Does Christ speak and how?

[tam]

May you have peace!

A question that continues to be posed to me is with regard to my bearing witness to a living and speaking Christ. How does He speak? What does that mean? How can we test that?

I imagine that one reason the questions are continually posed to me is because I cannot provide the proof that some are asking me to provide. I can only provide evidence in the form of:

a) Personal testimony from having heard Christ
b) The written testimony of or about others who have heard Christ
c) What Christ Himself is written to have said on the matter


If none of the above are acceptable to someone, then I am not sure what more that person and I would have to talk about on this particular matter. We could hopefully discuss respectfully from a point of love, reason, logic. For those who are interested...


Christ said that His sheep would hear His voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27

"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.…" John 10:14-16



Written testimony about/from others who heard His voice, confirming the truth of what He said:

The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Acts 8:29

**
In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

"Yes Lord," he answered.

The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." (Acts 9:10,11... and it continues)

**
There is Peter's vision telling him that he should eat foods that he considered unclean, and then after his vision:

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit (Christ) said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." (Acts 10: 9-20)

**
There are of course multiple examples from Paul. The entire book of Revelation is from Christ to John. There is a warning against hardening our hearts if we hear His voice.

As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Hebrews 3:15

Then of course there are the examples of Abraham, who heard, Noah, who heard, the prophets, who heard, Joseph, who heard, Daniel, who heard, etc, etc. Their faith is based upon the evidence of what they heard.



My own personal testimony


I did not always know that Christ spoke, and I did not always recognize that voice within me as being His. But someone else bore witness to a living speaking Christ, and it bothered me, lol. I had just ended a two year bible study with a certain denomination, and I did not want to get misled by man ever gain. But here was this person claiming that Christ spoke. If I believed this person, that they were from God, then what was wrong with me that I allowed myself to get misled yet again. On the other hand, what was wrong with me if this person did hear Christ, and I rejected them?

But soon into my dilemma (and my asking how I might know, even though I thought I was just asking myself) I heard:

Test WHAT this person is saying. Test the message. Do not pay attention to the person. Test to see if what this person is saying is true, or not. Then you will know who this person is from.


I still did not know this was Christ speaking to me. I just thought, "Oh, of course... that is what I will do."

So that is what I did. Along the way, I saw all these verses and examples and testimony that Christ does indeed speak, that God spoke also, though now speaks through Christ. In dreams, in visions, in direct words, in reminders, in opening eyes and ears to a truth that one might read, see, or hear. Once I realized that Christ is supposed to speak, I asked for ears to hear as well. Even though I did hear Him; I just did not know I heard Him. I needed to learn His voice and recognize Him.

**

I was asked how does He speak

He speaks in words. He speaks in visions (I have never had a vision that I am aware of). He speaks in dreams. He can also bring to mind something learned, read, or experienced in the past to help me see the truth in something He is teaching me. He has opened my eyes to something that is written, if I am reading the bible. He can and has read to me something that He is written to have said, so that I hear it in His voice. That was enlightening.

Sometimes when I am responding to something that someone else has asked, He will give me the words to say, or reveal something to me (as in open my heart and ears to understanding something) that I had not previously understood.


The language that He speaks is truth. He has never spoken anything to me that was not true, and that was not from love. And everything He teaches me deepens my understanding of love: His love and the love of His Father.



(As for testing the inspired expression... anything that is in conflict with what Christ teaches cannot be true. Also Christ (truth) comes from love (God), so nothing that He says will be in conflict with love. Especially since the law that is written upon our hearts in the new covenant is the law of love.)


**

I do not expect anyone to take my word for these things. I do not take the word of others for what they claim came from Christ. I explained above what I did, what I heard from Christ TO do.

If I have shared anything that helps anyone, then great. If not, then no problem. I am not the one people should be listening to if they are following or desiring to follow Christ... I can only point TO that One: Christ Jaheshua, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, the Chosen One of Jah. Christ, who is Himself, the faithful and true witness of His Father, Jah.



If one wants to know the truth of this matter themselves... then ask Christ. That is how one can confirm for themselves. Ask for ears to hear, and in the meantime DO what He has said to do, so that you prove yourself to Him. He does not have to prove Himself to us.

"If anyone loves me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with (in) them."


(Please note that He says that they will obey HIS teaching. Not man's teaching. Not religion or religious leaders, not Paul, not the law, or anyone or anything else over Him. If we love HIM... we will obey HIM. If we love someone or something else more, then we will listen to and obey that one/thing. Including if we love our religion more than Him, although we might not realize it at the time. Including if we think the bible is the Word of God, especially when even that book states that Christ is the Word of God; and Christ himself said, "You diligently search the scriptures because you think that by them you have eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about ME, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.")



May anyone who wishes them be given ears to hear, to get a sense of these things, and to hear as the Spirit (Christ) and the bride SAY to you, "Come... take the free gift of the water of life."


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

[William]

[Replying to tam in post #350]

Either way, even as a child I never cared about doing something just because my peers 'double dog dared me' to do it.

Is that how you interpret my asking you for decent samples of interaction between you and this voice?
Daring you to 'put your lord on display' that we might have something in which to test the claim?
Interesting.

"If anyone loves me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with (in) them."

I am satisfied that - in my own case - this is true.

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to tam in post #350]

Either way, even as a child I never cared about doing something just because my peers 'double dog dared me' to do it.

Is that how you interpret my asking you for decent samples of interaction between you and this voice?

No, that is how I see this:

"Apparently your lord is shy and withdrawn"

In order to prove He is not 'shy and withdrawn' (your words, certainly not mine), I should of course do as you say.

Manipulative.

Of course, you were already given what you keep asking for. I cannot help it if you cannot (or will not) see it.



Peace again to you.

[Clownboat]

Peace to you,

[Replying to tam in post #350]

Either way, even as a child I never cared about doing something just because my peers 'double dog dared me' to do it.

Is that how you interpret my asking you for decent samples of interaction between you and this voice?

No, that is how I see this:

"Apparently your lord is shy and withdrawn"

In order to prove He is not 'shy and withdrawn' (your words, certainly not mine), I should of course do as you say.

Manipulative.

Of course, you were already given what you keep asking for. I cannot help it if you cannot (or will not) see it.



Peace again to you.

This is an odd defense.

Reads as:
I could show you that what I'm saying is true, but I feel you are trying to manipulate me, so I'm not going to show you that what I claim is true.
I mean, I would and I could, it you just weren't so manipulative. This is really all your fault as to why I don't show my claim to be true.

Bottom line, Tam claims to hear a voice.
She may (I don't doubt it), but her posts don't reflect that it is some external voice with external info. We'll just have to make of that what we will because to ask for evidence apparently is to be manipulative.

[tam]

Peace to you,

Peace to you,

[Replying to tam in post #350]

Either way, even as a child I never cared about doing something just because my peers 'double dog dared me' to do it.

Is that how you interpret my asking you for decent samples of interaction between you and this voice?

No, that is how I see this:

"Apparently your lord is shy and withdrawn"

In order to prove He is not 'shy and withdrawn' (your words, certainly not mine), I should of course do as you say.

Manipulative.

Of course, you were already given what you keep asking for. I cannot help it if you cannot (or will not) see it.



Peace again to you.

This is an odd defense.

Reads as:
I could show you that what I'm saying is true, but I feel you are trying to manipulate me, so I'm not going to show you that what I claim is true.
I mean, I would and I could, it you just weren't so manipulative. This is really all your fault as to why I don't show my claim to be true.

And here you go - both of you really - proving that people ignore or deny or just do not 'see' (much less 'hear') what does not suit them.

You are reading my words as 'I am not going to show you what I claim is true..."

Except in the exact same post, I point out that William was ALREADY given the examples of verbatim words as he keeps asking for.

He does not see those. You do not see that I wrote that. You 'read' only what you wanted to see.

If you cannot accept or see what is right in front of your eyes, how can you possibly assume that you will hear and accept something that is spiritual, heard within, in the spirit?



Peace again.

[William]

From my perspective - My Sins are as follows.

I think we exist within a creation.
This implies a Creator.
There is a theistic battle as to who is 'hearing' this Mind Behind Creation.
For 40 years I have been assuming that I am in a developing relationship with this Mind.
I share this.
I stumble over the opinions of those whom believe that the voice they "hear" trumps the voice I "hear".
In the last year of sharing the Generated Messages between The Mind and I, I think I have been informed through those - verbatim - messages, that I am communing with YHVH.
I am informed by those who think so, that I am not conversing with YHVH, because what I am relaying is "not what they are hearing".

Guess which voice I am going to continue to listen to?

Why? Because I am not going to be manipulated by guilt, self loathing, hypocrisy, denial, judgementalism, false claims, or doing Jigs while the bullets fly.

With my sharing of the GMs, I have noted positive things, which YHVH reminds me of in Today's Generated Message.

Peace and Joy.

eta;

Also in today's GM, YHVH reminded me of a conversation I had on this forum this year.

I quote;

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #22]
TRANSPONDER:...so I postulated that there might be a mind controlling the universe, but not us. Not a personal god, not with a plan for us, and in fact a Deist -god. We were, effectively, as on our own as if there was no god there at all. So, if there was no Plan for human life, was there no meaning for human life? Was there no purpose? If not, why live at all? Why not just stop living?


I postulated differently, and it took many years of my life to learn the way I currently look at this situation I am [and apparently everyone is] involved within.

1: There might be a mind controlling the universe
2: There is a mind controlling me [my own mind]
3: There is no reason to believe that the mind controlling the universe is incapable of interacting with my own mind controlling me.
4: How to give the universal mind an opportunity to interact with me.
5: Religion and its main holy-books did not provide anything through which I could discover the way in which to achieve this interaction as it offered only mediums - foremost their own holy-books - but also laws, rituals, belief systems, preachers et al - none of which enabled me to make any actual and vibrant connection with this supposed universal mind.
6: It was almost accidental that I did find a way in which to make that connection, so deeply shielded from human awareness that it is, in the main, because of [5].

As a result, I have no choice but to reject the idea of the Deist GOD as something which opposes the idea of a personal GOD, because I have found that idea to being untrue.

As well, I do so on the grounds that it is not logical that any GOD-mind which controls the universe but not humans within said universe, is saying that the GOD-mind does not actually control the whole universe, but has left humans to control themselves, even that they are part of what -altogether - constitutes "The Universe".

The very nature of The Universe shows us that it is capable enough to accommodate the idea of allowing humans to feel that they make their own choices, especially if they are intent upon either depending on religious medium or intent on the belief that it is not possible to make said connection - individual mind to GOD-mind.

The purpose of this universe may well be nothing more than allowing for the opportunity for this to maybe happen for each individual who experiences it.

One has to want to do so, of course...

[tam]

Peace to you,

From my perspective - My Sins are as follows.

I think we exist within a creation.
This implies a Creator.
There is a theistic battle as to who is 'hearing' this Mind Behind Creation.

I don't need to battle you William. I know who I hear.

For 40 years I have been assuming that I am in a developing relationship with this Mind.
I share this.
I stumble over the opinions of those whom believe that the voice they "hear" trumps the voice I "hear".

Are you sure you're not just stumbling over the stumbling stone, William?

In the last year of sharing the Generated Messages between The Mind and I, I think I have been informed through those - verbatim - messages, that I am communing with YHVH.
I am informed by those who think so, that I am not conversing with YHVH, because what I am relaying is "not what they are hearing".

Guess which voice I am going to continue to listen to?"

Now this (the bold) is something I have said to you William - that I am going to remain in my Lord and listen to Him. That I will continue to hold all things up against Him (the Light).

Why? Because I am not going to be manipulated by guilt, self loathing, hypocrisy, denial, judgementalism, false claims, or doing Jigs while the bullets fly.

Come on, William, the hypocrisy is in you judging me for being unwilling to do something that you yourself are unwilling to do. I am not going to listen to you over my Lord. I am going to remain in Him.



So we are at an impasse. This is not a threat to me, and you do not see me coming on to your "GM" threads or your "around the campfire" threads to do battle with you. However, in the open exchanges that we have had over Christ's words (<-the person I bear witness to), I do hold your claims up to Him and to His words. If there is a conflict there is a conflict.



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

[William]

[Replying to tam in post #356]

I don't need to battle you William

Also

I do hold your claims up to Him and to His words. If there is a conflict there is a conflict.

[tam]

[Replying to tam in post #356]

I don't need to battle you William

Also

I do hold your claims up to Him and to His words. If there is a conflict there is a conflict.

I am content to leave my previous post to stand as is.


Peace still.

[William]

Hi

I thought it would be interesting to start a group for the purpose of role-playing as genuine individuals interested in discussion of anything to do with the 'why' questions of life.
I have named the group;

Around The Camp Fire

I seek to attract individual personalities who are happy to oblige in expressions of non-judgmental and unconditional loving attitudes.

The Situation;

A starry night with crescent moon waxing, a very slight breeze whispers its presence. The hoot of a nearby owl. The smell of smoke from the camp-fire and of food cooking brings a comforting feeling to anyone who enters into the light that the camp fire throws out in all directions.

Extra Rules.eta 031019
(Rules are subject to be added to as the necessity presents itself .)

Remember to role play. Make an effort to bring the situation alive in ones imagination when making posts.
Stay True to the Story-line developing.
131219 Addition to this rule: If you do not stay true to the story-line, and because of this, the story-line goes in a way you decide later it shouldn't have gone, there will be no recourse for editing and you will just have to accept the way the story-line developed.
Never interfere with another Players Character, in order to physically control said Character within the Role-Play story-line.
Do not post anything in this thread without first joining the Group.
Enjoy Yourself.



@ eta:260919

If you find your self to be unsure as to what being non-judgmental/unconditionally loving is, please consider refraining from joining any thread discussion in this sub-forum until you have worked it out for your self.

Thanks.
William
Moderator

[William]

[Replying to tam in post #356]

I don't need to battle you William

Also

I do hold your claims up to Him and to His words. If there is a conflict there is a conflict.

I am content to leave my previous post to stand as is.


Peace still.

[Replying to tam in post #42]

William: Some battles are friendly, but they are still battles.

Tam: Then there should not be an issue with wishing someone peace, even if on opposite sides of a debate, even in disagreement, right?

William: Of course not, but on a BattleThread it is peculiar.

I have not made it secret that someone wandering around the BattleThreads with a flower in her hair and waving a peace flag isn't an odd thing.

But since you continue to wish peace on me, I will accept it as only I can, which is why I have escorted you to my happy place, where it is peaceful and calm.

The way I see it, I rescued you from one of the boys smacking you around, and asked him to back off and hear you out.
That is because I think you are trying to say that you are representative of what makes a Christian a Christian, and you want to be heard, and in order to be heard, the noise of battle must desist.

So here we are, by the fireside away from the BattleThreads and you have my ear.

Convince me why I should accept you are the real-deal. I have never in all my 59 years on this planet, ever meet someone calling themselves a Christian, who have proved to be trustworthy and truthful. I will place that to the side and listen to what you have to say.

You can, of course, leave this place right now but that wont help your case or convince me that you actually do wish me peace, or that you have anything to say which will interest me in my quest for more Truth.


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{SOURCE - Musing on Peace and Truth [Campfire Thread]}