Am I'm allowed to asks hard questions?

[Jacqueline]

My pastor said a few weeks ago that he can not lay hands on us and heal us. He gave me a book to read that said that the things that John and the rest of the men in the bible did was special gifts given only to them. Now Jesus once said that His children would not only be able to do what He's done, but much more. I want to ask my pastor why can't he lay hands on anyone and heal them? Didn't Jesus say that if we had faith that we can do so much more then that? Is that wrong? Am I misunderstanding what Jesus meant when He said this? I know that I'm just learning, but I believe every single word that's in my bible. If Jesus said we can do it then by God we can do it. Should I leave this alone? May be I think to much?

God Bless

Jacqueline

[hazel]

Hi Jaqueline! You've already done everything that you need to do to get the answer to your question. 1. You've read your Bible. and 2. You believe what your Bible says! I'm sorry for your pastor, and will pray for him. YES Jesus gave us authority to do so many things in His Name, healing is one of them. You just keep reading your Bible and believing what it says.

[cymba22]

1 year ago next week i was prayed on and healed of uterine cancer....no surgery no medication ...prayer....your pastor is losing out on gifts that could be his.

[Guest Downpour]

Your pastor may not have the gift of healing. God gives gifts to different people but they are all of the same Spirit.

Bold emphasis=mine

 

1Cr 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 

1Cr 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 

1Cr 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 

1Cr 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 

1Cr 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 

1Cr 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 

1Cr 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 

1Cr 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 

1Cr 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ. 

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Jacqueline,

It sounds to me like you have outgrown your church and need to move on. Let the Lord be your guide, pray, fast, and ask those who are MATURE in the Lord to help you find where you ought to be.

It thrills my heart you are believing the Word of God OVER the word of men.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[ksalzar]

My pastor said a few weeks ago that he can not lay hands on us and heal us.  He gave me a book to read that said that the things that John and the rest of the men in the bible did was special gifts given only to them.  Now Jesus once said that His children would not only be able to do what He's done, but much more.  I want to ask my pastor why can't he lay hands on anyone and heal them?  Didn't Jesus say that if we had faith that we can do so much more then that?  Is that wrong?  Am I misunderstanding what Jesus meant when He said this?  I know that I'm just learning, but I believe every single word that's in my bible.  If Jesus said we can do it then by God we can do it.  Should I leave this alone?  May be I think to much?

God Bless

Jacqueline

Good questions. I'm not sure of the answer, and I have researched it some. Continue to study the biblical verses dealing with this issue. Be careful about answer people give you if they cannot support them from Scripture. I know that I have not personally healed anyone to date by God's power, so I do not have this gift. Paul also said:

1 Corinthians 13:8-9

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will passs away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part

Paul said these things will cease. The reality is God can heal people today, but I have not seen it done through a specific individual myself, as it is recorded that the Apostles did. Jesus pointed out how God does not work miracles in this sense for everyone:

Luke 4

25 But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;

26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.

It is good to pray to be healed, and to pray to receive the gift of healing. But it we must remain in submission to God's will, and as Jesus pointed out it is not God's will to heal everyone physically and give everyone these specific gifts.

Sincerely,

Kyle.

Edited August 22, 2004 by ksalzar

[ksalzar]

Greetings Jacqueline,

It sounds to me like you have outgrown your church and need to move on. Let the Lord be your guide, pray, fast, and ask those who are MATURE in the Lord to help you find where you ought to be.

It thrills my heart you are believing the Word of God OVER the word of men.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

This may or may not be appropriate. You need to pary about it and figure out what God wants.

If you leave every church that teaches you incorrectly or handles things incorrectly you will end up churchless until Jesus return. For no church is perfect, the correct decision might also be to stay at this church and serve it by stimulating a better study of God's word.

We are not at church only to be fed, but also to feed.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings ksalzar,

This may or may not be appropriate. You need to pary about it and figure out what God wants.

If you leave every church that teaches you incorrectly or handles things incorrectly you will end up churchless until Jesus return. For no church is perfect, the correct decision might also be to stay at this church and serve it by stimulating a better study of God's word.

We are not at church only to be fed, but also to feed.

For those who have been given a ministerial obligation, such as Pastor, they are also subject to a greater responsibility AND judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ.

Certainly, I have yet to find "the perfect church", and there appears to be less and less of them. I glean a lot from such men as Hank Hannagraff, Charles Swindoll, Woodrow Kroll, R. C. Sproul, D. James Kennedy, yet they each have some point(s) upon which I believe they fail the true meanings of the scriptures.

Yet, I have been to many DEAD churches. One in particular that I attended in Washington state, as my wife and I sat in the pew to a DEAD, DEAD, DEAD message, I looked over the congregation AND in with my "spiritual eyes", I SAW it was full of DEAD CORPSES. I say to those who have "left the true Gospel of Jesus Christ" FLEE THOSE CHURCHES, find one that teaches and preaches as Christ or HIS disciples preached and taught.

We have so many recorded MIRACLES and miraculous healings in the Bible, it takes only a FOOL to deny that they exist today.

YES, I HAVE PRAYED ABOUT IT. And it turns out God is RIGHT.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Kabowd]

My pastor said a few weeks ago that he can not lay hands on us and heal us. He gave me a book to read that said that the things that John and the rest of the men in the bible did was special gifts given only to them.

While I would agree that not every person is given the gift of healing, I think it is wrong for him to say that the Holy Spirit does not operate in this capacity at all today. What is the name of the book he gave you and the author's name?

Now Jesus once said that His children would not only be able to do what He's done, but much more. I want to ask my pastor why can't he lay hands on anyone and heal them? Didn't Jesus say that if we had faith that we can do so much more then that? Is that wrong? Am I misunderstanding what Jesus meant when He said this?

The Scripture you are referring to is John 14:12,

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."

First, you have to realize that when Jesus said "greater works", He was not speaking of "superior in quality, more powerful, significant or outstanding in magnitude". He was saying "greater" as in "scale, scope, or quantity". There is no possible way that we could do anything more powerful than Jesus Himself did, however...because the Holy Spirit indwells each and every believer, we are all empowered to accomplish certain things (which means there is a vast number of us who can accomplish more in regards to quantity).

Secondly, you have to ask yourself if Jesus is saying that each individual member of His followers will do greater works than He did, or if He meant that the community as a whole will do greater works than He did.

It's my belief that Jesus meant the community as a whole would do greater (as in quantity) works. The reason I say this is because we know that each individual believer is not accomplishing everything Jesus Himself did. We are the body of Christ, each called to specific purpose. We do not all hold the same gifts, nor should we seek to have the same gifts. We should appreciate the diversity amongst believers. I think your pastor fails to realize that just because he doesn't possess a certain gifting does not mean the gift is not useful.

Lastly, you really need to guard against extremes. There are some churches who are so opposed and seemingly afraid of the gifts of the Spirit, they severely limit what God desires to do among them and through them. They essentially place God in a box and refuse to let Him move. Then you have some churches who seek after "signs, wonders and gifts" so much that they've forgotten the Gift Giver Himself. It's best to find a good balance, a place where the word is taught (not compromised), but also that recognizes that the Holy Spirit stayed with us for a reason...to work in us and through us.

Now, I'm not necessarily advising that you should find a new church. I don't know enough about your situation to advise that. But I would encourage you to dialogue some more with your pastor, ask questions and pursue the truth. If after doing so you sense that your church isn't following the Word, then I woud definitely say you should pray about finding a new body to be a part of.

[stevehut]

Your pastor may not have the gift of healing. God gives gifts to different people but they are all of the same Spirit.

Yup.