Expert: Marilyn - 3/9/2010

Question
Why do some Christian people assume that prophecy,speaking in tongues,healing etc are not valid for todays Christians?? The Bible in the book of Joel states clearly   

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

So why are Christians denying the Awesome power of God Today??? :}

Not to mention the N.Testament where it talks on this matter a whole lot more.

Answer
Hello Elijah;

American Christians run the gamut from people who are about as cold and dead as a fish to people who are totally on fire for God. Churches in America run the same gamut.

Why anybody would want to deny it, I don't know, but neither do I understand my own moments of doubt. Each person is at a different point in their walk with God and their understanding of Him. Each of us knows something our neighbor doesn't understand and is totally blind somewhere else. Thomas Jefferson took his Bible and cut out all the supernatural miracles parts, but he undeniably believed in God and put his faith in Him. Little old ladies at a local church don't know much about what the Bible says, yet they trust God without question. Another person can quote vast quantities of Scripture and has no faith. Some nearby leaders complain about "graying" congregations and dying churches, but I know of at least churches not far away that must hold multiple services on Sunday and have police on hand when each service lets out so traffic doesn't totally come to a complete stop.

God has to walk us through our lives, nudging us here and there to encourage us in faith. Some of us insist on being stupid, some of us have to crash and burn before we'll cry out to Him, some of us are so stubborn we'll never cry out to Him no matter what happens, some of us were raised in churches that taught us that God doesn't do miracles anymore and we haven't realized there are other churches we might attend, some of us are disappointed in God because He didn't answer a prayer the way we thought He should, some of us are angry with God, some of us are lazy...some of us are diligent students, but we're still beginners...we run the gamut all the way up to people who can prophesy and lay hands on the sick and see them recover.

If your local congregation is cold and dead, pray for them. If you are able, find a new church home where the fire of God is burning.

Sincerely,

Marilyn