first off: i have a sign on my research lab desk that says:
We Don't Believe in Miracles. We Rely on Them.
just to say that i'm all for great miracles from a great God :)
BUT....
i came across a telecast (on local Philippine tv!!!) about the miraculous healing powers through a green prosperity prayer cloth. i sat there, openmouthed. i just had to write this (see below), the same thing i sent them through their prayer request form.
but in all things, speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) :) aye aye, sir!
(it seems i'm not the only one reacting violently about this guy:
* Finances, Fraud and False Teaching: The Troubled History of Don Stewart
* A Most Essential Question: How Many People are Truly Educable?
anyways, here's my reply to them :)
********************************************************************
To --------- :
I'm happy to see that multitudes have been miraculously blessed by your ministry :) However, I saw your telecast about the "Green Prosperity Prayer Cloth", and I'm very concerned about the message that might be conveyed to your viewers.
#1. At the top of the Prayer Requests page, you included Acts 19:10-12 but the words read "This is a point of contact". Where exactly is that quote found? I looked at several versions of the Bible courtesy of www.biblegateway.com. I suppose the "point of contact" being referred to here might mean the place of Tyrannus, where Paul and the other Christians met daily. But again, the exact term is NOT IN THE BIBLE, and this is QUITE different from referring to handkerchiefs as such (as elaborated in #2).
#2. A handkerchief, a bracelet, and other objects as "Biblical points of contact"? Let us be careful not to diminish the power of God as we enlarge the importance of the instruments He uses. I quote the verse below because although it talks about a different matter, it raises the same point:
"And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham." (Matthew 3:9 NIV)
Although the handkerchief is useful, God can and will be able to heal and bless us without it. He has done so for two thousand years. I do not wish to put you down in any way but I hope you are able to realign your focus and refresh your perspective.
#3. You quoted Acts 19:12 both in the broadcast and here in the website. But let us look at the larger context by including the first part of the sentence --- the preceding verse --- where I capitalized two words:
"GOD did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that EVEN handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." (Acts 19:11-12 NIV)
Again, the emphasis is on God Himself who heals, in some cases with handkerchiefs but not always. Viewers may be misled because you quoted this in the telecast then said "Clearly this is the Biblical pattern," which might lead others to think that they *MUST* have handkerchiefs to be healed or blessed financially.
#4. In the margin for your website, I noticed that the lowermost link, for "Donations", is quite larger than anything else. Several paragraphs in the website and some of the book titles do not even have the word "God" in them. Again, what message would this convey?
I hope that these questions and comments might be of service to you. May God bless and use you more as you seek to honor Him and Him alone.
Thank you very much.
Teci Pulido
http://tecigurl.blogspot.com
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