Quote:
Originally Posted by RevDWW
There are times when I feel I can discern the difference. But I'll leave that up to the Lord and the individual to work out. Now I have seen the real thing a few times. But I try never to tell anyone "You got it". If you have to tell them then there's some sort of issue there wouldn't you think?
Seriously, bad stuff goes on in the name of the miraculous, but that doesn't make Jesus any less powerful does it?
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This gets right to the heart of my concerns. I have no problem with believing that God is powerful. It's silly to say otherwise. I mean, come on, he
created the
universe!
But it bothers me when "bad stuff" happens, like the fake healings and the false hope, and when exaggerations and lies are told about "miracles". When people are told they are healed, when they're not. When people are told the reason they weren't healed is their lack of faith, or hidden sin. Guilt trips and excuses. Nothing good comes out of this.
Now,
can God do miracles today? I think so. But I also say he probably doesn't. Or if he does, it's very rare. But if it's rare, I have to wonder, what is the purpose of miracles? Is it to prove that he is powerful? Or to show us that he loves us? Then I think they'd be quite a bit more common. Consider the danger of thinking he does miracles for us
because he loves us: when he (apparently) does something for us, we're happy. We say "Isn't God good? God really loves me!" But when he
doesn't come through for us, why shouldn't we say "God isn't good", or "God doesn't love me"? Can't have it both ways!
It's more likely that he lets the laws of nature proceed, without much, if any, interference. I think I've heard a saying, something like God's hands are our hands. In other words, he works through us. Through doctors, teachers, ordinary people who love each other and help each other in times of need. We have each other -- we don't need a genie in a lamp!
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