(This post is a follow-up to “Eyeing Everest”)

You wrote, “The story is not directly applicable to us today because we can’t perform miracles like the apostles could – but there is an important principle being taught.  Faith makes a difference.  Faith is one of the greatest elements of Christianity (1 Cor 13:131 Cor 13:13
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13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.  

WP-Bible plugin).  If we trust God, great things can happen.”  You gotta be kidding, right? (Of course you’re not – you are serious).  Why must you say such ridiculous things such as this; we can’t perform miracles like the apostles?  Why can’t we?  Because you can’t?  Because you are a supposed man of God and haven’t this authority to perform the works of God?  God is, was, and will be.  He hasn’t changed; if He wills me or someone to do His will with that of His miraculous ability, He is free to do so.  To claim that God doesn’t do this anymore is the equivalent of the Jehovah’s Witnesses saying angels don’t give messages like in the Bible anymore!  Who are you to make such claims?  You have not got the authority to be so pompous to state that as TRUTH!  However, you have freedom of choice, and you may continue to say what you will, but, friend, I tell you this, you could say anything, but that in it of itself means nothing.

Sincerely,
Who Do You Think You Are?

Dear Who Do You Think You Are,

Yes, we are serious – and we’ve got the Scriptures to back it up.  God clearly said that there would come a time when miracles would cease (1 Cor 13:81 Cor 13:8
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8 Love never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall be done away; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall be done away.  

WP-Bible plugin).  A miracle is something that breaks the laws of physics (such as raising someone from the dead, supernaturally healing leprosy, etc.).  Miracles were needed to prove that Jesus and His apostles were sent from God (Acts 14:3Acts 14:3
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3 Long time therefore they tarried [there] speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.  

WP-Bible plugin, Acts 2:22Acts 2:22
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22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know;  

WP-Bible plugin, Jhn 9:16Jhn 9:16
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16 Some therefore of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs? And there was division among them.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Now that we have the perfect and complete Bible, we no longer need those miracles – which was Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians.  When the “perfect” of 1 Cor 13:81 Cor 13:8
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8 Love never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall be done away; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall be done away.  

WP-Bible plugin-10 happened, the church no longer needed miracles to further the message of Christ.  After the Bible was completed, the church was able to fully see God’s message of salvation (1 Cor 13:121 Cor 13:12
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12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.  

WP-Bible plugin) without further need of prophecies and miracles.

Some other articles (with further Scriptures) you might want to read on the subject are “I Dreamed A Dream”, “Three Cheers For Miracles”, and “Gifts That Stop Giving”.  We completely agree with you that just saying something doesn’t make it true; that is why we wanted to show you the plethora of verses on the topic.

Your take on the word of faith?  I am currently a member of a Four Square church with phenomenal growth, although they are moderate in context of extreme examples like Haggen, Hinn, etc.  I came from the Calvary Chapel movement which taught against this.  I have found discipleship and ministry involvement, but I still question the constant repeated claims of, “Speak this exercise, your faith is a force to change circumstances, don’t ever admit poverty, lack, sickness, etc.”  They are always alluding to financial blessings, sowing to reap, etc.  I see Biblical precedence, yet it seems a spin on what God intended to tell us through

His Word.  Declaring all God’s promises has not helped me keep my home, jobs, deliverance from bondage to tobacco, sin, and financial need.  Help me put this into perspective.

Sincerely,
More For The Money?

Dear More For The Money,

The theology that your church is ascribing to is called “the prosperity gospel” – and it is a lie.  The prosperity gospel doctrine teaches that the more faith you have, the more money, health, power, etc. you will receive.  They teach that all sicknesses, poverty, and suffering are caused by a lack of faith.  This is simply wrong.

Jesus suffered more than anyone – and yet He was perfectly faithful and never sinned (Heb 4:15Heb 4:15
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15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.  

WP-Bible plugin).  When Jesus was asked why a certain man was blind, His answer was, “That God’s works could be revealed in Him” (Jhn 9:1-3Jhn 9:1-3
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9 ¹ And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. ² And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? ³ Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.  

WP-Bible plugin).  That blind man wasn’t blind because He had sinned, He was blind because it gave God an opportunity to use him.  The apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” (some sort of sickness) that God gave him… even though Paul was exceptionally faithful (2 Cor 12:72 Cor 12:7
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7 And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Job suffered at the hands of Satan BECAUSE he was so faithful (Job 1:8Job 1:8
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8 And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.  

WP-Bible plugin).  And last, but not least, God clearly states that we must suffer in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22Acts 14:22
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22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.  

WP-Bible plugin).

The idea that serving Christ will provide you with every physical blessing you could ever want is a perversion of the Scriptures.  It is a preaching that is based upon selfishness and the love of money – both of which God abhors (2 Tim 3:22 Tim 3:2
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2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  

WP-Bible plugin, 1 Tim 6:101 Tim 6:10
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10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Christians should condemn and flee from this kind of false teaching.

On one occasion shortly after I prayed to Jesus, in the darkness of my eyes (STILL closed), I could clearly see the word “Grace” light up like a white neon-light sign, and it was hovering over a body of water.  After this picture faded away, I opened my eyes and wondered: was it a vision?  What does this mean?  Can you answer this for me?

Sincerely,
Floating Grace

Dear Floating Grace,

No, it was not a vision.  Prophets have visions, and there are no more prophets since we have the perfect and complete Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-101 Cor 13:8-10
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8 Love never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall be done away; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall be done away. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.  

WP-Bible plugin).  The human mind is a complex and wondrous thing (Ps 139:14Ps 139:14
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14 I will give thanks unto thee; For I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.  

WP-Bible plugin).  It is perfectly normal for our mind to make mental connections as we pray, study, sleep, etc.  Those mental images aren’t visions; they are just your own thoughts as your mind meditates upon what you have said, read, or heard.

We recommend you read “I Dreamed A Dream” for more information.

I now believe as you do regarding miracles and why they ceased to exist when they did.  Also, you enlightened me on why God today uses unseen influences to make good things happen for us when we pray as if we’re asking for a miracle.

My question: what is happening in these charismatic meetings when people report blind people seeing again, limbs growing, all the things you read about in their literature?  I hadn’t given it much thought, not seeing it myself, until a neighbor told me she went to Oklahoma to a huge meeting some years ago, and a preacher, who has since died, would just walk by a portion of the congregation, and everyone would fall out on the floor, start speaking in tongues, people in wheelchairs getting up and running, etc.

Then you hear about some of the people ‘losing their healing’ some time later.  Are they actually receiving something, or is it all in their minds because they’ve been ‘ramped up’ during these meetings?

I’d like to know your opinion and what the Bible has to say about these groups because it seems like they’re just going for all the right reasons, believing that they’ll get healed.

Sincerely,
Caring For The Sick

Dear Caring For The Sick,

Charismatic preachers are false teachers that take advantage of the vulnerable.  People in their darkest hours of sickness seek hope from any source.  Faith healers prey upon this.

The meetings that you are talking about where people fall over, start randomly speaking gibberish, and supposedly are healed are infamous for being rigged.  Many journalists have investigated these tent meetings and found that they are specifically designed to work people into a frenzy.  During that frenzy, the evangelists will tell people they are healed, and the adrenaline of the moment gives some the momentary feeling of being healed.  There are documented cases of patients going to these meetings and being told that they had been cured of their cancer only to have the doctors diagnose them as terminally ill days later.  Other “healed” people are deceivers planted within the audience that pretend to be sick and throw their crutches away to add to the charade.

Those who go to these meetings are vulnerable to false teaching and are consequently deceived.  They are seeking a cure, and the false teachers know what to say to raise their hopes (2 Tim 4:32 Tim 4:3
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3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;  

WP-Bible plugin).  The faith healers are false teachers, and they will be judged by God for their wicked deceptions (2 Pet 2:1-22 Pet 2:1-2
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2 ¹ But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of.  

WP-Bible plugin).  A teacher is more strictly judged (Jas 3:1Jas 3:1
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3 ¹ Be not many [of you] teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.  

WP-Bible plugin), and therefore, these preachers will be held accountable for their lies.  It is our duty to try and undo their deception by bringing the truth to those who have been deceived.

Can a person just ask for the gifts of the spirit or claim them?  How do you know if they are real?

Sincerely,
Trying To Be Gifted

Dear Trying To Be Gifted,

Real gifts of the Holy Spirit allowed people to perform real miracles.  In this context, a ‘miracle’ is defined as an act that is obviously supernatural in origin.  Examples of miracles are: raising people from the dead (Acts 9:40-41Acts 9:40-41
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40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.  

WP-Bible plugin), healing leprosy (Lk 5:13Lk 5:13
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13 And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.  

WP-Bible plugin), speaking in foreign languages without being taught (Acts 2:4-11Acts 2:4-11
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4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ⁵ Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans? ⁸ And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.  

WP-Bible plugin), etc.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to the apostles (Acts 2:1-4Acts 2:1-4
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2 ¹ And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  

WP-Bible plugin), and the apostles were able to pass on these gifts to others by laying their hands on them (Acts 8:18Acts 8:18
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18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,  

WP-Bible plugin).  The apostles were the only ones with the ability to pass on the gifts.  Therefore, when the last person that the last living apostle laid hands on died… the gifts ceased to exist.  God intended for this to happen.

The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit were needed to spread the Gospel in the beginning.  Miracles were used as a proof that what the disciples said was truly God’s Word (Acts 8:6Acts 8:6
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6 And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Jesus’ miracles proved that His preaching was true (Acts 2:22Acts 2:22
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22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know;  

WP-Bible plugin).  However, now we have a written account of both the miracles and the teachings, and we believe through the Bible, which records those miracles (Jhn 20:30-31Jhn 20:30-31
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30 Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: ³¹ but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.  

WP-Bible plugin).  The apostle Paul warned that eventually the miracles would cease because we would have the perfect Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-101 Cor 13:8-10
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8 Love never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall be done away; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall be done away. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.  

WP-Bible plugin).  You cannot receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit any longer.  Now, the only gift that the Holy Spirit offers us is salvation – and that is more than sufficient.

I am so confused; I heard you have to speak in tongues to be saved.  I have not spoken in tongues that I know of, and I know I have the Holy Spirit in me because I feel Him in my heart.  Why is it that some preachers say you must speak in tongues and some say you don’t?  Here is a scripture I am confused about also – Mark16:17: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”  Is this telling me I am not saved since I have not spoken in tongues?

Sincerely,
Speechless

Dear Speechless,

You do not have to speak in tongues to be saved.  The Ethiopian eunuch didn’t speak in tongues, and he was saved (Acts 8:36-39Acts 8:36-39
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36 And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? ³⁷ [And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.] ³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.  

WP-Bible plugin).  The Philippian jailer didn’t speak in tongues, and he was saved (Acts 16:31-34Acts 16:31-34
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31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. ³² And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. ³⁴ And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Paul taught that only some had the gift of tongues (1 Cor 12:28-311 Cor 12:28-31
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28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [divers] kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all [workers of] miracles? ³⁰ have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? ³¹ But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Any preacher that teaches that you have to speak in tongues to be saved has missed some very basic Bible verses.  They have an agenda and are deserving of condemnation as false teachers who proclaim something other than the Gospel (Gal 1:8-9Gal 1:8-9
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8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. ⁹ As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.  

WP-Bible plugin).

Furthermore, miraculous gifts are no longer present in the church.  They are no longer needed because we have the complete and perfect Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-101 Cor 13:8-10
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8 Love never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall be done away; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall be done away. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.  

WP-Bible plugin).  For further details on this, read “Speaking in Tongues”, “The Lost Art of Prophecy”, and “Spoken Like A True Friend”.

Mark 16:17Mark 16:17
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17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;  

WP-Bible plugin is not referring to all christians, but instead it is referring to the “signs that would accompany” Christianity.  As the gospel first spread, God used miracles to attest to the authenticity of the apostles’ claims that Jesus was the Son of God (Mk 16:20Mk 16:20
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20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.  

WP-Bible plugin).  These signs and wonders were God’s way of supernaturally bearing witness to the preaching (Heb 2:2-4Heb 2:2-4
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2 For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; ³ how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; ⁴ God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Miracles do not make you a christian; obedience to the will of God does (Rom 12:2Rom 12:2
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2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  

WP-Bible plugin).  Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to understand, verse-by-verse, what it takes to become a christian.  Do not accept anything but the Scriptures.  Only God’s Word holds the answers to our salvation (Rom 1:16Rom 1:16
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16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  

WP-Bible plugin).