WHAT'S UP WITH THIS?

[wordsower]

I don't think anyone says the power is in the hankerchief.

Just as there is none in annointing oil.

The power is of God.

The prophet Elijah told the widow to give him her last cake. Reason would have said he was crazy, but she believed and gave it to him in faith and God increased her food.

It's more about what you believe God will do, than the symbols used.

We need to leave more room for bearing with eachother in love. Some are ignorant in the faith but God loves them just as much as He does us.

[Fr Chuck]

Most likely missing out sending them the 5 or 10 dollars they want for a piece of cloth.

The use of a cloth, taken to be used for healing was done and is still done by 1000's.

It like many other things can be a blessing, if you are told by God to do it,

But like all things, many use things like this for fund rasiing.

[keslc]

I think it's sad that some people try to exploit the miracles of God for monetary gain. A few years back, however, I was reading in Acts about the handkerchiefs used by Paul and others and I realized I never took notice of that story before. At that time there was a young lady I knew well (she was our flower girl at our wedding) who was going through some HORRIBLE situations. I had been praying for her and I felt God leading me to tell her that I was praying for her. I bought her a handerkerchief and went to visit her. I gave it to her and read with her the stories in Acts. I told her that I was not giving it to her because the hankie was "blessed"or powerful or anything like that. I told her that it was SIMPLY a reminder that someone was praying on her behalf. She was very touched and it encouraged her and while she is still facing many struggles due to decisions she made back then, she is taking steps and turning around.

Now, as I said, I used that handerkerchief only as a gift to remind her that we were praying....not anything else. A hankie is only a hankie....oil is only a substance extracted from plants.....water is only H2O...I understand and believe this. POWER and MIRACLES are of GOD! God will use people and things however to perform His miracles and as mentioned earlier in this thread by someone else...faith also has to be practiced and obedience to God.

I think it's ok to share items like bookmarks, stickers, hankies with encouraging words to be something someone can look at and say, "hey, I remember when Joe gave this to me. He's praying for me. I should pray for him" type of thing, but to put your faith in that item is wrong. The item has no signifigance other than a reminder of God's power and care for us.

ok, I really rambled on there....hope that all makes sense!