WalkInLight
Active Member
You are right about me not abdicating critical thinking when faced withYes - we don't understand that God called us "gods" and why He did so. The above demonstrates the problems and our understanding pretty well.
There are a number of assumptions made; and it is not surprising that they are made, but each show that we don't actually talked to Him like we should! Which also explains why we will also die like men - which God also said right after said we are gods!
Ps 82:5-7 They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High.
“Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes.”
Take a close look at the verses above and let's go through them!!!
First - God said we don't understand!!
He does not lie, so we don't understand!! So all our trying to give a long understanding will not change that which God said!! WE don't understand!!
Next - God said we are gods, and even sons of the Most High!! Again God said that so it is true!! Now, and I believe I already stated this, "I don't feel like a god!!! Now you will like to find faults in others as opposed to actually considering the verses and asking the Lord about them and listening to His response! This failure to actually turn to Him and listen to Him explains a whole lot of this!!
It is explains a statement like "I am cautious when attempts are made to try and claim the miraculous is a badge of authority when Jesus declares it is love one to another which is reality of God at work among His people"
That is a statement of the person making it and not God - as can be seen in the "I am cautious"!! That is a statement of the persons belief and is not a statement that comes from actually hearing the Lord!! it is essentially the same as my statement "I don't feel like a god!!" Both indicate 'doubt in God', as opposed to 'faith in God'!! Faith in God comes from actually hearing Him talk to you personally!! (See Rom 10)
When He told His disciples to go out in pairs and heal the sick, that got the faith to go and do it; understanding that God had indeed given them the authority to do it!! Indeed, He also told them to tell people that the Kingdom of God had come near - giving them the realization to understand that the instructions were backed up by the power of the Kingdom of God. So they prayed by faith that people would get healed, that demons might get cast out, and it happened because they were sons of the Most High (gods) and had the authority to get the power of God that comes from His Kingdom (the angels that serve God)
Still, it didn't always happen.
Some places they were not welcomed!! People's pride (their feeling that they know all about God, as opposed to thinking they need to hear from God) gets in their way, and there are not a welcoming people, but rather a religious people, always leaning on their own understanding instead of actually seeking the voice of the Lord themselves!
And then they themselves also didn't listen by faith while they went. So they lacked instruction and also faith to believe. Which explains why His disciples had to ask Jesus afterward about what happened:
Mark 9: 28,29 When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”
He reproves those He loves and teaches them!! We need that! That seeking Him and His voice is what helps us grow in understanding!! So those who don't actually seek Him and His voice, don't grow in understanding!!
They don't even understand that God is love - not us!! If they did their message would be about getting others to listen to Him - as opposed to thinking they are the loving one!!
So is not the worst statement made above this:
"If church history teaches us anything as soon as people get into super-spiritual power everything goes wrong, because the healer becomes the focus rather than Jesus, and financial gain takes over and greed.
Did we not even come to understand that "church history" doesn't teach us, but rather Jesus Christ does?? To say that clearly indicates a person is leaning on their own understanding instead of seeking the voice of Jesus Christ!!
And going out by two like Jesus personally them to do, did not "ruin them" instead it helped give them understanding and caused them to seek Jesus Christ personally again for more understanding!!
As a personal testimony for an example: The Lord asked me to work in a Christian healing ministry for five years. The amount of miracles I saw was incredible, but it was extremely educational, and even humbling!! And most importantly it caused me to turn to Jesus and listen to Him even more!! And should I conclude that is was not a loving thing to do?? People who don't listen to Him simply can not understand! Simply because understanding comes from listening to Him!!
Prov 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
"The Lord asked me"
If we are on speaking terms with God, like a question and answer session, why have scripture or fellowship or anything but a series of questions for the Lord and listening to His reply, like a robot, tell me what to do and I will do it.
We are called to test the spirit.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
1 John 4:1-3
Peter had a dispute with Paul over circumcision and its significance. Now in one sense they could simply ask God and that would be the answer, but they did not. It had to be worked through between them, looking at their positions for each other, the work the Lord had done in their lives and scripture. Finally a conclusion was drawn.
Jesus came in the authority of the Father and relied on scripture to be His guide and basis. Now this is odd, but in the hierarchy of eternity Gods word is eternal and speaks for itself. Let me compare a disciple saying "Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" and God speaking it out loud. The meaning is the same, and its authority, so what matters are the words not how they are spoken.
This is why Jesus waited for the disciples to declare He was the Son of God, not because Jesus said the words but because they have come to know Him and in knowing Him testify to this reality.
If we do not do this we will follow false teachers because they sound authoritative. The people of the Kingdom hear Jesus's voice and follow. Whatever miracles or wonders are performed if the authority does not respect Jesus's word they are not of God. It is why so much of what is called Christian has left the faith and listens to liars and corrupt preachers who follow money and influence over Gods word and His gospel.
John wrote this
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.
The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:
1 John 2:3-5
John is addressing how we know Jesus. Notice he does not say
"a person is leaning on their own understanding instead of seeking the voice of Jesus Christ"
John is saying our authority comes from our hearts and our walk.
This fundamentally is the problem addressed by Jesus in His warning
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Mat 7:21-23
Relying on the miraculous for authority without obeying Jesus is the road of evildoers.
Jesus does not say such authority did not occur just He is not part of it.
Ironically what I am declaring here is bread and butter preaching and theology, and indicates through the lack of agreement where peoples hearts actually are and their life experience. God bless you