Good Morning!
I had a short conversation with someone about what it is I have chosen to do with my life (ThetaHealing and Healing Medium). As I have been practicing and molding things to my faith in the past six months, I have found that certain things have come out that can only be referred to as psychic phenomenon. That's right, folks, psychic! I love it and I wouldn't trade it for any amount of anything remotely valuable. I do it in the name of the Creator of All That Is and to me that is Yahweh and Yeshua. I don't believe that it is evil or from any other manifestation other than my God. I know that to some this scares people, just for the fact that they fear punishment from God. So let me tell you something about me....I do not live in this fear. I know that certain actions have consequences, but I do not live in Fear of my Loving Creator. I embrace Creator's warmth and Love and live inside of this everyday and in every situation that my fleshly body will allow me. It is wonderful and the new perspective of Life on Earth is phenomenal.
However, I will say this.... I don't practice majic and I don't refer to myself as fortune teller. I am just human, just like you. However, I got tired of being pressed down inside the box and I cried out to God with desire to do something fantastic for Him and Earth. One rule of thumb that I always follow is I never do anything without Creator's permission. And I will say that Creator says "no" quite often. LOL!
So with all this said, I found an article that wraps some things up in an educated way. I always say...."when in doubt, educated yourself." Don't believe it just because someone told or taught you it was right or wrong. Decide for yourself. Read. Read. Read.
Lastly, do all these things with Love. If you choose not to do them with Love, it will always turn up a big mess and then you just might have to cry about it. Ha!
What Does The Bible Really Say About Psychics And Seers?
by Doc Edwards
Posted: 23:45 June 9, 2009
by Doc Edwards
Posted: 23:45 June 9, 2009
I am often amazed --- and admittedly somewhat dumbfounded --- when, well-intentioned but obviously misguided, Christians ask whether or not it is spiritually permissible for one to look into the future or to talk to someone who can demonstrate this amazing, ancient spiritual practice. Many ask, Does not the Bible expressly prohibit psychics, seers, and others who claim to see into the future?
This question comes up again and again simply because most Christians (and surprisingly this includes many ministers) only have a cursory, superficial, and religiously biased understanding of the Bible and the depth of spiritual information and instructions that it contains. Like blind men trying to describe an elephant based upon where they happen to be touching the animal at the time, they confuse not only themselves but everyone else with misinformation, often presented as gospel-fact: One, mistaking the animals rear for its front, speaks of the animal's little curly nose, while another at the front describes an animal with a great swinging tail almost as long and thick as its legs, with two big floppy wings on top of its rear quarters.
Of course, much like the preachers, they are both right --- that is,… in a way --- they are just seeing things from the wrong end.
If we are seeking our answers strictly from the Bible, then as you will soon come to understand, the Bible not only condones and sanctions the gifts of foreknowledge and foresight, which it calls by its ancient name, prophecy, but actually encourages its use as emphasized by the Apostle Paul when he said," Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." (1 Cr 14:1). Yet in spite of this overwhelming Biblical evidence, many itinerant preachers and well-meaning, but misinformed, ministers would try and lead you to believe otherwise, perhaps for no other reason than that they, like most Christians today, cannot do what was so commonly done in the Bible by those first Christian Apostles who founded the spiritual practices of this ancient Faith.
There is simply no other way to view it: after they were taught and instructed by Jesus, the Apostles and their followers continued to practice the examples that Jesus set as to what one should and should not do as a practitioner of Christianity; and to the embarrassment of many ministers today, this includes the display and manifestation of miracles, signs, spiritual gifts, and most especially, prophecy, which is nothing less than seeing and predicting future events.
The Apostles and their followers performed miracles and prophesied about the future, not just occasionally --- as sometimes happens today --- but on a daily basis, so as to prove the efficacy and validity of the Christian message, so as to prove the power of God over physical limitation, over time and space.
Knowing this is true, it amazes me how many in modern day Christianity so easily dismiss and excuse away these early, supernatural practices and methods, which was the normal, everyday practice of these earliest followers. The Apostles displayed this incredible, spiritual power through what the New Testament calls, "miracles and wonders and signs." (Acts 2:22) Yet so many today deny the appropriateness of such supernatural demonstrations, if not outright, then subjectively by their very absence in the practices and teachings of the modern church. So, before we explore what the Bible truly says about psychics and seers, it is important that we get an overview of how and why Christianity has come to this dearth of spiritual demonstration.
Why Has Christianity Changed Since The Time Of Jesus?
Christianity, as it is practiced today, has devolved into, what one can only call, a bare skeleton of its former, spiritually-filled self. Today's church is a spiritually thin, bony structure picked clean of the flesh and muscle that once empowered its practitioners with spiritual and supernatural might over human circumstances and problems. Challenged by its continuously declining numbers of parishioners, it has adopted the recruiting policies of modern insurance salesmen, begging and pleading for warm bodies in its pews and signatures of membership on the bottom line of its attendance rolls, rather than matured and reasoned conversions. No longer are miracles necessary to convince one of the absolute validity of its teachings and tenets, rather they have been replaced by the constant harangue of those who would simply ask you, "Have you been saved?" It is as if the answer to this question followed by a quick dunk or sprinkle in the baptistry water is all that is needed to set your heavenly insurance policy into effect. It does not seem to bother them that there is no physical or spiritual precedent for this activity in the New Testament. As a matter of fact, there is not one place or one example in the entire Bible where one is asked this question, either directly or indirectly.
"Being saved," has become a catch-all term that simply means that you accept the modern church and all that it says as true without any recourse to testingthose truths for any spiritual and/or physical verification. Now, I do not say this to diminish in any way the importance of conversion and spiritual dedication through what most Christians call "being-born again" or "being saved." No, the expression of this "born-again" or "saved" state is a natural consequence when one seeks God above all other things. But I believe that we must also experience a real conviction as well as conversion; and I would simply suggest, as Jesus and the early Apostles knew, that nothing convicts and convinces quite as effectively as a hands-on demonstration of what the Holy Spirit can supernaturally do in the here and now, in the immediate events and circumstances of your life, and not just promises about the life to come.
The manifestation of the Holy Spirit, as manifested through the spiritual gifts, was the only deal-clincher that Jesus and the Apostles needed to first convince and then convert someone to the Christian path. It is unfortunate that most all of modern Christianity has lost or forgotten how to produce and manifest these supernatural manifestations of healings, miracles, prophecy, signs, and wonders. The early church came together and was held together by these powerful, spiritual demonstrations; it was part and party to what being a Christian represented, to what a real Christian was and is all about.
Seemingly as a consequence of this loss of power and the ability to demonstrate it, most of Christianity has become a spiritual vacuum, devoid of any resemblance whatsoever to what we see and read about in the New Testament. It may come as a spiritual surprise to many who would wish otherwise, but the Bible states outright that there are certain signs that mark a believer as a true Christian from the non-believer. The book of Mark, which scholars say is the oldest, extant document of the New Testament, clearly and pointedly tells the earnest seeker how he or she can recognize a true follower of Jesus; the following quote is in the words of Jesus:
"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16: 17 through 18)
Of course, some have mistakenly taken this to mean that we should actively seek out to do these things, which is a distorted and mistaken interpretation of this passage. Perhaps this explains why so many, so-called, ecclesiastical scholars and ministers have tried throughout history to discredit or remove these verses as they are found in the last chapter of the book of Mark. Of course, what the verses literally mean is that should one (that is, one who is a true, practicing Christian) come face to face with any extreme situation where their well being and welfare comes into conflict with the physical circumstances at hand, then, as Christians, if they are following the example set by Jesus and the Apostles, have access to a supernatural power that can immediately alter and change these physical events and circumstances, whether they be sickness, poverty, unhappiness,… or even snakes, or any of the other million and one, physical things that can afflict we humans here in this old world of want and woe.
Of course this, too, has presented the historical church, since the time of Jesus and the Apostles, with another set of problems: no one ( at least to the degreethat the Apostles did) seems able to do or perform these miraculous feats any more. And I am sure the glaring obviousness of this lack of supernatural validation has added to the church's, and its clergy's, desire to remove or change these verses. I suggest that they have attempted to do this for no other good reason than the inclusion of such texts causes a problem and presents a very obvious embarrassment to the clergy since they themselves cannot exhibit these signs, or perform any miracles and wonders. And yet there the verses are, standing out at us from the end of the book of Mark, taunting and haunting all who would read and know the importance of their meaning.
While it is a fact that many ministers and preachers, as well as some scholars, try to discredit and minimize their portentous importance, the most recent and authoritative Biblical scholarship agrees that these verses were most definitely in the original New Testament text and that the churches attempts at their removalhas been an ongoing quest of manipulation and obfuscation for centuries. But to those of you who, like myself, are purest in the search and preservation of the original, ancient Greek texts, be assured, the King James Version includes them and recognizes their absolute authenticity and authority.
This controversy is but one more glaring example of how the church, since the time of the Council of Nice in 325 A.D. , has sought to rob Christianity of its display and practice of the supernatural gifts and power that real spiritual contact with God can and does produce. To put the whole matter quite simply and objectively, because of the manipulation of a few, modern Christianity seems to have lost its supernatural punch.
Christianity is not the only religion that has experienced this spiritual erosion; it has happened to all of the world's great religions: Islam, Hinduism, etc. After their spiritual founders die, most all religions gradually move away from the phenomenal displays of the miraculous events that led to their establishment, leaving only a watered-down, man-made version of what once connected directly to the power and might of God. When worldly, and less than fully spiritual, men take over the stewardship of any religion (and this is nowhere more true than in the history of Christianity), the teachings become distorted, perverted, compromised, watered-down, devolving into what looks more like a political agenda of power and worldly domination, rather than a spiritual path of personal evolvement.
Human nature kicks-in and mere men, hiding under the cloak and cloth of a church, politically manipulate in the carnal, physical world which was originally founded on spiritual, supernatural perceptions, practices, and phenomena. Ofcourse, as time goes along, and as history bears out, their worldly actions become the accepted religious norm, the spiritual status quo, if you will, operating and sanctioning themselves under the safe and acceptable umbrella of religion and the clerical trappings of the church, under the euphemism that we have come to call, "mainstream religion." Spiritual truth and power recedes as worldly involvement moves to the forefront,... ever how moral, appropriate, necessary, or righteous it might seem at the time. If true supernatural power is our desire, then again and again, we must never forget the admonition of Jesus: "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36)
Modern Christians, for the most part, seem to want their religion organized, measured, and dependably predictable, comfortably practiced on certain days of the week, at certain hours, and in repeatable rituals, with practical, down-to-earth dogmas; there is little room left in such a sterile, unspiritual environment for the random, unorganized, and certainly unpredictable display of supernatural sensationalism that was so commonly practiced and displayed by the Apostles. You only have to look at the stories in the New Testament to see the difference between the way things were done then and the way modern churches do them now.
Unfortunately so much of Christianity has developed into individual camps of, what I can only call, spiritual prejudice, exclusivity, and pious self-righteousness, ...and even, at least if we judge by modern American politics, outright political manipulation, which, like the seventeenth century Puritanism out of which it came, busies itself with the politics of the country and the world, the judgment of other people's morality, or the lack thereof, rather than the true spirituality of rendering only unto Caesar what is Caesar's and judging not lest they be judged.. Once again, they seem to have forgotten the words of Christianity's founder which I quoted above: "My kingdom is not of this world."
To truly see this, we only have to ask ourselves, when did Jesus ever endorse a political candidate or soap-box any worldly view for any purpose or reason, morally justified or otherwise. This type of carnally-oriented worldliness is focused on the "seen" rather than the "unseen" , the physical world rather than the spiritual. True Christianity is a message that constantly tells us, as the Apostle Paul emphasizes, not to focus on that which is seen, because "…things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Heb 11:1) Unfortunately modern Christianity has put the proverbial, spiritual cart before the spiritual horse.
If they truly follow the examples set forth by Christ Himself, then they, like the Apostles before them, will earnestly seek to practice and display spiritual gifts, power, and phenomena in their lives and the lives of others through the production and display of miracles, signs, and wonders. They will not be satisfied to just go to church on Sunday and Wednesday, and live the rest of the week in mere, mundane human existence. They will seek out and find the deeper spiritual answers and their methods of implementation; they will eat the spiritual "meat" that the Apostle Paul speaks of rather than the tepid milk of half-truths and empty rituals. Then they no longer will live as simply carnal, physical human beings, but rather as spiritual, supernatural entities imbued and empowered by the supernatural might of God.
Supernatural Phenomena Was The Evidence Of Real Christian Power
The Apostles demonstrated incredible and amazing spiritual powers, powers that we would clearly categorize today, using modern English, as nothing less than "psychic", otherworldly power. Of course, they never used the term psychic to describe or name this power and its phenomena because the word itself did not then exist, though again, many preachers would lead you to believe otherwise. Nowhere in the entire Bible will you find the word psychic or any reference, positive or negative, to the term psychics. Psychic or psychic power is a relatively modern, English word ,derived, of course, from the Ancient Greek ( the language the New Testament was originally written in), meaning of or from the soul (psykos). In the Bible, and particularly in the New Testament, they simply called these powerful, supernatural demonstrations, gifts of the spirit, prophecy, discernment, and miracles. It is we in modern times who have coined the term "psychic" to describe these types of spiritual manifestations.
As it is recorded in the New Testament, these incredible psychic or spiritual manifestations were not only performed and done by the Apostles, but also by both known (Stephen, Silas, etc.) and countless unknown followers as well. They performed instantaneous healings, manifested incredible ''signs and miracles", saw into future events, using what the Bible calls discernment of the spirit --- what we might call in modern terms, doing a psychic reading or, as some Christian churches refer to it "giving a word of knowledge. " The early Christians did this as a natural , everyday practice to simply advise their fellow Christians on thedirections and paths they should take in approaching these future events and circumstances.
Perhaps this misunderstanding of words and terms has arisen simply because, as I earlier pointed out, there are so few Christian preachers and ministers today who follow the examples and methods set forth by our early church fathers. Perhaps this is so simply out of embarrassment, even feelings of spiritual inadequacy, in not being able to do and perform these incredible spiritual (psychic) things as their Apostolic predecessors once so easily and commonly did . The lack of recent examples of real spiritual power in the modern church today are so glaringly obvious that one has to wonder, have we not lost the deeper secrets of its use and demonstration, secrets which were so commonly practiced by those who established the very foundation of Christian spirituality.
No matter how uncomfortable it might make some preachers and parishioners feel, the Bible ( the very book upon which Christianity rests) is, if anything, a document based entirely upon the evidence of the supernatural and the prediction and revelation of events that have occurred and/or are to occur in the future, in other words, seeing into the future. Perhaps some of the explanation for the confusion and misunderstanding of this subject lies , as I have pointed out, simply in the difference in the choice of words we use to describe the same spiritual phenomena. The ancients called the one who predicted future events a prophet, we in modern times also refer to it as being psychic. Perhaps the distinction should be made, not in the nomenclature of the one predicting these futureevents, but rather in their intent and purpose: is their intent good or bad, positive or negative? Of course, it is not to be denied that any of the spiritual gifts can be used for either good or bad. As strange as it may sound to those of you, who have been steeped in strict, church orthodoxy, Paul reminds us that spiritual power, like the rain that falls on the "just and unjust" is no respecter of persons. You might go to church, tithe, give alms to the poor, and do all the things that you think you should do as a Christian, but there is no spiritual guarantee that only good things are going to happen to you simply because you are a devoted Christian. Looking around at some of your Christian neighbors and their lives will prove this to you. Spiritual laws, like the lesser physical laws of nature, will work just as well for an evil person as they will for a good person. Remember, the physical laws governing the flight of airplanes works as well for bad as it does good: You can use an airplane to bomb a nation or deliver food and relief supplies to its starving inhabitants. The outcome is determined by the mind-set of the operator. Law, either physical or spiritual, is not operational depending on one's morality. It is the intent of the practitioner that determines the results of either physical or spiritual manifestations.
What Is The Difference Between A Psychic And A Prophet?
The word used in the book of First Corinthians by the Apostle Paul to describe the spiritual (psychic) gift of seeing into the future is the ancient, New Testament, Greek word for prophet, which literally means in modern English to prophesy, to predict the future; and therefore the one who does this foretelling of futureevents is called in the English of the King James Bible, a prophet or seer. The modern English word psychic means exactly the same thing. Some ministers and preachers would lead you to think that the word itself is somehow evil and contrary to Christian doctrine; though, as you are coming to see, this is simply not true: words are simply words, nothing more. One term means the same as the other; one's intent and purpose for its use determines whether it be for evil or good. Of course, in their defense, I have to say that most mistaken and misguided Christians have been erroneously led to believe and think this by other, perhaps less educated, itinerant preachers. who are simply not familiar with the meanings and derivations of modern English words, well-less translating ancient, New Testament Greek into modern English. Better educated ministers (those who have been to a legitimate, academically certified seminary know this is true; though, even many of them are reluctant to admit this truth simply because of the overwhelming attitude of those Christians and preachers who mistakenly think it is evil.
In considering all of this, it would be helpful to remember what the English poet, Shakespeare said, " What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." In other words why does it matter if we use a modern English term such as the word psychic or a somewhat archaic word such as the word prophet or seer, that is, if by definition, as well as intent and purpose, we are describing and defining one and the same spiritual phenomena, the prediction of future events and circumstances. The Apostle Paul himself seems to make this same point clear when he tells us that there are many different ways of experiencing and manifesting the spiritual gifts, but that they all come out of the same source, God:
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit.
And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Cr 12:4-7)
The Apostle Paul goes even farther when he states for us what is the legitimate and appropriate use of this spiritual gift, whether we call the person doing it a prophet, a psychic, or a seer:
"But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men (to) edification, and exhortation, and comfort."
(1 Cr 14:3)
So, I think it is pretty clear here exactly what he is saying. Whether you call the one telling you about future events in your life or the world in general, a psychic, seer, or prophet, is of little relevance; the important thing is the nature of what they are telling you. Are they telling you positive things that will enrich, enhance, and give comfort to you, or are they telling you negative things that worry you and make you dread the future? A true psychic or prophet, at least if he is following the admonition given by Saint Paul, will never tell you bad things, rather only those things that will give you comfort and joy, making you to look forward tothe future and the experiences it holds for you. After all, is this not the goal of all, true spiritual practices?
Notice: If you have any comments about this article, or would simply like to get in contact with Doc Edwards, you may do so at either his website,www.docedwards.webs.com, or directly at his email address, 1luxdei@gmail.com
No matter how uncomfortable it might make some preachers and parishioners feel, the Bible ( the very book upon which Christianity rests) is, if anything, a document based entirely upon the evidence of the supernatural and the prediction and revelation of events that have occurred and/or are to occur in the future, in other words, seeing into the future. Perhaps some of the explanation for the confusion and misunderstanding of this subject lies , as I have pointed out, simply in the difference in the choice of words we use to describe the same spiritual phenomena. The ancients called the one who predicted future events a prophet, we in modern times also refer to it as being psychic. Perhaps the distinction should be made, not in the nomenclature of the one predicting these futureevents, but rather in their intent and purpose: is their intent good or bad, positive or negative? Of course, it is not to be denied that any of the spiritual gifts can be used for either good or bad. As strange as it may sound to those of you, who have been steeped in strict, church orthodoxy, Paul reminds us that spiritual power, like the rain that falls on the "just and unjust" is no respecter of persons. You might go to church, tithe, give alms to the poor, and do all the things that you think you should do as a Christian, but there is no spiritual guarantee that only good things are going to happen to you simply because you are a devoted Christian. Looking around at some of your Christian neighbors and their lives will prove this to you. Spiritual laws, like the lesser physical laws of nature, will work just as well for an evil person as they will for a good person. Remember, the physical laws governing the flight of airplanes works as well for bad as it does good: You can use an airplane to bomb a nation or deliver food and relief supplies to its starving inhabitants. The outcome is determined by the mind-set of the operator. Law, either physical or spiritual, is not operational depending on one's morality. It is the intent of the practitioner that determines the results of either physical or spiritual manifestations.
What Is The Difference Between A Psychic And A Prophet?
The word used in the book of First Corinthians by the Apostle Paul to describe the spiritual (psychic) gift of seeing into the future is the ancient, New Testament, Greek word for prophet, which literally means in modern English to prophesy, to predict the future; and therefore the one who does this foretelling of futureevents is called in the English of the King James Bible, a prophet or seer. The modern English word psychic means exactly the same thing. Some ministers and preachers would lead you to think that the word itself is somehow evil and contrary to Christian doctrine; though, as you are coming to see, this is simply not true: words are simply words, nothing more. One term means the same as the other; one's intent and purpose for its use determines whether it be for evil or good. Of course, in their defense, I have to say that most mistaken and misguided Christians have been erroneously led to believe and think this by other, perhaps less educated, itinerant preachers. who are simply not familiar with the meanings and derivations of modern English words, well-less translating ancient, New Testament Greek into modern English. Better educated ministers (those who have been to a legitimate, academically certified seminary know this is true; though, even many of them are reluctant to admit this truth simply because of the overwhelming attitude of those Christians and preachers who mistakenly think it is evil.
In considering all of this, it would be helpful to remember what the English poet, Shakespeare said, " What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." In other words why does it matter if we use a modern English term such as the word psychic or a somewhat archaic word such as the word prophet or seer, that is, if by definition, as well as intent and purpose, we are describing and defining one and the same spiritual phenomena, the prediction of future events and circumstances. The Apostle Paul himself seems to make this same point clear when he tells us that there are many different ways of experiencing and manifesting the spiritual gifts, but that they all come out of the same source, God:
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit.
And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Cr 12:4-7)
The Apostle Paul goes even farther when he states for us what is the legitimate and appropriate use of this spiritual gift, whether we call the person doing it a prophet, a psychic, or a seer:
"But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men (to) edification, and exhortation, and comfort."
(1 Cr 14:3)
So, I think it is pretty clear here exactly what he is saying. Whether you call the one telling you about future events in your life or the world in general, a psychic, seer, or prophet, is of little relevance; the important thing is the nature of what they are telling you. Are they telling you positive things that will enrich, enhance, and give comfort to you, or are they telling you negative things that worry you and make you dread the future? A true psychic or prophet, at least if he is following the admonition given by Saint Paul, will never tell you bad things, rather only those things that will give you comfort and joy, making you to look forward tothe future and the experiences it holds for you. After all, is this not the goal of all, true spiritual practices?
Notice: If you have any comments about this article, or would simply like to get in contact with Doc Edwards, you may do so at either his website,www.docedwards.webs.com, or directly at his email address, 1luxdei@gmail.com
