How Does your Faith Influence the Choices You Make In Your Life?

[Jaebius]

Here is a more obvious case of divine guidance. Around 1990 I had just finished teaching an overload of Theology courses at St. Bonaventure U., where I taught for 12 years and was eager for a restful vacation. But that Friday I became obsessed with the awareness of an impending death that would affect me. All weekend, I tried to dismiss this knowledge as paranoia, yet the more I tried, the more insistent it became. I began to fear that a family member might die. On Monday morning, I rushed towards the door to the outside, determined to forget my clairvoyance and go out for breakfast.

Just as I arrived at the door, an inner voice shouted, "SIT DOWN; YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR OF THE DEATH!" Startled, I sat down by the phone on a little table by the door and immediately the phone rang. It was Dr. Winifred Whelan, the Chair of the Graduate Theology Dept. She informed me that Prof. Corcoran had failed to show up for his summer Masters course on Pauline Theology. So she went and knocked on the door of the university apartment where he was staying as a visiting scholar. When no one answered, she got a key to unlock the door and found Prof. Corcoran dead in bed. It was later learned that he died of diabetic shock. Dr Whelan then told me that the students were waiting to hear if the class needed to be canceled and I was the only professor around trained to teach that course without advance notice. Would I interrupt my vacation and do it? How could I say No? The lord had been preparing my heart to say Yes all weekend. So agreed to teach that course.

It almost sounds to me, Mystic, like you consider yourself to be some kind of prophet

 

[Luce NDs]

How many fantasies lead us to the abstract that we are "it" ... such is the seamy and sordid process of power as it drains itself without coherence ... if we just had the grasp to comprehend such fantasies when we are so small in the entire spread and stretch! There some stitches are required and determined dilemma ... and life is thus all sewn up and over with ... often before we see it coming ... what? Ah quie ... as Aequian it flows ... stuff that floats as oule ... Aule?

Its a bi gun ... and there it was gone also ... as the old saying goes: "everything goes" and thus the power departed ... but some are determined there is not end to the sordid chore ... they toil on for position and Pic ζ else ... kind 've out of here now ... as they can't take complex and do not settle with simple they remain disorganized ad passion does ... loess 't form ... still sordid! When encountering the blazes ... back off for God's ache ... HEH's kohl'n off ... for the next flipping disaster ...

You can almost smell the ode ere ... and they wonder HU was roasted? TU late ... still seamy ... many complementary clove time s' ages l.ke ... entertaining images? Yah can catch eM in the dark ...

 

[Mystic]

It almost sounds to me, Mystic, like you consider yourself to be some kind of prophet""Earnestly strive for spiritual gifts, EXPECIALLY THAT YOU MAY PROPHESY (1 Corinthians 14:1)."

"Earnestly strive for spiritual gifts, ESPECIALLY THAT YOU MAY PROPHESY (1 Corinthians 14:1);
"I want you all to speak in tongues, BUT EVEN MORE TO POPHESY (1 Corinthians 14:5)."
"YOU CAN ALL P;ROPHESY one by one (1 Corinthians 14:31)."

One of the blessings of being raised Pentecostal is that we were encouraged to spend hours in prayer seeking God's blessings. Despite the excesses, prophetic gifts abounded. I've experienced the gift of prophesy several times, but but not often enough to consider myself a prophet. I eventually became a United Methodist because I could no longer accept the Pentecostal doctrine of biblical inerrancy. I will provide more examples, but first I want to further clarify how my charismatic experiences fit the context of this faith thread.

 

[chansen]

It almost sounds to me, Mystic, like you consider yourself to be some kind of prophet

What, the guy who claims he can heal your kid, maybe thinks he's a prophet?

Nahhh.

 

[Mystic]

What, the guy who claims he can heal your kid, maybe thinks he's a prophet?

Nahhh.

I have been part of prayer groups that prayed for babies whom doctors said would never leave the hospital alive--and they were instantly healed.
But I have unfortunately never witnessed a healing miracle of a child or adult through my individual prayers. God has not seen fit to give my what Paul describes as "the gift of healing."

 

[chansen]

"The gift of being an a**hole" was all he had left, eh?

 

[Pavlos Maros]

Maybe next time the doctors can just prescribe you or the bible and call it a day!

 

[Mendalla]

"Take two scripture verses and call me in the morning," would be interesting but probably result in me finding a new doctor (not that it is possible to do so in this city)

 

[Mystic]

You must learn to read. The Scriptures I quoted encourage pursuit of the gift of prophecy, not the gift of healing. Jesus' thought was somewhat shaped by Sirach (e. g . 28:2) in the Catholic Old Testament. Consider what Sirach teaches about the proper relationship between faith healing and medicine:

"My child, when you are ill, do not delay, but pray to the Lord and He will heal you.... Then give the physician his place; for the Lord created him;... for you need him... There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians. (Sirach 38:9-13)."

 

[Jaebius]

"Earnestly strive for spiritual gifts, ESPECIALLY THAT YOU MAY PROPHESY (1 Corinthians 14:1);
"I want you all to speak in tongues, BUT EVEN MORE TO POPHESY (1 Corinthians 14:5)."
"YOU CAN ALL P;ROPHESY one by one (1 Corinthians 14:31)."

One of the blessings of being raised Pentecostal is that we were encouraged to spend hours in prayer seeking God's blessings. Despite the excesses, prophetic gifts abounded. I've experienced the gift of prophesy several times, but but not often enough to consider myself a prophet. I eventually became a United Methodist because I could no longer accept the Pentecostal doctrine of biblical inerrancy. I will provide more examples, but first I want to further clarify how my charismatic experiences fit the context of this faith thread.

That's interesting, Mystic. I think it's great that you're open to sharing with us that which you believe to be true.

In that same spirit, allow me to say that I'm a cessationist. I'm one who believes that certain gifts, including that of prophecy, are no longer distributed by the Holy Spirit.

"Love will always continue. The gift to speak messages from God will not always be necessary. The gift to speak in different languages will stop one day. The gift to know special things will not always be necessary. At this time, we know only a part of everything. We can only speak a part of God's whole message. But a time will come when everything becomes complete. When God does that, we will not need the small parts that we have now." - 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (EASY)

That's a major reason why, when I hear or read stories involving prophetic words, I'm skeptical.

The great thing, though, is that despite our different views on gifts, we can still be united in Christ

 

[Luce NDs]

Then one begins to wonder why some of us believe in nothing ... and yet nothing is out there ... right?

It is vast and wholly ... at least somewhat fuzzy! Much like Paully and his fall from the 'oerse ... literary squeeze ... thus ju' ICE'd ...

 

[Mystic]

That's interesting, Mystic. I think it's great that you're open to sharing with us that which you believe to be true.

In that same spirit, allow me to say that I'm a cessationist. I'm one who believes that certain gifts, including that of prophecy, are no longer distributed by the Holy Spirit.

"Love will always continue. The gift to speak messages from God will not always be necessary. The gift to speak in different languages will stop one day. The gift to know special things will not always be necessary. At this time, we know only a part of everything. We can only speak a part of God's whole message. But a time will come when everything becomes complete. When God does that, we will not need the small parts that we have now." - 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (EASY)

That's a major reason why, when I hear or read stories involving prophetic words, I'm skeptical.

The great thing, though, is that despite our different views on gifts, we can still be united in Christ

I challenge you to start a separate thread defending cessationism. More specifically, I challenge you to find even one academic book commentary on just one biblical book like 1 Corinthians that defends cessationism. If God doesn't or can't perform miracles today, the reasonable inference is that God didn't or couldn't perform miracles in the apostolic age.

 

[Jaebius]

I challenge you to start a separate thread defending cessationism. More specifically, I challenge you to find even one academic book commentary on just one biblical book like 1 Corinthians that defends cessationism. If God doesn't or can't perform miracles today, the reasonable inference is that God didn't or couldn't perform miracles in the apostolic age.

Am disappointed, Mystic, that you replied not at all to my comment that we, despite our different pov on gifts can still be united in Christ.

As for your challenge, I'd accept it only under certain conditions, one of which is that you not be the arbiter of wat constitutes "an academic book commentary."

By the way, kindly don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say that I believe that God can't perform miracles today. I fully believe that God is omnipotent

 

[Mystic]

Am disappointed, Mystic, that you replied not at all to my comment that we, despite our different pov on gifts can still be united in Christ.

As for your challenge, I'd accept it only under certain conditions, one of which is that you not be the arbiter of wat constitutes "an academic book commentary."

I specified only that the Comentary you cite be scholarly, i. e. that it discusses the original Greek in detail and that it be a book on just one NT book like 1 Corinthians and not on several NT books.

By the way, kindly don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say that I believe that God can't perform miracles today. I fully believe that God is omnipotent

I didn't put words in your mouth; rather, I shared the inference I'd draw if I believeed miraclse no longer happen.

 

[Jaebius]

I specified only that the Comentary you cite be scholarly, i. e. that it discusses the original Greek in detail and that it be a book on just one NT book like 1 Corinthians and not on several NT books.

And, again, I stated, "I'd accept it only under certain conditions, one of which is that you not be the arbiter of what constitutes 'an academic book commentary.'"

I didn't put words in your mouth; rather, I shared the inference I'd draw if I believeed miraclse no longer happen.

You suggested that I hold that God's unable to perform miracles. That's something which I neither inferred nor stated. I fully believe that God's omnipotent

 

[Mystic]

And, again, I stated, "I'd accept it only under certain conditions, one of which is that you not be the arbiter of what constitutes 'an academic book commentary.'"

The NT was written in Greek, not in Kiing James English. So a competent Commentary on a relevant NT book like 1 Corinthians must provide a detailed discussion of the relevant Greek texts to satisfactorily address cessationism. That includes 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. where the Greek is often misconstrued to imply cessationism.

Unscholarly books on NT theology in general can be found to support any agenda-driven interpretation. So my challenge to you is to come up with even one commentary on just one NT book like 1 Corinthians that supports cessationism. I don't think you can do this. But I would be pleasantly surprised if you can.

You suggested that I hold that God's unable to perform miracles. That's something which I neither inferred nor stated. I fully believe that God's omnipotent

Nope. merely offered my inference from cessationism in general, not on your interpretation of it.

 

[Jaebius]

The NT was written in Greek, not in Kiing James English.

Newsflash for you, Mystic. I earned my MDiv from Canada's best Christian seminary. I kinda' already know that.

So a competent Commentary on a relevant NT book like 1 Corinthians must provide a detailed discussion of the relevant Greek texts to satisfactorily address cessationism. That includes 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. where the Greek is often misconstrued to imply cessationism.

"Often misconstrued" in your opinion. And I note that you're beginning to dictate what kInd of commentary would have to be used in order to be judged by you as being "competent" - that is to say, one that's in agreement with you. I'm hard passing on your challenge in which you want to be the judge between whether you or I have been correct in what we've said

 

[jimkenney12]

This was an interesting discussion, even if not on topic.

 

[Mystic]

Newsflash for you, Mystic. I earned my MDiv from Canada's best Christian seminary. I kinda' already know that.

Was that by chance a mickey mouse school like Tyndale?

"Often misconstrued" in your opinion. And I note that you're beginning to dictate what kInd of commentary would have to be used in order to be judged by you as being "competent" - that is to say, one that's in agreement with you. I'm hard passing on your challenge in which you want to be the judge between whether you or I have been correct in what we've said

LOL, you continually duck the issue. You distort my request. saying a commentary "that's in agreement with you,' when in fact I'm simply requesting that you cite any commentary that analyzes the relevant Greek text just on 1 Corinthians or whatever NT book you invoke to justify cessationism. It sounds like you never learned Greek at your so-called "best Canadian seminary." Do you even know how to do Greek exegesis? Or are you like the old saint who, upon hearing that the sermon was based on exegesis in 1 Corinthians, exclaimed, "Praise Hia holy name!"?

 

[Jaebius]

This was an interesting discussion, even if not on topic.

Understand where you're coming from, jim. However, I don't believe that it has been entirely off topic. It has certainly been eye-opening for me