People in Crisis

[placebofactor]

I know from experience that many people without the knowledge of the Bible, in a last-ditch effort to put away things like drugs, alcohol, or some perverse lifestyle, have prayed to God, a God they do not know, and almost instantly they turned their lives around and began to study the Bible, and become a new person.

What I’m describing is one of the most striking and beautiful patterns in Christian experience, and it lines up with something deeply biblical. God will meet people long before they understand Him. In fact, the above is exactly how countless Christians throughout history have come to faith.

Many people in crisis will cry out to a God they barely know, and He will answer. This is one of the clearest demonstrations of his grace. They don’t know theology. They don’t know doctrine. They don’t know the Trinity, and most don’t even know what they’re asking for. But they know they’re at the end of themselves.

And God responds. This is not because their prayer is theologically precise. It’s because God is merciful, and He delights to rescue people who are drowning. Even before someone knows the Bible, the Holy Spirit can convict, draw, awaken, break chains, and create a hunger for truth.

This is not a “new revelation.” It’s God applying the truth of Scripture to a heart that hasn’t read it yet. In other words, the Holy Spirit prepares the heart before the mind catches up.

What usually follows? they turn to the Bible. Those in crisis don’t stay in vague spirituality; they don’t build a religion out of their experience, nor do they follow “any spirit.” What they do seek is the word, then Christ, truth, and holiness.

This is the proof that their experience was genuine. A true encounter with God always leads a person toward Scripture, not away from it.

[OneJack]

[Replying to BruceLeiter in post #84]

Why do you have to limit it to Jesus' words, @OneJack? Paul and Peter's words should suffice:

Jesus alone is the Savior, the Almighty God, who incarnated Himself in the body of the Son of God (man who was born of Mary). Jesus is all we need for the salvation of our souls.

If ever when you face temptation OneJack, would you not follow Jesus example to rely to "what is written?"

The best thing to do, in that case, is to call upon Jesus and seek His help, isn’t it?

But Jesus point us up to what is written, aren't we Christians are follow Jesus given example?
Or if we seek to your Jesus whom you believe hearing his voice no one will live, is it much better to seek to the written words?

Jesus points us to Himself for eternal life (John 5:39-40; Matt 19:21, not to what is written as you opine.

[OneJack]

[Replying to BruceLeiter in post #84]

Why do you have to limit it to Jesus' words, @OneJack? Paul and Peter's words should suffice:

Jesus alone is the Savior, the Almighty God, who incarnated Himself in the body of the Son of God (man who was born of Mary). Jesus is all we need for the salvation of our souls.

If ever when you face temptation OneJack, would you not follow Jesus example to rely to "what is written?"

The best thing to do, in that case, is to call upon Jesus and seek His help, isn’t it?

But Jesus point us up to what is written, aren't we Christians are follow Jesus given example?
Or if we seek to your Jesus whom you believe hearing his voice no one will live, is it much better to seek to the written words?

Jesus points us to Himself for all of us to have eternal life (John 5:39-40; Matt 11:28-29; 19:21), not to what is written as you opine.

[placebofactor]

[Replying to BruceLeiter in post #84]


Jesus alone is the Savior, the Almighty God, who incarnated Himself in the body of the Son of God (man who was born of Mary). Jesus is all we need for the salvation of our souls.

If ever when you face temptation OneJack, would you not follow Jesus example to rely to "what is written?"

The best thing to do, in that case, is to call upon Jesus and seek His help, isn’t it?

But Jesus point us up to what is written, aren't we Christians are follow Jesus given example?
Or if we seek to your Jesus whom you believe hearing his voice no one will live, is it much better to seek to the written words?

Jesus points us to Himself for all of us to have eternal life (John 5:39-40; Matt 11:28-29; 19:21), not to what is written as you opine.

OneJack in the verses you quoted, John 5:39-40; Matt 11:28-29; 19:21, Jesus' mission was to the Jews only, those of the circumcision, not the Gentiles. Concerning John 5:39: "Search the scriptures." He's speaking to Jews and telling them to search the Old Testament and the law; there were no Gentile churches, and there was no New Testament when he spoke these words.

Matthew 11:28-29, These were the days of John the Baptist, in the beginning of his ministry, before the first Passover. His words were to that generation of Jews, verse 16. So, in verse 28-29, he's speaking to that generation of Jews and tells them, "Take my yoke ---."

In Matthew 19:21, Jesus is speaking to a young Jewish man of wealth who claims to have kept all of the law.

[tam]

Peace to you all,

If ever when you face temptation OneJack, would you not follow Jesus example to rely to "what is written?"

I'm not sure where this comes from. Why do some of you think that Christ set an example that we should rely upon what is written?

Concerning John 5:39: "Search the scriptures." He's speaking to Jews and telling them to search the Old Testament and the law;

I don't see that in the verse.

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

He did not tell them TO study the scriptures. He stated the fact that they do study the scriptures - but even though these scriptures point to Him - they did not come to Him to have life.

Despite all their searching and studying of the scriptures - they did not come to the very person they NEEDED to come to to have life: Christ Himself. The True and Living Word of God. Despite all their searching and studying of the scriptures, they did not even recognize the very person those scriptures pointed them toward.

The scriptures are about Christ, pointing to Him. Christ did not turn around and point us back to the scriptures instead of to Himself. Instead He says:

Take MY yoke and learn from ME.
Come to ME.
My sheep listen to MY voice.
Follow ME.

And the Father says:

This is my Son, whom I love. Listen TO HIM.


(capital letters for emphasis, not yelling)

**
No one is saying you can't read the bible. But life is not in the bible. Life is in Christ, the Son of God. He is the LIVING Word of God (who is alive and who does speak), and the Life.


Peace again to you all,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[tam]

Peace to you all,

And just to add:

It is not the scriptures that bring someone to Christ - even though the scriptures are about Him:

“No onecan come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me."

And even the apostles needed Christ to open the scriptures to them:

“These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Peace again to you.

[OneJack]

If ever when you face temptation OneJack, would you not follow Jesus example to rely to "what is written?"

The best thing to do, in that case, is to call upon Jesus and seek His help, isn’t it?

But Jesus point us up to what is written, aren't we Christians are follow Jesus given example?
Or if we seek to your Jesus whom you believe hearing his voice no one will live, is it much better to seek to the written words?

Jesus points us to Himself for all of us to have eternal life (John 5:39-40; Matt 11:28-29; 19:21), not to what is written as you opine.

OneJack in the verses you quoted, John 5:39-40; Matt 11:28-29; 19:21, Jesus' mission was to the Jews only, those of the circumcision, not the Gentiles. Concerning John 5:39: "Search the scriptures." He's speaking to Jews and telling them to search the Old Testament and the law; there were no Gentile churches, and there was no New Testament when he spoke these words.

Matthew 11:28-29, These were the days of John the Baptist, in the beginning of his ministry, before the first Passover. His words were to that generation of Jews, verse 16. So, in verse 28-29, he's speaking to that generation of Jews and tells them, "Take my yoke ---."

In Matthew 19:21, Jesus is speaking to a young Jewish man of wealth who claims to have kept all of the law.

Try to ponder every minute these narratives from Jesus, saying,

39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

These are declarative sentences, not imperative as you opined. Jesus was citing the reason the Jewish leaders didn’t want to come to Him so that they might have life. The reason was that they thought they had eternal life in the scriptures, which Jesus refuted by saying, ‘And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.’

Matt 11:28-29 is for all, not just to the Jews, so with Jesus’ final words in Matt 19:21. The salvation of the soul of placebofactor and that of Adam’s, Abraham’s, Moses’, Isaiah’s, John’s, Petetr’s, Paul’s and all the rest of mankind is the same - come to and follow the Almighty God, whose name is Jesus, unto the end.

[OneJack]

Peace to you all,

And just to add:

It is not the scriptures that bring someone to Christ - even though the scriptures are about Him:

“No onecan come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me."

And even the apostles needed Christ to open the scriptures to them:

“These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Peace again to you.

Nicely said, Tammy dear! So sad that the name Jesus has become your stumbling block to the truth.

[tam]

Peace again to you,

Peace to you all,

And just to add:

It is not the scriptures that bring someone to Christ - even though the scriptures are about Him:

“No onecan come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me."

And even the apostles needed Christ to open the scriptures to them:

“These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Peace again to you.

Nicely said, Tammy dear! So sad that the name Jesus has become your stumbling block to the truth.

Between the two of us, I am not the one stumbling over a name, OneJack.

I don't dismiss something someone shares simply because they use the name "Jesus". They simply might not know that "Jesus" is not the name of Christ, not the name that He was ever called. Same as I once did not know. Back then, I just assumed that "Jesus" was the name of Christ. I was naive and ignorant, and I never gave it much thought. Same as some people (myself included at one point) - just assumed that white "Jesus" with long hair is kinda what He would have looked like.

Once I learned better though - once learning that "Jesus" was never His name - I could no longer use it. I could not associate something false with the One who is the TRUTH.

So when I first read some of your posts (the ones about how we are to listen to Christ), I was hopeful. Not knowing His name is a red flag from a person who claims to hear directly from Him, so I was cautious. But I did no different with you than I do with any other claim - I tested the inspired expression as my Lord taught me to do. I held your words up against the Light (against Christ.) And it is the message that you bring that does not hold up to the Truth, to the Light.




Peace again to you all,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[OneJack]

[Replying to tam in post #98]

Between the two of us, I am not the one stumbling over a name, OneJack.

Since you believe what you heard from the ‘small still voice’ that Jesus is not the name of Christ proves you stumble on that name, leading you away from Christ, the Almighty God.

I don't dismiss something someone shares simply because they use the name "Jesus". They simply might not know that "Jesus" is not the name of Christ, not the name that He was ever called. Same as I once did not know. Back then, I just assumed that "Jesus" was the name of Christ. I was naive and ignorant, and I never gave it much thought. Same as some people (myself included at one point) - just assumed that white "Jesus" with long hair is kinda what He would have looked like.

You’ve not heard anything yet from the Almighty God for you to conclude that Jesus is not the name of Christ, have you? Don’t you see yourself just coming from the teachings of the ‘small still voice,’ who perpetually forces you to nullify the name - JESUS - as the name of the Almighty God, who is also Christ? The trouble with the people is the habitual attitude of ‘searching and knowing God’ by and through the pages of the scriptures, ignoring the possible personal and direct contact with Him (God) when they come to Him, and call on Him rightfully and in accordance with the dictates of their hearts. However, there are a few, like you, who have a direct and personal contact with some Spirit beings - the small still voice in your case - who give them teachings that seem sweet and endearing to the ears [of many], but in reality, the same block their way to the Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Once I learned better though - once learning that "Jesus" was never His name - I could no longer use it. I could not associate something false with the One who is the TRUTH.

Jesus, alone, is the Truth because He is the Almighty God. The dilemma that you fall into and drag you away from the truth about the Almighty God is the deceptive teaching - ‘Jesus is not the name of Christ’ - that the ‘small still voice’ successfully infused in your mind.

So when I first read some of your posts (the ones about how we are to listen to Christ), I was hopeful. Not knowing His name is a red flag from a person who claims to hear directly from Him, so I was cautious. But I did no different with you than I do with any other claim - I tested the inspired expression as my Lord taught me to do. I held your words up against the Light (against Christ.) And it is the message that you bring that does not hold up to the Truth, to the Light.

Our common mistakes in the search for the truth about the Almighty God are to rely on what we read about God in the scriptures and to listen to the insinuation and deceptive teachings of spirit beings - the small still voice in your case - hovering around us day and night. No one ever came to realise that the best way to know the Almighty God is only by and through Himself, the real and forever living God who is able and willing to reveal Himself to those who seek Him truly and in accordance with the intent of our hearts.

[tam]

Peace again to you,

[Replying to tam in post #98]

Between the two of us, I am not the one stumbling over a name, OneJack.

Since you believe what you heard from the ‘small still voice’ that Jesus is not the name of Christ proves you stumble on that name, leading you away from Christ, the Almighty God.

OneJack, it is a fact - a fact - that "Jesus" is not the name Christ would have been called. Same as with the name "Jehovah" not being the name of God.

But you cannot seem to see that... or move past it. What is that if not stumbling over a name? Or maybe it is just an excuse that you are using so you can ignore the contradictions between what you post and what Christ has said and taught?

Regardless, how can you possibly have a problem with the description 'still small voice'? 1 Kings 19:11-13

Christ does not shout. He does not scream at us. He is quiet. We have to listen. We have to want to hear Him - to hear truth. Not so many people want that. His sheep, however, will listen to His voice.


Peace again.