Your thoughts on this....

[Proeliator]

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/101306calif.aspx

I wasnt sure how to think about this.

 

[Bernergirl]

Awesome! I pray that many Christians might find such strength of faith.

God bless,

Lissa

 

[calmcoolandelected]

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/101306calif.aspx

I wasnt sure how to think about this.

I'm always skeptical about this kind of thing. There isn't a way to follow up six months later and see how these healed folks are doing.

CC&E

 

[Proeliator]

I'm always skeptical about this kind of thing. There isn't a way to follow up six months later and see how these healed folks are doing.

CC&E

I agree. Some of the claims they make have too much of a Benny Hinn ring to them.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I do belive God can heal the sick. I have seen it myself. It was not any hype or what not just God healing in answer to believing prayer. I am really sceptical of anything with a lot of hype. Though God could be healing, I would take eveything with a grain of salt or two.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

I do belive God can heal the sick. I have seen it myself. It was not any hype or what not just God healing in answer to believing prayer. I am really sceptical of anything with a lot of hype. Though God could be healing, I would take eveything with a grain of salt or two.

Cajun Hillbilly,

Please don't take this as combative because I don't mean for it to be that way. I do have a question for you though. When you have seen God heal the sick, how did he do that? I guess I am looking for the means used for healing.

CC&E

 

[Paleoconservatarian]

When I hear things like this, the first thing that pops into my mind is, "theology of glory."

"'Heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead,' Clark said. Now, he says it's time to get busy doing it." I'm still waiting for them to claim they've done the last.

 

[rmwilliamsll]

Go back to first principles.

Why did Jesus heal the sick?
Why is the NT full of miracles of healing?

The miracles certified Jesus and the apostles as from God. They formed the physical evidence of heaven coming down to earth, they testify to Jesus as God who can reestablish the Covenant, He can reissue the Mosaic covenant in the NT.

Now do we expect this kind of miracle to be commonplace in the church since then? or marking special times of mercy in God's providence? No, just as giving the Mosaic law had it's miracles that testified to the heavenly nature of the Covenant, the New Covenant is established, the Church is here in the world, and it is the vehicle for the Kingdom to come erupting in this mundane reality.

The problem is that miracles appear to "short circuit" the means of grace. People begin to believe not because the preaching of the Word, the administration of the Sacraments and the proper discipline within the family of God but begin to desire these miracles, these great demonstrations that override "normal reality".

Can God do these miracles? of course. do we expect Him to operate in these ways? no. God has promised that the Church will be a result of long term attention to His means of grace, and these are not special miracleous healings but the healing of providence of the care of souls. these kinds of things distract from and get people fired up to look away from the normal means to these extraordinary means. the glitzy, the flashy are seductive ways to neglect God's established means.

Look at their fruits in the past. They don't last, they don't generate good strong churches that engage with the world. they are primarily individualistic and have no staying power when in the long run the miracles show themselves to be deceptive.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Cajun Hillbilly,

Please don't take this as combative because I don't mean for it to be that way. I do have a question for you though. When you have seen God heal the sick, how did he do that? I guess I am looking for the means used for healing.

CC&E

My mom was extremely sick back in the 70s. I prayed God would heal her and then asked others to pray for her. She just got better. The doctor told her they had no idea what was wrong, but she should have died. God healed her.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

My mom was extremely sick back in the 70s. I prayed God would heal her and then asked others to pray for her. She just got better. The doctor told her they had no idea what was wrong, but she should have died. God healed her.

Thanks for answering my question! I believe God heals in this day and age but more like what you have related in your experience rather than what is going on in the article.

I have health problems and we pray for healing here too. The Lord has sustained me many times. More importantly, he has healed my heart. Our physical and spiritual healing will be completed when we see Him face to face. O Quickly Come!

CC&E

 

[Rick Otto]

to withold a final answer on this.

“Heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead,” Clark said. Now, he says it's time to get busy doing it.
Overstreet says it's exactly what God wants.

Well, maybe not exACTly...
Mat7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

[AndOne]

Can God do these miracles? of course. do we expect Him to operate in these ways? no. God has promised that the Church will be a result of long term attention to His means of grace, and these are not special miracleous healings but the healing of providence of the care of souls. these kinds of things distract from and get people fired up to look away from the normal means to these extraordinary means. the glitzy, the flashy are seductive ways to neglect God's established means.

Look at their fruits in the past. They don't last, they don't generate good strong churches that engage with the world. they are primarily individualistic and have no staying power when in the long run the miracles show themselves to be deceptive.

I didn't read the article - but I guess I'll weigh in on the spiritual gift of healing - being the resident "third waver" here.

I've never seen a miraculous healing - nor have I spoken in toungues. I do not believe however that the gifts of the spirit have ceased. The problem is that the whole thing has been abused and misused in our generation. But that does not mean that the gifts have necessarily ceased - and there is no clear cut indication in scripture that they have either. Just because we have been witness to these abuses in our age does not mean that the gifts of the spirit could not occur again - or are not occurring.

If the gifts had ceased I don't believe that the Lord would have allowed passages like 1 Corinthians 12 to make it into the canon.

The concerns menioned in the above quote are valid - I make no argument against them (with the exception that God wouldn't operate miraculously in our age, of course), but before you throw the baby out with the bath water check out the folks who are ready to employ the gifts from both a responsible and scriptural standpoint. Guys like Wayne Grudem and C. J. Mahaney, for example. Even John Piper is open to the gifts. He has allowed Sam Storms, and Grudem both to speak on this very issue at Bethlehem Baptist.

 

[oworm]

I perused the link and the associated link to bethel church. As I type Im listening to "Pastor" Johnsons latest "sermon".
In both I have neither read nor heard anything of the central message of the gospel.
Earlier today I listened to Alistair Begg addressing a pastors conference on ministry. Todays message focused on the centrality of the cross in preaching.
Im already 15 minutes into the "sermon" and all I've heard so far are accounts of mere men performing healings and miracles.
After fast forwarding to 30 minutes Im dumfounded to hear the words " I have no interest in becoming like Job, As great a man as he was. The only part of his life that we read about was that he wasn't born again. This couldnt happen till Jesus died and rose from the dead" Evidence of a kind of homespun theology methinks?
Anyway. Its not for me to decide whether the man is regenerate or will be but I will close my post with the words of Him whose words and actions can be trusted:

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Matt 7:21-23