Our message???

[K2CHRIST]

The Lord came into my life with the Words, "Read Your Bible". They hit me hard and came out of nowhere. It felt like someone literally had hit me over the head with a two by four. He could have got my attention other ways. But He has purposes for what and how He does what He does.

I read the Bible. It took me eight months. I still read and study it. He makes sure I do. You see, after reading it spiritual things began happening, and I got to thinking not only about what I read but also about what was happening. You see, before all that I pretty much had the idea that God probably exited but as some far off being some far off place called heaven. I had been taken to church as a child, up to I was about 16, when I got out of that boring situation. Frankly as far as I could see, God was not real in those churches. It was all teaching, no God.

Yet now suddenly in my life (at about the age of 40) God had come into my life and in no small way. Things were happening! Lots of things were happening, and I came to seeking His voice and found that He not only could but had always wanted to be having conversation with me. Rev 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock and if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into them..." it was literally true. He was just standing there with His voice and wanting that I should listen to Him and that we would have conversation together.

Now me being a person, I kind of got mad at those people in those churches. There really had not made this clear to me, that God wanted to talk to me. They made it all about reading the Bible and there teaching the Bible, and us following the Bible.

I understood what happened, but it put a fire in my heart to try to keep it from happening to others. They didn't really know the Lord our God, so they made it about knowing the Bible. They were like the ones Jesus spoke to and said, "You search the Scriptures thinking in them you have eternal life...." (Jn 5:39)

They raised a Bible up over their heads, (sometimes literally) and said, "I am going to preach the Word". They didn't know Jesus Christ as the Word of God, like those who wrote the Bible. They called the Bible "The Word of God" because the God had people write down what He wanted and God preserved it. But in their zealousness for the sacred writings, God became a being in some far off place called heaven to me as a child in their church.

They had their message all wrong!!

 

[childeye]

The Lord came into my life with the Words, "Read Your Bible". They hit me hard and came out of nowhere. It felt like someone literally had hit me over the head with a two by four. He could have got my attention other ways. But He has purposes for what and how He does what He does.

I read the Bible. It took me eight months. I still read and study it. He makes sure I do. You see, after reading it spiritual things began happening, and I got to thinking not only about what I read but also about what was happening. You see, before all that I pretty much had the idea that God probably exited but as some far off being some far off place called heaven. I had been taken to church as a child, up to I was about 16, when I got out of that boring situation. Frankly as far as I could see, God was not real in those churches. It was all teaching, no God.

Yet now suddenly in my life (at about the age of 40) God had come into my life and in no small way. Things were happening! Lots of things were happening, and I came to seeking His voice and found that He not only could but had always wanted to be having conversation with me. Rev 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock and if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into them..." it was literally true. He was just standing there with His voice and wanting that I should listen to Him and that we would have conversation together.

Now me being a person, I kind of got mad at those people in those churches. There really had not made this clear to me, that God wanted to talk to me. They made it all about reading the Bible and there teaching the Bible, and us following the Bible.

I understood what happened, but it put a fire in my heart to try to keep it from happening to others. They didn't really know the Lord our God, so they made it about knowing the Bible. They were like the ones Jesus spoke to and said, "You search the Scriptures thinking in them you have eternal life...." (Jn 5:39)

They raised a Bible up over their heads, (sometimes literally) and said, "I am going to preach the Word". They didn't know Jesus Christ as the Word of God, like those who wrote the Bible. They called the Bible "The Word of God" because the God had people write down what He wanted and God preserved it. But in their zealousness for the sacred writings, God became a being in some far off place called heaven to me as a child in their church.

They had their message all wrong!!

I have heard from God too, however I feel as if I was doing the knocking, or rather banging on the door. You're right about the messaging. I agree that the bible is not what the bible describes as the Word of God. Your message in my view, is that God is on the inside, in some measure. And if this is so I agree, since to me He is the voice of empathy/Love, and that this best describes the Eternal Spirit. That same Spirit is seen on the Cross enduring the worst of all cruelty, and yet forgiving that cruelty in all purity so that death may be overtaken by life. An important message in my view is that vanity claims for one's own self those virtues that rightly come only by God's grace. It's difficult for people to not take God for granted.

 

[Nathan]

1Jo 2:27
But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

 

[K2CHRIST]

A couple of days ago the Lord asked me to do a little study on what we preach. He literally told me "Karl, I want you to look up the word preach in the Bible and list all the verses you find."

Now I have meet many Christians that don't really know that the Lord can literally talk to you via His still small voice and be heard well enough to tell us what He wants us to study in the Bible. And if they don't know Him well enough and seek Him often enough, that would make sense. He not only can tell you specific things like where to go in your Bible, He can tell you things like what clothes to wear or what food to buy at the store. But not all Christians know Him that well, and I am ok with that, but they could.

When I looked up all the verses, what I found was that most of them were about preaching the good news or gospel (good news). There were quite a few about preaching the Kingdom of God. And a number of them about preaching Jesus Christ, or Him, or Jesus was the Christ, or the One.

Then there were a couple in question form that seemed to be about what not to preach. Rms 2:21..."You who preach against stealing to you steal?" Those seemed to be against preaching the Law.

And there was one and only one verse that said "preach the Word".

Now I have heard that single verse referred to over and over and over at church to mean preach the Scriptures. But if Jesus Christ is the Word, it would actually belong in with the verses the say to preach Jesus Christ, or Him, or Jesus was the Christ. So that what we preach would generally fall into three categories" The Gospel, The Kingdom, and Jesus Christ. And the thing is, the Bible clearly states that Jesus Christ is the Word. Rev 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

Now I once heard with my spiritual ears, "Karl, we don't use the Lord to preach the Scriptures, we use the Scriptures to preach the Lord."

The Spirit of God is not the only spirit out there. I have found that I can also pick up angels that serve the Lord and evil spirits also. So discernment of spirits is needed. But I am convince that is was the Holy Spirit that told me the above quote. So what is the gospel or good news that we are preaching? I believe that the good news is that we have a King (Jesus the Christ) who as a King has a Kingdom in heaven, and we can have access to the King and His heavenly Kingdom, just like it is written in the Bible.

Therefore I believe the Bible has the message in it, but it is not the message. That is to say we are not pointing people to the Bible, we are pointing people to Jesus Christ the King who has a Kingdom, the Kingdom of God. And people get this wrong.

As a person, I can get upset when things are not right. Now I don't get upset because a person doesn't know Jesus Christ or His Kingdom. That gives me a opportunity to try and explain and help them. But I do get upset when the leaders, teachers, and the scholars in the church who should clearly know, by their study, that we are preaching Jesus Christ and not as some far off person in heaven or as someone who died. They should know the message!!!

Rm 10:6... Do no say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven? (that is to bring Christ up from the dead)

They, the ones who are telling others to study the Bible, should know Jesus Christ is with us and can be heard from, via the Holy Spirit. Those posting in this forum on Apologetics should certainly know this. They should be able to hear the Lord telling them where to specifically go to. They should know what it is like to hear from the ministering angels the Lord sends. They should know about the good news of us having a King who has a Kingdom, and be hearing with their spiritual ears. They should know our message.

Jn 10:27 My sheep hear My voice.
Jn 8:47 He who is of God hears the words of God
Jn 18:37 ..., Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice
Jn 18:36... My kingdom is not of this world
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service

I think those who have studied the Scriptures should certainly be seeking the Lord and His voice, and if indeed they are hearing from the Lord they certainly understand how awesome He and what He says is, so would certainly be pointing people to Him. So I get a bit upset we they go back to point people to following the Bible instead of using the Bible to point people to Him. Many I don't get upset as John the Baptist who said to them "You brood of vipers" (Mat 3:7) but I can see where John was right in says that.

Our message is not that we have a Bible, our message is what's recorded in the Bible and that is that we can have personal access to the King and His kingdom. And that is good news!

 

[markathome]

Not going to get into the Word/Logo's debate but I prefer using "the thought/reasoning" instead.

John 1:1
In the beginning was "the thought/reasoning", and "the thought/reasoning" was with God, and "the thought/reasoning" was God.


Strong's Dictionary Number: [3056]
3056
1 Original Word: λόγος
2 Word Origin: from (3004)
3 Transliterated Word: logos
4 TDNT/TWOT Entry: 4:69,505
5 Phonetic Spelling: log'-os
6 Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
7 Strong's Definition: from [3004;]3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):--account, cause, communication, × concerning, doctrine, fame, × have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, × speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.
8 Definition:

1. of speech
   1. a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea
   2. what someone has said
      1. a word
      2. the sayings of God
      3. decree, mandate or order
      4. of the moral precepts given by God
      5. Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets
      6. what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim
   3. discourse
      1. the act of speaking, speech
      2. the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking
      3. a kind or style of speaking
      4. a continuous speaking discourse - instruction
   4. doctrine, teaching
   5. anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative
   6. matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law
   7. the thing spoken of or talked about; event, deed
2. its use as respect to the MIND alone
   1. reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating
   2. account, i.e. regard, consideration
   3. account, i.e. reckoning, score
   4. account, i.e. answer or explanation in reference to judgment
   5. relation, i.e. with whom as judge we stand in relation
      1. reason would
   6. reason, cause, ground
3. In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world's life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.

A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus first used the term Logos around 600 B.C. to designate the divine reason or plan which coordinates achanging universe. This word was well suited to John's purpose in John 1.
9 English: the thought/reasoning
0 Usage: account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work

 

[childeye]

So I get a bit upset we they go back to point people to following the Bible instead of using the Bible to point people to Him. Many I don't get upset as John the Baptist who said to them "You brood of vipers" (Mat 3:7) but I can see where John was right in says that.

Our message is not that we have a Bible, our message is what's recorded in the Bible and that is that we can have personal access to the King and His kingdom. And that is good news!

I see the Gospel as a filter that is meant to let somethings in and leave somethings out. To me the message of the Gospel is that Love is Eternal, but one would have to love Love, to find hope there.

 

[dianegcook]

2Tim.3:16,17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
That the man of God may be perfect, (mature) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

I was raised in this certain denomination, then started reading and studying things for myself, praying for the guidance of God.
Let's say now, I know better, when someone trys to feed me something that does not line up with His Words.
In Rev.10:8-11
Go and take the little book, which is open in the hand of the angel..
Take it and eat it up, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
I ate it up, it was in my mouth sweet as honey, (good news) and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. ( feel bad about those deceived)
And he said to me, Thou must prophesy again before many people's, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Ezek.2:8-11
But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto you, be not rebellious, open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me, and lo, a roll of a book was therein.
It was written within and without, there was written therein Lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Ezek.3:1-10
Eat that thou found, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll...
Then did I eat it, and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness....
All My words that I speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears..
Ezek.3:14
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

Why can't both things be true? That God can speak to us, and that the study of the bible will lead to Jesus. In John 5:36-40, Jesus rebukes the Jewish leaders and the religous leaders.

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me.37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scripturesdiligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

He said the testimony concerning Himself came from God, the Father. But he also rebuked the leaders that they say they search the scriptures, because the scriptures point to Jesus. As you've said K2CHRIST, there are other voices we might hear that don't come from God. Evil spirits instead of angels or the Holy Spirit. It's because if these that we should study the bible to discern what's from God and what isn't. But also because these words in the bible lead to Jesus. And Jesus will take us to His Father.

 

[K2CHRIST]

2Tim.3:16,17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
That the man of God may be perfect, (mature) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

I was raised in this certain denomination, then started reading and studying things for myself, praying for the guidance of God.
Let's say now, I know better, when someone trys to feed me something that does not line up with His Words.
In Rev.10:8-11
Go and take the little book, which is open in the hand of the angel..
Take it and eat it up, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
I ate it up, it was in my mouth sweet as honey, (good news) and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. ( feel bad about those deceived)
And he said to me, Thou must prophesy again before many people's, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Ezek.2:8-11
But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto you, be not rebellious, open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me, and lo, a roll of a book was therein.
It was written within and without, there was written therein Lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Ezek.3:1-10
Eat that thou found, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll...
Then did I eat it, and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness....
All My words that I speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears..
Ezek.3:14
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

It is important to read the Bible, but the Bible is not God!! It is from God, but it not God.

It is good for reproof, correction, for training in righteousness, but it is not for your personal interpretation.

2 Pet 1:20 But know first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.

It we read the above verses a person might come to think it is about reading the Scriptures, but those who wrote all the above verses were writing them because they were hearing from the Lord, personally!!!

The Jews failed to realize this; then leaned on our understanding, so they did not know the Christ when He stood in the flesh right in front of them. Thus He told them, "You search the Scriptures thinking in them you have eternal life, it is these that testify about Me and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." Jn 5:39

Now they hung Jesus Christ on a piece some wood, instead of listen to Him and what He had to say. They were obviously certain (according to their understanding of the Scriptures) that they were doing the right thing. So do we really know, from our reading the Scriptures and leaning on our understanding, when someone has got it wrong? The Jews at that time didn't, and we are people like them.

We need a personal relationship with the Lord, We need to learn from Him. He does say, "Read Your Bible", I'll testify about that, but it is like a Teacher telling you to read and study the text book. You need to do it, but the book is not the Teacher.

He once told me, "Karl, don't tell them to read the Book, tell them to take the class!" The class come with a Book, but it's the Teacher we are point to, and if anyone thinks they know right from wrong by reading the Book only, they are mistaken in the same way those during Jesus's time on earth in the flesh were mistaken. They are spiritually speaking, hanging Jesus Christ on some wood.

 

[K2CHRIST]

Why can't both things be true? That God can speak to us, and that the study of the bible will lead to Jesus. In John 5:36-40, Jesus rebukes the Jewish leaders and the religous leaders.



He said the testimony concerning Himself came from God, the Father. But he also rebuked the leaders that they say they search the scriptures, because the scriptures point to Jesus. As you've said K2CHRIST, there are other voices we might hear that don't come from God. Evil spirits instead of angels or the Holy Spirit. It's because if these that we should study the bible to discern what's from God and what isn't. But also because these words in the bible lead to Jesus. And Jesus will take us to His Father.

The Scriptures were written to indeed lead us to Jesus Christ! And the study of them is valuable in many ways. And you should be talking to Jesus (via the Holy Spirit) about the Scriptures. And they are good to help us with the discernment of spirits in many way. For example, what spirit is in a person if they are telling you that knowing the Scriptures give you life? By a study of the Scriptures you will see that the Scriptures don't give you eternal life, but they do give you wisdom that can lead to eternal life though faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim 3:15) And they have lots of great advice in many other ways, but first and foremost they should indeed lead us to seek the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That being said, it is the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ we are seeking. The Scriptures tell us that, and we are to be telling other that also!

I have not bashed the Scriptures by pointing out that the message is or gospel in not them but rather Jesus Christ. If they listen to the voice of the Lord He will certainly tell them to read the Scriptures. But I have pointed that out, and others write upset because I am point people to Jesus Christ instead of the Scriptures; is it not because they too have been depending on their understanding of them instead of seeking the Lord like the Scriptures have explained?

If you really know the Lord, and it is possible for anyone to get to know Him, then you will hear His voice. You will have been hearing things He has been telling you. The more you practice seeking Him and listening, the better you will get at hearing what He has to say to you, and you will understand what I am talking about. Of course having spiritual ears, like having physical ears, is going to enable you to hear what is going on around you. You are going to hear more on both side and thus become better at discerning good from evil.

Heb 5:14 ... who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

I've heard many Christian tell me the Bible saves. I even remember a song being sung in our church that went something like, "This is my Bible, it is the Word of God, it gives me new life." This sounds great but it is simply wrong according to the Bible. But many people who studied the Bible thought it was right on. So the study didn't help them know that it if faith in Jesus Christ not faith in the Bible that gives them life. And if truly have faith (belief) in Him who said He would never leave you, you would certainly talk to Him everyday and listen to what He has to say to you! So if even my church (which is a pretty good church when I compare it to those I have attended) still get this confused, who often are those at my church really listening to the Lord? How much to they really believe that He does leave them and thus is always there to be sought of and heard from. I am not against them or any Christian church, but I am for them seeking the Lord and treating the Lord their God as the Omni-present, Omniscient (all knowing) God that He is. He knows the Bible better than you, and so if you believe He is always with you, why would anyone study the Bible without talking to Him about it??

He is the Good News. He is the King of a heavenly kingdom. He is God. And He is the Word of God we preach.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

Somebody that wrote the above knew what I am talking about. That person knew Jesus Christ as the Word of God and that person knew that it is Him that we are preaching. The person the wrote the above really knew how to preach the Gospel!

 

[dianegcook]

It is important to read the Bible, but the Bible is not God!! It is from God, but it not God.

It is good for reproof, correction, for training in righteousness, but it is not for your personal interpretation.

2 Pet 1:20 But know first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.

It we read the above verses a person might come to think it is about reading the Scriptures, but those who wrote all the above verses were writing them because they were hearing from the Lord, personally!!!

The Jews failed to realize this; then leaned on our understanding, so they did not know the Christ when He stood in the flesh right in front of them. Thus He told them, "You search the Scriptures thinking in them you have eternal life, it is these that testify about Me and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." Jn 5:39

Now they hung Jesus Christ on a piece some wood, instead of listen to Him and what He had to say. They were obviously certain (according to their understanding of the Scriptures) that they were doing the right thing. So do we really know, from our reading the Scriptures and leaning on our understanding, when someone has got it wrong? The Jews at that time didn't, and we are people like them.

We need a personal relationship with the Lord, We need to learn from Him. He does say, "Read Your Bible", I'll testify about that, but it is like a Teacher telling you to read and study the text book. You need to do it, but the book is not the Teacher.

He once told me, "Karl, don't tell them to read the Book, tell them to take the class!" The class come with a Book, but it's the Teacher we are point to, and if anyone thinks they know right from wrong by reading the Book only, they are mistaken in the same way those during Jesus's time on earth in the flesh were mistaken. They are spiritually speaking, hanging Jesus Christ on some wood.

True, but when I want a personal relationship, I want to know all about someone.
If the Jews read the book with the help of the teacher, they would had known He was the Christ.
The O.T was full of His prophecy.
Why would one read the Bible, if they didn't believe in the teacher?
I know the Bible is not God, but the writers were inspired by God.
So, I believe it to be God's word.
I like reading the Bible, it gives me peace and comfort, only as God's word does.
The sword of the Spirit, is the word of God. Eph.6:17
For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb.4:12

 

[K2CHRIST]

True, but when I want a personal relationship, I want to know all about someone.
If the Jews read the book with the help of the teacher, they would had known He was the Christ.
The O.T was full of His prophecy.
Why would one read the Bible, if they didn't believe in the teacher?
I know the Bible is not God, but the writers were inspired by God.
So, I believe it to be God's word.
I like reading the Bible, it gives me peace and comfort, only as God's word does.
The sword of the Spirit, is the word of God. Eph.6:17
For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb.4:12

There is someone we can know. We can pick up what He says to us with out spiritual ears. He talks to us, or at least He talks to me every day. And the things He says to me are wonderful. So I have a question:

Do these verses mean read the Bible or are they in the Bible to mean that what He says to us is pierces our heart? Is the Bible the Word of God or is Jesus Christ the Word of God, according to the Bible?

The sword of the Spirit, is the word of God. Eph.6:17
For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb.4:12

My friends God knows my heart, the Bible doesn't. God had the Scriptures witten, but He personally knows when I start to get upset because someone cuts me off while driving or while in a line, and I'll instantly hear that small voice of His telling me to be patience, and it's that voice that pieces my heart and that One who speaks to me that know my heart. He knows my issues, and how to help me.


He once told me, "Karl, they call me Wonderful Counselor and so I Am, but I Am not a wonderful counselor to those that don't listen to Me."

So again, is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, what was told to men two thousand years ago or is it what He personally tell you today from His voice? How are you reproved by Him? From the sacred writings or from the One who the sacred writing tell you about?

Rev 3:19,20 Those whim I love, reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent, Behold I stand at the door and knock; inanyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

That is a personal relationship that Jesus was talking about. He loves you a will reprove you. That is the sword of the Spirit which will pierce your heart and divide the good and evil in you, and He often starts by telling you He loves you, but you need to work on things don't you? And we all need Him personally helping us with them. He does that with His voice, just like the Bible explains!!!

 

[K2CHRIST]

The Scriptures have the message in them, but they are not the message. Jesus Christ is the message. He is King. His kingdom in not of this world. God is spirit. He is the Word of God. That is His name. Knowing the Scriptures is not the same thing as know Him. But His sheep hear His voice, and they following Him by hearing His voice. The Scriptures explain all this and so much more, so they are good for study, for reproof, to correction, and the Scriptures give you wisdom which can (but might not) lead to salvation which comes from faith ( belief that He is indeed there) in Him. And the work of Jesus Christ is that all should come to know the Son. He wants to know you. He doesn't want anyone to perish. Again this information is all in the Bible but people have and still do read the Scriptures thinking in them they have eternal life. That is not the good news. The Good News is that you personally can come to know Him.

Now a personal relationship is something that is built and there are different levels as a relationship gets built, and even different types of personal relationships. The Lord once told me:

AS INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN TO A SERVANT, AND WISDOM AND PARABLES TO A SON, AND AS JOKES ARE GIVEN TO A FRIEND, SO I LOVE YOU IS SAID TO A BRIDE.

You can hire someone to work for you and give them instructions, but that type of relationship might not be all that personal. And if you have a son and you are a loving father you are going to try to do a good job of raising your son. That is a personal relationship. And then you might have a close friend who you like hanging out with. With them you can joke. Abram was a friend of God, whom God gave a son name Isaac (laughter). What a joke. God gave Abram and Sarah a son in their old age. Abram was a friend of God. And the church (the real church) is often compared to a bride, and a husband tells his bride that He loves her, and a good husband, who doesn't lie, means it.

I don't expect every Christian to have the same type of relationship that I do. The Lord and I have been walking together for about 17 years now. I have gotten and still get many instructions from Him. He just had me talk a walk with Him. He wanted to talk, and I needed it. During the walk, He gave me some wisdom and talk to me about something He was going to do with my son. So I get wisdom from Him. He didn't give me a joke, but He did keep the conversation during the walk light and friendly. And before He told me that He wanted us to go on a walk, He told me He loved me, so it came across, "Karl, I love you. Let's talk a walk."

Now honestly, from what I hear from talking to Christian, very few Christians seem to have that type of relationship. Well again, I've been walking with Him for about seventeen years and my relationship with Him didn't instantly start as is it today. But if I can have that type of relationship, there is no reason everyone can't. He once told me, "Karl, I can have the same type of relationship with everybody on earth that I have with you." The problem is not His ability. The problem is that we are not seeking that type of relationship. The Good News is that you can. You just have to start seeking Him and His voice by faith.

The Bible explains this over and over and over, so how well have we read it?

Isaiah started off - Is 1:2 Listen, O heavens, and hear O earth; For the Lord speaks.

It doesn't get much clearer than that. So did we believe it? Did we listen?

But Isaiah did stop there. He wrote Is 1:10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom?

Interesting; Sodom was gone at that point, so it was a comparison for those that did not listen to the Lord who speaks.

I like the way the Father preached the gospel. Matt 17:5... ""This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him."

The psalmist put it - Ps 94:7 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today if you would hear His voice.

The author of Hebrews liked that verse so much that it was written again three times in Hebrews. "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOU HEARST, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME" Heb 3:7, 3:15, 4:7)

And through Jeremiah the Lord explained this, Jer 7:21-24 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, "Add your burnt offering to you sacrifices and eat flesh. For I did no speak you your fathers, of command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this is what I commanded, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people'... Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but stiffened their necks.

So it is no wonder that when the King of kings and Lord of lords took on flesh and came down to dwell with men on earth, that He kept asking about people having ears to hear, and explained that the foremost command was "HEAR, O ISRAEL!"

Mk 12:29 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, HEAR, O ISRAEL!..."

Now the Holy Spirit once told me, "Karl, we don't use the Lord to preach the Scriptures, we use the Scriptures to preach the Lord."

The Scriptures are certainly useful for trying to explain that He does indeed talk to us. In fact, listening to the Lord is the foremost command! The Father commanded it on the mountain. Jesus explained it was the foremost command. Isaiah started with the command when he wrote. Jeremiah explained it is his writings. The psalmist explained it, along with the writer of the book Hebrews.

Still, concerning God people there was something else often explained. It was that His people are often unwilling to listen to Him.

Ezek 3:7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me.

Ezek 3:27... Thus says the Lord God. 'He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

So maybe Paul put the gospel best, Gal 3:2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you; did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

However you put the gospel; it is really worth walking and talking to the Lord, and today is the day to do it.