The teeth filling (as opposed to healing) thing never made any sense to me either. Not very many of these “miracles” are ever checked out either, and it’s good to see some being properly checked. Like Benny Hinn with not a single properly documented healing, and the recent Florida thing with raisings from the dead that weren’t able to be verified either. I do believe you’re right – grasping at the miraculous (something Jesus himself actually denounced) is in our nature. I can see why people do it, but it’s still a sad thing when they deceive themselves in this way.

I have always wondered why God “fills teeth” instead of restoring them to new again. To my way of thinking God is in the restoring business, not the patching business.

We had a pastor in NZ who gained very short public attention when a person at his service claimed to have had a tooth filled by God. The pastor (and a TV camera) had the tooth checked by a dentist, who found the filling was a very old filling that the person had forgotten about.

We are desperate for signs, so will grasp at anything that makes it easier to believe in what we can’t see. Unfortunately for us, faith is believing in what we can’t see or prove.

I hope 2009 is a good year for you.

Blessings

Feel free to stick around and join in the conversations!

I personally don’t see the purpose in these things. I would much rather have my leg back that was amputated due to a car accident a few years ago. There is no gemstone or gold dust that can buy me my leg back. I am really sick and tired of hearing about this stuff. Why is it that all this stuff is only happening to those who don’t really need it so to speak? to those who are well off financially, physically, emotionally??? I just don’t get it and quite frankly it infuriates me reading that exerpt from the chat room….none of it makes any sense….it is just a bunch of chatter about me, me, me! what is up with that? I am a Christian and it sounds stupid to me, I can’t imagine what a non-believer thinks when reading something like that……it isn’t leading them to repentence or to Jesus…I imagine it doesn’t even make sense to them…..it sure doesn’t to me!

That really is a rather generous approach you have there. Possibly a little less caustic than mine I have trouble seeing through the greed of treating Jesus like an ATM and believing that these people really do want to use their blessings for good.

It so often seems to be those who have nothing who are the ones giving their lives to the service of God, without getting a cent in return.

When the multimillion-copy-book-writing, revival-meeting-leading, offering-taking ones give back as much as they get, I will truly see that as a move of God.

Like I said, your approach is much more generous.

I’m not sure where your bitterness is coming from. I am wondering if perhaps you have some thoughts somewhere online we could read? I’d be most interested in hearing your thoughts too – on this or other subjects about God.

Oh, and you did!

You took the time to listen in on internet chat and write a post about it.

You DID make a difference today!

And fear not. Those tingles in your arms are not from soaking. It’s RSI. All that typing. But worth it. What a difference you’ve made!

And now that I’ve got that sarcasim off my chest …

I agree that the dialogue you’ve taken the time to share is ridiculous. But then Heather … it’s online chat! What exactly were you expecting?

That said, your comments sadly add very little. Instead, you appoint yourself as judge and jury. Case in point …

” … how can we in good conscience demand from God supernatural blessings in this way? The prayer “I claim $10,000″ seems ludicrous when our neighbour, a widow in Africa, doesn’t have enough food to keep her children alive and our other neighbour, a homeless man in the next suburb, has nowhere to sleep.”

You assume the person “claiming” $10k is not claiming it so he can use it to feed the African widow or provide shelter for the homeless man. On what basis do you assume the prayer is for selfish gain rather than for helping the poor?

” … should we be spending more time doing something to alleviate the distress of those who are suffering instead of standing in an auditorium waiting for a spiritual experience and blessing for ourselves?”

You assume the person “standing in an auditorium waiting for a spiritual experience and blessing” spend an inconsequential amount of time allivating the distress of those who are suffering. On what basis do you assume this?

I could just as easily wonder aloud if you should not spend more time doing something constructive instead of sitting online criticising all and sundry in order to feel morally superior about yourself. (Oops. I think i just did!)

It is true that much is expected. I only hope I can live up to those expectations myself.

I take it you’re not a fan of the prosperity doctrine then?

I quite agree. Mad, isn’t it? I don’t get it. However, ‘much will be expected from those to whom much has been given.’ We are His hands and His feet. God chooses us to care for His world. Unless the riches that have been poured out are passed on to the malnourished, the poverty-stricken, the widows, the orphans, these riches will not be blessings but curses and this will be a form of JUDGEMENT on the top 1% in the world welath stakes. ‘Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.’ (James 5:1) So, be warned! Give it away or it will rot and take you with it!

‘quick! something more exciting (stronger, louder, weirder) before the people get bored’

That’s exactly what it’s like. A new gimmick to keep us happy, to stop us seeking and to make us idle rather than motivate us to move.

But the biggest problem of all – I am still to see the Jesus from the gospels in any of it.

That was over three years ago. For me, the rolling and laughing got boring and the revival never came. The one God apparently promised. Who lied?

The church I left has moved on to claiming ‘gold dust’ and ‘the aroma of incense’ at their gatherings. As far as I can tell they’re having a good time, but it’s like some kind of weird addiction – ‘quick! something more exciting (stronger, louder, weirder) before the people get bored’ (ref. Todd Bentley).

And who benefits when we have our soaking meetings? When we are told to ‘be quiet’, to ‘just accept and not ask so many questions’? To ‘wait for the Lord’s timing before we go out and preach the Gospel’? Things I was specifically taught.

Who benefits when Christians are silent?

Karla, I don’t judge people who are drawn to these ‘moves’, I was one of those people. The traps are well-baited. I pray for them and whenever possible try to reason with them.

However, it is right and scriptural to call the leaders and ‘teachers’ to account.

Oh, and one more thing that keeps niggling away at me. Why gold fillings? Why not heal the entire cavity? God knitted me together in my mother’s womb – he’s a creator, not a dentist. Oops. Starting to rant now.

Anyway, I’m off to Todd’s chat room now. My car’s getting old and I fancy a convertible.

I’m glad that you’re finding something in it, and that you are happy with that. However, after a lot of careful consideration, scripture searching, prayer and thought (I don’t say this lightly) I absolutely believe that none of the stuff I mentioned above has anything to do with Jesus.

I know you’ll continue to disagree with me, but I really do need to make that position clear. If it does become prevalent in Christians worldwide it still won’t change the view that I’ve formed.

Also, I was skeptical about soaking until I experienced it. I spent several days at a conference hosted by Toronto and I had several opportunities to soak and I felt God surging through me like never before. It was so peaceful and so amazing. It was like tangibly feeling his presence.

I love Tozer’s illustration that everyone knows the sun is up there in space even on a cloudy day or even at night. But there is something totally different when you feel its warmth and see it’s brightness. It isn’t any more there than before, but it is experienced as well as known. God wants to reveal himself to us.

He is doing it all over the world. Muslims are seeing visions and dreams of Jesus and coming to know Christ without ever meeting a missionary. Teams of people who are moving in the supernatural are ministering in this manner in third world nations and to tribes and various people groups. Heidi Baker’s ministry Iris is case in point. Toronto is also sending many people overseas . This outpouring is not isolated to 1% and this kind of movement of God is going to become prevelant in Christians. It will take shape across the world irrespective of denomination or economic status.

God is so amazing! I have witnessed a good many miracles in the last year. Phenominal stuff. God is so awesome.

I would just be really, truly full of joy and peace, if I could just find God in everyday life, and know him in a close caring way.

I don’t want miracles God, just to know your love deep down would be a fine blessing.