Gold dust and oily hands...

xdx,

the purpose of God working is to glorify His name. Another thing that happens when God works, particularly in a worship setting, is the edification (building up) of the saints.

The problem with your gold dust and oily hands (or is it gold hands and oily dust? I get confused)...

• There is no scriptural precedent for it. Don't throw the computer & cell phone argument out. They don't deal with worship. This is supposedly a Divine manifestation...and that is dealt with scripturally.
• This doesn't edify the body. It's not building anyone up. Even with tongues, that was about the building up of the body and ultimately glorifying God. This does neither.
• It sounds to me that the motivation behind this is selfishness. You said earlier,

Write this down: God is NOT Santa Claus. His goal is NOT to make us healthy, wealthy, and prosperous. His goal is for us to become like Him, and for His name to be glorified. For some folks, that means sickness, trial, and being broke. For others, it might mean material blessings. But it's up to God. Anyone who commands God to rain down gold dust is certainly testing God (a no-no, Jesus said it), and does not recognize God as God (presuming that we can tell God what to do). I do NOT want to make those actions a habit, and I pray you don't either. God tells us to not take His name in vain. The above example is a perfect example of the breaking of that commandment.

• "Is it real" and "Is it of God" are indeed two different questions. The forum is doing a very good job, IMO, of answering the latter. Therefore, if it's not of God, then whether it's real or not is immaterial. Run away from it!
• As far back as Biblical times, people wanted Jesus to "put on a show," and perform miracles to impress the crowd. That is not the way of God. He is not a circus performer. When He performs miraculous works, it is to bring glory to His name, not elicit applause from the crowd.
• Benny Hinn talked about this garbage as early as 1999. He has proven to be a false prophet...many of his "miracles" are fake; he lives greedily and in gluttonous wealth; he begs for money constantly; he performs "miracles" to impress the crowds; and he preaches a heretical person-centered, prosperity gospel. So we have an example here of a false prophet pushing a form of "divine manifestation." Since the prophet is false, why should we believe the manifestation?

av1611jim gave you a very pertinent scripture. Here's a few others:

• "... their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD; they will not satisfy their souls, nor fill their stomachs, because it became their stumbling block of iniquity. (Ezek 7:19 NKJ)
• 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Mat 7:22-23
• If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; --- This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. (Job 31:24-28) ​

No. It's not of God. It may or may not be real, but that's not important. Make sure you're involved in a good church that teaches God's word. The more you hear God (through your time with Him daily, prayer, Bible study, and the teaching of the Word and discipleship you receive at church), the better you will recognize His voice.

Think of it like this: If I called you on the phone today, you wouldn't know who I was...because you don't know my voice. But if I called you every day for ten years, you would immediately recognize my voice on the phone--because it has become familiar to you. As God's voice becomes more and more familiar to you, you will be sidetracked less and less by issues like this.

Sorry for the long post...but if it's not clearer to you after reading this, I know of nothing else I can do.​

 

Did you read the post directly above yours?

 

X, I shall continue to pray for your soul, but you have been given instructions that you decline to follow:

Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

 

you got that right

 

The topic isn't about cell phones or computers. You asked a spiritual question and thats whats in the bible. In the Bible God shows us how He interacts with man, want to know something go there first. Instead of moving from one ludicrous thing to another all the time, read the bible, get to know it and what God has to say in it. you will not find anything like this in it and scripture is our final authority, not the men you listen too, and certainly not their phoney spirituality they preach. What it all boils down to is a faith issue. Beleive what God has said or man.

 

I myself know how hard it can be to find a "mentor". I had a lot of questions like this 20 years ago, when I came to Chriost, and even the person who came closes to being a mentor opnly had mut so much time, because he was spending most of his time preaching on the street or handing out tracts. And xdisciple said he can't really find anyone where he is, or something to that effect.
It is not so simple to just "sit down and read the Bible for yourself", because there are many things that are hard to understand, and even a mentor can be wrong. Suppose his mentor is from a false group?

People here are getting so frustrated, and to me, it shows how we have a comfy, secure "quick answer" system, and when it runs out and no longer works on someone, we can't deal with it anymore. we're just exposing our own deep seated doubts we have squelched down as far as we can, and an unChristlike spirit, and how much a mess the modern Church really is. With all of the debates on this board, where it seems no 2 people can agree on anything the bible teaches, I don't see how we expect this one person to just sit down and read the Bible and get it all right. We try to say "all of those other questions don't matter; just learn the basics", and that is an ideal we should stive for, but problem is we can't even define what the basics are, because everyone claims something is important that another thinks is not important. This is precisely what fueled all of those Catholic/Orthodox who had been flooding the board recently, pointing out all the division, and offering for their Church institution to be mentor to all of us.

All the questions may be annoying, but then that is life in a world where, as you all point out, God does not go "shazam" and prove Himself with flashy miracles anymore, and there are no easy answers. So maybe people like us have to fill in for his mentors. That is the kind of thing we are called to do; not just come up with quick easy answers, and then boom, finished. Such shallowness is perhaps why there is such confusion and dispute. Whatever quick answer works for whichever person is what they go with.

So think we should have some more patience. At least it's not another false group trying to proseletyze us, or someone attacking the faith altogether.

 

So if reading the Bible is too hard because there are things that are hard to understand and a mentor may be from a false group, then what is left? These are just excuses. If a person has a true desire to know God, he can study God's word and God will reveal Himself to that person. God promises that if we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him.

 

I know that answer, in theory, and I feel God has done this for me. But let's face it, as the Catholic/Orthodox kept reminding us, each person says this, but comes up with something different. That is very confusing to a person like this, and that could be an "excuse", but it could also be genuine confusion from witnessing a confusing mess of debating Christians. So my point here is that we as a body have been part of the problem, and should have a little more patience, rather than brushing him off and questioning his motives and salvation on the premise that everything about the faith is all really so easy.

 

Please review postings for examples of patience by many. Then inspect the fruit tree.

 

Eric,

This was a really good post . . . like a thousand or so before.

Wayne

 

Eric,

xx has started 215 threads and interacted with his discussions over 900 times . . .

SOOOOO, for every important question (for which he cannot find a mentor) he interacts on average 3 more times with electronic mentors. That is up over the last 6 months from around 2 interactions per question (during about the last 300 posts).

I have offered to find him a mentor . . . at first xx came back with cute answers, then the answers migrated to the woman pastor that xx is under does not have time and she might be liberal . . . so xx goes from a liberal woman pastor to benny hinn for spiritual needs to be met - INSTEAD OF TO THE WORD OF GOD.

Having offered to help a confused (?) young person find a good discipler, I, and no doubt others, do not believe that xx has ever sincerely looked for discipleship.

And as I believe that I have posted - whatever has to be sacrificed - discipleship is worth the price.

Thread after thread . . .

XX is looking for those that will tickle the ears. I serve a Risen Lord, His Words are not to tickle the ears and make one 'feel good', His Words bring pain and a reaction.

Either the reaction is repentance and submission to His command to be disciples, or it is a rejection of His Word . . . .

Wayne

 

There is only one opinion that matters . . . .

God (in the Flesh) said: Go! Making Disciples! And I will be with YOU (as you are making Disciples)! From the core of your religion to the outer most pagans - go and baptize them in my Name.

Without discipleship . . . you ARE NOT a disciple . . . you are a seeker of knowledge . . .

Nowhere does Christ command us to become seekers of knowledge . . .

XX . . . . trust me . . . it is coming.

 

May God Our Father bring upon you that dark night of the soul . . .

or, may you find true discipleship . . .

Know that you and your personal attitude will go with you upon that dark night . . . you do not want to know that . . . but, it is coming after you.

I suggest - find true discipleship before the dark night finds you.

The difference between you and I: I never once wanted or desired the dark night. I sought the Father day and night . . . and then it came . . . I never doubted like you do.

Lord God, bring upon our poor sibling what You must for Your Glory . . . but, be tender, kind, and brief . . . grow the hunger for Your Kingdom . . . then bring discipleship . . . Please, Lord, let the purgation be brief. But, let that purgation burn from the soul all doubt and create a fear of You and your great terribleness and great Love. Let the purgation show the Light that radiates from You . . . But, Lord let it be brief.

 

Yes, to both questions. Not that I understand His explanations now, for we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face.

X -- It is simple! As simple as Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:7. As simple as Elphesians 2:8. As simple as Acts 8:26-39 As simple as Acts 10.

Legalism - which sabbath, which whatever -- has no value in determining salvation, no matter what mankind says.

Heed instead the Word of God. It does offer peace that passes understanding.

And, for you, please come to understand Acts 8:21-24.

 

The problem appears to be yours. All of your answers are in God's word -- and He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the only One right.

 

yes

yes. God has revealed Himself to me, but has not explained everything to me. And I, nor anyone who has responded to your posts ever said that we know all the answers. But, you are using that as an excuse not to seek God. If you can't have all your questions answered to your safisfaction right now, then you have decided that nobody knows anything. If you had read my earlier post you would remember that I agreed with you about the confusion of differing opinions. That's why I told you to get yourself alone with God's word and cut yourself off from the other voices. Now let me ask you some yes or no questions.
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
Do you believe the Bible is God's word?