Servant Mike
Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2009
- Messages
- 12
I began composing this post for the ‘Benny Hinn fraud’ topic but discovered it had been closed by the time I had completed it. However, I see that rather like an infection, when you cut it off in one area it tends to sprout up elsewhere. This relentless attack on Benny Hinn leaves me with grave concerns.
After reading some of the responses concerning Benny Hinn, I found myself experiencing the same cringe factor as I do when I see his theatricals on TV. Having said that as a reflection of what I see, I do not make any judgement on where he stands in God’s sight. Who would truly dare to do so? Scripture couldn’t be clearer on this. Jesus said “Judge not, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-3). The word ‘Judge’ in the new testaments means to ‘Pass judgement’; ‘To condemn’; ‘To Govern’; ‘To sentence’; ‘To form an opinion’. Do any of us possess the authority to qualify ourselves for such an awesome task? Jesus Himself said He could only judge because God has given Him the authority to do so (John 5:27). I know that one day I will stand before God, as we all will, and He alone will judge my actions in this life (Hebrews 9:27).
The apostle Paul gets serious about us making judgments on others ‘You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things’ (Romans 1-3). In your defence you might say that you don’t do the same things as the person you have condemned in your heart. However, no one can make a judgment in this life without contemplating, evaluating, what the other person has done; and Jesus warns us that if we so much as imagine [Think about, consider] doing something, we are as guilty as the person who has done it (Matthew 5:28). The thing that really concerns me about some of the condemnatory comments made about Benny Hinn is the almost ‘Self righteous’ manner in which they are made. If someone is blatantly guilty of offending God, rather than condemning them, shouldn’t we be praying for them? Please don’t be like the sulky brother of the prodigal son (Luke 15:28-32).
Should you still feel you must defend your interpretation of God’s word at all costs; and this must involve your condemnation of those who don’t happen to fit in with your perception of what is and isn’t acceptable to God; can you at least find it in your heart to forgive such people, however misguided they may or may not be? I love Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-35). When you fail to forgive anyone that has offended you, do you not consider firstly how much God has forgiven you for? Jesus made it very clear so that we all could understand, without our being prepared to forgive others, how can we expect to be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15).
I do appreciate concerns about alleged improprieties carried out in the name of God, however, the Bible tells us ‘Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ (Rom 12:16-21).
When I am faced with a Jehovah’s Witness or Mormon on my doorstep, rather than tell them where their belief is wrong I tell them where my faith in God is right. For sure, it is frustrating to hear anyone with such access to the multitudes, taking scripture out of context or intimidating their audiences to part with their hard earned money, nevertheless, we must leave God to exact His judgment in His time. And He surely will (Deuteronomy 32:35).
I have read some of the posts where they have suggested that the miracles displayed in the New testament are no longer valid for today. Hmm! I am sure the devil clicks his heels with delight every time he hears one of God’s children limit their faith by limiting in their own minds what they believe our Almighty God is capable of. How weird is that! Can the created question the Creator? "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens — what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave — what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea” (Job 11:7-9). It’s time we stopped putting God into our own boxed frame of mind. Remove our own spiritual straight jackets and who knows what God will do through us!
When God poured out His Holy Spirit upon His church they received the spiritual gifts that Paul speaks about in (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 28-31) Note: ‘Workers of miracles’ Verse 28. If they weren’t available today, why do you think the devil counterfeits such miracles, as can be seen in many of the cults (2 Thessalonians 2:9). A ‘Counterfeit’ is a fraudulent copy of some ‘one’ or some ‘thing’. It would make little sense for the devil to produce copies of no longer relevant or apparent gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Oh, I was a sceptic myself for a while. When I attended a charismatic Bible School I accepted the gift of tongues but felt most disturbed to see my brothers and sisters in Christ going down like flies. There they were just collapsing in an untidy heap! With my natural spirit I tried to rationalise it, even to reason it from scripture; and my conclusion was that it would never happen to me. A few days later I was in a service where the pastor’s wife was preaching and from the word go I began to shake uncontrollably. I went out for prayer and with the gentlest touch of anointing oil I was down like a ton of bricks. I kid you not! As I lay there on the floor, my reasoning didn’t stop; but with what felt like a giant foot holding me down I was unable to get up. There was a definite warm feeling running up and down my entire body. After about 15 minutes I believe God relented and when I did get up I had to run for the nearest chair before my jelly like legs gave way beneath me. And once seated, it just felt like God had a hold of me by the scruff of my neck whilst He gave me a thoroughly good shaking. Oh, and I wept buckets throughout! It’s not as if I was open to this or even desired it. I sure learned from that day to never say never with God again.
In regards to the gift of healing, I have my own personal itch that I find difficult to scratch on this. You see, I have this niggling hunch that ‘Healing’ and the ‘Forgiveness of sin’ are inextricably linked. There’s a good example of this when our Lord Jesus healed the paralytic. ‘Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." (Mark 2:9-11).
We know that our Lord Jesus Christ is ‘The same yesterday and today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8). We also know that when we received Jesus as our Lord and saviour, when we became born again of God’s Holy Spirit, that He is in us and we are in Him (1 John 2:24). Next time you feel prone to question God’s capabilities through those He has called according to His purpose, consider the following scripture, ‘His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4). And that Divine nature is what we have just been reading about when Jesus healed the Paralytic. To be truthful, I tend to ask people NOT to ask me to pray for them if they are ill as in my past experience, when I have, at least three of them have died! Honest! Kidding aside, as the apostle Paul says ‘To be away from the body is to be with the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:8), And so I guess, a person who is suffering, when they die they receive their ultimate healing by going to be with our Lord Jesus.
It appears to me that in the western world where we want for very little, we are much too influenced by the secular world and its comforts. Whereas, in developing countries (I dislike the term 3<SUP>rd</SUP> World. God only created one) where they have very little, miraculous signs and wonders are taking place every day. Look up the ministry of Reinhard Bonnke and the miracles that have taken place at his conventions in south Africa. Sure, there have been articles denouncing his ministry, just as with Benny Hinn’s, however, I take on board the apostle Paul’s view ‘To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some’ (1 Corinthians 9:22). And in the weird and wonderful ways that some preach the gospel, he had this to say ‘For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough’ (2 Corinthians 11:4). In other words, as long as the gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed, do we dare to denounce it? And people are being saved through these ministries, however erroneous they may be in other aspects of them. I have even discovered an entire web site dedicated to denouncing the ‘Alpha’ course as demonic! A tool that was created by Reverend Nicky Gumball and has been used by churches throughout the world to bring thousands of lost souls to the Lord. So, don’t be too quick to accept every denouncement you happen on about those ministries that are proclaiming the name of Jesus. None of us are perfect and like the apostle Paul I would count myself amongst the chief of sinners. So, I am practising my listening skills before making any assessment. And taking any concerns I have to my heavenly Father God.
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fficeffice" />
If, by faith, you have received Christ as your saviour, never forget, your faith is a gift, without which you would be lost for all eternity. God’s gifts to the early church are as relevant today as they were back then. But of all the gifts you must seek, seek out the greatest of them all, your ‘Love’ for your fellow man.
I hope and pray I haven’t offended or grieved anyone with this post, and that it will be received in the love that it has been given. I want us all to fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus. On the finishing tape of the race that Paul uses as an illustration. And remember we don’t run the race in the hope of winning by looking around at the other runners but by concentrating on our own progress.
‘May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word’ (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
After reading some of the responses concerning Benny Hinn, I found myself experiencing the same cringe factor as I do when I see his theatricals on TV. Having said that as a reflection of what I see, I do not make any judgement on where he stands in God’s sight. Who would truly dare to do so? Scripture couldn’t be clearer on this. Jesus said “Judge not, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-3). The word ‘Judge’ in the new testaments means to ‘Pass judgement’; ‘To condemn’; ‘To Govern’; ‘To sentence’; ‘To form an opinion’. Do any of us possess the authority to qualify ourselves for such an awesome task? Jesus Himself said He could only judge because God has given Him the authority to do so (John 5:27). I know that one day I will stand before God, as we all will, and He alone will judge my actions in this life (Hebrews 9:27).
The apostle Paul gets serious about us making judgments on others ‘You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things’ (Romans 1-3). In your defence you might say that you don’t do the same things as the person you have condemned in your heart. However, no one can make a judgment in this life without contemplating, evaluating, what the other person has done; and Jesus warns us that if we so much as imagine [Think about, consider] doing something, we are as guilty as the person who has done it (Matthew 5:28). The thing that really concerns me about some of the condemnatory comments made about Benny Hinn is the almost ‘Self righteous’ manner in which they are made. If someone is blatantly guilty of offending God, rather than condemning them, shouldn’t we be praying for them? Please don’t be like the sulky brother of the prodigal son (Luke 15:28-32).
Should you still feel you must defend your interpretation of God’s word at all costs; and this must involve your condemnation of those who don’t happen to fit in with your perception of what is and isn’t acceptable to God; can you at least find it in your heart to forgive such people, however misguided they may or may not be? I love Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-35). When you fail to forgive anyone that has offended you, do you not consider firstly how much God has forgiven you for? Jesus made it very clear so that we all could understand, without our being prepared to forgive others, how can we expect to be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15).
I do appreciate concerns about alleged improprieties carried out in the name of God, however, the Bible tells us ‘Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ (Rom 12:16-21).
When I am faced with a Jehovah’s Witness or Mormon on my doorstep, rather than tell them where their belief is wrong I tell them where my faith in God is right. For sure, it is frustrating to hear anyone with such access to the multitudes, taking scripture out of context or intimidating their audiences to part with their hard earned money, nevertheless, we must leave God to exact His judgment in His time. And He surely will (Deuteronomy 32:35).
I have read some of the posts where they have suggested that the miracles displayed in the New testament are no longer valid for today. Hmm! I am sure the devil clicks his heels with delight every time he hears one of God’s children limit their faith by limiting in their own minds what they believe our Almighty God is capable of. How weird is that! Can the created question the Creator? "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens — what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave — what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea” (Job 11:7-9). It’s time we stopped putting God into our own boxed frame of mind. Remove our own spiritual straight jackets and who knows what God will do through us!
When God poured out His Holy Spirit upon His church they received the spiritual gifts that Paul speaks about in (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 28-31) Note: ‘Workers of miracles’ Verse 28. If they weren’t available today, why do you think the devil counterfeits such miracles, as can be seen in many of the cults (2 Thessalonians 2:9). A ‘Counterfeit’ is a fraudulent copy of some ‘one’ or some ‘thing’. It would make little sense for the devil to produce copies of no longer relevant or apparent gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Oh, I was a sceptic myself for a while. When I attended a charismatic Bible School I accepted the gift of tongues but felt most disturbed to see my brothers and sisters in Christ going down like flies. There they were just collapsing in an untidy heap! With my natural spirit I tried to rationalise it, even to reason it from scripture; and my conclusion was that it would never happen to me. A few days later I was in a service where the pastor’s wife was preaching and from the word go I began to shake uncontrollably. I went out for prayer and with the gentlest touch of anointing oil I was down like a ton of bricks. I kid you not! As I lay there on the floor, my reasoning didn’t stop; but with what felt like a giant foot holding me down I was unable to get up. There was a definite warm feeling running up and down my entire body. After about 15 minutes I believe God relented and when I did get up I had to run for the nearest chair before my jelly like legs gave way beneath me. And once seated, it just felt like God had a hold of me by the scruff of my neck whilst He gave me a thoroughly good shaking. Oh, and I wept buckets throughout! It’s not as if I was open to this or even desired it. I sure learned from that day to never say never with God again.
In regards to the gift of healing, I have my own personal itch that I find difficult to scratch on this. You see, I have this niggling hunch that ‘Healing’ and the ‘Forgiveness of sin’ are inextricably linked. There’s a good example of this when our Lord Jesus healed the paralytic. ‘Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." (Mark 2:9-11).
We know that our Lord Jesus Christ is ‘The same yesterday and today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8). We also know that when we received Jesus as our Lord and saviour, when we became born again of God’s Holy Spirit, that He is in us and we are in Him (1 John 2:24). Next time you feel prone to question God’s capabilities through those He has called according to His purpose, consider the following scripture, ‘His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4). And that Divine nature is what we have just been reading about when Jesus healed the Paralytic. To be truthful, I tend to ask people NOT to ask me to pray for them if they are ill as in my past experience, when I have, at least three of them have died! Honest! Kidding aside, as the apostle Paul says ‘To be away from the body is to be with the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:8), And so I guess, a person who is suffering, when they die they receive their ultimate healing by going to be with our Lord Jesus.
It appears to me that in the western world where we want for very little, we are much too influenced by the secular world and its comforts. Whereas, in developing countries (I dislike the term 3<SUP>rd</SUP> World. God only created one) where they have very little, miraculous signs and wonders are taking place every day. Look up the ministry of Reinhard Bonnke and the miracles that have taken place at his conventions in south Africa. Sure, there have been articles denouncing his ministry, just as with Benny Hinn’s, however, I take on board the apostle Paul’s view ‘To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some’ (1 Corinthians 9:22). And in the weird and wonderful ways that some preach the gospel, he had this to say ‘For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough’ (2 Corinthians 11:4). In other words, as long as the gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed, do we dare to denounce it? And people are being saved through these ministries, however erroneous they may be in other aspects of them. I have even discovered an entire web site dedicated to denouncing the ‘Alpha’ course as demonic! A tool that was created by Reverend Nicky Gumball and has been used by churches throughout the world to bring thousands of lost souls to the Lord. So, don’t be too quick to accept every denouncement you happen on about those ministries that are proclaiming the name of Jesus. None of us are perfect and like the apostle Paul I would count myself amongst the chief of sinners. So, I am practising my listening skills before making any assessment. And taking any concerns I have to my heavenly Father God.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" />If, by faith, you have received Christ as your saviour, never forget, your faith is a gift, without which you would be lost for all eternity. God’s gifts to the early church are as relevant today as they were back then. But of all the gifts you must seek, seek out the greatest of them all, your ‘Love’ for your fellow man.
I hope and pray I haven’t offended or grieved anyone with this post, and that it will be received in the love that it has been given. I want us all to fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus. On the finishing tape of the race that Paul uses as an illustration. And remember we don’t run the race in the hope of winning by looking around at the other runners but by concentrating on our own progress.
‘May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word’ (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
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