Man Sues Church for Getting What He Asked God For

A very short article here reads:

‘A man says he was so consumed by the spirit of God that he fell and hit his head while worshipping. Now he wants Lakewind Church to pay $2.5 million for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.’

So, let me get this straight. Mr. Lincoln goes to church, prays that God would allow him to have ‘a real experience’, gets knocked down ‘from the force of the spirit’, which has happened previous times, and now wants to sue the church for injuries he claims to have been given not by the church, but by the very Holy Spirit of God - and at his own request?

Have you ever heard the saying, ‘be careful what you ask for?’ I think one must realize if you tell God to give you an experience, you better be ready to live with the consequences of your own request.

Don’t temp the Lord thy God!

Is Your Highway In Scripture?

Okay folks, I am a Christian, so when I see claims such as this, I don’t know whether to laugh my head off or be upset at the silliness of the conclusion.

Apparently, they have now so-called (that’s what I said, I am going by their profession of such) Christians proclaiming that I-35, the interstate from Laredo, Texas to Duluth, Minnesota, was prophesied by Isaiah as a “Highway of Holiness.”

The claim: “"Everything we do, we want to make sure scripture is backing us up," said Austin's PromiseLand Church Pastor Charlie Lujan. "I-35 being Isaiah 35, it just matched."”

Isaiah 35: 8 does read, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

Interestingly, can we also find an I-7, I-11, I-19, I-33, I-36, I-40, I-49, and I-62 in Scripture? Can we then also conclude that God will make all highways a “Highway of Holiness?” Isaiah 49:11 records, “I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.”

Let’s get back to the Scriptures people and leave the gimmicks to the salesmen.

Snake Bit Hypocrisy

During my glance over an atheist blog I sometimes visit, the writer references another blog, referencing a Kentucky news article. In reading the article, I can’t help but see why the non-Christian world would enjoy such a tale.

The article’s title is “Family sues hospital over snakebite death,” but that doesn’t really convey what actually transpired to cause the snakebite. Or, should I say what was taking place at the time of the snakebite? Apparently, a 48 year old London, Kentucky woman was trying to handle a yellow timber rattler during a service at East London Holiness Church. Although, it seems, sometimes people that are bitten by snakes during religious services will refuse medical attention, when Linda Long was bitten on the right cheek, she was rushed to Marymount Medical Center in London.

There is apparently a lawsuit pending concerning the medical attention given (or not given) and supposed comments toward the woman and her family regarding the snakebite incident. Please review link, if you would like to see specifics.

The article declares, “Snake-handlers believe the practice shows faith and God's power. The text for the belief is Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."”

On the legal side:
“Handling snakes in a religious service is a misdemeanor in Kentucky, but police rarely pursue charges because the practice involves a matter of religious freedom and believers are willing participants.” Apparently it is a misdemeanor, with a fine of $50 to $100.

On the spiritual side:
I have never met a “religious” snake handler (one who does it as part of their church service), but I am sure not all snake handlers are religious and I know not all religious persons are snake handlers.

If it is true that they use Mark 16:17-18 as a proof text to making church service snake handling a spiritual thing, then at first glance, I would have to say to be bit and die from a snake bite must mean the persons (more than just the snake handler) are not believers. For the text says, “these signs will accompany those who believe.” Although it only claims that “they will pick up snakes with their hands,” not mentioning what will happen if they get bit, I would say if a person gets bit and becomes sick, why can’t the others “place their hands on sick people, and they will get well?”

I realize some may say I am taking a stab at Christianity, but this is simply not the case. I am merely noting a non-Biblical, out of context, take on Mark 16:17-18. And, I am only holding the person(s) accountable to their own claims to having the gifts recorded in the Scriptures they proclaim. If a reader here is a snake handler, which partakes in snake handling services, and the mentioned Scripture is not a proof text for you, please feel free to share your interpretation of the Biblical text concerning snake handling church services, for I do not see an example of them in Scripture.

My questions to the individuals doing such snake handling, claiming it is God approved, Scripture verified, and provoked by the Spirit would be:

1. What example of snake handling is being followed from a Scriptural example?
2. How does the handling of snakes in church service glorify God?
3. Does the handling of snakes point people to Jesus Christ for salvation?
4. If one believes the handling of snakes is a spiritual gift from God unto believers, if one is bitten, could that not also be a sign from God that they are not a believer and deserve to die as a punishment for tempting Him?

The only example I can remember off-hand of a person having this gift is Paul in Acts 28. If there is another in Scripture, please post the reference.

3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

This is my concern with the misuse of taking Mark 16:17-18 and snake handling into the church service, or time to be worshiping God. We don’t see Paul tempting God with handling snakes, or the Christians in the Scriptures handling snakes in church. We have Paul simply doing what needs to be done, the viper biting him, but it brings him no harm.

Miracles and spiritual gifts are not to bring attention to the person or the gift, but to God, from whom they flow.

False Prophet Kills Homosexual Claiming God Said To

Again we have a misrepresentation of God and the New Testament Scripture concerning how we are to live our lives as Christians. Any honest Christian or Atheist knows a person which claims “I believe I'm Elijah, called by God to be a prophet”, going around planning and desiring to kill a homosexual (or anyone) with a desire as, “I planned on sending him to hell”, is clearly confused to the Biblical message of Christ in the New Testament of Scripture.

Scripture clearly notes that there are false prophets, false teachers, false Christs, and false doctrine which was even prevalent during the days of Christ. Interestingly noted is that this false prophet apparently said, “God first commanded him to kill during a "visitation," or dream, while he was in prison in 2001.” Why would God make a “house call” to give him a job opposed to what He has openly revealed in the New Testament? Sorry, that is not the character of God.

Christians, we need to ensure that we follow the Scripture, by studying, meditating, prayer, and reading what God has given us in the New Testament. The unbeliever will easily use these types of acts to mock and speak ill of Christianity, so we must ensure our lives give example to that which Christ spoke of in His Word. No, we are not perfect, and the lost will always find fault in us to ease their conscience, but we are to be a light to darkness, not do that which is contrary to Scripture and claim God said to do it or that it is okay.

If we sin, let’s admit that we have sinned and repent and ask for forgiveness.

A “Jesus” Returns Wearing 666?

A mere (apparently unregenerate) mortal man by the name of Dr. Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, 61 years old, banned in 3 countries, showed up in Orlando claiming to be Jesus Christ reincarnated.

You can view the article here.

His Claims:

Miranda said millions of people worldwide have tattooed their bodies with "666" in recognition that the second-coming of Christ has taken place, according to the report.

Miranda said he is known as God in at least 30 countries.

News Claims:

Local 6 reported that he was born in Puerto Rico and admits to being a recovering heroin addict. He also spent times in prison on drug and petty theft charges.

Miranda is the founder of the Miami-based Growing in Grace Ministry.

I am not sure which is worse: The claim or the following.

VTech Got What They Deserved?

In an article reference at an atheist blog, here, speaks of a man (I refuse to call pastor) named Fred Phelps. Granted, I have never heard of this Phelps, but if half of what this article says about his “group” is correct he should remove the name Baptist from his “church” name. I don’t think he could even be considered an Independent Baptist.

Apparently this guy planned to protest the funerals of the teachers and students that were slain by the killer. Christ may have said, “Let the dead bury their dead” [Luke 9:60], but the context was calling someone to duty whom was looking for a way to keep from service to God. I don’t remember him commissioning Christians (his people) to protest and hold uprisings at funerals.

Assumingly they have been offered more air time to reframe from actually visiting the funerals themselves, see here, by Mike Gallagher.

The articles claims, an apparently so by this Phelps’ website name is http://www.godhatesfags.com/, that:

Fred Phelps, believes the United States has condemned itself to destruction by accepting homosexuality and other “sins of the flesh.” Phelps’ daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said the Virginia Tech teachers and students who died on Monday brought their fate upon themselves by not being true Christians.

The group goes so far as to say:

“The evidence is they were not Christian. God does not do that to his servants,” Phelps-Roper said. “You don’t need to look any further for evidence those people are in hell.”

My question is how can one say all the victims that perished that day were either homosexual, pro-gay rights, fulfilling sins of the flesh, are not true Christians or being true Christians, and are all in hell?

Does this mean that all those which survived at VTech or that were not involved are true Christians, not homosexuals, anti-gay rights, and do not fulfill sins of the flesh?

This group is a poor wanna-be so-called Christian group that appears to show no sign of Christ-like traits is what the news media and the world sees as Christianity.

What do you, as a Christian, plan to do about it with your own life?