I have been a reactionary most of my life, sad to say. One day about 20 years ago I was praying and I heard Father say, “Michael, is there a Book of Re-Acts?” I said, “No Lord, just a Book of Acts.” Then He said, “Learn from this.”
As I read the Book of Acts again I was amazed at how much of it was the acts of the apostles and saints as they listened to and obeyed the Spirit. I had to do some serious soul searching after this encounter as to how many things I believed that were simply a reaction to what happened in my past. And He STILL is showing me things that are more a reaction rather than walking in All Truth as the Spirit was sent into our lives to make happen.
Did I get this message from the Bible? No, I got it from the mouth of God. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that PROCEEDS from the mouth of God.” Did the Word who created all things stop talking with the closing of the canon as most Biblicists believe? I think not! We talk about a “Personal Saviour” and “Personal Salvation” and then set out to depersonalize our walks in Christ by following the traditions of men and what THEY say about the scriptures.
What is most interesting to me is that the early church members had no personal copies of the scriptures or personal Bibles as we have today. That eunuch from Ethiopia had to pay much for a copy of Isaiah to read on his way home and he was stumped by what the prophet said until the Spirit in Philip revealed it to him and he was converted on the spot!
The early church had ears that could “hear what the Spirit was saying to the churches,” but by the end of the first century their hearing had become dull and as a result they had gone off coarse as they had heaped to themselves teachers to tickle their ears teaching Gnosticism and Judaism. This is what 1 John is all about, trying to get them to return to the voice of God instead of the voices of the deceivers that were among them in the form of many anti-christs.
As for the power of tradition, God had to rebuke Peter, who was hung up on his Jewishness, for isolating himself from the Gentiles who would and did come to Christ. Concerning this matter, he even said to the Spirit on one occasion, “Not so, Lord!” Now there is the worst from of religious blindness possible! Calling God “Lord” and refuting his commands because of our perception of what the scriptures say. Like Jesus said to the Jews, “You make of no effect the commandments of God with your own traditions.” “Man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for man.” “If you had known what this means, ‘I will have mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless”… His concept of obedience to the Word of God and theirs was miles apart.
It is obvious to me that if we are truly of the NEW Covenant we are not to live by the letter of the law or the letter of the scriptures, but by the Spirit that God has put in us to “lead us into all truth” (Jesus’ words, not mine). The sin against listening to and obeying HIS voice is what must be dealt with, which is mostly a result of our reactions to the past. The doctrine of Sola Scriptura is a REACTION of the reformers to the Papal decrees called “bulls” and such and it is flawed because of the flesh which seeks to enforce it even to this day.
Something deep and lasting happened to Paul between his Damascus road encounter with the living Christ where he said, “Who are you, Lord?” and when he was able to write many years later, “For me to live IS Christ and to die is gain.” That something is called the way of the cross of Christ which puts to death the First Adam and makes way for the pre-eminence of the Last Adam, Jesus Christ in a life.
Whether we search the scriptures because in them we think we will find life like the self-righteous Pharisees of old or whether we become spiritualists and listen to every voice that speaks to us from the ether waves, we are equally deceived. Why? Because the human heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things. It will always grasp on to a message that fortifies its position and pre-eminence over its own life and the lives of those around it. Unless we have been converted and given an NEW heart, the heart of Jesus, and Christ’s Spirit within to lead us and then take up our crosses and follow Him, we will be deceived. That which is born of the flesh IS flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit IS spirit.
Knowing this I often pray, “Oh Father, don’t let me miss the high calling IN Jesus Christ you have on my life. Search me out and root out everything in me that is not of your Son. Conform me into the image of Christ, the Last Adam, and put on the cross all that is in me of the First Adam.” I know that only when His deep cleansing is going on will I hear His voice clearly and will be able to read the scriptures with HIS full Light bringing them forth to accomplish what they were intended.
“In Him was life and the LIFE was the light of men.” It is always Life then Light.
A Wilderness Voice 
Well put Michael! My heart’s desire has been to listen to the Spirit and fall in line with where He is going and what He is saying. This truly takes a willingness to deny ourselves, all tradition and legalism, and staying within the heart and mind of Christ, with the intent to walk as He walked. That’s where life, inspiration and effectualness lies.
The difficult part is to sit and rest while He teaches and refines us, to prepare our hearts for our purpose and destiny. If we allow Him to burn away what is unnecessary and that which gets in the way of our hearing him, then we are sensitive to His promptings and respond accordingly. And the results are always effective and fruitful for the cause of Christ and the kingdom of God. Then we are taking a positive life changing role in the world around us, and the Word of God is alive as we surrender and are led by Him. True sons of God!!
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Michael, thank you for continuing to challenge us to seek the Lord.
A sister,
Pat Orr
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Patricia, you are so welcome, my sister. What has the Lord been saying to you these days?
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Michael, the Lord has not been saying anything directly to my heart for some time. However, I am very hungry for the Lord. So when He graces me with the messages that you and others bring to which my spirit man says, “yea and amen”, I am like the Syrophenician woman that let Jesus know she would be glad to get the crumbs.
Sometimes in conversations I realize that something that I have just said was the word of God in my mouth. I’m grateful and surprised(most of the time) when that happens. I am glad for the Word that proceeds from His mouth, whoever the vessel.
I am by nature a reactionary, not one of action. May God correct us. Bro. Charles Simpson used to speak of analysis paralysis, I have certainly been guilty of that also.
Some years ago the Lord did speak to my heart, “the only way that you lose the race is to leave it”. By God’s grace I will not leave the race. In fact, as I have aged(in the natural), some things about the race of Hebrews 12, gets larger and larger in my spirit. All glory to God, who along is worthy.
An older sister,
Pat Orr
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Patricia, in reading your comments I thought of myself in similar situations where I realize I have not heard the Lord for a while. It may be a few moments, or half a day. I do not let it go long. You know what I do? I take the kingdom by force. The scripture that says “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the righteous take it by force” I believe speaks to these moments of dryness. When I feel that way, I start giving outrageous praise, singing and praising Him joyously and telling the Lord how much He loves me and I know wants to hear from me. I turn the tables and instead of waiting on Him, I initiate the dialogue/communication. It blesses Him every time. I am so refreshed and I know He is too by giving Him random acts of praise and adoration!
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AMEN MICHAEL, If their is anything urgently needed in the Church today is that her spiritual senses be unblocked just as Isaac re-dug the blocked well of his father Abraham… that the Water of Life will gush forth as we being to hear and obey God on every piece of instruction that proceeds from our Father…oh that God will deliver us from dead works which comes as a result of walking and leaning on our own foolish understanding… agape
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“The early church had ears that could “hear what
the Spirit was saying to the churches,” but by the
end of the first century their hearing had become
dull and as a result they had gone off coarse as
they had heaped to themselves teachers to tickle
their ears teaching Gnosticism and Judaism. This
is what 1 John is all about, trying to get them to
return to the voice of God instead of the voices of
the deceivers that were among them in the form
of many anti-christs”
One paramount thing the Lord has been re-echoing into our ears this period isn’t the need to have more bible knowledges neither to be more eloquent in speeches about spiritual “things” rather, to incline our ears to Him on daily basis. This call for an uninterrupted relationship with Him; the need to keep Christ who is our Sabbath Holy and reference Him. Daily, I’m reminded not to trust myself, not to rely on my understanding but to keep focusing on Christ, desiring to hear Him, for He’s my life and to embrace His cross.
Thanks for sharing this brother.
Blessing and Peace to you
Your brother in Christ
John O.
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John O.
You are welcome, my brother. You get the picture. Thanks for your feedback.
Michael
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Many of my old churchian friends would be appalled on how infrequently I pick up the Scriptures. The most important thing to me are the Words He speaks to me, not what he said to others 2000 or more years ago. Life is in the Spirit not in the written word.
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I certainly relate to this. Even my own family would be shocked to know how little I read the Word. I guess it’s like you said, we are listening to Him moment by moment as He speaks to us in so many ways day by day. That’s what’s called “uninterrupted fellowship”, something that is much more alive and active in my life. That said, I do, of course, still believe the Word is alive and able to quicken and correct us, etc. I’m not saying just set the Bible on a shelf and let it gather dust. But when I read it now, it’s because I’m really drawn to it and not because legalistically I feel like I HAVE to read it. You know what I mean?
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I seem to be a little confused (OK maybe a lot). Is everyone saying they have no need for scripture because they are hearing directly from the Holy Spirit?? Isn’t that what all those nuts out ther claiming to be apostles & propheys??
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No, Jim, I don’t think so. The scriptures are valuable but are only as good as the Spirit in us that opens our understanding to the truth that is found in them. For years I tried to read them and make any since without the Spirit in me to no avail. I think that Michelle and Chris and others who post on here agree with that. But God is not limited by speaking through the Bible only as Peter and Paul discovered. Man is still to live by every word that PROCEEDS from the mouth of God not the Pope or the pastor.
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It seems to me that most of the posters here are depending on God speaking directly {in their spirit) to them with things outside of scripture. what that happens you have no anchor to hold you to that narrow path. You seem to spend a lot of time trying to explain what these people post but the words seem clear to me. If you are unable to explain your thoughts you might want to refrain from posting so people don’t misunderstand.
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Jim, the only problem with your theory is that there are over 41,000 different Christian denominations and sects who all (but a small minority) claim to be walking under the authority of the Bible and all dissagreeing with one another as to what it says. Carnal man can not aprehend the things of God even if He tries to speak to him by the Bible or by direct intervention. We must be born of the Spirit and walk by the Spirit if we will ever be led into all truth, just like Jesus said. Unity in the kingdom of God only comes by being ONE with the Father and the Son, not by having a common doctrine (See John 17).
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Once again you seem to dance around my question. I feel the Holy Spirit leads you to all truth thru the scriptures. I know a lot of people who claim to be born of the spirit and are walking in his directions but are totally off the wall. I’m feeling thru is nothing here for me. Sorry, I thought a lot of what you had to say rang true but I’m unable to get past the scripture thing.
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Sorry to hear that, Jim. Walk according to the truth you have been given and keep pressing into the high calling of Jesus Christ upon your life.
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Michael and Dollea, I agree. Psalm 119:11 says “Thy word have I hid in my heart O Lord that I might not sin against thee.” I have walked with Him for many years and find that my day is filled with a continual communion with Jesus. The scriptures come to my mind as I spend the hours in constant relationship, talking and asking Him questions. Many times the question is not out of my mouth before the answer comes by way of a scripture coming to my heart, word for word. Did I have to go to the book to find the answer? No. The Bible is becoming a part of me, making me a Word person.
As a new Christian I needed to spend much time learning the scriptures, but now they spout themselves off all day in my heart and mind. It is awesome! Not that I don’t read the Bible because of course I do not have the whole thing memorized. Frequently I go to it to receive the washing I need to cleanse me from worldly mentalities. But like Michael says, there are so many people who know the scriptures but wrongfully interpret them based on their flesh and not the leading and teaching of the Holy Ghost. Only He can lead us into all truth. It is not academic, it is spiritual.
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just found your blog, michael – refreshing to hear what i am hearing the Spirit say – The Father has told me that “they can’t hear” and i just about stopped trying – Is. 6 has really spoken to me and Our Savior repeats it 3 times in the gospels and paul does as well. no one understands me and i am repelled by “christians” as i feel Our Father is as well. i am still isolated and i have discovered that it is not a bad place to be – OUR FATHER is very good company and HE has reminded me of that. i hang out with the world and just do what i feel the Spirit is telling me to do – i find when i become discovered that i can ask for encouragment and He comes through. maybe i am still in training for what lies ahead. it is okay whatever He does.
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Yes, seventeen…a place we’ve all been. I’m still there, in many ways, but Father has been bringing more and more brothers and sisters to me through this virtual means. Praise Him! Be encouraged in Christ today. We are all out here, cheering each other on. I have found the wilderness has been a place I am learning my true identity in Him…a vital realization for what lies ahead. Keep on keeping on!
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you mention Isaiah chapter 6 which I find quite interesting cuz just lately I’ve been wondering if Jesus still speaks in parables to some. He mentions in Matt13 that He speaks to some in parables and that with them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled and then He goes on to quote verses 9 and 10.
HOWEVER there is a further fulfillment cuz Isaiah wasn’t done yet..
11 Then I said, “Until when, Lord?” And He replied:
Until cities lie in ruins without inhabitants,
houses are without people,
the land is ruined and desolate,
12 and the Lord drives the people far away,
leaving great emptiness in the land.
13 Though a tenth will remain in the land,
it will be burned again.
Like the terebinth or the oak
that leaves a stump when felled,
the holy seed is it’s stump.
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sorry about the glitch above. I didn’t mean to include the second portion of above comment. My computer is having a tough time copying and pasting.
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I hope I got it edited correctly, Bill.
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I found in my life that the Holy Spirit had to tear down a lot of junk that I had built on that firm foundation before He could begin to build with the stuff that will make it thru the fire. He continues to build daily. Sharing with my friends is hard because most are fighting the snares of the world and figure they have no time for anything else.
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Jim,
So it was with me, my brother. So much rubble was in the way on that ONE Foundation just like Paul warned in 1 Cor. ch. 3. I, for a season even bought into the lie that the foundation of the church is apostles and prophets which is refuted in this same chapter written by Paul. Then there was the whole thing of church “offices” and heirarchic positions. I find that I was deluded by these false doctrines only because of the lie that I was harboring in my own heart. I actually had my eyes on one of these “lording over” possitions in the church for myself! Once I repented of this delusion, the rest of it came down like a house of cards. There is a strong warning about where our deceptions come from in 2 Thessilonians.
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deception of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be condemned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, KJ2000)
As you can see, these last days in which satan will come with all signs and powers and lying wonders, seeking who he may decieve is no time to be playing games with our flesh, but rather a time to cry out to God to save us from ourselves and to know NOTHING except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is a good time to cry out and pray, “Father, kill everything in me that is not of you until all you see in me is your Son. P.S., Lord, don’t listen to my snivelling when you set a match to the whole thing so you can build upon the Foundation of your Son in me with your gold, silver and precious stones.”
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Question, Michael. I love all that you’re writing and how the Spirit is using it to encourage us. I have a question, though: When you write that we should pray that Father kill everything in us this is not of Him, isn’t that something that’s already been done? Did not we DIE on the cross with Christ and He truly is the One living out through our lives? I am trying to figure this all out, because on the one hand I believe the Word when it’s says we have been crucified (died) with Christ (which, to me, seems to be saying our flesh or the first Adam died with Christ). But, on the other hand, we read much in the Word about putting off the old man and taking up our cross daily, etc. So, does this mean, our selves (flesh) didn’t really die on the cross with Christ and we continue to kill it off day by day? Would love to hear your insight on this. Thanks, brother.
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Simply and powerfully stated, my brother! Peace!
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This reply is somewhat specific to John O., but I placed it as a general reply because the following comments apply to all of us.
We always need more Bible knowledge because God speaks to us through the Bible.
Self-anointed, self-appointed “apostles” and “prophets” are proliferating, telling others to come under their “teaching” and “covering” and to submit to what “the Holy Spirit” is telling them. And they lead people astray by telling them that they don’t need more Bible knowledge, often accusing them of “legalism” when they notice that the message they are peddling is inconsistent with the message of God in the Bible.
Listen to what Jesus tells you. Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Obey God. But be sure it is God who is speaking, not your own ambition or desires, or another person who wants to control you. Check EVERYTHING with the truth that God has already given us in the Bible.
Others can lead us astray, and we can lead ourselves astray because of our own sinful natures. If we did not need the Bible, God would not have given it to us. We hear the Lord speak most clearly when we allow Him to speak to us through Scripture.
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Hey brother, I gat your point and maybe I didn’t clarify what I meant by “Bible Knowledge”…
I’m actually referring to digging ones head into the bible in other to “show off” as being spiritually; Many are heaping up teachers(because of their itching ears) when in actual fact what they really need is the working of Holy-Spirit to to teach them all thing in Christ.
Bible knowledge is great provided “they” point back to Christ not another legalism and system of men. When one knows (in intimate-relationship) the God of the bible, then His “documented words”-The Bible becomes revealed.
Hope I’m understood
Grace and Peace brethren
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I couldn’t have said it better, my brother! It always comes back to relationship not religion.
Michael
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Michelle,
After going to your blog (http://www.christpoint.org/blog) and reading some of your articles, I think that we are in agreement on most things and will find in the days ahead as we both grow IN Christ that we are ever coming closer together as we are found centered on our Lord as our All in all. I agree with what you wrote here, BTW, but I have never seen false teacher tell the saints to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit and then turn around and make them follow him instead, but anything these days is possible. Like Paul warned,
“And then shall that Wicked One be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deception of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10, KJ2000).
God looks upon the heart, not just our heads. It is a perverse heart in us that makes us not receive the love of the Truth, Jesus Christ. It is a perverse heart that Satan uses to tailor make a deception by which to lead us away from Jesus. And if that is not enough, he reaches into his bag of tricks and pulls out “all power and signs and lying wonders” and we get Toronto, Brownsville, Lakeland, the Kansas City prophets, IHOP, gold dust, gold fillings during the service, gem stones falling from the sky (a local favorite) and all manner of false signs and wonders with which he deceives the gullible Christians. I am here to tell you, “the very elect are gullible sheep who CAN be deceived.”
We are in that hour when Satan is being unleashed upon the earth to do his damnedest. It is no time to make room for our flesh and it carnal desires, dear saints, but rather a time to run to Jesus and embrace His cross in our lives that is also tailored to bring to death all that is in us that is not of Christ.
“But you have not so learned Christ; IF SO BE YOU HAVE HEARD HIM, AND HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY HIM, AS THE TRUTH IS JESUS: That you put off concerning the former way of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:20-24, KJ2000)
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I agree with most of your examples Michael, but I believe Brownsville was an authentic move of God. I have watched so much of what happened there on youtube and been blessed every time. Have you watched any of the actual footage recorded there? You can see it on youtube. People were sincerely repenting and weeping before God, and Lindel Cooley (music leader) was anointed to lead. I have recently purchased music CDs from those meetings and worship the Lord here at my home with that wonderful anointing filling the room. Nothing like Lakeland, Toronto and the other places you have mentioned. I have seen videos on them and can only say, satanic! Big difference. God does bring revival so not all of it is fake.
I am sorry to see that Jim Kahler left. You were not beating around the bush as he said at all! You were speaking truth to him, but spiritual things must be spiritually discerned. It further proves the fact that mere bible reading does not mature a person in the spirit man, and that legalistic rituals do not bring about holiness. I pray that his eyes be opened so the plain speech you spoke to him will be translated from Greek to Agape! I love you brother!
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Debra, You have me there, I have never watched the Brownsville meeting on Youtube. I was at many of the Toronto type meetings and was on the music team of a local church that encouraged this spiritism that they got into and saw all of that stuff I wanted to see and never saw a single changed life that was closer to Jesus with all those so-called “signs and wonders.” Loaves and fishes Christians are a dime a dozen, but those who will truly repent and take up their crosses and follow Him are rare.
Yes I was once where Jim K. is and appreciate where he is coming from. But the letter of the Bible or the law never changed anyone or made them closer to Jesus, only by coming to HIM and abiding IN Him are we changed. Yes, He can and does speak to us by the scriptures but HE is the God who created the universe and all that is in it and HE is not bound by a book that HE wrote! If He was, He would never be any larger than our understanding of Him as we read that book.
“But you have not so learned Christ; If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.” (Ephesians 4:20-21, KJ2000)
The real question is, have we heard HIM and been taught by HIM for if we have not we will never know the depth of the TRUTH that is to be foune in the One who is called THE TRUTH!
Thanks, dear sister, for you insight and encouragement!
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Dear Michael
When you think of your relationship with your own children, can you think how terrible it would have been for you when some people who thought themselves to be wise, have told your children that they cannot talk to you personally and that you have spoken only to your oldest kids.
This is one thing; but for your children to believe such lies, quite another. The only way they can come to know you, according to them, is to read facts about you in a book when you are all around and always with them!!
What kind of a father would you have been if you considered them important enough to die for on the cross, but to much of a nuisance to talk to every day! To me it just doesn’t make sense!
Not so nice and this is certainly not true of you. So much more can this not be true of the Father of all fathers. And I rest my case!!
Blessings, my brother.
Mia
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Mia,
Your observations about the intimacy I as a father had with my young children reminds me of another living analogy I experienced.
When I first met my wife we dated for a few short months and I had to go off to the Vietnam War and was gone for most of a year. During that time she wrote me every day and I waited for each letter with great antisipation and when they arrived I would go off to find some isolated part of the ship and sit down and savor every word she wrote. I saved every one of those letters, over 250 of them, and had them all in bundles according to the order in which she wrote them.
But you know what? Once I got back and had her in my arms and in my daily life in a personal way again, I never read one of those letters again. Why should I? I had the REAL thing up close and personal. The Bible is a love letter to us and reading it is one thing, but it will never take the place of a personal and intimate relationship with the One who wrote it.
Love you IN the Son,
Michael
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I so love your words here, my bro :-)… yes, so it is when the “Living Word” is the reality we live with! When He reigns in us not by obeserving the letter but our eyes hanging on the lips of the ONE we see sitting at His feet!
Though you wrote a good post… this little answer I love even more! 😀 On spot… and perfect!
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I agree. This says it all, and such a great analogy. We can read the Love Letter as much as we want, but intimately relating to our Lover is where our daily sustenance comes from. Yes!
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Michael good word! You know I am right with you in this. We all need to be Spirit led and NOT bible led. “For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
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A comment above quotes part of 2 Corinthians 3:6 (rather ironic) to show that hearing God without Scripture is better than hearing God through Scripture?!! Another leaves me wondering, why would anyone “HAVE” to read the Bible? Does it seem dry and legalistic because you see what others have told you to see in it? Have you tried reading with fresh eyes and listening to what God’s Spirit says through it with fresh ears.
What about 2 Timothy 3:14-17? Am I reading a different Bible? I am “drawn” to read the Bible several times a day. It is one of the ways I “intimately relate” to my precious Lord and Savior who is my “daily sustenance.” Reading the Bible helps me to know Him better, which helps me relate more intimately. I wish that I had MORE time to spend reading Scripture! (We have custody of two grandchildren and we homeschool them). One commenter says we should “be Spirit let and NOT bible led.” ??!!! There should be no dichotomy here! The Holy Spirit speaks and leads directly AND through Scripture (and in many other ways too). Are you folks suggesting that you are now more spiritual than Bible readers because you don’t feel a need for the Bible anymore?
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Michelle, I totally respect what you are saying. The Bible is precious and God speaks through it to us. There are however many ways He speaks to us. When you look into the eyes of your darling grandchildren, do you not see the love of God in their purity and innocence? When you wake up in the morning and the Holy Spirit reminds you of His love for you by whispering something special to your heart, have you not heard God?
What I think some of us are saying is that God can speak to us in many ways, the Bible being one of them. I use the Bible as the “Big Ben” or standard in my life. However I do have to listen to the Holy Spirit on the interpretation. For example, if you really took the Bible literally, you probably would not even challenge Michael Clark on his blog with your different ideas on scripture reading. You would say to yourself that you should not usurp authority over a man, and not challenge him. Am I right? However, I believe that you understand that is not the heart of that scripture and we cannot turn it into the letter of the law, so you feel free to express your opinion, and rightly so!
I hope what I am saying helps you to understand what we are experiencing. It is not distancing ourselves from God, it is drawing so close to Him that we can hear Him breathing and feel His heart beating. That is the preferred Mary Magdalene position to Jesus that He wants from all of us!
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Thanks, my sister. Yes, Mary has chosen the better part worshiping at Jesus’ feet with her love. Aganist love there is no law or scripture.
Michael
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missdebra says:
May 10, 2013 at 8:56 pm
>>>You all express my sentiments exactly. I have seen the apostasy grow over the years into a monster of people pleasing, works and false hopes. I also can relate to feeling weary. It is so much easier to talk about how the churchianity folks are deceived and wrong, but I want to know how to operate as a member of His body. <<<
Hi missdebra
This is a very late reply to a post from May 8th, but nevertheless look into this one:
Torben Sondergaard.
You might not have heard of him?
You can listen to him when you open the following :
thelastreformation.com
…and here is the site to subscribe to a very needed teaching.
http://pionerskolen.dk/english/
Take a look into the sites…..it might bring back forgotten memories about what you have read in the "Book of Acts".
Who has ears to hear, will hear.
Greetings,
Gaby.
P.S.
When he mentioned, he has nothing against churches..I assume he means the people which are still in them.
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Many in the body of Christ today in persecuted areas do not have the written word. Some have only a few scriptures to mediate on, BUT THEY STILL GET SAVED and continue to walk with the Lord because they hear the Spirit. In many of the church organizations today, we have an abundance of Bibles, tracks, books, etc. but the voice of Him isn’t heard much because of an abundance of false teaching mostly for material gain.
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Yes, and these false teachers (see Acts 20:28-30) all use the Bible to prove to the gulibe that THEY are right! Jesus said, “Many will come in MY name and will deceive many.”
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Michelle,
Raising grandkids can be time consuming for sure. My brother, George Davis, has had to do this a lot. He seems to be the “fail-safe babysitter” of the family since he retired.
I think these dear saints on here are saying that when we are truly IN Christ His words in the Bible takes on scope!
Words like:
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that PROCEEDS from the mouth of God.”
“When the Spirit of truth comes, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for HE WILL TAKE WHAT IS MINE AND GIVE IT UNTO YOU.” (John 16:13-14, rsv – emphasis added)
“I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, AND YOU HAVE NO NEED THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU; AS HIS ANOINTING TEACHES YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.” (1 John 2:26-27, rsv – emphasis added)
“We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one. And we know that THE SON OF GOD HAS COME AND GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING, to know him who is true; and WE ARE IN HIM WHO IS TRUE, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:18-20, rsv – emphasis added)
For the word [same Logos as in John ch. 1 that made all things] of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his [HIS not ITS] sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him [HIS eyes, not the Bible’s eyes] with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:12-13, KJ2000)
Sister, the Reformation was such a reaction against the uninspiried decrees of papal Rome that they went to an extreem the other way and declared, “By the scriptures, of the scriptures and nothing but the scriptures!” This is NOT SCRIPTURAL!!! This reaction among the reform churches is so strong that they dissallow the need for the Holy Spiirt at all! Yes, there is a place for the Bible in my life. I quote it all the time in everything I write. It does not contradict Christ’s Spirit in me unless it was not translated or coppied correctly from the original texts. This is why we need ears that can hear what the Spirit IS saying to the churches.
Remember, when we become reactive the Spirit becomes inactive and without Him we are lost. Seek the Lord’s face always.
Your brother,
Michael
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Bro. Michael, I keep rereading your word. I am very much in agreement with it, and challenged to abide in the truth that it proclaims. Through the years, God has spoken life directing words to me. Without His words of direction I do not even want to imagine what my life would have been. I praise God that He speaks. My experience has been one of God speaking- not necessarily- at my insistence, but His choosing. However, I have come to love His Ways and hopefully am leaving the complaining behind.
A blessed sister,
Pat Orr
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Thank you, for your lines here, dear sister! I was praying for you He might show this to you. You can find complete, total and satisfactory rest in HIS UNCHANGING ETERNAL LOVE towards you. As more you will be filled with His love by allowing it to touch your deepest heart… all the shackles of past peresonal failure will fall off… and will be replaced by fountains of joy!
Dear blessings
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“The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them” wrote Solomon in Proverbs 20:12 The anointed ear and eye is the experience of indwelling Life. When Jesus often cried out “he who has ears to hear, let him hear” He clearly made a division between hearers and non-hearers. If Solomon was merely pointing to the natural ability of most people to see and hear, the proverb really wouldn’t mean much. The experiential reality of intimate communication, makes the difference between those that “know” Him, and those that will hear, “I never knew you”. No, Solomon was talking of the very way of Eternal Life experiential relationship. This hearing and seeing the kingdom of God, and directly hearing the King, our Lord, listening and obeying, hearing and knowing we have heard, and the animated doing, is real faith. Jesus said he only did what he saw Father doing.
It is not a question of debate, opinions, various theologies, or any of these things. It’s not about scripture, it’s a question of weather it’s essential to truly know in intimate communication a living heavenly Father. A question of Eternal life being the knowing a Living heavenly father, or Eternal Life in the scripture.
I remember the first time I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me. Or rather, knew for sure he had spoken. I did not hear an audible voice and never have. It involved seeing and understanding the cross, who Jesus Christ truly was, and why the resurrection was necessary. It resulted in the profound new understanding, that everything I’d ever known was over. I opened the bible to read, which I only recall doing once in my life before that moment, as I was reading the women at the well. “He that speaks to you am He”, the moment I read that, I was thoroughly astounded! This that I understood just hour previously, about Jesus and the cross and resurrection was Jesus speaking to me! He himself opened my understanding with His very voice.
Precious family in Christ, it is the retaining and maintaining of the hearing ear, and seeing eye, that is our everything. It is Eternal Life experience. Bless you dear hearers.
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We call him our “personal Savior” But how many that use this phrase believe that He is REALLY PERSONAL and that HE, the Word of God, still is able to speak in a very intimate way into our hearts? To many church clarics and theologians, one who believes the way we do are called “mystics.” They favor a more impersonal God. It is safer that way.
“for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23, NKJV)
Thanks for sharing your relationship with Jesus with us, dear brother!
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Hello brethren.
I am glad and to read from you Michael. May the Lord bless you all mightily.
Allow me to share from Oswald Chambers as below. I believe he expresses the heart of your message here succinctly:
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
CHAMBERS
The vital relationship which
the Christian has to the Bible
is not that he worships the
letter, but that the Holy Spirit
makes the words of the Bible
spirit and life to him.
The
Psychology of Redemption,
1066 L
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Thanks for the Oswald Chambers Francis. That sure sums up our relationship to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the preciousness of the Bible. I am not too sure that that is the heart of Michael’s message however. Mystics were mostly Roman Catholic or those mixing eastern religious experience with Christianity. New Age contemplative prayer came from this. Very little difference than the Sufi, which has nothing to do with a relationship with Jesus.
The original Sufi were basically mystics – people who followed a pious form of Islam and who believed that a direct, personal experience of God could be achieved through meditation. Sufi mysticism endeavoured to produce a personal experience of the divine through mystic and ascetic discipline.
The Bible tells us once we receive the seed of Christ in us through belief we are sealed with His Holy Spirit and we become one, the Spirit witnesses with our spirit. That is what we all have in common, the Holy Spirit. That is why we fellowship. This is God’s design. The Bible tells us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.
The Bible is the Living Word of God. His Holy Spirit is able to reveal His word to each one of us, and as we share with each other all are edified.
2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Those whom I fellowship have such a relationship with our Savior. We are alive and He speaks to all of us through His word. And as He has promised, where two or more are gathered in His name, there He is in the midst of us. Those gifted in the prophetic are a blessing, but even as we are instructed we discern all things. Each one of us should be able to sit among other believers anywhere and we should be one. Ruled by love. Seeking to come along side each other to draw near to the one true God, for He is working in each one of us continually. That is the blessing of fellowship.
A.W. Towzer who considered himself a friend of the mystics had this to say: “Among the gifts of the Spirit scarcely one is of greater practical usefulness than the gift of discernment. This gift should be highly valued and frankly sought as being almost indispensable in these critical times. This gift will enable us to distinguish the chaff from the wheat and to divide the manifestations of the flesh from the operations of the Spirit.”
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Thank you, Francis, for your comment and quote from O. C. It is interesting to me how Bible thumpers credit that passage in Hebrews as speaking of the Bible as if it has life and power in and of itself when we read it in context it is obvious speaking of a Person, the Word of God, and that Person is the Spirit of Christ…
For the Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb 4:12-13, KJ2000)
The Bible is only as alive and powerful as the Spirit of Christ makes it as He opens our eyes to see Him speaking to us in its pages. It is the Spirit that teaches us all truth. Like Jesus explained to the disciples,
“It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63, KJ2000)
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