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Jesus wondered if there would be any faith on earth when he came back. With the faith of a mustard seed you can move a mountain. Jesus said that he that believed, the same works would he do as Jesus Himself did, and greater. Faith is compared to gold, which is rare and precious.

For thousands of years people thought about flying, but did not. It wasn't until very recently in time that anyone flew. In all of time it was as possible to fly as it is now, but nobody knew how. An airplane must have all of it's components, plus fuel to fly. Take out any one of many important parts, or change them in the least, and it will not take off.

Faith, I believe, is like this. One must believe correctly, and live correctly, before Almighty God, for Him to answer you with mighty works, impossible apart from His intervention. To have faith, one must believe, and believing defies everything that one has experienced, or has known about the natural world and much of it's history. One, in all reality, must believe in God's ability, and His willingness to do works, that go way beyond our common understanding of how the material world operates.

Because not very many mighty, nature defying, completely unexplainable, apart from God's intervention, feats of faith have been seen or experienced, doesn't mean that they are any less possible then flight by man. It means that few know what it means to believe in God in such a way that He will perform them.

17 posted on 08/18/2012 12:33:09 AM PDT by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: Bellflower

re: “Because not very many mighty, nature defying, completely unexplainable, apart from God’s intervention, feats of faith have been seen or experienced, doesn’t mean that they are any less possible then flight by man. It means that few know what it means to believe in God in such a way that He will perform them.”

No one is denying that God can heal - but, it is according to His will and purpose, not ours.

If you know the scriptures, you’ve read of Paul’s asking God to heal him of an infirmity - but, God said no to Paul,

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

You guys who preach that healing is a given if only you have the right kind of faith, live the right kind of life, if only you practice/understood real faith, if only you did this or that - you would experience healing.

You take Jesus’s words and twist them out of their context and put burdens on people making them think they are deficient in their faith, that they are the reason they are still suffering. That is sick and the Lord will rebuke you one day for adding to people’s suffering with your unscriptural teachings.

I think most charismatics mean well, but wrong is wrong and you are hurting people’s faith and their spirit, adding to their suffering. God does NOT HEAL everyone. Yes, God does, in His mercy, often heal, remove consequences that we rightfully deserve. God can do anything He wants, but He is not OBLIGATED to heal - that is up to Him.

Yes, faith is absolutely important and the lack of it can be a barrier to receiving all that God wants us to do for Him. Someone quoted Jesus’s words, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven”, saying that this means because no one is sick or hurting in heaven means that it can be that way on earth just for the asking, by faith.

That passage is not talking about that at all. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He gave them what is often called the Lord’s Prayer. That phrase, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven” is a request. It is a declaration of devotion and desire on our part, as His children, that God’s will be done on the earth, just as it always is in Heaven. This recognizes that not everything that happens on this earth may be God’s moral will - even though He ulimately works all things into obedience to His will.

An example of this is when Jesus was praying over Jerusalem in Luke 13:34 -

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”

Notice Jesus says “how often would I have gathered thy children together. . ., and ye would not!” Jesus desired, He WANTED the people of Jerusalem to turn to Him in belief and obedience so He could protect them and save them, but they refused.

This may open a can of worms with our Calvinsit brothers, but that is not my intent or desire at this point in the discussion. I’m just trying to point out that not everything we want, even if asked in faith, in proper attitude, proper understanding, proper living of a holy life - sometimes God just says “No”. He has His reasons and He doesn’t always tell us what those reasons are.

Please, my charismatic friends, stop adding burdens and added suffering to those God choses not to heal - ultimately we will all be “as He is” in Heaven one day. Maranatha, Lord Jesus!


19 posted on 08/18/2012 2:13:49 AM PDT by rusty schucklefurd
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To: Bellflower

this is just out right bad theology


28 posted on 08/18/2012 10:09:21 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: Bellflower

Thank you Bellflower for your comment.


48 posted on 08/18/2012 9:46:36 PM PDT by Frank Broom
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