Am I Fragrant, Or Do I Stink?

Word of the Post
Today's word is: often
/off"en/ adjective (So oft mispronounced as /oft"en/ that it is the first pronunciation I found; this is a sad state of the language.)
Not seldom; frequently; many times at short intervals; common; repeated.
Teh Club often gets together to celebrate; birthdays, accomplishments, holidays. We look for reasons to gather around food.
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This is a continuation of the discussion sparked by the Fragrant Oil post a few days ago. I start with the question that Niki presented. "Why do you believe THAT power was only given to the Apostles,etc. and why are you sure that those types of miracles aren't happening today? Or did I misunderstand?"

I suppose you could have misunderstood my meaning. I don't feel my thoughts were clear, so I don't blame you for feeling confused. I am still trying to stretch my own boundaries, while not "falling for anything". I am still not solid on my thoughts here. This post, and probably several more like it, will be me mumbling, and opening my study to hear what others have to say, while keeping the Bible as my first witness.

I am most certainly NOT sure that those types of miracles are not happening today. They can, and probably should. You (directly to Niki) have heard stories of miracles happening, and you have had a few in your own life. I have not witnessed anything like that, but I do not doubt that it can happen. As I said somewhere in here, God's power has not changed.

I have also seen "healing" gatherings that were just as fake as the sleight of hand at the circus. Mike Warnke did a stand-up bit about going to a "healing service" and getting hit in the head... "In the name of JESUS! (hit)". He says he got back in line, and the guy says, "I already healed you!" and Mike says, "Yeah, but now I got a headache." Impersonators were a problem in Jesus' time, and have not gone away.

I see this rather like the early baptisms, where the converts were using the Apostle who converted them to lift their own status. "I am of Paul, I am of Apollos". The gift of healing is rare, and precious. Paul said the gift of prophecy was rare, but that other gifts were just as much a part of the whole of the church. In Romans 12, he listed many gifts: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy. I believe that the next few verses, while most will apply them to the gifts, are also gifts themselves: perseverance, devotion to prayer. So, if I believe that all of these gifts ever existed, I can be sure that they still exist today. If they are rare, then maybe I have not seen the truly gifted. Is that an issue of location or unbelief?

I believe that demon possessions and influence still happen. I have recently become aware that some "diseases" may actually be supernaturally caused. I have personally experienced removal of headaches by prayer. So, if the bad exists still, why not the good? We all want to believe in the reward of Heaven, but we don't really believe in the punishment of Hell. Why is that? I think we have been lulled into forgetfulness.

Maybe Americans are jaded, to the point that even miracles won't sway them. We are so caught up in our own glory and instant gratification, that we tell God that we can do without Him. Which, of course, is folly. Lazarus and the Rich Man come to mind. Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man is told that his brothers had their chances, and even if they saw a dead man, they would not believe.

I believe that the gift that the Apostles received, to heal by laying on of hands, was a gift they could pass on. In Acts 8, we see Simon the sorcerer trying to buy the ability. All gifts to others seem to come from the Holy Spirit only, not from a human decision. I don't know if that can be given to another anymore. I don't think that the Apostles' gift was carried on beyond that first generation. I don't believe that there is anyone alive today carrying an Apostolic gift of healing. Like the "Apostolic Churches", I think that the gift specifically handed down would make more glory for man than for God. The gift still exists, but not directly from the Apostles. Does that make sense? God chooses who will be blessed, and it is God who deserves all the glory.

I will have to do more searching. I welcome any thoughts you (all my lovely readers) have, any ideas you present, any discussions you can spark. Those things I said about you, Niki, from the "Nice Matters" award, I meant. You truly do humble me; you keep me sharp and on my toes. That thing had a ballet slipper on it, didn't it?