There are two types of people. 1) Those who say the rules are there for a reason and we ought to obey the letter of the law. 2) Those who can get behind the ‘idea’ of the rule and then morph it to fit their current situation. My wife and my mother fall into the former classification while my mother-in-law and I fall into the latter.
Once I get behind the why of a rule I don’t feel the need to obey it exactly.
Like a speed-limit sign. I understand that what is important is that I drive safely in the current traffic and road conditions. What the actual speed limit is is irrelevant. Am in in control of my car? Yes.
Or take bathrooms for instance. Sometimes you just gotta go. If the men’s is full and nobody is in the women’s - well - all I’m saying is that sometimes you just gotta go.
In many cases, these people that feel the rules don’t apply to them are also people that don’t take things at face value. Such as the price of something for sale. Surely, if I ask they can give me a deal. Why not? What harm is there in asking? You have not because you ask not. Right? Right. In fact, you would be surprised how much you can get away with when you ask people about it.
So, while I have still yet to be convicted in my inner man about speeding on the wrong side of the road I am sold on the ask reality.
I propose that the ask theory reltes to infinately more than garage sales and Guitar Center. I say that we have not from God because we ask not. And I would like to say that chances are we are much too stingy in the things we are asking for.
God is good. He loves to give gifts. Are you asking? Are you asking with confidence?
Ronalfy said:
Shawn,
That’s kind of interesting about God breaking the rules of nature. Really deep if you think about it.
In the American culture, it seems a lot of stuff is at face value. With the bigger stuff, you can negotiate (car, house), but not really the smaller stuff. When I was in the Philippines, you could actually negotiate with most of the merchants on the street for just about any product.
Posted on March 7, 2007 at 11:17 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Ron: You caught this post before I snuck it back in. I accidentally published it before I was done editing.
For the rest who don’t know what you’re talking about, I was wrighting on physical healing. That God will ‘break the rules of nature’ to heal our bodies.
Posted on March 7, 2007 at 11:21 pm
antje said:
Oh, I had to read that twice to get the point:)
At the moment, that’s just the right topic, that I have a lot of questions about. If your point is physical healing I was wondering why “asking” at all? Which means for me “please, God would you heal…”. Because I always think He accomplished healing at the cross, so it’s our turn to know and to take that, isn’t it? Which means for me “Lord, by Your wounds I’m healed, I believe that, and I tell the sickness/pain… to go and I receive my healing.” And the physical healing will happen because the rules of nature are subject to the spiritual concepts, aren’t they? Ok, I could write a lot more. The question behind it all is, when to ask and when to decree, because both is biblical, I know…
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 4:15 am
{Shawn} said:
@ Antje: I think there are a lot of stressed out people waiting for their healing. Because of your very point: When to ask and when to decree. Both are Biblical, but I don’t think it’s a matter of what we say when we pray, how loud we are, how anointed it feels. Rather if the Spirit of God is moving.
I have heard so many stories of people getting radically healed by someone who was tired and didn’t really want to pray but did anyways with ‘no faith.’
I also know is that the Lord always desires to heal us. Jesus is perfect theology.
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 7:17 am
Hollie said:
Yes, Shawn! I needed your particular brand of wit and wisdom this morning. Great post.
Over the last few days, I’ve felt like my prayer request list has gotten kinda long, but why not? He’s a good Father and a good giver and He just so happens to enjoy it!
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 8:11 am
ChriS said:
Not sure I agree with ya on the woman’s restroom…we are guys isn’t that what the bushes are for?
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 9:48 am
{Shawn} said:
@ Chris: I tried the bushes, the trees and behind a car but they were all full too.
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 10:50 am
JoAnna said:
Okay, so we have not because we ask not. I agree, but I have a question. What about when we petition God enough and He ‘gives in’ (like Jesus’ parable of the woman with the unjust judge & like Israel wanting a king), but it wasn’t His ideal choice for you? I have actually been mulling this over and over and haven’t come up with anything yet. The story is this: We are trying to move to be closer to our church. We have a contract on the seemingly perfect house, contingent on our house selling. Our house has yet to be sold. How do I pray? Do I beg for the house to sell so I can get the new house I love or do I just tell Him to do what He wants or do I do a combo? I keep feeling like I need to seriously PRAY for it, but then I wonder if I’m being like the children of Israel in demanding a king when that clearly was not God’s choice (like if there is something unforseen wrong with the house). I want His best… not what I think might be best for me based on my limited vision. Make sense? I guess God let the Israelites know that wasn’t His choice, and I haven’t had such a thing about the house…. maybe therein lies the answer?.
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 3:24 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ JoAnna: God had already told Israel that he would be their king. But they complained and said no we want a king like the other nations have. They were praying for something other than what the Lord had already given them.
If you are sensing the Lord leading you and pray for it to come through, he won’t say “ARG! I wanted to do something else. Now I have no choice but to do this other thing instead.” No. He is soverign. If you’re asking for breakthrough in something out of sincerity but with ignorance that is different than asking for it out of a rebellious, complaining heart.
Make Sense?
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Aaron Kennedy said:
hey shawn,
I have recently just found your blog and have been inspired to start setting my own one up today as well :o)
I was just wondering what you guys thought about what Antje said about recieveing healing now. I mean I know it was paid for, but I see healing as a foretaste of things to come, Jesus has paid the price for our resurrected bodies but i don’t really see the manifestation of that till after the whole 7years is over.
I was just reading on IHOP about the manifest sons of God under controversies - it was something i had read on other sites that thought ihop was heretical. what extent should we be pressing in for God to heal now? we know it is his plan to heal. but is that for this age?
i think that was a little long - i’m not really sure how to word the question. hope you get me anyway. - maybe that one is a bit deep for a comment.
Posted on March 8, 2007 at 9:12 pm
antje said:
I believe healing is for now. But I’m not a real IHOPper, so I wasn’t asked that question, ooops
No, honestly, that was what Jesus did, when He walked over this earth and what He told us to do (Mt 10,8, Mk16,18). I think I’m gonna “wordcast” on that, because I don’t want Shawn’s comment section to explode…
I like that “Jesus is perfect theology.” Yes maybe in the end it’s not too important if praying or decreeing… hmm, but these people were healed because of their faith and not because of the faith of the people praying, weren’t they? Well, I’m gonna “wordcast” something… Thanks, anyways, this was inspiring, it made me think and read my bible and ask…
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 6:24 am
JoAnna said:
Shawn, thanks. That does make sense. You actually just confirmed the conclusion I was coming to as I wrote the comment. Thank you!
Why is it that we get so caught up and paralyzed by the details when our hearts are what matters? Ugh.
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 6:57 am
{Shawn} said:
@ Aaron: I believe that we find our theology of healing from Jesus. He was the EXACT representation of the Father. Jesus is perfect theology.
The reason about Jesus giving healing now and glorified bodies later is in Isaiah 53. Jesus went to the cross for healing and for forgiveness. Both were bought at the cross. We have full access to forgiveness of sins by His blood and full access to healing by his stripes.
This might be a lot but bare with me here: The epistles make it clear that the time for our transformed bodies will be at the time of Jesus return. The reason we get them then and not now is that we don’t need them now. There is not a spiritual environment for us to relate to. But when the New Jerusalem is established at the 2nd coming we will need transformed bodies.
Regarding healing now and not later: Look at Jesus ministry, and you’ll see that all those who came to him asking for healing, he healed. Even the gentile woman in Matthew 15.
Nobody received a resurrected body (except Jesus). Not even Lazarus or any of those who came back to life on the day Christ was crucified.
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 11:01 am
{Shawn} said:
@ Anje: You are asking good questions. The thing is that there is no deffinitive answer to healing.
God is playing chess on 10 different levels with pieces we may not know about. It works different every time. But what is so important to remember is that God wants to heal and He wants us to fall in love with Him. We have to believe the Bible, despite external circumstances.
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 11:03 am
Adam said:
Shawn, I have to agree with you on speeding and women’s bathrooms. When you gotta go you gotta go.
But truly I haven’t thought about it in depth and questioned myself about it (especially the speeding one) lately. I used to be a very unsafe driver in my teen years, but now I am a very safe driver (as far as I am concerned), but tend to view the signs as more of a suggestion for safe driving than.
But I’m sure that my friendly highway patrol officer will think differently next time I’m zooming past him going 55 in a 45, even if there are no cars around for miles. But what does God think about that?
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Aaron said:
thanks antje and shawn, you’ve made this very clear to me.
bless you guys.
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Healing I - Heilung I « Something like… said:
[...] I - Heilung I Yesterday this topic popped up here: physical healing. And I thought it would be good to write some posts about that. This is a topic [...]
Posted on March 9, 2007 at 3:50 pm