Cause and effect have a real problem with Word.
How formed was the church on the first day of its existence?
Fully formed
How formed was Israel the nation, the day they crossed into Canaan?
Fully formed, the Giants were keeping the houses and farms warm for them.
How formed was Adam on the first day of his life?
He was a fully formed man
How formed was the earth in its six stages of being created?
Supposing 13.7 billion years is just our theory.
How long does a miracle take, and is it scientific?
Showing posts with label Miracles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miracles. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 June 2018
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Ecumenism- a better definition, and Spiritual Gifts
I added a comment to The Interfaith Amigos, ecumenism, and Christmas blessings post.
Interestingly I was coming from the angle of belief in spiritual gifts. So I was very interested to read Dan's comment today too in the light of his first pastor's current opinions. (Staggeringly, this was the same pastor that used to drive Ern Baxter all over the country.)So I reproduce my comment then Dan's post.
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"I think interfaith means being willing to penetrate the seemingly impenetrable walls that surround each of our traditions, to locate three things: the universals that transcend those boundaries, the things we really have in common... second, the particulars in each of our traditions that support those core teachings; and third, the particulars that don't."
Let alone "other faiths", Christians have a hard time talking with each other. And this was why the ecumenical movement began. But most of our agegroup who, like me were brought up in denominational churches, who experienced a real conversion in some revival or other, have found it so hard to achieve the above in ecumenical settings. For example, why would I discuss healing with a liberal theologian Anglican who does not believe that a miracle ever occurred...that in fact they were just exaggerated distortions that grew like Chinese whispers...why would I want to spend the time of day with such a man...save to try and describe how people have been instantly healed either when I have prayed for them or countless others have? What about one of those amazing Jewish war stories where an old man lifts a truck off the top of someone who is trapped underneath? I have seen and known this sort of weirdness...but in an ecumenical setting...what can you say without offending people...especially the English, where you run the risk of shattering their whole little world view, having been raised on Darwin,Bertrand Russell,and now Dawkins. The sooner we "add" to our Enlightenment world view over here the possibility of a God invading our time and space, the better. As I have been writing on my blog....Thank God for the weirdness of modern physics which shatters most of our beliefs of the last 2 centuries.
Well that's a private rant "inhouse". As regards the Jewish faith,anything Christians come up with HAS TO in some way be underlined by Old Testament writings. If we believe God is the same God...then we have to believe the way that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob broke through in their experience as humans, with this God, is somehow reflected in the Christianity we now live.I write about this here....oh and Dire Straits too....http://080808onnowto.blogspot.com/2009/10/world-famous-evangelist-mark-knopfler.html
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Disobeying Commands?
Something occured to me yesterday. Traditionally in the charismatic/cessationist debate, we charismatics are always accused of being "frothy" and "experience-obsessed" while cessationists pride themselves on honouring and being committed to "the Word". And in the debate is often based around; "I experienced this" and the response; "It doesn't matter - your experience is irrelevant - they've ceased".However there ARE a number of Scriptures that cessationists have never answered. If these Scriptures are to be read as they appear then many so-called "men and women of the Book" are being disobedient to the very Word of God that they claim to honour and revere. Here's two that spring to my mind;1. 1 Thessalonians 5:20; "Do not despise prophetic utterances".So does not Stanley Jebb's statement; "Calling silly remarks prophecy" come dangerously close to despising what actually may be prophetic utterances? That does not mean of course that "silly remarks" never happen - of course they do. But I would not like to put myself in the position of being guilty of despising this gift of the Holy Spirit and thus quenching Him.2. 1 Timothy 1:18; "This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight".Again to cite Stanley Jebb (only because he is the cessationist I probably most know and most read) - he writes; "So, since the final word has been spoken, such signs are neither necessary nor possible". Necessary? Possible? So how does this take into account this clear instruction from Paul the apostle (and writer of most of the New Testament) that there is a degree to which the gift of prophecy is ESSENTIAL for fighting a good Christian fight? Is this not a clear reason as to why the Word of God tells us not to despise prophecy?And finally - a verse that a former friend of mine and former blogger - Jesse Phillips - used to base a lot of his writing on;3. 1 Corinthians 14:1: "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy".Of course love is our primary calling (lest cessationists accuse me of ignoring the context of 1 Corinthians 13) but what of this command - clear command - of Scripture to "desire earnestly" spirituals but ESPECIALLY that we may prophecy? When did you or I last hear from the pulpit a sermon exhorting us to eagerly desire the bestowing of spiritual gifts but especially prophecy?Just a few Christmas thoughts of mine. For me personally I want to ensure that 2010 is a year of heeding these commands of Scripture - that I honour prophecy and use them as a God-given grace gift to fight a good fight and thereby eagerly desiring especially prophecy.
Interestingly I was coming from the angle of belief in spiritual gifts. So I was very interested to read Dan's comment today too in the light of his first pastor's current opinions. (Staggeringly, this was the same pastor that used to drive Ern Baxter all over the country.)So I reproduce my comment then Dan's post.
=====================
"I think interfaith means being willing to penetrate the seemingly impenetrable walls that surround each of our traditions, to locate three things: the universals that transcend those boundaries, the things we really have in common... second, the particulars in each of our traditions that support those core teachings; and third, the particulars that don't."
Let alone "other faiths", Christians have a hard time talking with each other. And this was why the ecumenical movement began. But most of our agegroup who, like me were brought up in denominational churches, who experienced a real conversion in some revival or other, have found it so hard to achieve the above in ecumenical settings. For example, why would I discuss healing with a liberal theologian Anglican who does not believe that a miracle ever occurred...that in fact they were just exaggerated distortions that grew like Chinese whispers...why would I want to spend the time of day with such a man...save to try and describe how people have been instantly healed either when I have prayed for them or countless others have? What about one of those amazing Jewish war stories where an old man lifts a truck off the top of someone who is trapped underneath? I have seen and known this sort of weirdness...but in an ecumenical setting...what can you say without offending people...especially the English, where you run the risk of shattering their whole little world view, having been raised on Darwin,Bertrand Russell,and now Dawkins. The sooner we "add" to our Enlightenment world view over here the possibility of a God invading our time and space, the better. As I have been writing on my blog....Thank God for the weirdness of modern physics which shatters most of our beliefs of the last 2 centuries.
Well that's a private rant "inhouse". As regards the Jewish faith,anything Christians come up with HAS TO in some way be underlined by Old Testament writings. If we believe God is the same God...then we have to believe the way that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob broke through in their experience as humans, with this God, is somehow reflected in the Christianity we now live.I write about this here....oh and Dire Straits too....http://080808onnowto.blogspot.com/2009/10/world-famous-evangelist-mark-knopfler.html
====================
Disobeying Commands?
Something occured to me yesterday. Traditionally in the charismatic/cessationist debate, we charismatics are always accused of being "frothy" and "experience-obsessed" while cessationists pride themselves on honouring and being committed to "the Word". And in the debate is often based around; "I experienced this" and the response; "It doesn't matter - your experience is irrelevant - they've ceased".However there ARE a number of Scriptures that cessationists have never answered. If these Scriptures are to be read as they appear then many so-called "men and women of the Book" are being disobedient to the very Word of God that they claim to honour and revere. Here's two that spring to my mind;1. 1 Thessalonians 5:20; "Do not despise prophetic utterances".So does not Stanley Jebb's statement; "Calling silly remarks prophecy" come dangerously close to despising what actually may be prophetic utterances? That does not mean of course that "silly remarks" never happen - of course they do. But I would not like to put myself in the position of being guilty of despising this gift of the Holy Spirit and thus quenching Him.2. 1 Timothy 1:18; "This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight".Again to cite Stanley Jebb (only because he is the cessationist I probably most know and most read) - he writes; "So, since the final word has been spoken, such signs are neither necessary nor possible". Necessary? Possible? So how does this take into account this clear instruction from Paul the apostle (and writer of most of the New Testament) that there is a degree to which the gift of prophecy is ESSENTIAL for fighting a good Christian fight? Is this not a clear reason as to why the Word of God tells us not to despise prophecy?And finally - a verse that a former friend of mine and former blogger - Jesse Phillips - used to base a lot of his writing on;3. 1 Corinthians 14:1: "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy".Of course love is our primary calling (lest cessationists accuse me of ignoring the context of 1 Corinthians 13) but what of this command - clear command - of Scripture to "desire earnestly" spirituals but ESPECIALLY that we may prophecy? When did you or I last hear from the pulpit a sermon exhorting us to eagerly desire the bestowing of spiritual gifts but especially prophecy?Just a few Christmas thoughts of mine. For me personally I want to ensure that 2010 is a year of heeding these commands of Scripture - that I honour prophecy and use them as a God-given grace gift to fight a good fight and thereby eagerly desiring especially prophecy.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Muchos Milagros - A nice problem to have!!!
This is taken from Kingdom Power on the Street. A nice problem to have! Bring it on Lord over here!
Muchos Milagros
Miracles are normal. The supernatural has become natural. So normal and so natural in fact that it’s now difficult to muster up enthusiasm for the every day miracles that God is doing. Things like the ankles, backs, legs and diseases that run when we pray or the sinner that gets convicted by the Prophetic and gives their life to Jesus. That’s wrong, I know, but it’s a problem we’re dealing with. It’s a better problem than no healing and no power, but it is a problem. We can’t be ungrateful, we must not be ungrateful. Every healing and every miracle is a testament to God’s goodness and His great love for us and the people we are ministering to. Every soul saved and life delivered is a present tense, now demonstration of the power of the gospel.So how do you fight becoming familiar with victory? How do you fight off what I term “Victory Fatigue”? You have to reach back into your history and attempt to remember what it was like when they didn’t get healed, when they didn’t get saved or didn’t get delivered. You have to drum up the old feelings of fear about talking to a stranger or insecurity that are so now long forgotten. Boldness is now the norm. I’m continually encouraged by the new and exciting ways our folks are pressing in and contending for more, but the water level has been raised. We’re not going back to where we were, we can never go back to where we used to be. There’s more, there’s so much more. We know this, we need this. Yet on our way to what is promised we must cherish what has already been realized or we risk losing it.So we tell the testimonies and as we do so, we put ourselves in the shoes of the person we’re praying for and we rejoice. We thank God for what He is doing and has done. We are pressing in for more, but we are honoring what He is doing among us.Check it out.
Posted by Ryan Lawson at 12:00 PM
Muchos Milagros
Miracles are normal. The supernatural has become natural. So normal and so natural in fact that it’s now difficult to muster up enthusiasm for the every day miracles that God is doing. Things like the ankles, backs, legs and diseases that run when we pray or the sinner that gets convicted by the Prophetic and gives their life to Jesus. That’s wrong, I know, but it’s a problem we’re dealing with. It’s a better problem than no healing and no power, but it is a problem. We can’t be ungrateful, we must not be ungrateful. Every healing and every miracle is a testament to God’s goodness and His great love for us and the people we are ministering to. Every soul saved and life delivered is a present tense, now demonstration of the power of the gospel.So how do you fight becoming familiar with victory? How do you fight off what I term “Victory Fatigue”? You have to reach back into your history and attempt to remember what it was like when they didn’t get healed, when they didn’t get saved or didn’t get delivered. You have to drum up the old feelings of fear about talking to a stranger or insecurity that are so now long forgotten. Boldness is now the norm. I’m continually encouraged by the new and exciting ways our folks are pressing in and contending for more, but the water level has been raised. We’re not going back to where we were, we can never go back to where we used to be. There’s more, there’s so much more. We know this, we need this. Yet on our way to what is promised we must cherish what has already been realized or we risk losing it.So we tell the testimonies and as we do so, we put ourselves in the shoes of the person we’re praying for and we rejoice. We thank God for what He is doing and has done. We are pressing in for more, but we are honoring what He is doing among us.Check it out.
KINGDOM INVADES THE GAME
This testimony came in from Erin. They were at a high school football game recently and were having a slow night. So what did they do? They decided to liven things up!"Several of us were in a group...we walked around for a bit...talked to a few people and nothing happened. Now, when I say "nothing happened" I mean, we gave some people prophetic words, and they were totally right on. We prayed for them, etc. But nothing really "took off". :)So, I had this thought, "I'm not leaving until either something happens, or I preach the gospel to all of these kids".Sooo, I stood up on the stone wall and shouted "Hey guys! I have some awesome news! Jesus is King and the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"I then told them we were here to prove it, and asked them if they needed healing, etc. They didn't, but they had friends and family that needed healing. So we prayed for them---which kind if got the attention of some kids... Bottom line, an hour later we were still there---healing kid’s ankles, knees, and hands. We taught the kids that since Jesus healed them, they had authority over that particular thing now. And we encouraged them to heal their friends and themselves...which they did!!! And their friends got healed! It was awesome!!!"TELL THEM THEN SHOW THEM
An outreach team was in a local neighborhood and ran across a group of about 8-10 young people and started prophesying over them, releasing the Kingdom and telling them about the power of God.A few minutes later, they went into the home of a lady we have been ministering to for several weeks and found out that she had injured her wrist, was in severe pain and was wearing a wrist brace. Not content to merely tell them about the power of God, they decided to SHOW the young people what they were just talking about. They called the kids and had them pray for the lady with the injured wrist. It was healed INSTANTLY! No pain, full mobility and she gave us the wrist brace! It's been added to the trophy wall!LUMP DISSOLVED, ANKLE HEALED
One of our outreach teams prayed for a woman that had several lumps in her breast. After coming back they found that she had gone to the doctors, had a mammogram and the lumps had dissolved!They also found out that she had pain in her ankle for the last 5 years after breaking it in an accident in two places. She couldn't go up or down stairs or put pressure on that foot and her toes wouldn't bend very far and always felt like they needed to pop but wouldn't. We prayed and she tested it out and she then went up and down stairs 3 times with no pain and then she moved her toes in like she couldn't before and when she moved them every time they would pop!HOLY GHOST HIP REPLACEMENT
An outreach team was in a local neighborhood and prayed for a lady with severe hip pain during an equipping event we hosted recently. As they prayed for her, all pain left and she was able to walk normally without pain or lack of mobility. But that's not the best part...The team came back a couple of weeks later only to find that she had been to the Doctors and demonstrated her lack of pain and mobility to her doctor. The Doctor was so surprised that he ordered a batch of X-Rays to see what had changed. What our outreach team did not know was that she had no cartilage in her hip, which was the cause of her pain. She was actually scheduled to have hip replacement surgery.The doctor verified that where she once had NO cartilage, she now had PERFECT CARTILAGE! She is now pain free and has cut down on many of her once needed medications.Come on Jesus!Posted by Ryan Lawson at 12:00 PM
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