[aron]

But Jesus clearly went around doing works of power. So if we simply wave it away as irrelevant, or past tense, or as merely symbolic or allegorical (physical healing as representative of psychological healing, or "demons" as representing scientific ailments) then we have a "revised text". Certainly WL interepreted away anything that didn't get lined up fully with his hermeneutic, and works of power was included. So WL's gospel was an "interpreted" version in which works of power were largely irrelevant, except for informational purposes. Dead letters, anyone?

But I would like to discuss a more prosaic form, which is probably related. Two stories follow. First, when I was young I would listen to anything. Today I am more able to test the spirits. When people held themselves as something I would follow, naively. Today I realize that those who lift themselves up on this side of the Judgment Seat will be taken down. Those who try to be first today will not be first in the kingdom.

Similarly, I can see "Christ" in people who are troubled and wretched. Jesus could see the future, and the past. He saw Nathaniel before Philip called him, while he was under the fig tree. He knew Judas would betray him. Similarly I can sometimes "see" either the past or the future, instead of just reacting to the apparent present.

My second story comes from work. I was an alcoholic and totally blew my resume apart. I couldn't find even basic work. And this was after leaving the LRC, even. I was tormented by forces I couldn't comprehend, even sober. I couldn't fit into society.

To make a long story short, I eventually got a revelation that I wasn't the only sickie out there, and got a job in human services. Helping the downtrodden, etc. So one day I was doing my menial work, and a guy comes by, and was talking about this really far-out research they were doing. I said, "I know that stuff." So he invited me to talk at a national conference. I just walked up there and this stuff started pouring out of me. Papers I read years back, suddenly got "resurrected" in front of this crowd of people from the top medical schools and research institutions. It was wild, but I was totally calm; I knew it was the Lord. Only God could have done that.

Then I went back to my menial service job. But you can believe I never forgot that. God said, "I can do anything." The only thing that stops God is our concepts. Today I am much more open to God's speaking in the Word.