Please pray with me.

[Artfuldodger]

I need to reexamine how the Holy Spirit reveals. Perhaps it is by knowledge only.
Maybe it's not even that important what I(man) think.
It basically does go back to: "what does the Bible say?"

I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. It is a peaceful easy feeling. I have felt his power. I have felt his influence. I have shunned his influence and have disappointed myself.
I have never felt like God has driven me to do something differently than revealed in his scripture. In the past I have, now when people say God told me to do ____, I question it.
I feel God gives us more leeway to read the Bible and decide for ourselves. This is why we have so many different beliefs. It's not the Holy Spirit guiding people differently. It's people guiding themselves differently. I can't answer why God lets people do this. But he does let people choose him and he does let people choose helping others. He does give us his doctrine.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Maybe we're looking too deep for proof in answers, revelations, divine interventions, etc. when the reality of God is based more on faith and his Word.
I think we need to look at what we need to be doing, as in helping others vs what we expect God to be doing. We need to take on the responsibility of doing good things on our own vs depending on the Holy Spirit for personal guidance. His guidance is given to us in scripture. Read it and do it.
We do have free will, will be judged on how we help others, and we are expected by God to be a better person.
You can "surrender all" as far as your eternal death goes but God still expects free will actions from you. If you need Holy Spirit intervention, read the Bible. It or he will surely help.

 

[Swamp Angel]

Hawg, consider this. . . Saul of Tarsus was on the way to Damascus to persecute CHristians when Christ appeared to him and spoke directly to him. He asked, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Saul, had no dount as to who had just spoken to him directly. But did Christ tell Saul what he must do?

No. He told him to continue on to Damascus and there he would meet someone (Ananias) who would tell him what he must do.

The Roman centurion, Cornelius, prayed to God and was faithful and upright, and his prayer was heard by God. Did God answer him directly? No. He sent Simon Peter to Cornelius to tell him what he must do to be saved.

The Ethiopian eunuch was traveling and studying the scriptures trying to understand the promise of the Christ that God had made so that mankind might be redeemed. Did God directly reveal Himself to him and tell him what was required of him? Again, the answer is no. God used Philip to expound upon the scriptures and preach unto him Christ, after which the Ethiopian eunuch took the opportunity to immediately be baptized. Philip was then caught up and taken away.

Even back in the Old Testament we read of Naaman, a general of the Syrian army who was greatly respected. He was smitten with the dread disease of leprosy and sought to be cured of it. Did God cure him directly?

No. He was directed by a prophet to dip seven times in the Jordan River and he would be cleansed.

Even when Hannah was praying for a child and Eli thought her to be intoxicated because of her state of duress and fervent prayer, God did not speak directly to her.

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul tells us that now (the time at which he was writing) we know in part and we see in part, but when that which is full is come, then that which is in part shall be done away with.

The scriptures are complete. The plan of salvation has been revealed to us in its entirety. There is no more need for tongues (they shall cease), nor many of the other gifts of the Holy Ghost which were signs at the time to confirm the word of God as true. Today, we have the written word of God as our guide, and to ask for yet more signs from God is to essentially state that we still don't believe Him.

Are there questions in life to which we still feel we don't have an answer? Absolutely. So where then shall we turn for an answer to these questions we have.

Well, first of all, what is the nature of our question? Is it a question which requires an answer that is essential to our salvation? If so, then the answer is to be found in the scriptures.

Is it a question that is not essential for our salvation? If so, then allow me to refer you to Deuteronomy 29:29 for an answer. It probably won't be the answer you wanted, but it is the answer that God has given.

In all this, however, I sincerely hope that I have not damaged your faith and desire to pray unceasingly with thanksgiving to our God. Our God does indeed still answer prayers, just as a parent grants his childrens' wishes. For just as a parent will not give his or her child something that is harmful (no matter how fervently the child begs for it) God will not give one of his children a gift that is harmful to their spiritual well-being, no matter how much they may desire it. And that is what it means to pray that God's will be done.

 

[Madman]

So, please allow me to ask; Did you receive that answer directly from God through prayer or from some other source?

I received it directly from God through prayerful study of His Word.

The Holy Scriptures are the primary way God has chosen to reveal himself to His creation today.

 

[Artfuldodger]

I received it directly from God through prayerful study of His Word.

The Holy Scriptures are the primary way God has chosen to reveal himself to His creation today.

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit cessation?

A belief in Holy Spirit cessation would be harder if one believes in the Trinity.
God himself is a spirit. I see the Holy Spirit as the power of God. The Holy Spirit has manifest itself as breath, wind, fire, water, oil, and a dove.

 

[Madman]

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit cessation?

AD,

You are going to have to define what you mean by this before I can give you a reasonable answer.

 

[Artfuldodger]

AD,

You are going to have to define what you mean by this before I can give you a reasonable answer.

Do you believe the Holy Spirit responds in other ways beyond the "Word?"
Some believe the Holy Spirit is only revealed in the Modern Church in the form of the Bible. The ceasing or cessation varies among believers from no more gifts to guidance only in the form of Scripture.
It's based on the Early Church needing the Holy Spirit's manifestations because the average Christian of that time didn't have a readable Bible. Thus we needed more help than we do now because we have printed & readable Bibles. Today the Bible "is" the Holy Spirit.

 

[centerpin fan]

What's the over/under on the length of this thread? Three hundred seems a given, but do you think it'll hit 400 posts?

 

[JB0704]

What's the over/under on the length of this thread? Three hundred seems a given, but do you think it'll hit 400 posts?

I'll say 350 before HJ gets bored with the exercise. It's slowing down some.

 

[Madman]

Do you believe the Holy Spirit responds in other ways beyond the "Word?"

Yes. who am I to bind God?

 

[gemcgrew]

Can you describe to me how you tell the difference between a thought that originates within your own mind and a message placed in your mind by God?

I have a question that is logically prior to yours. Does a thought create itself?

 

[HawgJawl]

Nothing personally against you but don't you think it's time to move on? You have sincerely tried to seek divine intervention and haven't succeeded. It is possible the gifts have been taken away and replaced with the New Testament. This is beginning to make more sense as I see what happens around me.
If you can't rely on faith alone then it's time to move on. I'm not saying this to be harsh, but it is a reality of Christianity.

I'm no longer praying for "divine intervention" or any of the "spiritual gifts" or any type of miracle. I'm praying for the "thing" that most Christians profess that they have. Most Christians profess that they feel God's presence in their lives. Most Christians claim some type of communication with God. Most Christians profess that they KNOW that God is real in their lives because of .....

 

[HawgJawl]

The scriptures are complete. The plan of salvation has been revealed to us in its entirety. There is no more need for tongues (they shall cease), nor many of the other gifts of the Holy Ghost which were signs at the time to confirm the word of God as true. Today, we have the written word of God as our guide, and to ask for yet more signs from God is to essentially state that we still don't believe Him.

Thank you for your post.

Below is a post from earlier in this thread:

I am simply seeking any type of communication that is real and cannot be equally claimed by any number of religions.

Let me explain why I’m looking for more than interpretation of scripture as my source of communication from God;

To Sanatani (orthodox) Hindu, such as Mahatma Gandhi, the Vedas are infallible, revealed scripture from their god. Mahatma Gandhi was quoted as saying:

I find a solace in the Bhagavad Gita that I miss even in the Sermon on the Mount. When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies – and my life has been full of external tragedies – and if they have left no visible, no indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teaching of Bhagavad Gita.

If, while reading the Bhagavad Gita, I felt moved that the text was speaking to me and directly related to my current situation in some inexplicable way, would you consider that to be communication from Brahma?

I don't want to misinterpret your post or put words in your mouth, so please allow me to ask you this:

Do you believe that God makes His presence known to His people today in any manner other than the Bible?

A Hindu can believe that Brahma communicates to them through the Bhagavad Gita just as a Christian can believe that the God of Abraham communicates to them through the Bible.

 

[HawgJawl]

Do you believe the Holy Spirit responds in other ways beyond the "Word?"
Some believe the Holy Spirit is only revealed in the Modern Church in the form of the Bible. The ceasing or cessation varies among believers from no more gifts to guidance only in the form of Scripture.
It's based on the Early Church needing the Holy Spirit's manifestations because the average Christian of that time didn't have a readable Bible. Thus we needed more help than we do now because we have printed & readable Bibles. Today the Bible "is" the Holy Spirit.

God spoke face-to-face with Moses when relaying the information for the scripture written by Moses. The Ten Commandments were important enough for God to write Himself.

If the New Testament was intended to replace the Holy Spirit, it would be of even greater importance than the Ten Commandments. Did Jesus write any scripture? Did Jesus instruct His disciples to transcribe His words as He spoke? Did Jesus instruct His disciples to record the story at any point in scripture?

 

[HawgJawl]

I have a question that is logically prior to yours. Does a thought create itself?

I really don't know how thoughts originate. Some are inspired by different emotions but exactly how a thought is created, I don't know.

Do you believe that ALL thoughts of man are created by God?

 

[Israel]

I really don't know how thoughts originate. Some are inspired by different emotions but exactly how a thought is created, I don't know.

Do you believe that ALL thoughts of man are created by God?

Everything has an origin...and every word carries spirit.

 

[1222DANO]

God is Love,,, isn't that the old saying.. So maybe the way we would view it.. Is how much do we love being where we are in life.. If you feel the need to communicate with God through prayer and conversation then maybe your asking for some love for someone,yourself or some people.. You wanna focus the love of God on a certain need you may see in your life or other peoples lives. explains one part but i'm not sure about the ones who hear voices.. i've done some serious prayers before and had some unexplainable outcomes although not spontaneous but i can directly remember praying and not understanding my situation at the time.. But later have things happen that are just things that would blow peoples minds..

 

[gemcgrew]

I really don't know how thoughts originate. Some are inspired by different emotions but exactly how a thought is created, I don't know.

Do you believe that ALL thoughts of man are created by God?

If only God is self existent...

 

[HawgJawl]

I've been seeking God for over three months. I've been knocking on the door, but there's been no answer.

I'm having difficulty understanding why God is ignoring me while I'm reading scripture that promises that all you have to do is ask.

 

[gordon 2]

I've been seeking God for over three months. I've been knocking on the door, but there's been no answer.

I'm having difficulty understanding why God is ignoring me while I'm reading scripture that promises that all you have to do is ask.

Reading is just not doing it for you. Maybe take time off. Sometimes when we read too hard and we grind our teeth, making our ears ring to such an extent that hearing is impaired. You need a vacation from your vocation maybe?

Or read here: Luke ch. 4

23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.