Bible Study Spirit Taught Knowledge

[Soul man]

Luke 6:43, 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Because Adam became corrupt he could not bring forth good fruit. All his fruit is corrupt.
It is this Adam with his corruptness that was gathered up and put into the body of Christ, Romans 6:6, 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

It is called 'our old man,' which makes it personal. The body of sin was destroyed. The devil was not the one destroyed on the cross. For the most part Satan is a tool in the hand of the God.
I believe he knows it and does not like it, but is helpless to do anything about it.
The body of sin is the first Adam and in him is the Original Sin.
Get rid of the Adam and you get rid of the Original Sin along with him.
The hold Satan has on all humanity lies in the first Adam.
You and I have never been the guilty ones; we have been misused.
The corruptness we inherited from from the first Adam made us unfit. Separated from God, life unto death, or the death-life we all lived.

1 Cor. 15:22, 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Some theologians interrupt the word destroyed as rendered powerless. They say it does not really mean destroyed. Thing is that does not fit the rest of the verse the says 'the old man' was crucified.
I like reading a good theologian too, well I really don't but say I do.
They are as human as you, knowledge today, I suppose through the centuries as well but I'll speak to today.
Knowledge today is very popular, we have it on every hand.
Myself, I appreciate the technology of the day.
Getting knowledge (intellectual) is at a push like we have never seen before, at least in our lifetime.
Putting stock in another's interpretation of the written word is dangerous. We feel for whatever reason education can somehow usurp the direction of the HolySpirit.
Little minds watch what you take in, little feet watch where you go.
The end result is; where brilliance ends, revelation begins.

 

[Hermit]

Luke 6:43, 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit...

Thanks for thread Soul man.
Could you please expand on what and how to discern 'good' fruit?

 

[Soul man]

First Adam became corrupt by eating and disobeying God, last Adam destroyed that corruptness.
We are birthed into corruption, and born again into incorruption.
It's not what you do that makes you corrupt or not, it is the birthing (a birthing).
I am who I am by a birthing, either first Adam or for the Christian last Adam Christ.
You have been hitting the nail on the head, there is no me me, or just a self self.
There is a me that is totally dependent upon nature.
There is nothing wrong with the me, being created in the image and likeness of God. The image and likeness of God was not touched at the fall, we are still His creation.
So the misuse, abuse, has been in mind from nature. Even today the battle, for lack of a better word, is for the mind.
Hence we have a world perfect for what our Father wants, sons like unto His only begotten. It is religion that has said the world is the devils, that is not what scripture says.
The world belongs to our Father and He is the director of that world.
Using the world to bring humanity too Christ, and in time teach them Christ by using that same world, instructing by the HolySpirit.
All things are of God, that is what scripture says. Not poor me how can I make it, it's a devils world, 2 Cor. 5:18,
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Satan likes nothing better than for believers to believe the battle is theirs.
Have you ever seen so many nice Christian folk, begging to be raptured out.
It's not going to happen just yet, we need to learn the Christ that is in us.
Does Satan have influence in the world, he is called the god of this world so I'm sure he does.
Is he a tool in the hand of God, absolutely, nothing like a good dose of the world to bring an individual to seek for answers.

 

[Hermit]

Thanks Soul man.
What I understand from your above post is that there is..

the battle, for lack of a better word, is for the mind.

I am assuming you are referring to the need for regaining the soul-mind (us in Christ) from the body-mind (us in denial). In doing so the soul-mind will bare good fruit.

However, I am curious to know more. Considering the thread title: Spirit Taught Knowledge, and knowing how cunning the body-mind (old nature) can be in claiming truths towards its own nature, how is one to know what is good fruit?
And how to preserve good fruit from being spoiled into bad fruit?

I believe this is important, because every single thought can either be good or bad fruit. And each thought that is of good fruit can be claimed into becoming bad fruit within a microsecond. So how do we maintain our True Integrity in this matter.

 

[Soul man]

I am assuming you are referring to the need for regaining the soul-mind (us in Christ) from the body-mind (us in denial). In doing so the soul-mind will bare good fruit.

Yes and no, we recieved corruptness through a birthing, Adamic nature. We recieve incorruptness by a birthing, Christ in us.

Our minds being corrupted naturally by the nature. So it is the mind now that must be renewed.
I am not corrupt by what I do or did, I was corrupt by nature, born that way, a birthing.
I am incorruptible now by my nature. The principal of sowing and reaping come into play.
If I sow to the flesh I'll reap corruption, but as born again believers we are not corrupt by nature any longer.
The parable is addressing the two natures.
We try very hard to get the world to live a life we feel would please the Father.
That will never happen, they have a nature that does not fit the Father.
He went as far as killing it on the cross, so the need for anyone is to be in Christ where the sin nature is dead.
Then the teacher begins, the HolySpirit is the one that teachs Christ. We cannot see Christ without Him, and without seeing Christ we will never see we have a new Father.
You cannot express the need for mind renewal enough, I don't have to carry on about how Christians need to do this or that. It is very obvious they need a gospel to go with the new birth.
Why would I make a statement like that; most do not know what happened the moment they believed.
A thousand and one denominations with their doctrine to back their beliefs. Like what you believe is going to save you, with due respect very childish.
We have come to a time in Christianity where revelation seems to be a thing of the past.
Knowledge of the cross and the deliverance at Calvary has long since faded.
The mystery has indeed become a mystery and it to has faded away in religion.

 

[th1b.taylor]

Yes and no, we recieved corruptness through a birthing, Adamic nature. We recieve incorruptness by a birthing, Christ in us.

Our minds being corrupted naturally by the nature. So it is the mind now that must be renewed.
I am not corrupt by what I do or did, I was corrupt by nature, born that way, a birthing.
I am incorruptible now by my nature. The principal of sowing and reaping come into play.
If I sow to the flesh I'll reap corruption, but as born again believers we are not corrupt by nature any longer.
The parable is addressing the two natures.
We try very hard to get the world to live a life we feel would please the Father.
That will never happen, they have a nature that does not fit the Father.
He went as far as killing it on the cross, so the need for anyone is to be in Christ where the sin nature is dead.
Then the teacher begins, the HolySpirit is the one that teachs Christ. We cannot see Christ without Him, and without seeing Christ we will never see we have a new Father.
You cannot express the need for mind renewal enough, I don't have to carry on about how Christians need to do this or that. It is very obvious they need a gospel to go with the new birth.
Why would I make a statement like that; most do not know what happened the moment they believed.
A thousand and one denominations with their doctrine to back their beliefs. Like what you believe is going to save you, with due respect very childish.
We have come to a time in Christianity where revelation seems to be a thing of the past.
Knowledge of the cross and the deliverance at Calvary has long since faded.
The mystery has indeed become a mystery and it to has faded away in religion.

And so many rely on their Religion and it's doctrine and never seek the Personal relationship with Jesus. The RCC comes to mind and their belief that the immoral that die in Christ will go there and be purified and then transorted into the presence God.

They use 2Maccabies and a single verse from scripture to justify their belief. But in the end, they do not seek the personal relationship that Adam lost as described in Chapter 3 where he and God walked and talked with God.

 

[Hermit]

I understand what you posted, and then some.

Yes and no, we recieved corruptness through a birthing, Adamic nature. We recieve incorruptness by a birthing, Christ in us.

The received corruptness through birthing is us in denial of the Truth. Adamic nature came from denying God.
The received incorruptness by birthing is us in Christ, or Christ in us. Us in Christ is to be cloaked in Truth, though Christ in us is the reflection (lack of a better word) of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

We try very hard to get the world to live a life we feel would please the Father.

Like Father like Son. Like Son like True Christians.

This world we live in is very dense and visible to all our bodily senses. Today's technology is designed for easier visibility. The visible is very much in our face. So to rely on the invisible seems to most too wishy-washy in comparison. Only those who seek Him out will be saved if He is still sought.

John 6: 63-70 63.The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you_they are full of the Spirit and life. 64.Yet there are some of you who do not believe." 65.He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them." 66.From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67."You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68.Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69.We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God."

The Father is pleased (available, enabled) to those that seek Him out. Jesus Christ is available to those that seek Him out. If we turn away from the seeking, both Christ and God is no longer available/enabled.

Luke 8:44-48. 44.She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45."Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." 46.But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." 47.Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48.Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

1 Corinthians 3:10-23 10.By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11.For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12.If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13.their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. 14.If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15.If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved--even though only as one escaping through the flames. 16.Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? 17.If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. 18.Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise. 19.For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20.and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21.So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22.whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, 23.and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

 

[Jim Parker]

Putting stock in another's interpretation of the written word is dangerous. We feel for whatever reason education can somehow usurp the direction of the HolySpirit.

There is an anti-education sentiment that has become very popular. But it's popularity does not make up for it's inherent absurdity.
Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, was thoroughly educated by Gamaliel, one of few leading theologians of his day, told his disciple, Timothy; "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2Ti 2:15

A good education does not in any way "usurp the direction of the Holy Spirit". Rather, it gives the Holy Spirit more to work with.

"What the Holy Spirit showed me..." is a common statement that proceeds some of the most insipid nonsense that regularly distracts and confuses and misleads gullible believer. (Televangelists do that all the time.)

If you're not praying a couple of hours every day, then please don't bother me with what you imagine was the Holy Spirit telling you.

And, that's the flip side of that platter.


iakov the meshuganeh

 

[iLOVE]

A good education does not in any way "usurp the direction of the Holy Spirit". Rather, it gives the Holy Spirit more to work with.

Brother Jim,
Please post the scripture for this statement. Romans 8:8

If you're not praying a couple of hours every day, then please don't bother me with what you imagine was the Holy Spirit telling you.

Why are you making a "law" of do(s) and don't(s)? Romans 8:3

 

[Jim Parker]

Please post the scripture for this statement. Romans 8:8

It should be obvious to you.
If it is not then I suspect that it is beyond my ability to explain it to you.

Why are you making a "law" of do(s) and don't(s)?

I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Edward]

We have come to a time in Christianity where revelation seems to be a thing of the past.

Isn't that a shame? Scripture sure does talk about revelation from the Spirit quite a bit. I think a lot of people are so scared of being deceived that when truth comes, they can't receive it. They typically fall back to either, show me in scripture, or science says it can't be so. These same people usually are not the ones who read and study their scriptures, but do go to church and sunday school, and just believe what they're told so thereby put their faith in that man or woman rather than do the work of studying themselves. The science guys too, they're not scientists, no letters after their name, but the scientists speak so much scientific doubletalk and make it sound plausible, that they're willing to put their faith in them (men) and parrot what they say as fact. Many spiritual issues are spiritually discerned, so one has to take some of it in faith for now, until the Holy Spirit gives the revelation of knowledge which will then give us understanding. Sort of like how, little children simply accept what dad says with their wonderful leap of faith.

It seems to me that we have four ways of learning. Logic and reasoning, revelation from the Spirit, experience, and our senses.


I don't think I've ever seen revelation discussed here on this board. Probably a good thing because it wouldn't be accepted. Like you say, it seems to be a thing of the past. Maybe revelation is a hard thing to accept because we like to think that we know and are right? (vanity and pride). But unless we can throw off what we think we know (preconceived notions) and admit that we don't know much at all if anything...how can we remain teachable or even able to receive revelation. Perhaps that's what scripture means when it say we have to become as little children?

 

[Soul man]

There is an anti-education sentiment that has become very popular.

I believe education played a factor in Pauls life, only to a point.
All of life can be used and is important, there will come a time when you will be compelled to move on from whatever has brought you to where you are.
We are not talking about earthly, worldly anything.
This life is a life lived in Christ, by revelation, Gal. 1:11-12, 15-16, 2:20.
Our gospel starts before the foundation of the world, Eph. 1:4.
When talking about study of scripture, sure that is important, if you don't know where to go and where to study, life as a Christian can be the most miserable life to exist. 1 Cor. 2:14,
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Paul had the mind of Christ, everything that made Paul who he was before he was converted he counted as dung,
Philippians 3:5-8, 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

 

[Soul man]

Isn't that a shame? Scripture sure does talk about revelation from the Spirit quite a bit. I think a lot of people are so scared of being deceived that when truth comes, they can't receive it. They typically fall back to either, show me in scripture, or science says it can't be so. These same people usually are not the ones who read and study their scriptures, but do go to church and sunday school, and just believe what they're told so thereby put their faith in that man or woman rather than do the work of studying themselves. The science guys too, they're not scientists, no letters after their name, but the scientists speak so much scientific doubletalk and make it sound plausible, that they're willing to put their faith in them (men) and parrot what they say as fact. Many spiritual issues are spiritually discerned, so one has to take some of it in faith for now, until the Holy Spirit gives the revelation of knowledge which will then give us understanding. Sort of like how, little children simply accept what dad says with their wonderful leap of faith.

It seems to me that we have four ways of learning. Logic and reasoning, revelation from the Spirit, experience, and our senses.


I don't think I've ever seen revelation discussed here on this board. Probably a good thing because it wouldn't be accepted. Like you say, it seems to be a thing of the past. Maybe revelation is a hard thing to accept because we like to think that we know and are right? (vanity and pride). But unless we can throw off what we think we know (preconceived notions) and admit that we don't know much at all if anything...how can we remain teachable or even able to receive revelation. Perhaps that's what scripture means when it say we have to become as little children?

The mind will reject revelation most of the time. The mind rejects what it can't control.
Religion rejects revelation everytime, if it feels it is losing control, it rejects what causes it to lose control.
Between control and law it keeps the cogs well greased.
Revelation can only be yielded to by the believer. To the degree the believer is willing to yield, that is the revelation recieved.
Revelation is not a controllable component and the mind has to be trained, taught by the HolySpirit.
That is His main ministry, to dwell in the believers soul-mind to teach them Christ.
To fill that hunger to keep them searching the scriptures, and in the Father's time reveal Christ in them as their only life, Gal. 1:15-16, 4:1-2,
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
4:1-2,w I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

I have been involved in ministry for some years now, I have seen what religion can do to an individual. I don't want to slam a person, that defeats my purpose. But religion is not any one person.
I'm thinking of a story, a couple that let their child die, when we came in contact they were losing their mind. I won't mention the particular religion.
There are so many extreme cases I can't name them all.
All in the name of religion, when I have mentioned it as the greatest evil heaped upon mankind, I stand by my statement one hundred percent.
The matchless truth of Christ in you the hope of glory, it is a God truth, it is written in plain black and white English.
Nothing else that is written compares to the in Christ truth. Over 150 times it is written, scholars can't handle it's truth, theologians stumble over its depth of truth.
It is a revelation and that revelation must be revealed in you, to you, by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Edward]

The mind will reject revelation most of the time. The mind rejects what it can't control.
Religion rejects revelation everytime, if it feels it is losing control, it rejects what causes it to lose control.
Between control and law it keeps the cogs well greased.
Revelation can only be yielded to by the believer. To the degree the believer is willing to yield, that is the revelation recieved.
Revelation is not a controllable component and the mind has to be trained, taught by the HolySpirit.
That is His main ministry, to dwell in the believers soul-mind to teach them Christ.
To fill that hunger to keep them searching the scriptures, and in the Father's time reveal Christ in them as their only life, Gal. 1:15-16, 4:1-2,
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
4:1-2,w I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

I have been involved in ministry for some years now, I have seen what religion can do to an individual. I don't want to slam a person, that defeats my purpose. But religion is not any one person.
I'm thinking of a story, a couple that let their child die, when we came in contact they were losing their mind. I won't mention the particular religion.
There are so many extreme cases I can't name them all.
All in the name of religion, when I have mentioned it as the greatest evil heaped upon mankind, I stand by my statement one hundred percent.
The matchless truth of Christ in you the hope of glory, it is a God truth, it is written in plain black and white English.
Nothing else that is written compares to the in Christ truth. Over 150 times it is written, scholars can't handle it's truth, theologians stumble over its depth of truth.
It is a revelation and that revelation must be revealed in you, to you, by the Holy Spirit.

I can't find any holes in what you say, lol. Sounds exactly right to me. You're talking about cognitive dissonance, and it can be hard on a person. It used to happen to me frequently but I learned to dismiss what I think I know, in effort to gain understanding and real truth. When I began studying the scriptures for myself, it became very clear that it's not at all like I have been told that it is. Much of it anyway. It seems like the more I learn, the less I feel I know.

There's a big danger in...everybody knows...(whatever). Everybody knows the sky is blue. But what if studies revealed that the sky is really orange? Boom. Cognitive dissonance, reject that. It's absurd! Revelation blocked. A couple thousand years ago (I'm guessing!), everyone knew the earth was flat, but then...Copernicus (?) figured out it was round. That didn't go over too well with the mainstream of their time. Didn't they throw him in prison or something like that? For talking. Bringing about a new idea. New information. It took a long time people to wade through the cognitive dissonance to be able to accept the truth.

Christian doctrines are very much like that. We've all been indoctrinated to believe a certain way about God. Mainstream has put God into a little religious box. And now in the last days, God is pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh, and giving revelation about Himself and knowledge is being greatly increased...but much of it is being rejected. That's not what sweet ol' Mrs Grimshaw my old sunday school teacher said...and she wouldn't lie to me, she was sweet and smart. Pride and vanity makes people confident in what they know. People want to be right. God is not the author of confusion and scripture is very simple for the most part. But it's hard to accept unless people can manage to set aside what they think they know, give it a clean slate, if for no other reason at all except just keeping an open mind and considering...what if. What if the new info IS true, and what I've been taught has all been lies? This is a proper mindset for approaching study. It was in this way, that I was able to actually receive the truth about Genesis 6 and the giants. What if? No matter how absurd it sounds...an open mind and deep study revealed that it was true. After being able to receive that truth, something wonderful happened. It opened up the rest of the scriptures and made a whole lot of it make sense in that light, where before it was confusing. Like, why would God instruct the Hebrews to commit genocide on races of peoples. (I thought God was Love? How could He do that?!!)

 

[Soul man]

I learned to dismiss what I think I know, in effort to gain understanding and real truth. When I began studying the scriptures for
myself, it became very clear that it's not at all like I have been told that it is. Much of it anyway. It seems like the more I learn, the less I feel I know.

We have learned truth through the years, but we learn what we believe really doesn't impress our Father as much as we think it does.
I'm sure if we get ahold of some truth it pleases Him, but what we believe is not the pleasing of the Father.
Christ in you is the pleasing of the Father, and you knowing something about that makes a difference.
You are right about getting the mind of Christ, the more you see the less you understand you have known.
The mind of Christ is the infinite wisdom of God, when we touch the edge of that mind, we understand this is to much for the human brain to digest.
We begin to yield at some point in our daily living, revelation can begin to flow.
You will understand things you cannot nor need to explain.
Along with Paul we begin to say 'I am determined to know nothing" save Christ.
That should be taken literal, "determined to know nothing" save Christ.
If we do not know Christ in the power of His resurrection, we do not know anything anyway.
When I was confronted with this message I had all the religious jargon, amen praise God brother, hallelujah, not to make light of that.
But I had no idea what this brother was talking about when he shared the message of Christ as life.
I acted like I did, but the HolySpirit told me "you do not know what he is talking about" at the same moment I saw it, revealed by the Spirit.
I don't hear God talk to me like some do for whatever reason. Hard headed I guess I don't know, but at that moment I heard in the eyes of my understanding, a voice that was perfectly clear in rebuke and then in revelation.
That revelation was of the Indwelling Christ, the scriptures came alive. The word that was in me came alive, began to weave together, fitting perfectly together. No man will necessarily have to confirm to you when you have a revelation of Christ, you will know it.

 

[reba]

Believing the Word of God, the Bible is complete, in IMO any 'spirit knowledge' will not be out side the Scriptures.. We should be able to take that 'spirit knowledge' to the Scripture to confirm the blessing given

 

[Hermit]

...
You will understand things you cannot nor need to explain.
...

This is a knowing which is doubtless, fearless, unconditional, loving, unchanging, always present, unclaimable (because the knowing is not from self). In other words, the Truth.

Those that can allow the Truth to enter spirit-consciousness (soul-mind) can immediately grasp the Truth with a quickening of the spirit coupled with instant clarity of the mind. A revelation is Truth unpacked, scripture is Truth packaged. Unconditionality (true humbleness) unpacks the Truth.

 

[Soul man]

This is a knowing which is doubtless, fearless, unconditional, loving, unchanging, always present, unclaimable (because the knowing is not from self). In other words, the Truth.

Absolutely, it is a knowing. It is something you just know, it comes from your knower.
You have used words as well as phases that have struck me, all throught your posts. From the first time I read you until now. It is words and phases I have in me, I can witness them.
One really important thing Jesus said in John 14:20, is there would be a knowing that would happen when the HolySpirit was poured out on the day of Penecost.
The HolySpirit was going to bring a knowledge an understanding to the believer. The power is in the knowing, see where this message covers every scripture we know, clears it up.
The power is in the knowing to reveal Christ to the believer, the believer needs the same revelation Paul had, Gal. 1:15-16. The HolySpirit revealed Christ in Paul to Paul as his only life.
Everything Paul did from that point on was by revelation, the revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ revealed in Paul, when Paul went up by revelation (to a city) it was with the revelation of Christ as the life of the believer.
Paul said many things in his epistles, but when he is telling us about the deep things of God, hidden wisdom (Christ) we need to give full attention and understand what he is doing. Paul knew exactly what he was doing, he was with believers 'in fear and in trembling' because what he has in revelation separated an individual from who they thought they were, it's devastating to hear it, to find out you were living a lie.
You have to have your proper identity to live a spiritual life.

 

[Hermit]

...it's devastating to hear it, to find out you were living a lie.
You have to have your proper identity to live a spiritual life.

An absolute shocker! And an absolute relief.

Many years ago, a girlfriend of five years visited me to break the relationship. I was devastated. She said "I can see you're upset, lets go for a picnic lunch". I said "A picnic!" I thought this is no time for a picnic, it's time for panic-stations. But I knew that she was sincere and had her reasons. Without saying a word, we packed lunch and went to our favourite picnic spot. I laid out the blanket in the shade and she insisted I relax while she prepared lunch. While I was looking at her I accepted that I might never see her again. In that moment I realized that I loved her regardless if I see her or not. My heart poured all my love and gratitude for having met her in my life. Suddenly her face disappeared, like a void, and in that void was a face of a simple shaped light-being looking back at me. Its expression was as if to say 'Oh, you can see me.' Suddenly (again) I realized the Truth of who we really are - spirit. Then the my girlfriends face returned. From that moment I realized my whole life, fifty years of it, was just a fabrication in my own mind. I had it all wrong! My life was based of self and not on spirit-Self.

My girlfriend then looked up at me as if nothing happened. Everything shifted 180 degrees. Instead of trying to regain the relationship I supported her decision to go her way. After all, nobody has the right to claim another for their self (my first new revelation of internal revolution). Now it was her who went into shock for my reversal of attitude.

She liked the new me and decided to hang around to see what will unfold. The relationship continued for another seven years. Then she decided to relocate to Canada (the other side of the world) to join an assembly over their. I looked at the place on a world globe. Ironically, if she were to go any further, she would be on her way back. I supported and helped her to follow her calling. That was about two years ago, and we are still close friends. Though she is now married, I am a hermit (so to speak). I love my relationship with God/Truth/Christ more than anything else. I am never alone, though in solitude in this world (except for the Internet). I have been living in silence (no TV/radio) since the above revelation.

The above story is the first time I was unconditionally in love, right when all was about to be lost. I was at the edge of a precipice and took a step forward in faith, that I was blessed regardless. And as a result, I was blessed in return.

God's Grace is absolutely humbling yet exalting.

 

[dirtfarmer]

dirtfarmer here

It is my belief that there is knowledge given by the Spirit that does not necessarily come from scripture or revealed in scripture. God's power is revealed in nature but his love is not revealed there. God's love is revealed through Jesus Christ, of which is revealed through scripture. According to Job 12:7 -9 we are told that the beast of the field, the fowl of the air, and even the earth and the fish declare unto us things about God. It is because of these things that I believe that it is necessary, to not only study scripture, but also to study nature in order to have a better understanding and knowledge of God.

Romans 1:20, " For the invisible things of him from the creationof the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so they are without excuse:"