One of the blogs I read (Inkhorn Blue on my blog list) had a posting that got a lot of comments. The writer told about her experiences with ghosts. One of the respondents wasn't a ghost believer and quoted scriptures to prove these "things" were the devil. Sorry, but I'm so sick of hearing people giving the devil credit for everything we can't explain.
Why do people do bad things? The devil makes them do it.
Why am I tempted although I love God and want to do good? Must be the devil.
Someone I know says the devil is so smart he tailor makes temptations for each one of us.
Give me a break.
Is the devil omniscient and omnipresent?
No, but God is. And if you want to quote scripture, the Word says the devil was destroyed at the cross.
Now, who's bigger? The devil or what Jesus did at the cross?
I don't get on a soap box too often (my friends would probably disagree), but this is one I can live on. Stop talking about the devil. Stop giving him credit and making him out to be stronger than God.
People are inherently sinners. That's why God sent Jesus. Only knowing Him can change a person's heart.
OK. So what are ghosts? I don't know, but I believe we are closer to the spirit world than we realize. After my husband died, I looked for an easel. He had put it away, and I had no idea where he'd put it. I looked all through the house and garage and couldn't find it. Finally, exasperated, I said, "Jim, where did you put the easel?" Immediately a place in the garage came to my mind. I went there and found one of the three parts of the easel. Since Jim had taken it apart, I knew he had stored the other two parts somewhere. I looked some more. Nothing. Again I asked him where the rest of the easel was. Immediately I thought of a place to look and found the cross piece. The chain and the screw was still missing, so excited that I was being led in some way, I asked where the other pieces were. Their hiding place became clear and I found them. Do I believe it was actually Jim? I don't know, but you'll never make me believe this didn't happen. I had a couple of other experiences like this after he died, and I know someone somewhere was helping me and sending me comfort.
When the blogger says she experienced something supernatural, who am I to say, "Oh, no, you didn't. The Bible says it isn't possible." She'll read the Bible and find out for herself, but no one will be able to convince her what she experienced was anything except a ghost. And no one can convince me something supernatural wasn't at play when I found the easel. Let's open our minds and see that in the world God created are things we don't yet understand. Wait! I believe Jesus said He had things He wanted to tell, but couldn't. Maybe that was because of the closed minds of his followers. Sounds kind of like today, doesn't it?
Very thought-provoking post! I'm kind of moderate by philosophy these days, so I tend to stand in the middle - I want to allow both opinions (ghosts vs. no ghosts) as potentially valid unless someone can prove otherwise, and I mean *prove* it by unambiguous scripture, which I don't think is possible after studying the issue. I think we all agree that an excessive interest in ghosts/spirits isn't wise or legitimate as a Christian practice acc. to the prohibitions against occult practice, but the mere belief that these kinds of things may happen from time to time is not the same as a fascination with the occult.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten that story, it was very special to hear it again.
ReplyDeleteJimmie