It's not true -- anyone believing in an invisible God that sent His only Son to earth 2,000 years ago has his/her own challenges to face -- but sometimes it seems harder to believe in a modern day miracle-working God than it would another denomination or strain (one that believed that God kind of stayed distant and didn't do miracles with His Spirit through us humans)... I can't quite get my hands around the "company line," though, that says: "God stopped performing miracles (like tongues, healing, raising from the dead, casting out demons) once we had a complete Bible. The miracles that Jesus and His apostles did were only serving the purpose of validating the identity and authority of Jesus. Once that was established, these other things passed away." I can't quite buy that the culmination of God's work was to deliver us His Word. The Bible is an amazing book with incredible authority, accuracy, and power, but it doesn't tell us that its very existence is the grand scheme of God. The bigger picture of His kingdom and the redemption of mankind seems to take that prominent spot.
But I can't claim to know a lot about divine healing. When I got home late last night/morning, I was aggravated over my stabbing/aching back. Almost out of equal parts frustration and desperation, I spoke healing words to my back in the Name and authority of Jesus. I didn't sense a zap of heat or power being applied to my back, but I believed that God could heal me. Since I've been up this morning, I haven't felt that stab of pain. I'm not sure what's happened or if my muscles are just rejuvinated for the time being; and I don't know if I have to keep from doubting or what. This whole "believe and not doubt" thing is kind of weird. The pain I've had just sitting at my computer, though, has been enough to make me not care how I look to a world of reason and "what you see is what you get."
We'll see. I'll write here how I'm feeling tomorrow.
One thing I do know is that I am thankful to God for His many provisions and blessings.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at July 19, 2006 09:53 AMDoug,
I grew up in the Baptist thing. I couldn't reconcile the "gifts of the Spirit were just for the 1st Cent. church" thing either. Who am I to keep God the Almighty from doing whatever He wants. Praise be to God, the God that gives and takes away. Keep up the good work!
A dad that appreciates your work,
Chris