That's nice. Blame the people who come into our services with hope for a healing and a miracle if we can't produce. I have seen literally hundreds of people run out of Pentecostal churches because they "lacked faith" to get a miracle done in their lives.
The Pentecostal/Apostolic movement chews up and spits outs thousands of people every year rather than admit that most times no miracle will be forthcoming no matter what. Instead of admitting that there's something wrong with our doctrine, we tell other people that there's something wrong with them. And then we shun them and exile them rather than come to terms with our own inability to live up to the fantasy world that we have created.
Why don't we find a single Stephen alive today? Acts 6:8.
And... if you want to bring some one forth as "proof" - I will want some proof as well.
Hey don't blame me, just quoting scripture.
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Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Was the flood story a parable? If so, what are we supposed to learn from it? Earlier in the thread, NotforSale mentioned the use of the story as a fear tactic: toe the line, or else! If that's not its purpose, what is?
For that matter, if it's literal, what are we supposed to learn from it? The story is a bit less nonsensical than the Garden of Eden story, though, have to admit. Everyone's evil, 'cept the Noah family. OK, so destroy everyone 'cept them. With a flood. But don't endanger any species! So, Noah, make a really big boat. The lesson? Ummmmm, God doesn't like evil people? Really, really doesn't like them?
Yeah, that makes sense.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I don't know about 'sought', but there were plenty that he passed each day and didn't heal. When Jesus was at the pool of Bethesda, he only healed one man, apparently. But there were many sick there, according to the account.
The man who received healing in Acts chapter 3 had been sitting at that gate for years. How many times did Jesus pass him?
After Jesus singled out and healed one man at the pool of Bethesda, He said, "So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does." John 5:19
In Luke 4 after Jesus read the Scripture and said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears," He went on and said:
23... “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. 25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.” Luke 4:23-27. Here it seems He is saying not all are healed or not all receive a miracle. Other places it is recorded that He healed all.
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Sam also known as Jim Ellis
Apostolic in doctrine
Pentecostal in experience
Charismatic in practice
Non-denominational in affiliation
Inter-denominational in fellowship
For that matter, if it's literal, what are we supposed to learn from it? The story is a bit less nonsensical than the Garden of Eden story, though, have to admit. Everyone's evil, 'cept the Noah family. OK, so destroy everyone 'cept them. With a flood. But don't endanger any species! So, Noah, make a really big boat. The lesson? Ummmmm, God doesn't like evil people? Really, really doesn't like them?
Yeah, that makes sense.
There are many facets to understanding the ancient literature - and even then most scholars admit that they don't really understand it all completely.
One important theme was that life can be brutally complicated and that it will throw you a lot of circumstances that defy understanding. Now, how do you convey that thought in a story?
One way would be to have the characters in your story experience things that are beyond their comprehension. That may not give me a pithy little way to sum things up, but it does give me some confidence and faith that if my forebears went through some pretty weird and incomprehensible stuff and lived to pass along their genetic material, then I'll probably get through the stuff that I'm having to endure right now.
Job never did get an explanation for what he went through. But he went through it. Came out scarred and battered, but he came through it. In the end, the only message that resonates from that is when Job confessed to being speechless.
There are many facets to understanding the ancient literature - and even then most scholars admit that they don't really understand it all completely.
One important theme was that life can be brutally complicated and that it will throw you a lot of circumstances that defy understanding. Now, how do you convey that thought in a story?
One way would be to have the characters in your story experience things that are beyond their comprehension. . . .
If that's the point, then, well, shoot, I coulda thought up a better parable than that!
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Wow. If one's faith gets them healed, then is it really to God's credit or do we get to brag about it?
Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. . . . 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Mark 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Acts 14:9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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