anne Marie does not offer services as a “pet psychic.” She serves in the authenticated professional field backed by Science and Academic research of Intuitive Interspecies Communicator | Animal Communicator.
Services are not offered here as a substitute for, or to discourage, going first to God at all times; just the opposite.
This service is only to magnify God's, Jesus', and the Holy Spirit's central presence in your Life and our sessions are only a supportive accompaniment to your established Christian faith Life.
An intention with these services is to inspire Praise and further intimacy with God by the witness, as a breakthrough by Grace, of the Holy Spirit.
The right use of the Spiritual Gifts graced to Anne Marie also serve to discern or validate the Spiritual Gifts that are active in you and to provide genuine encouragement for you to
PART IV
Additional Guidelines for Right Practice.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church paras. 2115-2116 & Anne Marie Varrella's Personal Statement of Accord.
The Purpose, Premise, Context, and Substantiation for my services, Anne Marie Varrella, are in accord with the Catechism of the Catholic Church statements 2115-2116.
"DIVINATION AND MAGIC
2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting one's self confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility,
2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance,*** and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving reverence that we owe to God alone."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church paras. 2115-2116.
Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in Accordance with the Official Latin Text Promulgated by Pope John Paul II. Washington, DC.: United States Catholic Conference, 2000. Paragraphs 2115-2116.
For Special Clarification
*** The term "Clairvoyance" in this passage is used interchangeably with "necromancer," "spiritist."
I am thankful to clarify that in Our Charismata, we are using
the precise, root word definition of "clairvoyance," which is literally "clear-seeing" and is related directly to the gifts of the Holy Spirit called Discernment, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Prophecy.
1 Corinthians 12.
Let us meet on the same page: In Our Charismata services, in Specialized Spiritual Direction, clairvoyance, in its true root definition, is not at all necromancy. Nowhere in Our Charismata services is necromancy present, ever. All of what is prohibited in the above Catechism statement is also prohibited in Our Charismata's entire practice.
What is encouraged is also encouraged and applied in Anne Marie's personal practice.
Additionally, I, Anne Marie Varrella, have included this directive from the Catechism to clearly show my agreement with it and how I take great care and responsibility in assuring that my services, my motives, are in accord with God's Law and are in service to One God only. [Deuteronomy 6: 4-9]
PART V
Is "Our Charismata"... "Charismatic?"
NO, my services are not Charismatic.
Kindly understand, respectfully written, that Our Charismata service options and my practice are NOT "CHARISMATIC," as in the Charismatic movement, Charismatic Revival, Renewal, or Neo-Pentecostalism in the Christian Churches and related charismatic fellowship and worship services with the associated "zealous" qualities.
I am simply using the word "Charismata" on its own, which is translated from Greek to mean gifts.
PART VI
Calm and Neutral
All sessions are a peaceful experience. I do not use tools or drugs. I speak clearly in English. I serve to be a faithful, responsible instrument of God's Peace, Gentleness, and Love.
I acknowledge that the services I provide are by the breaking through of God's Grace in my Life for the service of others in Christ, and not by my personal merit.
GALATIANS 5:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit is is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
If you have any questions, please contact me at
© Our Charismata 2024