John A. Broussard

You truly amaze me. You seem ready to accept just about anything anyone tells you or that anyone has written.

Like the White Queen, you seem capable of believing as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

badger3k

For more of that...http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=121739.

lee_merrill

Hi everyone,

Well, the Jewish day still started at sunset, though, even though sunset does start the night hours, and they do vary in length. Sunrise also varies!

Could we check the documentation? Mahesh Chavda even gave the address of the person whose boy was raised. And you could again, check with Gospel for Asia, and read some accounts there, from my experience, they are pretty sober…

Regards,
Lee

John A. Broussard

You do believe everything you read!!

I have a whole set of books with eyewitness reports of having been abducted by extraterrestials. And the people were sober when they wrote them. Are you ready to believe those too. If you are, I'll move on into the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and things that go bump in the night.

Where do you draw the line in what you are willing to believe? Surely, there must be some limits.

lee_merrill

Hi John,

Actually, even with claims of miracles by Christians, I do not subscribe to all of them.

"From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties, and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord deliver us"?

I wonder if those abductions could be demonic appearances, maybe, maybe not, maybe Nessie is a plesiosaur? Or maybe a figment of some camera's imagination. For Bigfoot, well, I have big feet! Size 13...

Well, the source makes quite a difference, if I trust a person on other grounds, and they seem to have good discernment, and seem not to be the sort of person to want fireworks, then I would tend to believe them if they tell of a miracle.

As far as believing too readily, Jesus chided someone for doing that!

John 1:50 Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."

Regards,
Lee

John A. Broussard

Terrific! Now we can move on, and this could be very helpful.

What criteria do you use to determine whether or not a miracle is "believable?"

Thanks for your quick response.

lee_merrill

Hi John,

I would hope to know the person well enough to know if they had good integrity, if they were easily deceived, and if they were after impressing others, or wanting to see some fireworks.

I would also see if the miracle was in "the family style," is it like the miracles recorded in the Bible? The legend of Jesus making clay doves as a child and then they all fly away would not fit the bill here (IMHO, and all that).

Then I would wait and see what the results are, God has a purpose in miracles, to bring change in people, with a good purpose, and good results would indicate God at work.

Finally, I would ask God! Such an idea…

May you see a miracle! I wouldn't mind seeing some (more?) myself…

Regards,
Lee

John A. Broussard

Now we're getting somewhere. Since you believe the miracles in the bible actualy occurred, can you give me some idea as to why you believe that they did?

Thanks.

lee_merrill

Hi John,

Well I'm reading a book, and the author made a comment that is pertinent here!

"What then can a learned knowledge of literature and language and oratorical abilities perform in this kingdom? Just as much as they can do towards the resurrection of the dead; for all that is to be done in this heavenly kingdom is nothing less than resurrection into divine life from the death of sin."

"Therefore the power which gave eyes to the blind, cleansed the lepers, cast out devils, and raised the dead can and must alone do all that is to be done in this gospel Kingdom of God. Every smallest work of grace must be as solely done by God as the greatest miracle, because in every work of grace is the same overcoming of nature and sin as when the dead are raised to life." (William Law)

Since I see progress in my life, and character, and God at work through me, though I have tried my utmost on my own, and failed, and failed, I am encouraged to believe that God can do the easier stuff! Like physical miracles, which are, by all accounts, and in my experience, more tractable than human hearts.

There are other reasons I believe in the Biblical accounts, but this is one of the fundamental reasons, for me.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves ...

Psalm 116:2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him ...

Blessings,
Lee