Weston, WI Girl Dies as Parents Pray
Mark John Ostrum - 2008-03-27 16:00:00
FoxNews reported in Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help that an 11 year old Madeline Kara Neumann Weston, Wisconsin recently died from diabetic ketoacidosis, a medically treatable illness. Police are investigating whether or not charges ought to be filed against the parents.
I am constantly amazed whenever I read a story like this. Amazed, shocked, and angered. Today my righteous indignation is directed at every single one who considers themselves Christian and yet will allow this kind of thing to happen because of false and deceptive teachings.
Why does God let a little girl like this die? Truth is, God did not allow her to die, her parents did. Her parents believed that God would intervene with a mighty, supernatural miracle to restore the girl to health. What these parents failed to understand is that God does not perform such miracles on demand. He never did, and he never will. What these parents also failed to understand is that God was willing to and already had performed the miracle that would have saved their precious daughter. That miracle is the miracle of giving us modern medical technology and skilled physicians who were more than willing to do what was necessary to save the little girl's life.
So who is responsible for the death of this little girl? Is God? By no means. Her parents? Well, let's just say that they are not without fault. I suggest the person or persons to look at are the pastors and teachers these parents looked to for their teachings in the Christian faith. Therein lies the crux of the basic problems of Christianity today.
The pastors and teachers of so many evangelical churches, those leaders of so many "non-denominational" entities, teach that doctrine is not important to be a Christian. Yet when one looks at the definition of doctrine, we find the definition "A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group".In terms of Christianity, we are talking about the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are talking about Paul's letters exhorting us to live our faith the way Christ taught us to live. Yet I venture to say that ALL of the pentecostal, evangelical leaders will tell their new converts that it is important to read and study the Bible, to believe that God will "fix" everything you command, IF your faith is strong enough. This is false teaching, people!!
Madeline Kara Neumann did not die because her parent lacked faith as they stated in the article. Madeline Kara Neumann died because her parent's faith was based on lies.
True, Jesus said that if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed (a very small seed which grows into a huge tree) you can command the mountain to cast itself into the sea and it will be done. Yet he also cautions us to use our faith with moderation, and in everything in accordance with the will of the Father. If Father does not will Mt. Whitney to be cast into the sea, no matter how strong my faith is nor how powerful my prayer to have the mountain leap up and throw itself into the Pacific Ocean, it will not be done.
But, if I, by means of my faith in God, organize the engineering effort and manpower required to dig the mountain up and ship it to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and I don't get arrested for it, I can accomplish such a feat. The mountain has been thrown into the sea.
When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, from whom God already said many nations will be born, Abraham took it by faith that God would provide a way out. But he did not even ask God for that way out. He went by faith to sacrifice the son he loved. As you know, God did provide a way out.
When Moses led the Israelites through the desert for forty years, he never demanded a miracle from God. Instead, when the Israelites grumbled about a lack of food, Moses humbly went to the Lord with their complaint. God then provided the manna after saying he will give the Israelites so much that food would come out their noses, then told Moses to tell them what would happen. God gave them manna in the desert. When they grumbled about a lack of water to drink, Moses went to God and God told Moses to strike the rock and water would flow. God told Moses to perform the miracles. Moses never told God to perform any miracle.
When Joshua marched around Jericho and the walls came crumbling down, he did not demand the miracle from God. God told Jacob what to do, and he did what he was commanded. Likewise in all the other battles in which God intervened supernaturally, God told Joshua what to do. Joshua never demanded a miracle.
When God told Elijah to raise his arms and command the rains to stop, causing a drought, Elijah did what God commanded. When God told Elijah to end the drought, Elijah did what God commanded. God performed the miracle, Elijah demanded nothing.
Likewise all the other prophets of the old testament did God tell them what to do. The prophets never demanded a miracle from God, they only did what God commanded.
Pastors and teachers in evangelical, pentecostal circles are teaching people that God will answer prayers of miracles on demand. The naive believe what they are told without spending the time necessary to verify what their teachers are teaching them (Acts 17:11). God has never performed a miracle on demand of man, and he never will.
The parents of young Madeline Kara Neumann, although as stated in the article did not belong to any church, they were likewise deceived by their previous pastor's teachings. The time is coming, and now has come, Christians, to call to account what you are being taught. Verify with reading of scripture - cover to cover - and with prayer for revelation of God's true meaning, whatever it is your pastors are telling you. If they are deceiving you, call them to account publicly. If you cannot do that, leave them and bring all your friends with. Go find a pastor who teaches truth.
Paul wrote that there are those who come to teach things that people want to hear, deceiving even the elect of God. False prophets and false teachers will come. Indeed, they are here, and they are the cause of the death of little ones like Madeline Kara Neuman of Weston, Wisconsin.
These teachings must stop, and you, my Christian brothers and sisters, are ultimately responsible to make it stop. Tear down the pearly palaces these leaders live in by refusing to give money to their ministries. Take away their Rolls Royces, yachts, and airplanes by the same means.
Use your heart to understand the wisdom of God, not your head. Let God give to you the ability to hear with your ears, see with your eyes, and understand with your heart. Do not let these demons deceive you any longer by leading you along the emotional path they have sucked you into. Faith is not an emotion.
Should charges be pressed against the parents for neglect? Certainly. But the charges should also be pressed against those who brainwashed these people into believing something scripture clearly teaches against. Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
For more on finding and building a true faith in Christ Jesus, continue your journey through this site.
True Christian brothers and sisters, pray for Dale and Leilani Neumann, Madeline Kara Neumann's dad and mom, that God will guide them to true faith and reject the lies and deceptions they have been taught. Pray also that those who are consciously teaching falsehood would reach ruin and be corrected by God, and those teaching falsely unconsciously would discover the error of their ways, repent, and recant their false teachings. Finally, pray for me and my ministry, that God would use the voice of reason he has given me to be able to reach out and teach truth full time.
This article was also posted on The Conservative Voice. For comments, click here.