I was doing some marriage counseling with a seasoned missionary couple, John & Jane. They had been married around 25 years and were having some problems on their mission field that was affecting their marriage. They were having questions about whether they needed to return home or stay where they were stationed.
Jane was trying to show how connected she was to John. She made an interesting comment, “we can read each other’s minds.” I asked her for proof of how she knew this. She stated, “I was alone on the subway in Paris and there was a man who was drunk and acting very unusual. I was scared, so I yelled “John, help me!” in my mind.” John immediately spoke up, “And I heard her. We were several stops away from each other, but I heard her say “John, help me!” in my mind.”
I recently read of a popular pastor, I won’t mention who he is, but he is reported to have said, “when someone talks to me, I have like a little movie running in my mind about what they’re thinking while they’re talking. So, I know when they’re lying.” This pastor stated that this is a gift that God has given him, that he has the spiritual gift of discerning spirits.
In both of these instances we have earnest, Bible believing Christians who seem to have some unusual abilities. If these were taken outside of the Christian realm, people would say that these two instances are examples of mental telepathy. So, is it possible that in these two instances we have examples of Christians engaging in a behavior that is not biblical?
Nowhere in God’s Word do you see examples of people speaking to each other telepathically, nor do you see instances where someone was able to read someone’s mind. Only God can read our minds (note there may be an exception in I Cor 14:25 and Acts 5:3, yet it is clear in both of these instances that the Holy Spirit is an intermediary).
In the instance of the missionary couple, it was identified that they had made an idol of their relationship. Slowly, they came to the realization that when one is in trouble, calling out to God to help you is the proper response. Who/what you reflexively turn to in times of trouble is taking the place of our LORD. God is our first line of help.
In the instance of the pastor, stating he has the ability to tell when someone is lying, that is quite iffy. That, to me, sounds like an ability that is not God given. Nowhere in God's Word do we see instances of someone reading someone's mind.
Now, one can discern thru past experience and training in observing human behavior with reasonable probability that a person is lying. We also have instances where people ask God about people's motives, dreams, etc and God answers. The point is that God is always the mediator. To leave God out of the equation is to elevate oneself about God.
In closing, I heard about this instance which, to me, seems much more Biblical. A young woman was in trouble with a man who kept giving her a difficult time, pressuring her for money, sex and other things. She turned to God for relief. She asked God to help her. She received peace that God answered her request. Upon her prayer, her Uncle heard during prayer, "your niece is in trouble, you need to go right now to help her (he did not hear his nieces prayer but rather God's instruction)." He went to help her noting that God responded immediately upon the young woman's prayer and that the Uncle responded immediately to God's instruction. It was a faith builder for both of them and others who heard their story. God was put first in this instance, not someone's ability.
That is God-honoring behavior. The young woman prayed to God, the uncle received instructions from God.
God is our first line of help.
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
Jane was trying to show how connected she was to John. She made an interesting comment, “we can read each other’s minds.” I asked her for proof of how she knew this. She stated, “I was alone on the subway in Paris and there was a man who was drunk and acting very unusual. I was scared, so I yelled “John, help me!” in my mind.” John immediately spoke up, “And I heard her. We were several stops away from each other, but I heard her say “John, help me!” in my mind.”
I recently read of a popular pastor, I won’t mention who he is, but he is reported to have said, “when someone talks to me, I have like a little movie running in my mind about what they’re thinking while they’re talking. So, I know when they’re lying.” This pastor stated that this is a gift that God has given him, that he has the spiritual gift of discerning spirits.
In both of these instances we have earnest, Bible believing Christians who seem to have some unusual abilities. If these were taken outside of the Christian realm, people would say that these two instances are examples of mental telepathy. So, is it possible that in these two instances we have examples of Christians engaging in a behavior that is not biblical?
Nowhere in God’s Word do you see examples of people speaking to each other telepathically, nor do you see instances where someone was able to read someone’s mind. Only God can read our minds (note there may be an exception in I Cor 14:25 and Acts 5:3, yet it is clear in both of these instances that the Holy Spirit is an intermediary).
In the instance of the missionary couple, it was identified that they had made an idol of their relationship. Slowly, they came to the realization that when one is in trouble, calling out to God to help you is the proper response. Who/what you reflexively turn to in times of trouble is taking the place of our LORD. God is our first line of help.
In the instance of the pastor, stating he has the ability to tell when someone is lying, that is quite iffy. That, to me, sounds like an ability that is not God given. Nowhere in God's Word do we see instances of someone reading someone's mind.
Now, one can discern thru past experience and training in observing human behavior with reasonable probability that a person is lying. We also have instances where people ask God about people's motives, dreams, etc and God answers. The point is that God is always the mediator. To leave God out of the equation is to elevate oneself about God.
In closing, I heard about this instance which, to me, seems much more Biblical. A young woman was in trouble with a man who kept giving her a difficult time, pressuring her for money, sex and other things. She turned to God for relief. She asked God to help her. She received peace that God answered her request. Upon her prayer, her Uncle heard during prayer, "your niece is in trouble, you need to go right now to help her (he did not hear his nieces prayer but rather God's instruction)." He went to help her noting that God responded immediately upon the young woman's prayer and that the Uncle responded immediately to God's instruction. It was a faith builder for both of them and others who heard their story. God was put first in this instance, not someone's ability.
That is God-honoring behavior. The young woman prayed to God, the uncle received instructions from God.
God is our first line of help.
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
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