Theology Club: I'm a heretic (probably...you tell me)

Arsenios

Arsenios

Well-known member
glorydaz said:
Well, I'll tell you as straight up as I can. When I was first saved, I was kinda naïve and I was visiting my grandpa (who had raised us girls) as he lay sick near unto death in the hospital. First, he was flicking the tv around and around and didn't even really know we were in the room. I felt I needed to hear him say if he believed in Jesus. So I asked him. He stopped flicking the tv, looked into my eyes, and said, "Yes, (my name) I always have." Then he went back to flicking the tv. A bunch of relatives were hanging around because we knew he wasn't doing well, but the nurse came in and said we should all go home and get some rest as he was in stable condition. I went to the chapel and prayed that I would be the only family member present when grandpa passed away. I felt I was the one who could handle it best as I'd just heard him say he believed in the Lord. A very childish request I know. Everyone decided to go home and my sister and I agreed to hang out and let them know if things changed. Suddenly, just after they'd all left the nurse came and said we'd better call everyone back because grandpa had taken a sudden turn for the worst. My sister ran to the phone and I went into his room. He died while I was with him before she had a chance to get back in the room. I knew it was the Lord confirming the fact that He'd heard my request....silly as it was. Over the years, I have prayed over everything...I have matured and always preface my prayers with admitting that what I'm requesting may not be the best but trusting the Holy Spirit will interpret my intentions to be according to His will. Over and over and over over the past years, I have seen God answer prayers and fill me with His peace in a way that could never be chalked up to happenstance. Never. Just recently, when my mom passed away, my daughter and I were praying about her passing and my daughter called me with the news that she had passed. It happened in a way that so increased my daughter's faith it reminded my of that first answer to prayer concerning my own grandpa. No, it was no coincidence. If I were to say that then I'd be saying God doesn't exist...much less hear me when I call out to Him. Even the thought of such a thing makes me shudder.

I realize this may not be an acceptable answer, but neither is belief in God an acceptable answer to everyone. I will say like the blind man that Jesus healed....."I don't know how He did it, but once I was blind and now I can see."

I love you, Tam, and I know you will understand. :)
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:thumb:

Thanks, GD...

A.
 
glorydaz

glorydaz

Well-known member
Tambora said:
I know ya love me. And I love you too.
And naturally, I cannot confirm that your prayer was the exact cause of your grandfather dying with only you in his room.
Maybe it was caused by God. But then again, maybe it was just the natural course that he would die at that time no matter how many folks were in the room.
And I certainly don't think it would diminish your faith if it was just coincidence.
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I hear ya. I think it was an answer to prayer. The prayer of a babe in Christ that needed a boost from God regarding the power of prayer. I have to add that I never again asked such a thing....such a specific prayer, I mean. I no longer needed any proof of His ability. :)


I have stories too, of times when I thought it could have been God answering prayer. But then again, there was nothing about any of the situations that could not completely rule out coincidence.
Long story short, God doesn't have to answer anyone's prayers in order for them to have complete faith in God. They don't need any sign to assure them of God's faithfulness to them. We have God's word on His faithfulness. We stand on His oath, not ours.
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I absolutely agree with this.

I have no problem with folks thinking that it was God that answered their prayer. Maybe it was. But at the same time, I hope they know that if by chance it wasn't God's intervention, God is still faithful with His word.
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Good, I'm glad to hear that because YOU were an answer to my prayer when my mom was dying and had passed away. I called on the Lord for help and comfort. The love you gave me was palpable. The comfort I received from you came straight from the Lord (through you) to me. On your own (or was it the prompting of the Spirit?) you put the word out to the brothers and sisters here on TOL that I needed prayer. I don't call that a coincidence that the Body of Christ sought comfort from the Lord on my behalf.

I've seen way too many times that folks claim the cause of something was God's intervention. For instance: hurricane hitting New Orleans.
A city that housed both believers and unbelievers. Some of both groups survived, and some of both groups died. Some of both groups had enough to rebuild, and some of both groups were devastated.
It wasn't a hurricane that pronounced judgement on the wicked and protected the righteous. The hurricane hit both groups the same way, without any respect of persons.
And the hurricane did not diminish the faithfulness of God to those believers that died or were devastated.

What really gets my goat are the ones that tell folks that the reason their prayers are not answered is because they don't have enough faith. I shudder when I hear folks say that.

As you can plainly see, I'm not a fan of the "name it and claim it' folks.
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Again, I agree completely. In this world we will have tribulation. Will we be delivered from tribulation, or will the Lord see us through it? I think the latter, and the way He does it, quite often, is through the members of His Body. I also think the less we see ourselves as being used by the Lord, the more apt He is to use us...so that pride has no chance to enter in.

You, sister, are so humble (in spite of the laughs you give us about your high rep) that you don't even realize that YOU are an answer to so many prayers. That's as it should be. When we feel the urge to help a neighbor or someone in need. Is that us...something we might boast in? Or is it the Spirit and the Love of God that has been shed abroad on our heart? The Spirit is a Gift and His fruit in us is how we manifiest the "gifts". In that sense, the gifts have not ceased. :)
 
Tambora

Tambora

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Thank you so much, sister GloryDaz.


Sometimes we don't need a sermon, or the usual cliches like "they are in a better place" blah blah blah, or "be strong" blah blah blah.
Sometimes what we need is to just fall apart while having someone there to comfort us.

When my husband passed away, it was torture for me to try and "be strong". And I had to listen to all the cliches that gave me no comfort at all.
And then my sister put her arms around me and said, "You go right ahead and cry all you want to, sugar. I'll cry with you".
In my mind I was saying THANK YOU, as I started bawling uncontrollably. I slunk to the floor, and she slunk down with me; her arms never letting go of me. Before long, the whole family was on the floor, hugging and crying with me.
It was the single most comforting moment of that whole ordeal.
 
glorydaz

glorydaz

Well-known member
Tambora said:
Thank you so much, sister GloryDaz.


Sometimes we don't need a sermon, or the usual cliches like "they are in a better place" blah blah blah, or "be strong" blah blah blah.
Sometimes what we need is to just fall apart while having someone there to comfort us.

When my husband passed away, it was torture for me to try and "be strong". And I had to listen to all the cliches that gave me no comfort at all.
And then my sister put her arms around me and said, "You go right ahead and cry all you want to, sugar. I'll cry with you".
In my mind I was saying THANK YOU, as I started bawling uncontrollably. I slunk to the floor, and she slunk down with me; her arms never letting go of me. Before long, the whole family was on the floor, hugging and crying with me.
It was the single most comforting moment of that whole ordeal.
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Oh, sweetie. I'm crying with you now, too. I hope you know what a blessing you are to so many people here on TOL. I look forward to seeing you each and every day....and one day, I'll be able to give you a real hug.
 
glorydaz

glorydaz

Well-known member
musterion said:
Not at all. Three of my favorite scents...a compliment on the direction this old thread is taking.
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It's a great thread and deserves another bump. :thumb:


My thought is that the Holy Spirit manifests His "gifts" through the members of the Body of Christ. The "fruit" is His and perhaps it's His fruit that could be called "gifts" of the Spirit. This thread has really caused me to rethink all that. In that way, none could boast in anything...such as a word of knowledge that builds someone's faith or an act of love or anything that turns into edification of another member. :think:
 
musterion

musterion

Well-known member
glorydaz said:
It's a great thread and deserves another bump. :thumb:


My thought is that the Holy Spirit manifests His "gifts" through the members of the Body of Christ. The "fruit" is His and perhaps it's His fruit that could be called "gifts" of the Spirit. This thread has really caused me to rethink all that. In that way, none could boast in anything...such as a word of knowledge that builds someone's faith or an act of love or anything that turns into edification of another member. :think:
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Exactly right, sister. The Corinthians appear to have had an unusual abundance of sign gifts, possibly because they had a synagogue across an open wall right next to them (Acts 18:7-8). The Corinthians had nothing to boast in, but what did they do? Boast. What does NAR and its followers do today? Boast.
 
glorydaz

glorydaz

Well-known member
musterion said:
Exactly right, sister. The Corinthians appear to have had an unusual abundance of sign gifts, possibly because they had a synagogue across an open wall right next to them (Acts 18:7-8). The Corinthians had nothing to boast in, but what did they do? Boast. What does NAR and its followers do today? Boast.
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Oh dear. That is sad....very sad. What greater things do we do than Jesus did? (I know the "claims" are out there). :nono:

The only thing "greater" is greater in scope. We each, as members of the Body, can preach HIS gospel to more people than HE encountered when He walked this earth. And look...we even have the internet that reaches all across the world. I think I'll boast in the fact that I know how to post on this forum. I am great and that must be my gift to all you all. :banana:
 
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