God first...!!
OK so are you ready to put British rationalism to the side for a moment and check out some stuff that's going on. it really helps me to remember what Aslan said about the suspicious and synical dwaves in The Last Battle - 'They are so scared of being taken in, that they cannot be taken out [into heaven]'. Yes lets weigh things and be wise, but let us not be so confined to what we think that we miss Gods out-of-the-box approach right in front of us.
Oh God let us not be pharisees and miss you infront of us because you don't fit within our ideas!
There have been gem stones turning up in churches and homes that Bill has visited in the mid-west and east coast. I've seen pictures of them - there's a whole box in one place. they are just appearing on floors and clothes and in peoples hands as they worship. One lady has the scar of where the gem came out of her hand. One pastor had one by his bed and it woke him up in the night vibrating. They are often hot to the touch and leave a hot spot on your hands where you held it. The biggest ones are bigger than the hope diamond. Many of them have been sent to experts in the field of precious stones. They have all come back with the report that they are perfect and that they are made of a substance that has never been found on earth. We had never had one at Bethel until sunday when one was found by a cleaner after the morning service. I held it and it was amazing - perfectly cut about 5mm high and 4mm wide (see my pic above).
Who are we to say that these things are pointless? In the same meeting a man who was completly blind in one eye was healed during worship and after the service i saw him freaking out again - he had just regained hearing in an ear where he had had his eardrum sergically removed some 20 years ago!
3 comments:
Right on - there should always be room for mystery. Too often we settle for the black and white extreme views because it's too hard to contemplate God being able to encompass both fully and perfectly yet be a rational, understandable being.
e.g. mercy vs judgement. God is perfectly encapsulated in both. I can't understand, precisely because I am a creature trying to have creature thoughts about the creator.
I guess the British Rationalism comment was aimed at me:-)! I don't where to start on these things. The challenge me greatly. I will finish with a quote from John Wesley (current hero)
"Saturday, 7.—I had an opportunity to talk with him of those outward signs which had so often accompanied the inward work of God. I found his objections were chiefly grounded on gross misrepresentations of matter of fact. But the next day he had an opportunity of informing himself better: for no sooner had he begun (in the application of his sermon) to invite all sinners to believe in Christ, than four persons sank down close to him, almost in the same moment. One of them lay without either sense or motion. A second trembled exceedingly. The third had strong convulsions all over his body, but made no noise unless by groans. The fourth, equally convulsed, called upon God with strong cries and tears. From this time, I trust, we shall all suffer God to carry on His own work in the way that pleaseth Him."
that's an EXCELENT quote - right on! Good skills. yeah i'm totally in the place of realise that the creator doesn't have to fit within the belief/rationality of the created for it to be true.
But no the 'lets leave our rationalism to the side' was not aimed at you - it's more aimed at me and anyone who thinks like me (many people). Its something I'm dealing with - Oh God dismantle my unbelief!
I also like to be able to order stuff as i'm naturally so disorganised - so if i can't put things in boxes (you should see my box system at home) and label them - i get very unnurved. Yeah God doesn't do boxes. !!
oo update on the gem stone - its being sent away for analysis - but seems to be as tough as a diamond as it can scratch glass. hmmmmm
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