Comments on: Too much faith

By: Karen O

Karen O — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:07:51 +0000

Okay, here’s another way of asking my question - Do we associate prayer for healing so much with the “Prosperity gospel” that we hesitate to believe God will heal us?

If one is ill or injured or dying it is perfectly acceptable to cry out, “Oh Father, please heal me!”

This does not mean that the one crying out only wants healing & won’t accept whatever else God sends. True faith & trust accepts whatever comes from His hand, but still asks for what we want.

As Dick wrote above, “He was prepared for anything Jesus would provide but was also confident to ask for his heart’s desire.”

By: Make it Man

Make it Man — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:53:58 +0000

As I read through the posts here I begin to remember something that struck me several months ago. We Americans (especially) tend to pray for healing, jobs, and things. We pray in “grocery lists” as if we were shopping.

I believe prayer is so much more than that. If you look at the prayers of Paul and the prayers of Jesus, you rarely see the “gimme” attitude we have.

Try praying through those prayers and see if it doesn’t change your perspective…

By: Dick Friedrich

Dick Friedrich — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:51:59 +0000

Faith is not about us - having too little or too much. It’s about God at work and our sight or lack thereof. This is not semantics. Do some have better sight than others? Of course, but it is not a limitation on God’s work in any case. Genesis 18:17 is instructive to this point and is often neglected in discussions of Abraham’s prayers that follow in the story. A passage like Luke 8:9-10 teaches the same principle in the new testament.

Even a passage like Luke 7:1-10 which would seem to be contradictory affirms that it is Jesus who is relevant not his own circumstances or motives. He had a sight that went beyond the superficial circumstances and was not based on the strength of his own passions or knowledge. He was acknowledging the complete authority of Jesus, refusing to acknowledge ANY constraints on what Jesus would or could do. He was prepared for anything Jesus would provide but was also confident to ask for his heart’s desire.

By: grandma

grandma — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:25:11 +0000

Spinoza,

I sometimes get those tingly feelings when I exersise. I found I need to drink more water. Maybe you could give that a try. Unless you really do want to fall over backwards so you can have that “religious experience”!

I agree with your #19 post. “It rains on the just and the unjust.”

Biasedbulldog, I see you understand the difference between the “theology of glory” (prosperity, health, and all good things) and the theology of the cross (Christ crucified).

By: biasedbulldog

biasedbulldog — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:53:04 +0000

“Do we doubt that God will heal us? Not doubt that He can, but He that will?”

Physically? In this life?

Absolutely.

He absolutely can. But God will do as He sees fit, and physical healing may or may not fit into those plans. So I certainly do question whether or not God will do things in a particular way. Any other claim to know the specifics of the mind of God should probably take a step back and reconsider.

We absolutely have a Scriptural promise of physical renewal and rebirth… but that hope is the Cross and Resurrection.

By: Spinoza

Spinoza — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:26:32 +0000

Yeah - I do remember lots of “tingling” and “calming” sensations. They come back very easily in my Tai Chi class, and I still have to concentrate to keep from falling over backwards in some kind of religious ecstasy. Of course my instructor chalks this all up to a flow of “Chi”.

By: Karen O

Karen O — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:15:21 +0000

I have not been “slain in the Spirit”, but I have witnessed this happening every now & then in our church.

One woman later gave a testimony about her experience. She had been stressed & “had the ‘hurries’ ” for a while. While lying on her back on the floor, she experienced God’s peace flowing over & through her body.

Later in the week, going about her daily life, she realized that God had taken “the hurries” away, & she was much calmer.

By: Spinoza

Spinoza — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:13:33 +0000

#27 Yeah I’ve been both slain and slayer (apologies to Buffy fans). I can’t really say that I ever felt a miraculous power knock me over; more of a hypnotic relaxation and faint. I think there really is “hypnosis” heavily involved, but I’m not sure that’s much of an explanation.

People used to argue whether the “slaying of the spirit” was scriptural; the going quote was just an example from the Johannine “I am” sayings:

John 18:6 - When he said to them, “I am (he),” they drew back and fell to the ground.

But I don’t see this as really exemplified by modern charismatic practice.

By: TomBob

TomBob — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:05:00 +0000

#27
that is strange…

i have no experience with it, but it sounds pretty crazy.

By: TomBob

TomBob — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:03:15 +0000

#25
But every once in awhile there would be a rather powerful claim like a reversal of Myasthenia Gravis. I still don’t know what I think of that.
I have also seen a non-Charismatic Baptist thrown across the room when I “laid on hands” for the “slaying of the spirit.” That was very weird!
————

fair enough…
thanks for the clarification.