'The Bible tells me so' is wrong

[smaller]

Soooo many ways you have it wrong. My claim is that God speaks to us, (Is 1:2) Listen, O heavens, and hear O earth; For the Lord speaks

And you've translated and substituted what GOD SAYS/SAID to a voice in your head claiming to be God.

There is nothing wrong with understanding "as it is written" in the ways meant to be understood:

14 For we know that the law [nomos] is spiritual [pneumatikos]: but I am carnal [sarkikos], sold under sin.

The "commands" present us with precepts. Those precepts are present day applicable and active.

What does it show us? That we are fleshly, carnal, sold under sin.

And I know that the carnal mind does not and can not accept this state, because it is impossible to bring the carnal mind into subjection of THE LAW.

Romans 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity [hatred] against God: for it is not subject to the law [nomos] of God, neither indeed can be.

Our flesh, by the nature of indwelling sin and evil present with us (Romans 7:17-21), DOES cause "evil, errant, deceived and defiling thoughts" in our MINDS [Mark 4:15, Matt. 15:19-20, Mark 7:21-23, Matt. 5:28] when our carnal mind meets what is in GODS WORDS, IN WRITING. This is a PRECEPT of the Living Word.

And also why we don't resort to fabrications in our heads, especially when that same carnal mind will invariably DENY IT'S FACTUAL scripturally shown state.

When every claimer of GOD speak in their heads trots out, I simply ask them to show me how God actually HATES them. If they know, they can march right through the scriptures, and PROVE IT, without being "personally offended."

If they can't, they really aren't HEARING anything.

Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Gods Word, written AND Spiritual, is not working with us on only ONE side of the ledgers here. God and HIS WORD is just as adamantly in opposition to the "evil present" and "indwelling sin" in our flesh, which includes our "evil thoughts."

Gods Words can even easily make such thoughts amplified in deceptions and worse, when we do not submit to His Written Conclusions. Romans 7:13, 1 Cor. 15:56. That's how "believers" turn into hypocrites. God does it to them.

 

[Jim Parker]

Yes, yes. I know. Peter's response to the Sanhedrin.

OOPS!!!
That's Stephen, not Peter.

 

[Jim Parker]

And there you have it folks. The Words of Jesus were NOT meant for YOU. The Words of Jesus were ONLY MEANT FOR THE DISCIPLES. I guess we can all just close up the Bible, because none of it was meant for me.

You have attempted to make a few words spoken to a specific group at a specific time and place include all the words Jesus ever spoke and the whole of the Bible given to all people for all times and all places.

No one said, "Words of Jesus were ONLY MEANT FOR THE DISCIPLES. I guess we can all just close up the Bible, because none of it was meant for me."
That is a "strawman" logical fallacy.
You set up a position which no one has taken and then struck it down thus proving absolutely nothing but your confusion.

iakov the fool

 

[Jim Parker]

From what I have seen; most of the time the phrase "The Word of God" is used we mean the Scriptures. However, the Bible (the Scriptures) very specifically calls Jesus Christ the Word of God,

When speaking of Jesus, the Greek word "Logos" has been translated as "Word." But the word "Logos" does not suggest that the Son of God is a spoken or written word, a bit of human language. Any attempt to equate the words on the pages of scripture with Jesus, the Logos, the Son of God, Who IS God, cannot but introduce confusion into the conversation.

The concept is a bit complex. (a bit???)
See: http://www.bible-researcher.com/logos.html

iakov the fool

 

[ezrider]

They don't know Him or they would clearly understand that He is the Word of God, but is not the Scriptures. They would know His sheep hear His voice, and that is a small voice we pick up inside us. It is not the Scriptures, though He often talks about the Scriptures and will tell you to read them. More often He will talk to you on other things, because we have lots of things to do and He likes helping us. They just can't understand unless they believe in Him.

Last night I was buying groceries. I had picked up some things and was about to leave and the Lord told me to get some cereal. I pointed out to Him that the cereal was not on sale. He told me, "Karl go over to where the cereal is and let me convince you that it is and excellent buy." I laughed, and went over to the cereal, and He pointed to a statement on the bag of cereal which said it had 27 servings in it and He said something about how little each serving would be. So I got the cereal, "Because the Lord told me to." But if you don't know Him you don't believe in Him who said He would never leave you and you are going to scoff at my little testimony about Him, because they is what you have always been doing. And it is extremely sad because many that know the Scriptures so well that they say, "Because the Bible tells me so", are going to find out at the wrong time that they didn't.

You know. That reminds me. It's time to have some of that cereal the Lord had me get last night. He must have known I would be writing about it this morning. He is awesome.

When you talk about learning to listen to the Lord, to that still small voice, you will get no argument from me. When you rightly point out that they have made the Bible into an idol, and they worship the words of a book more than they do the Spirit of Christ, then again, you get no argument from me.

But, when you post the nonsense about the Lord telling you to go get some cereal, then I can tell you that you have done nothing more than to ruin your witness, becoming just like the hypocrites. To what purpose have you chosen to share your shopping experience? How does this story serve to glorify Christ? Because to me it sounds like you are seeking your own glory at the Lords expense. So unless it was a box of shredded wheat that you saw bowing down before the stars on the top of your Christmas tree, I find your story to be of no real value, other than to turn people away from hearing a message about listening to the Spirit of Christ who dwells within us.

So before you tell me that God is coo coo for coco puffs, let me pass along just a little scriptural advice.

Romans 14:22
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

 

[K2CHRIST]

When you talk about learning to listen to the Lord, to that still small voice, you will get no argument from me. When you rightly point out that they have made the Bible into an idol, and they worship the words of a book more than they do the Spirit of Christ, then again, you get no argument from me.

But, when you post the nonsense about the Lord telling you to go get some cereal, then I can tell you that you have done nothing more than to ruin your witness, becoming just like the hypocrites. To what purpose have you chosen to share your shopping experience? How does this story serve to glorify Christ? Because to me it sounds like you are seeking your own glory at the Lords expense. So unless it was a box of shredded wheat that you saw bowing down before the stars on the top of your Christmas tree, I find your story to be of no real value, other than to turn people away from hearing a message about listening to the Spirit of Christ who dwells within us.

So before you tell me that God is coo coo for coco puffs, let me pass along just a little scriptural advice.

Romans 14:22
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

What to you think about this verse: Is 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

I had to make a turn to get the cereal.

This thread was about practicing hearing form the Lord whom we say we think is always with us. If you practice listening to your wife and she was with you at all times like we say we believe the Lord is, don't you think she might have some input about what to get at the store? Why don't you think it would be like that if we practiced hearing from the Lord.

And concerning Romans 14:22 I have faith thyself before God that is why I hear Him and because of that He doesn't condemn me, if fact the most common thing I hear from Him is, "I love you." He told me that after making the post. But have your read:

Matt 10:27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

I read the post above you wrote, "When you talk about learning to listen to the Lord, to that still small voice, you will get no argument from me.', but you did. And you didn't have anything you heard from the Lord. So can we see that while you think you wouldn't argue with someone if they told you they heard form the Lord, you did argue and must not have heard anything since you didn't shout anything that He told you. Who is the hypocrite and who has condemn himself? It doesn't seem you have faith before God, but state you do before men. If you had faith before God you would be talking to Him and indeed practicing hear from Him who said He would never leave you.

 

[ezrider]

I read the post above you wrote, "When you talk about learning to listen to the Lord, to that still small voice, you will get no argument from me.', but you did. And you didn't have anything you heard from the Lord. So can we see that while you think you wouldn't argue with someone if they told you they heard form the Lord, you did argue and must not have heard anything since you didn't shout anything that He told you. Who is the hypocrite and who has condemn himself? It doesn't seem you have faith before God, but state you do before men. If you had faith before God you would be talking to Him and indeed practicing hear from Him who said He would never leave you.

And exactly why would you say I have no faith before God? You don't know me at all. You don't know me as a person, and you have no clue as to my faith before the Lord. Have you read any of my threads to seek to know what I believe? I'll bet not.

Oh, by the way. The word that the Lord gave unto me to share with you, weren't interested in listen to, were you? You might want to let go of the cereal box and practice listening a little better.

 

[K2CHRIST]

When speaking of Jesus, the Greek word "Logos" has been translated as "Word." But the word "Logos" does not suggest that the Son of God is a spoken or written word, a bit of human language. Any attempt to equate the words on the pages of scripture with Jesus, the Logos, the Son of God, Who IS God, cannot but introduce confusion into the conversation.

The concept is a bit complex. (a bit???)
See: http://www.bible-researcher.com/logos.html

iakov the fool

It seems you just did add confusion into the conversation.

Logos and Rhema is translated "Word', but Graphe is not. Graphe is the Greek word use for Scriptures in your Bible. But we call the Scriptures the Word of God. So what we do does not match up with the Bible.

Now Jesus is called the Word. That is His name and we see that explained, and we see Him called that.

Rev 19:13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called "The Word (logos) of God"

Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word (logos) was with God, and the Word (logos) was God. He was in the beginning with God

Jn 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory.

Jesus Christ is called the Word of God, and was.

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying....

Jesus is a person. He is a person in what we call the Trinity. He is a person that took on was in the beginning, and He was with God and He was God. He took on flesh and dwelt among men. He appeared to Abram in a vision and talked him. Now a saying doesn't say, but rather a person says things. So Jesus is not either " a spoken or written word", but rather He is a person and the One whose name is called the Word of God. That is His name. That does not mean He is a word, that means He is called The Word of God because He talks to us.

 

[K2CHRIST]

And you've translated and substituted what GOD SAYS/SAID to a voice in your head claiming to be God.

Jn 8:47 He is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.

Jn 8:43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My words.

Ps 81:13 Oh that My people would listen to Me

Ps 81:11 But My people did not listen to My voice

Ps 81:8 Hear, O MY people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me!

Ps 81:15 those who hate the Lord would pretend obedience to Him.

We've gone over this, and over this. Many people read the Bible which is what God said to others but they don't listen to Him. It is nothing new, but an age old problem. God is Spirit, so His words are spirit. Those that wrote the bible heard spiritual words, but there were always scoffers. There were always those that thought they knew all about God but they didn't listen to Him. So whether you believe I hear from God or not, for your sake you had better believe and start seeking the voice of the Lord yourself. And the fact is that if you are from God you will be hearing that small voice inside you. And since God is Omni-present, you should be hearing from Him everyday, and many times each day. You had better stop pretending obedience to Him when you don't even hear from Him.

 

[Jim Parker]

But, when you post the nonsense about the Lord telling you to go get some cereal, then I can tell you that you have done nothing more than to ruin your witness, becoming just like the hypocrites.

My close friend (a bishop) was very ill. In prayer, the Lord told him "Vitamin C." He began taking it and his health was restored.
True story.
God spoke to him.

iakov the fool

 

[Jim Parker]

Now Jesus is called the Word. That is His name and we see that explained, and we see Him called that.

No. Jesus is called the LOGOS made flesh.
"Word" is the English word that was chosen in an attempt to approximate the meaning of LOGOS. It falls far short.

That does not mean He is a word, that means He is called The Word of God because He talks to us.

No. That is not the reason He is called "LOGOS."
Gain; See: http://www.bible-researcher.com/logos.html

 

[smaller]

Jn 8:47 He is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.

Jn 8:43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My words.

Ps 81:13 Oh that My people would listen to Me

Ps 81:11 But My people did not listen to My voice

Ps 81:8 Hear, O MY people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me!

Ps 81:15 those who hate the Lord would pretend obedience to Him.

We've gone over this, and over this. Many people read the Bible which is what God said to others but they don't listen to Him.

You hear and use what is WRITTEN and then conclude that must mean little voices in our heads claiming to be Jesus. I hope you see your own analysis is a little whacky.

We are to hear what we have in writing to hear. I am NOT saying we won't get specific directions from Jesus, but even those directions are more prompted from the Spirit, from the heart, than they are from little voices in our heads. Moving from the heart is NOT hearing little voices in our heads.

Serving a little voice in our heads claiming to be Jesus could very well be serving "another god." We have no way to "test" such matters apart from what is in writing.

Spiritual contact with adverse spirits is nothing new in this world. And those contacts are made "internally." It's one reason I test any voice in my head to Gods Words, Precepts, Ways and Patterns, "as it is written."

Hebrews 10:22 tells us that when we come before God with a whole heart, we come bearing also, an "evil conscience" and that alone is reason enough to "test" that little Jesus in the head to His Own Written Words. Additionally Hebrews 10:22 tells us this is how an HONEST person comes before God. But the dishonest can't seem to understand or fess up to this side of our INTERNAL reality. Which "written test" you have faltered badly in admittance. And you fail to engage on that side of the ledgers because it WILL bring that little voice in your head under QUESTION.

Therefore, the scriptural math shows me that there is always a potential "dodger" in play that doesn't care to be all that honest about evil present within us. Romans 7:21.

See how easy that is?

 

[K2CHRIST]

Of course there are always problems in translations, because words in different languages do not translate exactly. In the Old Testament we see the phrase "word of the Lord" use as if a person. That spiritual person that came in the name of God was the Christ. And in the New Testament John we see John call that person "the Word', or 'logos'. But it is not John only. In Hebrews we see that the word is alive and active, and "He" is again used. So it is a person that is the word and not a book or writings. WE DO BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST IS A PERSON, RIGHT?

Yet in the front of our churches we raise a book with the scared writing over our heads and say we are going to preach it. We know the book is the Scriptures, but fail to recognized that in the book that we hold, which has been translated, that the Scriptures is translated from a Greek the Greek word Graphe, not Logos. So whether we have a perfect translation is not important, because we are not even going by our own translation. So any point made about the exact meaning of logos is irrelevant because we are not even consistent with our translation.

And Jesus did taken on flesh. Some translation have it stated that way. So whether you think the Christ was made flesh, had taken on flesh, is not important either. We agree that the Christ (one of the persons in the trinity) came down out of heaven and walked in the flesh. And His name is called the Word of God. (Rev 19:13)

Now there is a reason we call the Scriptures the Word of God, and that is because we want to emphasize that the book was inspired by God. In other words, the Scriptures are the Holy Scriptures. They are a special writing that God had made!!! I fully agree with that!!! But they are not the Christ. They are a book inspired by God to tell us about the Christ. That is awesome, and certainly means we should read and study them. Yet since they are a book and not Christ we don't actually follow them, unless of course we believe the Christ can not be heard from.

And that is the problem. Many don't believe the Christ can be heard from. The Christ was named "The Word of God" because He talked to those that wrote the Bible, but that name has now gone to the writings instead of Him, because of our disbelief in Him. We do what Paul wrote not to do. We say in our hearts that Jesus Christ has died or is in some far off place called heaven, so we don't actually seek Him, who said He would never leave us. Because we have done that we say, "because the Bible says". If we had not done that we would hear from Him like those who wrote the Bible and would, like them, be calling the Christ "The Word of God" because it is a testimony that He talks to us. We thus would be saying, "Because Jesus Christ tells me so."

Yet this is not new. As mentioned, Paul discussed this problem, and it is recorded in the Scriptures (See Romans 10) And it was a problem long before that because Paul in his writings to the Romans was quoting Moses. (Deut 30:13,14) So there has always been a problem with God people. They keep thinking that God is in some far off place called heaven, or perhaps He is in the abyss? They might not be sure, but they surely are convinced that He is not with them because they don't seek His voice. Pointing this problem out to God's people tends to get most of them upset. That too can be seen in history as recorded in the writings. Or you could simply look at what happens here. There is nothing new under the Sun. We still do not seek the Lord and what He wants to say to us personally.

We might like to look to what He said to people in the past and see how God reproved them, but heaven forbid that we listen to what He has to say to us. We are exactly like those people at the mountain that when God spoke did not hear His words but only thunder. We say. "let God not speak to us."

Ex 20:19 Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die."

Of course they didn't really listen to Moses that well either. So perhaps someone will run off to hear some famous Christian personality, but will they run to God and seek to hear from Him. If you do listen to Him, it will start causing a death of your will, to be sure. But you will was all that great anyway. Perhaps we should listen to Him, as The Word of God, and see if His will is better for us?

WE ARE NOT PREACHING A BOOK, WE ARE PREACHING A PERSON, THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST! AND HIS NAME IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD!

 

[smaller]

So before you tell me that God is coo coo for coco puffs, let me pass along just a little scriptural advice.

I think we can all clearly agree that God would only choose organic cereal, no processed sugar.

I spent several years as a charismatic, just like K2, with other people, just like K2.

Eventually I had to "test" that which I thought was faith, the little voice in my head, telling me I could lay hands on the dashboard of my empty gas tank pick up and drive 50 more miles to reality. Turned out it was my own imagination claiming to be God, trying to "force" God into a corner to do MY WILL.

And I had to put away my imaginations in favor of reality. Eventually His Word and Spirit was faithful to "retrain" me in HIS WAYS, after some smackdown.

I have a lot of fun with my old charismatic pals. They are kind of mildly (often sadly) entertaining today. They think they hear, but really they couldn't hear if they tried. The same old liars in the pulpits are still milking their bank accounts and they're still broke, blaming themselves for their lack of faith, because some idiots in the pulpit are telling them that's what's in writing and they don't bother to roll up their own sleeves and investigate it for scriptural legitimacy.

It does get sad sometimes too though, when one of these "on fire" Jesus voices in the head people get sick and slowly die, and the Jesus in their heads who was laying hands on everyone else who was sick (none or few of whom were healed) doesn't come through for them.

That I have witnessed with my own eyes. I still think they were saved, but they lived their faith life in a fantasy of their own making.

YES, Jesus IS REAL. The question is HOW. That is not an easy matter to come to grips with. But, IF we follow the discourses laid out to us, we will see JESUS in real time and in real actions. And this, I see, daily. Matt. 25.

 

[K2CHRIST]

We are to hear what we have in writing to hear.

The people who wrote the writing you want to hear, did not hear the writings, they heard from God. But you do not hear from God which is apparent because you writing that you are trying to hear from the writings and not God.

And if you had believed the Book, you would have believe in Jesus Christ because it is all explained in the Book from God. Nowhere in the Bible does it say believe in the Bible and you will be saved. But it says that those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved, and Jesus is recorded as telling people "You search the Scriptures because you think that 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."

So my friend, we have gone over this and over this and you are still thinking we must hear from the Scriptures instead of seeing that the Scriptures point you to Jesus Christ. So you do things "Because the Bible tells you so", but you don't hear from Jesus Christ like the Bible tells you so, otherwise you would be saying, "Because Jesus Christ tells me so."

So the Scriptures testify about Christ but you don't accept their testimony. And I testify about Jesus Christ, but you don't accept my testimony either. If you had been alive to see and hear from Moses, or Isaiah, or Paul, or even Jesus Christ when He dwelt here on earth, you would not have accepted their testimonies either. Until you start thinking that perhaps it is possible to hear like those who heard and wrote down what they heard, what part of their testimonies can you accept?

You would have heard Jesus say, "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony" and you would have responded "that must mean little voices in our heads".

Well my friend. God is spirit! How do you hear from a spirit? It is like hearing the wind. He is not the only spirit, so we do need to test the spirits, but if and since you have rejected the whole idea of hearing with spiritual ears, you have rejected the testimonies about God. You have rejected all of them, including the Bible which is a testimony about God. You are putting your faith in the Scriptures instead of in Jesus Christ!

 

[ezrider]

I think we can all clearly agree that God would only choose organic cereal, no processed sugar.

Praise God, it must be true. God must have given you that word for me. I haven't had breakfast yet and was feeling a little nibblish. You just reminded me, I was in the store the other day, craving a little chocolate, when I happened upon some organic cocoa chia granola to try. Mmmm.

 

[smaller]

The people who wrote the writing you want to hear, did not hear the writings, they heard from God.

We all see only in part and as through a glass, darkly. It's one of the written principles a believer must concede to IF they really want to hear "as it is written." 1 Cor. 13:12.

So, seeing that fact, some might roll up their sleeves, scripturally, and see "how and why" this is. Others, like your position, seem to want to use that fact to split to Jesus voice in head. And forgetting about seeing/hearing only in PART.

Has it occurred to you that IF what Paul wrote above is true, that even the voice in your head claiming to be Jesus is only heard by you in part?

Welcome to scriptural reality.

You on the other hand seem to want to deny and denigrate Gods Words, because of the partial sight, factual, of the writers. Bad angle my friend.

But you do not hear from God which is apparent because you writing that you are trying to hear from the writings and not God.

You continue to claim that the Word of God in writing is DIFFERENT from God. I can't take any such postures as even remotely credible. Sorry. We went through this exercise prior. IF we read a scripture that says, and it does, that God Is Love. Now, is that print on cyberspace or paper COMPLETELY TRUE? Of course it is. But the print on paper IS NOT The Love of God. The PRECEPT is however completely true and completely reliable.

What you are trying to do, quite vainly I might add, is reduce the PRECEPT to "only black on white" to eliminate the fact of the PRECEPT, PRINCIPLE OR DIRECTIONs. Your methodology is simply waaaay off the mark on this count.

Yes, God Is Love. 1 John 4:8. We would have little to no legitimate or credible understanding other than our own IMAGINATIONS of that had the Holy Spirit not vivified that fact and put it in writing. So, the fact is now in writing, and was/is and will remain a fact in reality as well.

When we submit to Jesus, we submit to His Words and everything that came with them, as the basis of our "mutual" understandings. Outside of that we would be just an individual cult pursuing our own imaginary god(s). Maybe even with Jesus lipstick on it.

And if you had believed the Book, you would have believe in Jesus Christ because it is all explained in the Book from God. Nowhere in the Bible does it say believe in the Bible and you will be saved.

You are only entertaining a logical fallacy that you've concocted in your own head.

God Is Love. It's in writing as a hard line fact. Nothing will change that "as it is written." What you are quite engaged in is claiming that "print" AS God Is Love. NO ONE in their right mind takes that approach to "as it is written." No one.

What your position has and the little magic wand thingy your position keeps trying is transparently void of basis of claim.

Yes, for no uncertain FACT, God Is Love. That doesn't mean GOD IS LOVE on a piece of paper. But "as it is written" is a hard line unchanging fact.

I hope you are led away from the impositions of fantasy arrangements in the discussions, soon.

 

[K2CHRIST]

I think we can all clearly agree that God would only choose organic cereal, no processed sugar.

I spent several years as a charismatic, just like K2, with other people, just like K2.

Eventually I had to "test" that which I thought was faith, the little voice in my head, telling me I could lay hands on the dashboard of my empty gas tank pick up and drive 50 more miles to reality. Turned out it was my own imagination claiming to be God, trying to "force" God into a corner to do MY WILL.

And I had to put away my imaginations in favor of reality. Eventually His Word and Spirit was faithful to "retrain" me in HIS WAYS, after some smackdown.

I have a lot of fun with my old charismatic pals. They are kind of mildly (often sadly) entertaining today. They think they hear, but really they couldn't hear if they tried. The same old liars in the pulpits are still milking their bank accounts and they're still broke, blaming themselves for their lack of faith, because some idiots in the pulpit are telling them that's what's in writing and they don't bother to roll up their own sleeves and investigate it for scriptural legitimacy.

It does get sad sometimes too though, when one of these "on fire" Jesus voices in the head people get sick and slowly die, and the Jesus in their heads who was laying hands on everyone else who was sick (none or few of whom were healed) doesn't come through for them.

That I have witnessed with my own eyes. I still think they were saved, but they lived their faith life in a fantasy of their own making.

YES, Jesus IS REAL. The question is HOW. That is not an easy matter to come to grips with. But, IF we follow the discourses laid out to us, we will see JESUS in real time and in real actions. And this, I see, daily. Matt. 25.

I really liked this post smaller. We do really need to test the spirits, and it is not always easy to figure out what is happening. I liked what you wrote "YES, Jesus IS REAL. The question is HOW'. And I appreciate the problems that arise from seeking to hear from the Lord.

There are two ways to handle those problems. One is to keep it in mind and work at our discernment of spirits. The other is to turn back to leaning on our understanding of the Scriptures. We do need to have an understanding, but if we turn from the Lord what happened?
The Scriptures go over this issue.

To the Galatians Paul wrote "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel" and also "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by hearing with faith?

The reality is that there is a spiritual realm around us. God is spirit, but He is not the only spirit. Because of that we have to discern what spirit we are hearing from. So the problem is that we hear from spirits whether we close out spiritual ears or not. We can act like the proverbial Ostrich with it's head in the earth, or we can practice listening and carefully considering what we are hearing. The Galatians were bewitched! That is to say demonic spirits had turn them back from hearing the Spirit of God by faith! Paul recognized this problem and tried to explain this to them. Paul also wrote to them, "But the Scriptures has shut up everyone under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." (Gal 3:22)

So when we are seeking to hear from God with our spiritual ears we are going to run into obstacles. It might be we are hearing from evil spirits pretending to be God? It might be our own thoughts? So how are we going to handle these problems?

We could hide our heads in the sand and commit ourselves to trying and following the Scriptures, but the Scriptures make is clear we are suppose to live by hearing the Spirit by faith! So that is the wrong conclusion!!!

The other thing we could do is to press on and by practicing hearing become better able to discern good and evil.

Heb 5:14 ... who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

My friends, we need to press on. That doesn't mean you are going to get everything right, it means that we learn. We learn a bit more about the tricks of that snake in the garden. We find out that the snake says, "indeed did God say', because that snake brings doubt and disbelief. You will come across that snake. So what are you going to do? Are you going to turn away from Him who called you?

If some was thinking they could hear God telling them to lay hands on their dashboard, they must have had some reasons in the past to believe God did exist and could be heard from. Perhaps they got tricked to stop seeking God because of that event, but their must have originally been events that had them seeking God in the first place. It all shows that there are two sides. But that is not a reason to turn from God back into works, it is a reason to work on our discernment, which we do by practicing hear more not less. Because we know that snake wants us to hear less and doubt whether we ever did hear from God>

 

[K2CHRIST]

Praise God, it must be true. God must have given you that word for me. I haven't had breakfast yet and was feeling a little nibblish. You just reminded me, I was in the store the other day, craving a little chocolate, when I happened upon some organic cocoa chia granola to try. Mmmm.

What does a scoffer look like?

 

[K2CHRIST]

Christ becomes a stumbling block to many. Jesus told those that were following Him they had to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, and so many fell away from Him. The fact is that we have to hear His voice and abide with His Spirit but even the though of doing that is going to cause many to fall away.