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No voices in my head - 6/23/2008 10:05:15 PM
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Prairiehiker
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http://www.internetmonk.com/articles/V/voicehead.html
This is an interesting article on God's guidance from the Internet monk. He's my favourite blogger. This is how I always subscribe to God's guidance and revelation. I thought it's relevant in this folder because there's been so many threads discussing God's revelation and how God guides us singles into how to do our lives.
If you read it, please give your opinion if you have any. Otherwise, I posted it because I thought it's a good read..
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Money in the bank may be nice, but it will never beat sunrise from a sleeping bag in the mountains. " - climbhard511
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/23/2008 10:17:18 PM
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John_O
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I liked it and agree with him. Note that he doesn't say that God doesn't speak to people. But he does say that teh bible really is all we need. God speaks to us all through it.
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Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/23/2008 11:38:04 PM
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shemaromans
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Thanks for the link, PH. I enjoyed the read and agree with it. I particularly appreciate this part:
"If you email me and tell me I’m putting God in a box I swear I will hunt you down and kick you in the shin. This isn’t about what God can do. This is about what we can teach. And (hopefully) we can agree that our teaching authority and doctrine comes from the Bible, not the voices in our heads. God can do whatever He wants. But we can’t teach whatever we want."
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"But as for me, it is good to be near God." Psalm 73:28
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 10:23:55 AM
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jlp1
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quote:
So in conclusion, a lousy Christian I may be, for many reasons. But my inability to hear God’s voice isn’t one of them. I have a Bible, and God speaks to me whenever I open it.
.....favorite part because I think I am a lousy chritian in comparative to "church" standards and that's fine with me....even I think I am a lousy christian and it's still fine.... I don't repress myself with feeling of guilt....I did it for to long, I was unhappy...I roll with everyday as a blessing and glad to wake in it. As long as I love my God and my neighbor, that's my start.
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 11:00:33 AM
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iwillfearnoevil
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i'm kinda saddened by one of his opening statements "at least, I hope He’s there" referring to the Holy Spirit. once you read that, i think you know where the rest of the article is going to go. it is a humorous article but i'm still curious why he is so defensive about his walk with God. where are all these people going around and saying he is a LOUSY Christian lol. i mean the dramatics do make for a good article though. this was an interesting contrast to what i was studying for class the last couple days in acts 6-7 as stephen gave his defense of Christianity (not himself) when taken to the court. stephen was first [recorded] non-apostle doing miracles. well it wasn't him, the Holy Spirit working through stephen.
unfortunately the sanhedrin who had stephen on trial were actively resisting the Holy Spirit as there fathers had done (v 51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.) Many prophets were persecuted culminating in the killing of Jesus.
the words of the Holy Spirit speaking through stephen cut their heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. (v54)
v55 Holy Spirit speaks to Stephen through vision this time ... v57 the Sanhendrin so offended by this concept that God would reveal the heavens to them in a vision 'cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears' as they just couldn't bear it ... they rushed at stephen and killed him ... breaking the law (roman law did not allow Jews to carry out death penalty)
i am not saying the author is resisting the Holy Spirit to the same level as the sadducees and pharisees of the sanhedrin (he is at least accepting of Jesus's resurrection) but dismissal of a third of the trinity will always lead to a conclusion like this.
< Message edited by iwillfearnoevil -- 6/24/2008 11:08:25 AM >
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 11:44:01 AM
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shemaromans
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I didn't read it as the author dismissing the Holy Spirit. His mention of it being missing in parentheses was for humor, in keeping with the humorous tone of the article. He ended the joke clearly stating that the Bible says the Holy Spirit's there.
I also don't think that he's defensive about his walk. He included being a lousy Christian (as a contrast to hearing God speaking outside of Bible reading as signifying a deeper spirituality) in an effort to make his point, the reason for the entire article--read your Bible to hear what God wants you to hear and adhere to (and teach) the teachings contained within it.
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"But as for me, it is good to be near God." Psalm 73:28
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 12:12:47 PM
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iwillfearnoevil
Posts: 3644
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quote:
ORIGINAL: shemaromans
I didn't read it as the author dismissing the Holy Spirit. His mention of it being missing in parentheses was for humor, in keeping with the humorous tone of the article. He ended the joke clearly stating that the Bible says the Holy Spirit's there.
true the punchline of the joke is that it must be, 'this i know, for the bible tells me so' to quote a song my daughter used to sing ... he's lacking 1/3 of God in his life ... i guess this all boils down to believing the Holy Spirit is alive or not as a person ... having a personal walk with God which includes the trinity ...
quote:
ORIGINAL: shemaromans
I also don't think that he's defensive about his walk. He included being a lousy Christian (as a contrast to hearing God speaking outside of Bible reading as signifying a deeper spirituality) in an effort to make his point, the reason for the entire article--read your Bible to hear what God wants you to hear and adhere to (and teach) the teachings contained within it.
the whole tone of the article is defensive ... where are all these people calling him a lousy Christian because he reads his Bible? no Christian is lousy and there should be no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) ... his major point is not about why we should read our bible but rather why that is the only method people should rely on to hear from God ... how about Godly counsel, can that not be a way God reaches us? what about prayer? whoever said someone shouldn't read their Bible? i don't see him quoting any scripture that says so or touting any benefit, it's all about saying God no longer speaks personally to people but only through the Bible.
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 1:01:57 PM
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shemaromans
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quote:
true the punchline of the joke is that it must be, 'this i know, for the bible tells me so' to quote a song my daughter used to sing ... he's lacking 1/3 of God in his life ... i guess this all boils down to believing the Holy Spirit is alive or not as a person ... having a personal walk with God which includes the trinity ...
He never says that the Holy Spirit doesn’t exist or that he doesn’t believe in Him. He does clearly state that the Bible contains the truth and that God speaks to him when he reads it. We know from the Bible that (1) the Holy Spirit existed from the beginning along with the other two persons of the Trinity and that (2) the Holy Spirit speaks to us through God’s words. From this, we can draw one of two conclusions about the author:
1. That he does not believe that the Holy Spirit exists—the only evidence for this conclusion is the punch line of a joke.
2. That he does believe that the Holy Spirit exists—The author refers to the Bible as the word of God throughout the article, and the Bible clearly teaches us about the Holy Spirit.
quote:
where are all these people calling him a lousy Christian because he reads his Bible?
He called himself a lousy Christian. He doesn’t claim that other Christians accuse him of being a lousy one.
quote:
his major point is not about why we should read our bible but rather why that is the only method people should rely on to hear from God
I’ll quote again a portion of his text that I posted before:
"If you email me and tell me I’m putting God in a box I swear I will hunt you down and kick you in the shin. This isn’t about what God can do. This is about what we can teach. And (hopefully) we can agree that our teaching authority and doctrine comes from the Bible, not the voices in our heads. God can do whatever He wants. But we can’t teach whatever we want." [italics and bold are mine]
His doesn’t say that God will only speak to us in only one way. He correctly writes that God is God. He’s omnipotent. If God wants to speak to someone outside of the Bible, then He will.
What the author is stressing is the importance of reading God’s word to hear from Him and using what He tells us through His word as the basis for our teaching.
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"But as for me, it is good to be near God." Psalm 73:28
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 2:49:14 PM
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joy2give2u
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As I was jogging around the lakes at lunch I was formulating my response to Bill MacKinnon's thoughts.
Thought after thought was running through my mind. I was going to post this and that........I was going to point out that and this..........
I was busy telling God all about what I was going to write and asking for His wisdom.
I heard God's voice 
It was a still little voice in my head. A familiar voice I have come to recognize as His.
Joshua 9
What does it say Lord?
Ok I will read it when I get back to my office BEFORE I post.
I went on thinking of all I would say.
Upon arriving back at my office I was tempted to post first then go to Joshua 9.
I really wanted to have my voice heard...........but see there lays the problem........I wanted my voice heard not Gods.
I closed out what I had begun to write and opened my daddy's bible (KJV version for those who are particular)
Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.
Interesting enough in all the other translations I looked at after reading the KJV the word mouth was removed. Mouth implies the voice of the Lord.........for it is through our mouths we speak. Only the KJV points out that the counsel they forgot to take was that of the voice of the Lord. Very Interesting.
God made me smile that this time he spoke, through a voice in my head, a chapter which would only speak to the issues on my heart in the KJV ........... 
For those of you who do not know or have the time to go read chapter 9 in Joshua let me give you a brief summery.
The Israelites were walking in victory, defeating the enemy and being obedient to the Lord.
They were taking the promise land God had given them.
Many of the kings joined together in order to stop the Israelites from accomplishing what God has spoken to them was their promise.
Now the inhabitants of Gibeon didn't join the other kings. No, instead they resorted to trickery and falsehoods trying to appear as though they were coming from somewhere else and wanted to join the Israelites.
They claimed they came because of the name of the Lord thy God: They had heard all about Him
The Israelites took all they had offered. Listening to what they said and trusting because they seemed to be speaking truth.
Why was this bad thing......for the Israelites to make a treaty with these people to protect them and not come against them?
Because God had specifically instructed Israel to make no treaties with the inhabitants of Canaan.
In the simple act of not asking the counsel at the mouth of the Lord they had walked in disobedience to the Lord.
If they had listened for His voice would they have been disobedient? I don't think so.......because I believe God would have revealed to them the trickery.
Could God have spoken to them even though they were not listening or seeking His voice? Yes. Did he? No.
I found the footnotes to Joshua 9 interesting as well.
quote:
"..the Israelites experienced opposition in two forms: direct( kings in the area began to unite against them); and indirect ( the Gibeonites resorted to trickery). We can expect the same kinds of opposition as we obey God's commands. To guard against these pressures, we must rely on God and communicate daily with him. He will give us strength to endure the direct pressures and wisdom to see through the indirect trickery."
"As a strategist, Joshua knew enough to talk to God before leading his troops into battle. But the peace treaty seemed innocent enough, so Joshua and the leaders made this decision on their own. By failing to seek God's guidance and rushing ahead with their own plans, they had to deal with angry people and an awkward alliance.
Successful people may feel they can "go it on their own." Thinking they have all the facts and understand the situation, they may not ask for advice in untried ventures. But seeking God's will before entering into agreements can keep minor matters from becoming major headaches"
I am so thankful I did not rush into posting.
What God spoke was so much more on point and powerful then what I would have spoken on my own.
A while back someone brought up Billy Graham to me. Pointing out he didn't believe some of the things I believe such as healing. I know, as everyone does, of Billy Grahams passion and ministry to speak the gospel message to the lost. His passion to see everyone pray the "salvation prayer"
I was talking to my mother the other day, who knows Bill Graham personally, him having spent 4 months living in their home while in France.
I asked my mother, "Why didn't Billy Graham believe in healing"
My mother looked shocked, "What makes you think he did not? During the time he lived with us your grandfather and he prayed over many to be healed and many were."
"But then why didn't he promote healing when he spoke in public? Why were people being healed physically in his crusades?"
"Because his calling, his passion was the lost, those who needed healing of the spirit and he knew if he made it about physical healings he would not be as effective doing what God had called him to do"
quote:
It is curious to me that if someone in a typical evangelical church stood up and said an angel spoke to him and told him that God wanted him to be a missionary to Africa, we would be very skeptical at best. Yet if that same person stood up and said that he "just really feel led to go to Africa to be a missionary", the "amens" and applause would be deafening. Yet the former is biblical and the latter is not.
This is my heart, my passion because he is right. If someone stood up in a typical evangelical church and said an angel spoke to him people would be skeptical at best......Yet the bible shows us God speaks through angels. The bible reveals to us that God speaks through nature, through a voice, through other people, through his written Word and as Mr. MacKnnon pointed out through the writing on the wall.
Why are people skeptical when God speaks as he did in the bible? Why have people, who so badly want to hear directly from the Lord, watered down how God speaks to being a feeling? Doesn't God say we are not to be lead by our feelings? How are we to be lead? How was Joshua supposed to lead?
My passion is not the same of Billy Grahams, and though I believe with all my heart that we are to share the gospel message to the lost, that we are suppose to share Christ died on the cross for us and because of what he did we can have life eternally in heaven.......I believe in his passion but it is not mine.....
Mine is to speak of how God speaks to us. How the same God, who spoke to those in the bible, still desires to speak to us today. To share the many ways he speaks and encourage others to listen for his voice.
My passion is be a voice saying.........If God told you to go to Africa because a missionary from Africa came to your church and made you cry........ask him again........Listen for his voice for you will hear it.
As the people in Joshua found out......just because something seems like it would be ok with God we still need to seek his voice and ask him directly.
One final thought...........
My father loved us girls so much.........he talked to me all the time..........I can't help but wondering what my relationship with my father would have looked like if he had told my older sister everything he wanted me to know and left me to ask her to share what he said. Would my relationship with him have been as deep?
I wonder, those who do not believe God speaks to us except through the bible, do you really believe our heavenly Father, who obviously spoke to the people who penned the bible, no longer wishes to speak to you? That he decided to share with your wayyyyy older brother then asked him to write it down so that we could read his words instead of experiencing the intimacy which comes from a one on one conversation?
God speaks........we have to choose to listen.
< Message edited by joy2give2u -- 6/24/2008 2:57:51 PM >
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 4:00:57 PM
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Focusing
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God speaks........we have to choose to listen.
I agree that it is our choice.
And I believe God still speaks to us ... we need to be still and listen for Him. If we don't give Him the opportunity, we won't hear Him.
An excellent post Joy, thank you.
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"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
Hebrews 12:14
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 4:03:06 PM
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jlp1
Posts: 125
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From: Chicago
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quote:
the whole tone of the article is defensive ... where are all these people calling him a lousy Christian because he reads his Bible? no Christian is lousy and there should be no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) ... his major point is not about why we should read our bible but rather why that is the only method people should rely on to hear from God ... how about Godly counsel, can that not be a way God reaches us? what about prayer? whoever said someone shouldn't read their Bible? i don't see him quoting any scripture that says so or touting any benefit, it's all about saying God no longer speaks personally to people but only through the Bible
He was calling himself a lousy christian because he accepts his imperfections and he is not going to make an excuse for it (because there is no need). He was talking about a lot of people who "talk" about being led (not saying they don't) but he is not one who "always" get the hearing from God literally but he can find the answer in the bible. He also was saying God is infinite and he can do what ever he wants, surely if God wanted to use a burning bush he could. And what I got is that its to many people who go by their own feelings verse God speaking to them. From what I see when we think that person is the "one" cause we got a feeling we thought was from God but later to find that it was our own emotions taking over and ignoring the signs.
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 4:10:45 PM
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joy2give2u
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quote:
And what I got is that its to many people who go by their own feelings verse God speaking to them. From what I see when we think that person is the "one" cause we got a feeling we thought was from God but later to find that it was our own emotions taking over and ignoring the signs. I agree jlp 1 when we allow feelings to dictate how we hear from God it will often be our feelings we hear and not his voice.....this is true no matter how he is speaking.
Someone who believes only listening to God's voice through the bible will safe guard them from being lead by their feelings is incorrect..........
We have a choice.... we can be lead by God, listening no matter how he speaks, or be lead by our feelings which can speak as clearly through the Word as they can through a voice in our heads.
History has taught us scripture, read through emotions, can often be heard lacking truth.
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God's Majesty seen through my eyes
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/24/2008 10:33:10 PM
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Prairiehiker
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quote:
Why are people skeptical when God speaks as he did in the bible? Why have people, who so badly want to hear directly from the Lord, watered down how God speaks to being a feeling? Doesn't God say we are not to be lead by our feelings? How are we to be lead? How was Joshua supposed to lead?
The reason I feel skeptical when it comes to people using their emotions as God's guidance is because of it's lack of objectivity. People have all sorts of feelings. People claim to have heard certain messages from God. You don't have to look farther than the Florida Revival where Todd Bentley preached about God telling him to kick someone on the face do he did. And he is huge right now. People are believing in his preaching because he mentions seeing angels and mentions having a special revelation from God. What people don't see is how this guy is so inconsistent with What God would do. Sure, God can speak through a leprechaun under my bed in the middle of the night if he chooses to, but would be believe if He did?
I do believe that God speaks to us. Just the other day when I was struggling quite hard about believing in his love, I came across in my devotion about how I matter to him (verses in Luke about the sparrows). I believe that it is the role of the holy spirit to make the words come alive. Perhaps that's how I see how God often speaks. I also believe He speaks to me through people. What I have a hard time with is this notion that God leads us through strong feelings.
As for the author of the article, I don't see how he is being defensive. A bit sarcastic perhaps. Or maybe he's making a mockery of the current trend of people who "doesn't want to put God in a box". God does have a certain attribute that is God alone. We can't make him into whatever we want Him to be.
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Money in the bank may be nice, but it will never beat sunrise from a sleeping bag in the mountains. " - climbhard511
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/25/2008 2:12:00 AM
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BibleL7
Posts: 493
Joined: 2/1/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: joy2give2u
As I was jogging around the lakes at lunch I was formulating my response to Bill MacKinnon's thoughts.
Thought after thought was running through my mind. I was going to post this and that........I was going to point out that and this..........
I was busy telling God all about what I was going to write and asking for His wisdom.
I heard God's voice
It was a still little voice in my head. A familiar voice I have come to recognize as His.
Joshua 9
What does it say Lord?
Ok I will read it when I get back to my office BEFORE I post.
I closed out what I had begun to write and opened my daddy's bible (KJV version for those who are particular)
Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.
Interesting enough in all the other translations I looked at after reading the KJV the word mouth was removed. Mouth implies the voice of the Lord.........for it is through our mouths we speak. Only the KJV points out that the counsel they forgot to take was that of the voice of the Lord. Very Interesting.
God made me smile that this time he spoke, through a voice in my head, a chapter which would only speak to the issues on my heart in the KJV ...........
I am so thankful I did not rush into posting.
What God spoke was so much more on point and powerful then what I would have spoken on my own.
"But then why didn't he promote healing when he spoke in public? Why were people being healed physically in his crusades?"
"Because his calling, his passion was the lost, those who needed healing of the spirit and he knew if he made it about physical healings he would not be as effective doing what God had called him to do"
.
As the people in Joshua found out......just because something seems like it would be ok with God we still need to seek his voice and ask him directly.
One final thought...........
My father loved us girls so much.........he talked to me all the time..........I can't help but wondering what my relationship with my father would have looked like if he had told my older sister everything he wanted me to know and left me to ask her to share what he said. Would my relationship with him have been as deep?
I wonder, those who do not believe God speaks to us except through the bible, do you really believe our heavenly Father, who obviously spoke to the people who penned the bible, no longer wishes to speak to you? That he decided to share with your wayyyyy older brother then asked him to write it down so that we could read his words instead of experiencing the intimacy which comes from a one on one conversation?
God speaks........we have to choose to listen.
Perhaps has it occurred to you that God spoke to you only to give you a chapter of Joshua for you to read in the Bible? Did you also notice that according to your words you were not choosing to listen to God when you heard Him give you the Passage. Did you also notice that you also brought up a prejudice of your own making the same type error you are arguing against.
To simplify this the writer of the blog did not say that God only spoke through the Bible. However it is the major way in which He does these days as He preserved the Scriptures for us. Also many people will read Scriptures and feel the same deep relationship when the Lord gives them understanding of a passage. Another point would be The blogger was talking about teachings that are somewhat in error not the point of God Speaking To Us. He did not day that God does not speak to us he was making the argument that what is being taught by many is that we need to do something for God to Speak to us. And the factor that they are limiting God that He can not speak to us without us being sinless or listening or great in faith. The author was making the point that We can not control when God will Speak to us or how He will speak to us.
Yes the Author did seem to go into only the factor of using the Bible a little more than needed or correct without stating that God still speaks. Another point he made was that when the LORD speaks to us it should line up with Scriptures.
Oh since you admit you passion is about speaking to and of God I also have a different passion which is not so much to do with the article yet your post. But just wanted to say that before you exalt the KJV as the only version that has something please get a few more versions. Fully more than one half of the versions I have use the word mouth in that verse. And the other versions did not necessarily remove it but some have different original texts or as you may see translated it with a different word and order of words for the word itself does not only mean mouth.
Also one point that you did not seem to get from the article was that what the author was most defensive about is the teaching that we need to be more spiritual or more holy than others to hear from God. And the thoughts that many are teaching that they should hear from God not read the Scriptures. We were give the Scriptures for a reason. We are told to use Scriptures to test all spirits. We are also told that the Holy Spirit will speak of Jesus and the Father we are also told that the word of God does not change.
This said there is a problem with pride in many people that if they hear the Lord Speak to them then they are more spiritual or holy than others and this can also bring about an error of thinking you will always be told by the Lord speaking when some times He wants you to read the Scriptures. Then they feel the Lord is abandoning them. Another error is looking always to hearing voices and not knowing the Scriptures to tell if the voice is from the Lord or another spirit. Going to either extreme is not totally correct, some times you need to look at the other side and see if it has valid points also.
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/25/2008 8:27:25 AM
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kingdust
Posts: 318
Joined: 3/20/2006
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quote:
ORIGINAL: BibleL7
This said there is a problem with pride in many people that if they hear the Lord Speak to them then they are more spiritual or holy than others and this can also bring about an error of thinking you will always be told by the Lord speaking when some times He wants you to read the Scriptures. Then they feel the Lord is abandoning them. Another error is looking always to hearing voices and not knowing the Scriptures to tell if the voice is from the Lord or another spirit. Going to either extreme is not totally correct, some times you need to look at the other side and see if it has valid points also.
I agree with all the posters here, because God = God the Son= God the Spirit.
All three persons are one, speaking in one voice.
So, hearing what God says is what Jesus says and what Holy Spirit says.
Whomever you listen to, you get to hear the same voice.
And the Bible is the voice of God spoken and written through His people, and it is the best medium to hear from God from baby to grown-up Christians, no doubt.
Another thing I would like to mention is that God still speaks, because He is not dead but alive.
That is not written in the Bible but in the heart of people of God, in agreement with what He has been speaking all along without violating His principles or against His Spirit.
Some say that the Book of Acts has not finished yet but still being written.
I believe it is true and you and I are a part of it.
The problem with hearing from God is not so much because He doesn't speak but there are too many voices impersonating God, and one of them is my own voice originated from my heart, not from the heart of God.
God has only one mouth and voice, but how many billions of mouths that speak out there?
One against 400 like Elisha had seems like no competition in comparison to what God has to have to get His voice to be heard in the melting pot of human voices.
It is no picnic to hear from God if we are to hear all kind of voices at the same time.
My voice or His voice, that should be the question.
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I am an English as Second Language person and love corrections, kind or unkind, positive or negative, with love or without love, which I am grateful of. Just GIVE!
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/25/2008 10:28:59 AM
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joy2give2u
Posts: 4964
Joined: 9/19/2006
From: Indiana
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quote:
The reason I feel skeptical when it comes to people using their emotions as God's guidance is because of it's lack of objectivity I don't think we should be lead by our emotions either. In my post I point out I don't think we should be lead by our emotions. Hearing God's voice in your head, having Him speak to your spirit in nature, your spirit quickening when you read something in the Bible those are all ways God speaks to you..........
I agree too many people are taught God speaking is just about what you feel because the church is not telling people that God speaks directly to you. That you can hear his voice.
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What I have a hard time with is this notion that God leads us through strong feelings. Again I agree......when God speaks to me it is not through my emotions but my emotions are engaged.....You can't stand before a holy God and hear His voice without being moved.......Don't confused being lead by emotions with God speaking directly to us bringing forth strong emotions.
Last night I was curious about Joshua and decided to read the book up till the chapter God had lead me too.......three things really stood out to me........first how many times God speaks to Joshua directly........two that when an angel appeared to him he was brought to his knees and knew he was standing on Holy Ground (I find it interesting that God speaking to him, since he mentored under Moses, was a very normal common thing......Shouldn't it be for us as well?).........thirdly when God first speaks to Joshua and instructs him he tells him to learn the written law.........to meditate on it day and night......to basically make it a part of him.......even knowing the law as well as he did and basing his decision on knowing the Law he was still deceived.......why? Because he did not seek the mouth of the Lord...........
I believe God will confirm everything he tells you directly and with me it is usually through his Word.....I also believe it is very important we seek His voice when it comes to decisions/circumstances etc.
BibleL7 I was laughing when I read your post........not because of what you said so much as who you were saying it too LOL
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I thought it's relevant in this folder because there's been so many threads discussing God's revelation and how God guides us singles into how to do our lives.
This thread was started in singles as a response to several threads myself and a few others started focusing on hearing God's voice.....Even the title "No voices in my head" is being used to counter the threads where myself and a few others have shared times of hearing God's voice in our head...................
When I posted this thread was still in singles........so many of my comments are based on the running discussion in there.......and admittedly out of place in this forum.
For example.......quote:
.But just wanted to say that before you exalt the KJV as the only version that has something please get a few more versions . In singles I started a thread sharing how I was beginning to question whether God did speak directly to me.....if he called me by name.........if I was really hearing His voice in my head.......I asked God to show me it was Him.......He did through 1 Samuel 3..........their were a few, including ones posting in this thread, who posted not to discuss the topic but the translation of the bible I used......at the time God lead me to Samuel I had a NLT with me. Here is the thread if you are interested in reading it..........Yes Lord your servant is listing.
If you read the thread you will see I believe in and do use several translations.....I do not believe KJV is the only right translation......I personally have four translations I use on a regular bases.....Again my comment was based on my audience being the single thread where one of my threads, about God speaking as a voice we hear, became about the translation I was using not being the most accurate.........
I am sorry my shocked faces and comment about the KJV were misunderstood.........as I said the audience I was speaking to changed without me realizing it
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Did you also notice that you also brought up a prejudice of your own making the same type error you are arguing against Which was?
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Another point would be The blogger was talking about teachings that are somewhat in error not the point of God Speaking To Us. It seemed to me he believes his statements.......I did not think he was pointing out the errors of how people hear from God so much as stating what he really believes they are doing in a somewhat funny way..........When I read his description of the different things said about hearing from God I was dumbfounded someone could be so wrong in his perception of what it means to listen to God.
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Also one point that you did not seem to get from the article was that what the author was most defensive about is the teaching that we need to be more spiritual or more holy than others to hear from God. I was going to, mostly because of a series of emails I received stating, in my linked thread, I came across as though I thought anyone who does not hear God's voice is not as spiritual as me..........I do not think that or have I ever thought that.........often how people perceive what is written has more to do with what they think then what the writer thinks..........
Anyway I had long responses I was going to post in this thread, which was in the singles folder, addressing the article based on the threads it was used to counter in the singles thread.........
But God had other plans and had me read Joshua............as I was reading it God opened my eyes to some things.........based on the thread in the singles folder LOL..........and I was sharing to that audience......... .
I love how Joshua talks about experiencing opposition in two forms........direct(as the kings uniting against them) and indirect(as the Gibeonites resorted to trickery)
Have you found this to be true when it comes to hearing from God.......especially when it is in the form of a still, small voice in our heads??...........
When God speaks to us, reveals something new to us, we are often met with opposition. Those who are not Christians are openly against us yet it is the Christians who are worse......who pretend to be in agreement BUT....... proceed to tell you why it was not God.
For example, another thread which was about hearing from God, in the singles folder,
Why I am not married started with me posting something God spoke to me, God was using it to speak to others until a few people, instead of addressing the topic somehow made the thread about satan....
So you see my post and what God showed me in Joshua can only be clearly understood if read in context of what has been happening in singles, regarding God speaking directly to us, and outside of singles does not portray a clear picture of my beliefs or what I am saying...............
Ok done rambling LOL
_____________________________
God's Majesty seen through my eyes
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RE: No voices in my head - 6/30/2008 2:34:42 PM
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joy2give2u
Posts: 4964
Joined: 9/19/2006
From: Indiana
Status: offline
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Today I saw a huge fish while I was jogging........I mean huge. He was at least longer then two of my feet and as big a round as his length dictated.
I saw him because I was looking for turtles of which I saw over 20.
Why do I look for turtles when I jog?
I had never seen them before. As far as I knew they were not in the lake for me to see.
While I jogged I looked at the things I knew were there........the trees, birds and flowers.
Then one day, while I was jogging, I noticed two people looking at something.
I asked them what they were looking at.....and they pointed out a turtle but I did not see it....before I had a chance it had gotten back into the water and swam away....
Now I could have just blown off these people......I mean how do I know they really saw turtles......I had been jogging this lake for three months and had never seen even one......
I didn't.....Instead I opened my eyes each day until I saw one........then after that I saw another and another........now not a day goes by where I don't see at least 10 turtles.
Today while looking at some turtles I saw the huge fish.......wow I didn't know such large fish lived in such a small lake..........then another swam by and another.
Now I believe not only will I see trees, birds, flowers, turtles when I walk but huge fish as well.......Who would have thought I could see so much I didn't know was their by opening my eyes to seeing it.........
I wonder what I will see tomorrow........I don't know.......but I do know I won't see anything if my eyes are closed to seeing.
I wonder if the author has ever looked beyond the trees to the lake believing if others saw turtles he could as well?
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God's Majesty seen through my eyes
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) ... I find that very amusing. I have not once gotten that impession from you. 