wolf in sheeps clothing

[kittyjo]

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[tdrehfal]

Hello to all in worthy community

I am new to the worthy community and would like to say hello in Jesus name.

I would like to ask any one in the worthy community who would be able to

help me in restoring my faith. to begin with, last year I was watching a ministry

program of Pastor don stewart of phonix arizona about his handkerchief of healing.

at the time I wasn't in strong faith, hardly read the bible, say prayers once in awhile.

I decided to try and see if this healing could help me, so I send in a request for the

handkerchief in lest then 3 weeks I receive the handkerchief and follow the instructions

as to begin the healing process. 10 minutes later something came over me that was so

strong that it made me cry like I had never cry before since I was a child, my cry laste

almost 20 minutes and the feeling lasted up until the next day. the feeling is like some

thing has been lifted off of me and I felt peace, can't exactly descripe it because never

felt anything like it before. after the experience I began to read the bible (all day) and

praying(all day) and my family notice the changes in me. 2 weeks later I came across

an article about pastor stewart that just shot down my faith. now I look at him as one

one of the wolves that Jesus warn his disicples about in sheeps clothing. now today I struggle

to try and keep my faith, I am loseing because of the situation in my life asking god for

help. I belive now that I have lost it.

Well, do you know the article is true? It might not be. But even if it is, remember, it's God who does any healing, and God who gets the glory.

There are many people I don't particularly care for on TV, but people do get healed. They get healed because God honors their faith

and not because of the preacher. Your trust must be in Christ, and not the preacher or handkerchief. If God was working in your life,

it would be because he honored your faith, and not because of any preacher.

Remember, your faith must be built upon THE ROCK. If you build your house on the sand (a preacher, televangelist, or whomever)

your faith can be easily swept away. If it's built on Jesus Christ, it will stand.

Edited January 23, 2007 by tdrehfal

[bnrr]

Hello everyone

Thank you for all the replys. I would like to point out one thing, I am not

putting my faith into a handkerchief or to the preacher. In my post I should have been more specific for my reason as to why I made a decision to try out the handkerchief. I am going through a very hard and difficult life, not just now but since the day I was born. through out my life I have been seeking God and trying to build up my faith by reading the bible regularly, attending worship services, saying prayers and so on. during all that time I have not come to any spirital experience or feelings that tells me otherwise. The experience that I had useing the handkerchief. the handkerchief is just an item that just sort of open the door for me to feel God or the holy spirit, something like that. as for donations I only gave $5 it is the only thing I could afford

to give. well anyway I do not want to make a long post, but for leonard you could check out the articleat www.pf.org/donstewart.htm it is over 4 years old.

[Leonard]

I'm sorry, but that address took me to some extremist Left wing blog site! Is the article there on the "Progressive" Party site? If so, I GUARANTEE IT IS FALSE!

If not, please send me that web address again. Thanks.

[Marnie]

Not trying to stir up an argument, but Marnie states personal opinions as facts.

She could say it is my opinion that healing cloths are a bunch of nonsense. Healing cloths were mentioned in the book of Acts. That establishes that they are not nonsense. If someone wishes to discuss are they still valid, that would be a legitimate discussion. To make the statement they are nonsense, is just unscriptural.

First, an opinion is what we express here. Second, while it is my opinion healing cloths are nonsense, I plainly stated that there is Biblical precident for their use. However...one must look at the whole Word of G-d before, shall I say, slamming my opinion. The burden of proof is with you, hr.jr. YOU give me a verse that says we are to purchase such things. Does the Holy Ghost's power confine itself to a piece of cloth? Of course not. Oft times in Scripture, the Lord uses strange ways to convey a truth one-time only. Case in point: Balaam's ass. With the possible exception of TV preachers who fleece ignorant audience members right and left, you wont find any talking asses. Why? Because G-d did a one-time only miracle to prove a point; to teach us something. Many things were mentioned in the book of Acts that have n ever happened again. A man running faster than a chariot comes to mind.

Rightly divide the Word, hr.jr. That's not an opinion, it's the Word.

[Marnie]

jr...are you trying to stir up trouble? There is a nice way to disagree with someone, ya know?

It's cool. At least he knows his Bible. But we all need to learn how apply Scriptures to our lives, not just be able to spew back stories without regard to context and so on.

[EricH]

Moved from the Welcome Forum to Looking for Advise Forum

[Leonard]

And I have had cloths taken from my body, and recipients report physical healings too. If God did it once, He can certainly do it again.

Hey Marnie, whatcha' gonna' do when your dog suddenly gives you a message from the Lord!

I'm just picking on you for fun, Sis; you know I love you!

[TheoMike]

Marnie, the point is I do know how to apply the Bible in my life. I have used prayer cloths with quite a good measure of success. I never paid for any of them. With the exception of some stuffed animals we prayed over. We had to buy the animals, but they were merely fair market, toy store, value. Not paying for the anointing, just the material itsself. The anointing is not for sale.

I am curious as to why you feel the need to use a prayer cloth? I mean, did God tell you to? Where would you get such an idea? Do you do it because you read it in the Bible? Do you also ride a donkey because Jesus did? I do not mean to pick on you, but people do things for reasons, and after 20 years in the ministry you are the first person I have come across who claims to use these things. I am well aware of what was written in Acts, but I have never taken it to be a Biblical mandate for the Church!

I don't claim to know what goes on inside Marnie's head (who could??), but I think her question was more like, can you point to a Biblical admonition for the use of prayer cloths? Do you equate the prayer cloth with, say, anointing oil?

Unless you can provide solid Biblical evidence for the veracity of the current use of prayer cloths, yours is just an opinion, same as Marnie's. I know for certain that in the early Church, with the exception of the Roman Catholic heretical practice of indulgences, you would be hard pressed to find evidence that the use of the prayer cloth was considered standard practice.

[Marnie]

Marnie, the point is I do know how to apply the Bible in my life. I have used prayer cloths with quite a good measure of success. I never paid for any of them. With the exception of some stuffed animals we prayed over. We had to buy the animals, but they were merely fair market, toy store, value. Not paying for the anointing, just the material itsself. The anointing is not for sale.

I am curious as to why you feel the need to use a prayer cloth? I mean, did God tell you to? Where would you get such an idea? Do you do it because you read it in the Bible? Do you also ride a donkey because Jesus did? I do not mean to pick on you, but people do things for reasons, and after 20 years in the ministry you are the first person I have come across who claims to use these things. I am well aware of what was written in Acts, but I have never taken it to be a Biblical mandate for the Church!

I don't claim to know what goes on inside Marnie's head (who could??), but I think her question was more like, can you point to a Biblical admonition for the use of prayer cloths? Do you equate the prayer cloth with, say, anointing oil?

Unless you can provide solid Biblical evidence for the veracity of the current use of prayer cloths, yours is just an opinion, same as Marnie's. I know for certain that in the early Church, with the exception of the Roman Catholic heretical practice of indulgences, you would be hard pressed to find evidence that the use of the prayer cloth was considered standard practice.

Acts 19:12. Is that early enough church for you? My current biblical evidence is that their use is recorded in scripture. The early church used them. (Acts 19:12) My burden of proof is met. The logical burden of proof has shifted to you to show in scripture why they are not to be used.

No, that's just plain wrong. You cite one isolated incidence, nothing more. The laying on of hands is encouraged throughout the NT. The use of prayer cloths is not. You have yet to prove anything. Where is a citation of Paul or Peter telling a church to use a prayer cloth? There isn't, because they didn't. Why? Because to use a prayer cloth is tatamount to idolatry. That's why the early Church (from Polycarp on down) stayed away from such nonsense.

You also did not answer Mike's question: Why do this? If G-d has told you to do so as some kind of test of faith, then so be it. G-d bless you for being obedient. But don't use the Bible as a prooftext for some kind behavior that is clearly not encouraged in Scripture. I do not doubt your salvation or sincerity, but by advocating the use of prayer cloths you are simply adding confusion where there should be none.