That was a low blow..but I should not be shocked to read this from you. Did Jesus raise all the dead? I was not called to raise my mother from the grave!
Perhaps it was a bit too personal. I hope you were not offended.
The fact is that no one is "called" to raise people from the dead--no one.
The only one in all of history that raised any one from the dead, after he had been put in the grave and buried, was Jesus Christ. No one can duplicate that. No one will ever be called to do that. Everyone of us must wait for the resurrection, including all of the apostles and the prophets. The resurrection has not happened yet. The only one to have been actually raised from the dead is Lazarus, and even then Lazarus died. His body will not be permanently raised until the resurrection.
No! It is a matter of hearing from God! Getting in line with what God wants done on earth. If I would have heard him tell me to raise my mother...I would have allowed Him to use me in that manner. BUT HE DID NOT!
It is a matter of God's will. We can know it is God's will by a knowledge of the Word of God. God reveals his will to us through his Word. I know much of His will through his Word--pray, study, read, meditate, fellowship with other believers, witness, love one another, love God, show mercy, etc. So much of God's will is already revealed in His Word. We need to be concerned with what is already known to be his will first.
As we read his Word we gain faith.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
Faith is not blind. It is based on the facts of God's Word.
The Holy Spirit leads only according to His Word, never contrary to it.
That is why we know we cannot duplicate the miracles of Christ, Moses and others. It is not the will of God for us to those things. They were for specific occasions in history, for a specific purpose at a specific time. We simply can't lift them out of their context.
I am an obedient son of God! If he tells me too I will obey! But I will do nothing to prove to you ANYTHING!
As a son of God, how does he speak to you, and how do you know what to do?
Only God's word can reveal that to you.
It is also important to have good Godly Bible-believing teachers and pastors to lead you in the right direction. When this is lacking in a person's life often they tend to go astray. The Lord gave to the church: pastors, teachers, evangelists, for the building up of the faith.
It is not that you have to prove anything to me, but perhaps to yourself.
Is it not an indication to you that if the gift of healing has not been demonstrated now, or anywhere, for the last 20 centuries, that it is not in existence and that it has ceased? Isn't that evidence in and of itself that the gift has ceased? Why would you need more proof then that? Where in the last 20 centuries has anyone healed like Peter did in Acts 5:16? There have been some anecdotal accounts. People have followed Benny Hinn around with a team of doctors and journalists, and documented those who he has claimed to be healed, and have found that every one of his claims to be false. The same is true with Peter Popov. IMO, these frauds should not be allowed on the TV to propagate fraud. The gift of healing is nowhere to be seen. You haven't seen it. I haven't seen it. Either has anyone else. Why say that it exists then?
Showing forth...tell me DHK...how can someone show forth something they do not have. If you have the Holy Spirit then it will be shown forth as he listed in the 9 manifestations (what was shown forth)!
And of the sign gifts absolutely no one is showing them, demonstrating them. They are silent today. Why? They have ceased. I have the Holy Spirit. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is manifested, not the gifts. They have ceased. If they haven't ceased why in all the population of the world does the Holy Spirit not show them forth among any one of his children. He is completely silent; totally silent. Which ones do you have?
What foreign languages has God given to you to speak in?
Have you healed thousands, and have the ability to heal anyone of any disease?
Can you perform miracles of the same nature that the Apostles did?
These have all ceased, and no one today is doing them!
Not all are called into miracles! If I am not called...I can not manifest!
Not all? Not any!!!
Where are they? Give names, dates, places, of even just one individual. They have ceased.
