Heidi_Hatch's Blog

Potentially...

Heidi,
Ben Franklin said it best

God heals, but the doctor takes the fees.

i personally believe God heals but its all according to your amount of faith. We Americans have more faith in ghosts and Santa Claus than we do in GOD who actually blessed this country in such a good way. The forefathers knew this thats why George Washington after taking the oath of office recited at the end "so help me God" Now every President-elect use that phrase.

It's not an "either/or" proposition, which is precisely the problem with so much American religion today. God heals through the medical science that is a product of the intelligence he planted in human beings; he heals through the caring and self-sacrifice of other people motivated by their belief in him; and he sometimes heals by miraculous intervention. And sometimes he heals, sometimes he doesn't; his will is inscrutable and not fettered by our earthbound perspectives of what is "good" for someone. Illness may very well ravage a body, but make someone's spirit shine with a strength and grace of character that elude healthy, well-fed, self-satisfied people. "All things" -- good and bad -- "work for the good of those who love God" (Romans 8:28). Finally, God is not a cosmic ATM, dispensing whatever we want and whatever we think best on our demand -- which, unfortunately, is as far as the concept of God goes for many people today.

Northton,

notice what joe said

All things work for the good of those WHO LOVE GOD!
If you dont believe in God then all thing wont work for the good.
and plus there is NO proof that God doesnt exist anyhow. but if you look at the universe thats proof in itself that God exist. This world is too complicated to just "bang" into existence.

so Captain Jim, Are you saying that you dont believe in God?

Let's not change the topic afelton. You said ones belief in God is what causes results. I said I know of three deeply religious people who believed in God with their life, and ended up each losing that life because of it.

The God Who is there answers prayers in three ways:  "Yes, now!" - "Yes, but later." - and "No."

Sometimes miracles happen on the basis of personal faith, sometimes on the basis of the faith of others, but always only for the Glory of God and by His will.

But, God is not a "Cosmic Do-boy" or some magical Genie.  He established "Natural Law" such that all things follow an expected course.   He sees the end from the beginning.  He allows some things we consider "evil" because they will precipitate the outcome He desires.

Further, He has declared that He will not normally perform for those who do not acknowledge His authority, unless His intervention would bring about a permanent change in the unbeliever's attitude.

"Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you.  Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress."  (Judges 10:13-14)

I've seen miracles and know of some in my own family, but we have also lost family members and good friends taken by death, some not so pretty. God KNOWS how you will live and ONLY HE KNOWS WHEN and HOW YOU WILL DIE! There is no one on this Earth that can tell you that, rough guess or estimate, yes, buit not an EXACT TIME, PLACE and DATE you will die.

As for death, despite what a lot of ministers/preachers or whatever you call them say, and despite what most folks believe, NOT ON PERSON IN OUR TIME has ever gone to Heaven or Hell, YET. This is why we have Earthbound spirits (ghosts) as when the time comes per the bible, ALL WE BE RISEN FROM THE GRAVE and JUDGED, unti the day of judgement comes, we ARE IN A STATE of LIMBO or as some have seen and experienced, an Earthbound Spirit (Ghost).

Felty, just because you are a part of something bigger, does not make it a god. Furthermore, it certainly isn't the all too human gods that we know. It would be something so large and so vast that you wouldn't notice it because you could only see a few of it's cells through your telescope. Don't try to make it human.

It's not about health, prosperity, or death, but life ... thus the emphais on the resurrection. When Jesus' home boy, Lazarus, died and his sisters were complaining about him not coming to heal him, Jesus responded, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever belives in me will live even though he dies and whoever lives and belives in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Okay so Jesus raised that 4 day old corps which provoke the contract for a hit on him by the religious dudes, but the emphasis was on eternal life (quantity) and quality of life (that it is full and meaningful), a measurement not based on health, pleasure, or wealth. Just related thought.

Norty, I hope you get some CPR (good one), but I think it would be more fun to use a defibulator on you. LOL.

They don't even bring back four-day-dead dudes today. It most have been pretty convincing to the local religious types since they planned to wack Jesus for it.

I believe in God and he does save lives. It's all according to who you believe and what you believe. God has power over all. A baby died recently in the hospital that I work in and I prayed to God for that family be given strength through this. I also praised His name as well. That baby will be able to live the eternal life and not suffer here on earth.

No, Heidi - God IS life

Faith in Him is life without end.

I believe that God helps those who help themselves.
I lost two parents but unfortunately there illness was caught way too late for even the doctors to help them.
They were in great pain and suffered long enough, my prayer was for that pain to end no matter what that meant, and my prayers were answered as well as theres.

Would I have preferred they stay? Of course but not if they could not be healed, purhaps there purpose had served on this earth and i still hope to see them again some day.

I once heard a story from my great uncle, I forgot which one because I have 15 of them, but this is how I remember the story:

A long time ago in a time I call the 70s (I was only six or seven when he told me this story), there was a great flood, not Noah's flood, but still pretty bad.

A man was sitting on the roof of his house, waiting. A man with a boat came by, he begged the man to come into the boat. The man declined and say "God will save me." So the man in the boat leaves.

The water rises still and another man in a motorboat appears and also beggs the man on the roof to come. The man declines still and says, "God will save me." The water is up to his ankles, but he still declines, so the man in the motorboat leaves.

The water still rises and a helicopter appears and throws down a rope. The men on board try to get the man to climb it. He only stays and yells. "No! God will save me." So they leave.

The man drowns and when he gets to heaven, he asks God, "Why didn't you save me?" God replies. "I sent you a boat, a motorboat, and a helicopter. Why didn't you take what you were offered?"

That's the story, so I guess it depends on how you translate the story. My answer is, people save people, but some believe God implores people to help others and I guess God does because if I've got the gist of the bible down, it says to help your fellow man.

That's my answer at least.