Jesus Way of Shepherding

[OneJack]

Jesus Way of Shepherding - COMING to and FOLLOWING the Lord Jesus Christ until the end,

Let's examine closely the flow of actions between the sheep and the Lord regarding salvation:


27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.


28. And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Read between the lines:

1. When we hear the voice of the Lord Jesus, we are known by Him.

2. When we follow the Lord Jesus, He gives us:

a) eternal life,
b) we shall never perish, and
c) no one can pluck us out of His hand.

There is no teaching of Jesus about 'free gift' or 'by grace, and the belief in the finished work of Christ to be saved, as you teach it today. Instead, those teachings are from Paul. Paul is not Jesus, even if you say he was sent by the Lord."

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to tam in post #96]

I am not sure I understand your question, other than to say that faith is a gift that was given to me by God.

If it was given to you by God, God would have talked and interacted with you in a way that mirrored that of Moses’, Paul’s, etc. If not, then it’s just an assumption on what you have read from the scriptures.

Faith is a gift. It is a gift that was given to me.

By faith, I know that the things He says (and promises) are true.

Has God talked to you, as He did to the prophets of the old and to the apostles during God’s incarnation period? IF not, where then are you coming from with your statement?

God speaks through His Son, and yes, I hear the voice of my Lord, Jaheshua. He is the true and LIVING Word of God.

Because I love Him (though He loved me first), I obey His commands.

"The One who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me."

I presumed you’re just quoting from the scriptures, aren’t you?

I am quoting my Lord from what is written, yes. Did you not quote His words in the opening post?

OneJack, these are His words. He said that people who believe in Him have eternal life.

Allegedly, those are just copies of endless copies of Jesus’ utterances during His incarnation period. Taking them religiously into our hearts and putting them into practice won’t give us our salvation. Jesus’ words are in His mouth and we need to hear those words today from the Lord hence His call to all, saying,

COME, FOLLOW ME.

If we come to and call on the Lord, He’ll respond and teach us what we need for our salvation and in knowing God. It takes an interaction from Jesus for us to be saved.

Please keep reading because this point will be addressed below...

You don't think it would have taken faith (and love) for the rich young man to have given up his wealth, then to come and follow Christ?

If the rich young ruler will give up his wealth and come to and follow Jesus until the end, he’s absolutely saved, and that’s always! No one gets the right faith in God by just reading and understanding the bible; it needs Jesus’ interaction to be saved.

I said nothing about just reading and understanding the bible. More below...

I am one who follows Christ.

HOW?

By listening to and following HIM. Not religion, not man, not the bible. Christ Himself.

And I'm just pointing out that faith and works are not in contradiction. Faith should lead to works.

Why would you defend biblical passages against contradictions if you were one who follows Christ?

Because your OP is using one of those passages.

And because your OP states that there is no free gift, or grace, etc. Both the free gift and grace exist, but perhaps religion has caused you to misunderstand what is meant by these things?

I am talking about the fact that Christ said 'the one who believes in Him shall have eternal life.

If I may ask you, what will you believe in Jesus so that He may give you your salvation and eternal life?

It is not a matter of what I will believe about Him, but rather that I believe IN Him. He, Himself. My faith is in HIM.

He says the same thing today. I have no argument with you on His words here. If Noah hadn't built and boarded the ark, how would he have been saved from the flood? But he had to have had faith FIRST. Faith enough to hear God, faith (and love) enough to obey.

Noah was able to talk to and hear God, and those things that He heard from God were religiously followed by Noah. Same thing with us today, whatever we’ll hear from the real and forever living Christ are exactly what we’ll follow with all our hearts and without doubts. It’s a big mistake to follow Jesus by and through the pages of the bible.

I agree that we must follow Christ.

We should also test the inspired expressions, because not every spirit is from God, and there are many false prophets out there (1 John 4:1). And yes, that is a verse recorded in the bible, but my Lord also taught me to test the message. Hold everything up to the Light (Christ is that Light.)

From the thread, "Does Christ speak and How?

viewtopic.php?p=738377#p738377

Christ is the ark now. It wouldn't do much good to say we believe, and then not bother to come to Him or 'get on the ark'.

Eloquent words [about the Christ] springing from our hearts are good to hear, but in reality, they are not meritorious to our salvation.

A person would have to come to Him to be able to get 'on the ark' that He is, yes?

I just want to point out the part in bold. Can you trust someone you don't have faith in?

Of course not, why would I trust someone in whom I don't have faith?"

Why would anyone follow someone they did not first have faith in?

Faith comes first before following comes next.

EXACTLY!! Faith comes FIRST. That is what I have been trying to share with you.

Faith comes FIRST, and that faith is a gift.



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

[OneJack]

Did your living someone mentioned what those dead faithful Bible believing Christians eternal destination?

It’s not for us to meddle in.

Do you living someone offers salvation to all?
Or just to who hear him on 2001 and onward.

Yes, Jesus offers salvation to all.

Do that include those dead faithful Christians whom have not heard your living someone?

I said all, no exceptions. From Adam down to the last man standing come JD!

[OneJack]

[Replying to tam in post #101]

Faith is a gift. It is a gift that was given to me.

That’s not Jesus’ teaching, it’s Paul’s in his epistles. Paul is not Jesus.

Faith is the act of putting into practice and believing in Jesus by and through the things which have heard and learned from Him during His shepherding job [to His sheep]. This is a two-way process of establishing the profound faith in God, the first party is the Lord and the second party are His sheep.

God speaks through His Son,

This is long done with and the Son per se is long gone too. It’s Jesus per se or the Immanuel who talks to us, mankind, TODAY.

and yes, I hear the voice of my Lord, Jaheshua. He is the true and LIVING Word of God.

If you hear the voice of Jesus, you’re not reading and studying the Bible. When was the first instance of that encounter with Jesus then?

I am quoting my Lord from what is written, yes.

Now I know how to digest the food you’re giving me for my meal.

Did you not quote His words in the opening post?

No one would give attention to in responding to my post if I did not quote it from what is written. However, this does not mean that I’m locked up in the bible but to the real and forever living Christ Jesus only.

By listening to and following HIM. Not religion, not man, not the bible. Christ Himself.

When was the first time Jesus talked to you and what means did He use to talk to you? How did you know He’s Jesus, what did He do to you?

Because your OP is using one of those passages.

My reasoning is neither tied nor limited to the bible accounts alone; I’m doing my job to scatter the utterances of Jesus today to all, no exceptions.

And because your OP states that there is no free gift, or grace, etc. Both the free gift and grace exist, but perhaps religion has caused you to misunderstand what is meant by these things?

There is really no teaching from Jesus about ‘grace’ and ‘free gift’ of salvation in the context of how you presented it in this conversation, except the call to all, which is - COME, FOLLOW ME.

It is not a matter of what I will believe about Him, but rather that I believe IN Him. He, Himself. My faith is in HIM.

This, to me, is a play of words - ‘It is not a matter of what I will believe about Him, but rather that I believe IN Him.’

What do you believe IN Him? And why do you believe in Him?

Btw, I didn’t say ‘what will you believe about Him’ but rather, ‘what will you believe in Him’ in further response to your previous claim of ‘believing in Jesus’ to be saved.

We should also test the inspired expressions, because not every spirit is from God, and there are many false prophets out there (1 John 4:1). And yes, that is a verse recorded in the bible, but my Lord also taught me to test the message. Hold everything up to the Light (Christ is that Light.)

You just told me “you hear Jesus’ voice” but now you’re just rendering your opinion to a biblical passage, which is just water under the bridge if Jesus is your Pastor and Teacher.

What is really the truth behind your claim that ‘you hear Jesus’ voice?’

A person would have to come to Him to be able to get 'on the ark' that He is, yes?

We, all, have to come to Jesus so that He may shepherd and guide us all to our salvation, as simple as that to understand. The Bible is not a part of our salvation.

EXACTLY!! Faith comes FIRST. That is what I have been trying to share with you.


Faith comes FIRST, and that faith is a gift.

This is what I’m saying,

Faith comes first before following comes next.

What’s the command of Jesus to all for all to be saved?

COME, FOLLOW ME.

Where then will FAITH in Jesus comes in?

Faith in Jesus comes in ALONG THE WAY of Jesus’ shepherding job to His sheep. So, FAITH exactly comes in after COMING to Jesus. It’s not a free gift but a developed and established faith in the hearts of the followers of Christ based on what and how the Lord shepherded and guided them. The Bible has nothing to do with this FAITH in the hearts of the followers of Christ.

[tam]

Peace to you,

God speaks through His Son,

This is long done with and the Son per se is long gone too. It’s Jesus per se or the Immanuel who talks to us, mankind, TODAY.

See, I know that the Son is not long done with.

My Lord, who is alive and who does speak, is the Son of God. His name is Jah'eshua (meaning JAH saves/savior of JAH).

He also sent a revelation to John after his death and resurrection. John saw and heard many things and was told to write them down. Such as:

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze."

Why should someone accept the words that you write down (and call a revelation), but reject the words that John wrote down in the revelation given to him?

and yes, I hear the voice of my Lord, Jaheshua. He is the true and LIVING Word of God.

If you hear the voice of Jesus, you’re not reading and studying the Bible.

I hear the voice my Lord, whose name is Jaheshua. Not Jesus. I am not a bible student - I am a disciple of Christ - but that doesn't I haven't (or can't) read the bible.

When was the first instance of that encounter with Jesus then?

The first time I heard the voice of my Lord, Jaheshua?

The first time I can remember hearing His voice was as a child in a "Sunday school class." The 'teachers' were making statements as if they knew them to be true (about what happens after someone dies), and He asked me 'how do they know what they are saying is true?'

I did not know He was speaking to me; I did not know He could speak back then. I was an adult before I realized that. But many years later when I learned that He is alive and does speak, the spirit brought that instance to mind.

He is the One who taught me to question what religion and religious leaders teach. And for me, that was unusual. I was not a person who questioned authority - EXCEPT for religious authority (my Lord taught me to do that.)

I am quoting my Lord from what is written, yes.

Now I know how to digest the food you’re giving me for my meal.

Did you not quote His words in the opening post?

No one would give attention to in responding to my post if I did not quote it from what is written. However, this does not mean that I’m locked up in the bible but to the real and forever living Christ Jesus only.

So why is that true for you (that you are not locked up in the bible even though you quote from it), but not for me?

By listening to and following HIM. Not religion, not man, not the bible. Christ Himself.

When was the first time Jesus talked to you and what means did He use to talk to you? How did you know He’s Jesus, what did He do to you?

I think I just shared the first time I remember my Lord speaking to me.

You could also look on that link that I posted about Christ speaking (and how.)

viewtopic.php?p=738377#p738377

It is not a matter of what I will believe about Him, but rather that I believe IN Him. He, Himself. My faith is in HIM.

This, to me, is a play of words - ‘It is not a matter of what I will believe about Him, but rather that I believe IN Him.’

What do you believe IN Him? And why do you believe in Him?

It was not a play on words. It is the question that seems to be missing the point.

Believing IN someone - or having faith in someone - is a statement on its own.

It means you have faith in them, that they are who they say (and in this case, God also said who Christ is), you know their words are true, that they will keep their promises.

Maybe we are just having a misunderstanding. Can you answer the question, yourself, so I can see what you mean?

We should also test the inspired expressions, because not every spirit is from God, and there are many false prophets out there (1 John 4:1). And yes, that is a verse recorded in the bible, but my Lord also taught me to test the message. Hold everything up to the Light (Christ is that Light.)

You just told me “you hear Jesus’ voice” but now you’re just rendering your opinion to a biblical passage, which is just water under the bridge if Jesus is your Pastor and Teacher.

I am not rendering my opinion on a verse. I am simply putting the verse up there so that people reading can see it for themselves.

My Lord is the One who taught me to test the message.

What is really the truth behind your claim that ‘you hear Jesus’ voice?’

I don't claim to 'hear Jesus' voice.' I have said that I hear the voice of my dear Lord Jaheshua, the Chosen and Holy One of God.

EXACTLY!! Faith comes FIRST. That is what I have been trying to share with you.


Faith comes FIRST, and that faith is a gift.

This is what I’m saying,

Faith comes first before following comes next.

Yep.

What’s the command of Jesus to all for all to be saved?

COME, FOLLOW ME.

Where then will FAITH in Jesus comes in?

Faith in Jesus comes in ALONG THE WAY of Jesus’ shepherding job to His sheep.

That doesn't sound like faith comes first. Unless you are saying that He gives them their faith?

So, FAITH exactly comes in after COMING to Jesus.

Are you saying people don't have faith before they come to Him?

It’s not a free gift but a developed and established faith in the hearts of the followers of Christ based on what and how the Lord shepherded and guided them.

Developed and established how?

I'm just trying to get a sense of what you mean with your words.


Peace again to you!

[Capbook]

It’s not for us to meddle in.

Do you living someone offers salvation to all?
Or just to who hear him on 2001 and onward.

Yes, Jesus offers salvation to all.

Do that include those dead faithful Christians whom have not heard your living someone?

I said all, no exceptions. From Adam down to the last man standing come JD!

You sound contradicting yourself, in you OP below, the need to "hear" the voice of your Lord Jesus will never perished(saved).
And those Bible believing dead "faithful Christians" whom wasn't able to "hear" the voice of your living someone, also can be saved?
You are just in conflict with your OP.

Read between the lines:

1. When we hear the voice of the Lord Jesus, we are known by Him.

2. When we follow the Lord Jesus, He gives us:

a) eternal life,
b) we shall never perish, and
c) no one can pluck us out of His hand.

[OneJack]

Do you living someone offers salvation to all?
Or just to who hear him on 2001 and onward.

Yes, Jesus offers salvation to all.

Do that include those dead faithful Christians whom have not heard your living someone?

I said all, no exceptions. From Adam down to the last man standing come JD!

You sound contradicting yourself, in you OP below, the need to "hear" the voice of your Lord Jesus will never perished(saved).
And those Bible believing dead "faithful Christians" whom wasn't able to "hear" the voice of your living someone, also can be saved?
You are just in conflict with your OP.

Read between the lines:

1. When we hear the voice of the Lord Jesus, we are known by Him.

2. When we follow the Lord Jesus, He gives us:

a) eternal life,
b) we shall never perish, and
c) no one can pluck us out of His hand.

How did you know they didn’t hear the voice of Jesus when you are not Jesus Himself who is the Savior of the world? You’re just a human, whose capability to know all things is not a built-in component in your brain.

[Capbook]

Yes, Jesus offers salvation to all.

Do that include those dead faithful Christians whom have not heard your living someone?

I said all, no exceptions. From Adam down to the last man standing come JD!

You sound contradicting yourself, in you OP below, the need to "hear" the voice of your Lord Jesus will never perished(saved).
And those Bible believing dead "faithful Christians" whom wasn't able to "hear" the voice of your living someone, also can be saved?
You are just in conflict with your OP.

Read between the lines:

1. When we hear the voice of the Lord Jesus, we are known by Him.

2. When we follow the Lord Jesus, He gives us:

a) eternal life,
b) we shall never perish, and
c) no one can pluck us out of His hand.

How did you know they didn’t hear the voice of Jesus when you are not Jesus Himself who is the Savior of the world? You’re just a human, whose capability to know all things is not a built-in component in your brain.

Majority of Christians are Sola Scriptura based, that the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practices.
Not like your living someone that rejects even the "words of Jesus" written in the Bible.
And offer salvation outside Sola Scriptura believer Christians, just from 2001 and onward.

[OneJack]

[Replying to tam in post #104]

See, I know that the Son is not long done with.

Why not, have you heard him in any news worldwide?

My Lord, who is alive and who does speak, is the Son of God. His name is Jah'eshua (meaning JAH saves/savior of JAH).

Did you hear him say [to you] I am Jah’eshua, the Son of God? If not, how did you know he’s Jah’eshua?

He also sent a revelation to John after his death and resurrection. John saw and heard many things and was told to write them down. Such as:

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze."

You’re just quoting from the Bible.

Why should someone accept the words that you write down (and call a revelation), but reject the words that John wrote down in the revelation given to him?

Who said you should accept the utterances of the Lord Jesus that I posted in this chat board? Actually, you have nothing to take from those utterances because the same are just testimonies to Jesus so that the readers may come to Jesus for their salvation.

I hear the voice my Lord, whose name is Jaheshua. Not Jesus. I am not a bible student - I am a disciple of Christ - but that doesn't I haven't (or can't) read the bible.

How do you hear his voice and how do you know he’s Jaheshua?

The first time I heard the voice of my Lord, Jaheshua?

The first time I can remember hearing His voice was as a child in a "Sunday school class." The 'teachers' were making statements as if they knew them to be true (about what happens after someone dies), and He asked me 'how do they know what they are saying is true?'

I did not know He was speaking to me; I did not know He could speak back then. I was an adult before I realized that. But many years later when I learned that He is alive and does speak, the spirit brought that instance to mind.

He is the One who taught me to question what religion and religious leaders teach. And for me, that was unusual. I was not a person who questioned authority - EXCEPT for religious authority (my Lord taught me to do that.)

Let’s clarify this part, did you hear an audible voice talking to you clearly while you were listening to a Sunday school teacher? Were there many instances where the voice spoke to you again and again?

So why is that true for you (that you are not locked up in the bible even though you quote from it), but not for me?

I do not use biblical passages to tell something about Jesus but to show to bible followers that they need to exit the bible and turn at once to Jesus if they want to be saved.

Maybe we are just having a misunderstanding. Can you answer the question, yourself, so I can see what you mean?

I believe in Jesus because He proved Himself to us that He is the Almighty God, lived and sup with us many times, rewarded us with salvation and eternal life, and shepherded and guided us to the way of Christian living.

My Lord is the One who taught me to test the message.

Why do you call him Lord when he does not tell you who he is even then and to date?

I don't claim to 'hear Jesus' voice.' I have said that I hear the voice of my dear Lord Jaheshua, the Chosen and Holy One of God.

Where, when, and how did you get the name Jaheshua? Did the two of you have a direct conversation with each other?

That doesn't sound like faith comes first. Unless you are saying that He gives them their faith?

I said ‘faith’ comes first before ‘following’ comes next. When we, humans, come to and call on the Lord, He responds to our call and tells us who He is and starts to shepherd and teach us. Trust or faith springs from our hearts as He continuous to guides us in to His flock. And this faith tends us, without doubt, to follow the Lord in whatever He asks of us to do and put into practice so that our soul may enjoy the continuous salvation in following the Lord until the end.

I am not rendering my opinion on a verse. I am simply putting the verse up there so that people reading can see it for themselves.

What is that verse for if it is not related to your idea/opinion that you’re trying to point out in your topic, like this one where you said,

“We should also test the inspired expressions,”

because not every spirit is from God, and there are many false prophets out there (1 John 4:1).

I don't claim to 'hear Jesus' voice.' I have said that I hear the voice of my dear Lord Jaheshua, the Chosen and Holy One of God.

Did the voice [you hear] give you utterance/s clearly identifying himself who he is for you to conclude he is Jaheshua, the Chosen and Holy One of God?

Are you saying people don't have faith before they come to Him?

The golden rule from heaven, in coming to and calling on God, is you should not have anything in your heart, but the plain knowledge that ‘there is really God.’ This is so in order that you may not be confused when you hear God talks to you things about Himself.

Developed and established how?

I said ‘faith’ comes first before ‘following’ comes next. When we, humans, come to and call on the Lord, He responds to our call and tells us who He is and starts to shepherd and teach us. Trust or faith springs from our hearts as He continuous to guides us in to His flock. And this faith tends us, without doubt, to follow the Lord in whatever He asks of us to do and put into practice so that our soul may enjoy the continuous salvation in following the Lord until the end.

[OneJack]

[Replying to Capbook in post #107]

Majority of Christians are Sola Scriptura based, that the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practices.

As I have said, they are just bibleans/bibliolaters but not Christians whose sole and infallible source of authority for their faith and practices is the one and only real and forever living Christ Jesus - the Almighty God.

Not like your living someone that rejects even the "words of Jesus" written in the Bible.

Only those exclusions and mens letters which are not in agreement with Jesus’ teachings. But if salvation is the issue, the bible has no part at all in attaining it.

And offer salvation outside Sola Scriptura believer Christians, just from 2001 and onward.

Salvation is truly outside the bible even if you use the bible (John 5:39-40) to support this teaching of the Lord.

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to tam in post #104]

See, I know that the Son is not long done with.

Why not, have you heard him in any news worldwide?

Because I hear Him, OneJack.

He did not cease being His Father's Son, just as He did not cease being the Truth or the Resurrection or the Life, or the Word of God.

He is no longer in a human body, but that doesn't make Him any less the Son of God.

My Lord, who is alive and who does speak, is the Son of God. His name is Jah'eshua (meaning JAH saves/savior of JAH).

Did you hear him say [to you] I am Jah’eshua, the Son of God? If not, how did you know he’s Jah’eshua?

He confirmed His name to me. Someone else used that name, having heard it from Him, but I knew for sure when my Lord confirmed it to me Himself.

(Keep in mind that some letters make different sounds in different languages. Here, the "J" is pronounced with a "y" sound. Same as the name of God is pronounced with the 'y' sound instead of the 'j' sound; all the "J" names we have in English from the bible would have been 'Y' or 'I' names, pronounced properly with the 'y' sound. Here is a very quick and easy article on the topic https://aish.com/js-replacing-ys-in-hebrew/)

So the name of the Son of God would not have been "Jesus". When I learned this, I stopped using that name, because I could not continue to use a name that I knew was false. I knew that Israel used (and uses) Yeshua, and that was closer. But I did not know how my Lord's name could have gone from Jaheshua (as a sister had shared) to Yeshua. So I asked my Lord, and He showed me (I will write what He showed me with the "Y" so the sound is correct at least):

Yaheshua
Y'eshua
Yeshua

See the Y with the apostrophe in the middle version? That is Yah (the name of God) being shortened to Y'. Then if you lose the apostrophe, you have Yeshua. Which is closer than "Jesus", but still not correct... it removes/hides the name of God, in whose name Christ came. And if the prophets before Christ had the name of God in THEIR names (EliJAH, JeremIAH, ZecharIAH, etc), how much more so would the Son of God, who came in the name of His Father?

He also sent a revelation to John after his death and resurrection. John saw and heard many things and was told to write them down. Such as:

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze."

You’re just quoting from the Bible.

Just because something is in the bible doesn't make it false. There are errors in what is written, but this is not one of them.

Why should someone accept the words that you write down (and call a revelation), but reject the words that John wrote down in the revelation given to him?

Who said you should accept the utterances of the Lord Jesus that I posted in this chat board? Actually, you have nothing to take from those utterances because the same are just testimonies to Jesus so that the readers may come to Jesus for their salvation.

Fair enough. But the "Jesus" you are bearing witness to does not appear to be the same person that John (from Revelation) bears witness to. You say the Son of God no longer exists, but the Revelation given to John has words from the Son of God (and this after His death, resurrection, and ascension).

The first time I heard the voice of my Lord, Jaheshua?

The first time I can remember hearing His voice was as a child in a "Sunday school class." The 'teachers' were making statements as if they knew them to be true (about what happens after someone dies), and He asked me 'how do they know what they are saying is true?'

I did not know He was speaking to me; I did not know He could speak back then. I was an adult before I realized that. But many years later when I learned that He is alive and does speak, the spirit brought that instance to mind.

He is the One who taught me to question what religion and religious leaders teach. And for me, that was unusual. I was not a person who questioned authority - EXCEPT for religious authority (my Lord taught me to do that.)

Let’s clarify this part, did you hear an audible voice talking to you clearly while you were listening to a Sunday school teacher? Were there many instances where the voice spoke to you again and again?

A voice within (a still small voice), but the words were clear.

So why is that true for you (that you are not locked up in the bible even though you quote from it), but not for me?

I do not use biblical passages to tell something about Jesus but to show to bible followers that they need to exit the bible and turn at once to Jesus if they want to be saved.

Well, I absolutely agree that we are to come to Christ (not the bible) to have life (John 5:39).

I do think you have used verses from the bible to try and claim things about Christ and God though.

Maybe we are just having a misunderstanding. Can you answer the question, yourself, so I can see what you mean?

I believe in Jesus because He proved Himself to us that He is the Almighty God, lived and sup with us many times, rewarded us with salvation and eternal life, and shepherded and guided us to the way of Christian living.

So you want to know why I believe in my Lord?

I have always done so, but I did not always know what was true (about Christ, about God.) But some time after I started seeking Truth (the same as seeking Christ), I asked my Father in heaven to guide me to where He wanted me to be, and my Father in heaven guided me to His Son - who has never lied to me and has always spoken true to me. Even hard to hear truth about myself. Everything He has ever said is true.

My Lord has also knocked on my door so as to eat with me and me with him. As He said He would do, here:

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

You can say that this is quoting from the bible, but that doesn't mean it is not true. I know these words are true because He has done this for me.

That doesn't sound like faith comes first. Unless you are saying that He gives them their faith?

I said ‘faith’ comes first before ‘following’ comes next. When we, humans, come to and call on the Lord,

He calls us also, does He not?

"Come, follow me."

"Many are called, few are chosen."

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" Let the one who hears, say "Come!" Let the one who thirsts, "Come, take the free gift of the water of Life."

He responds to our call and tells us who He is and starts to shepherd and teach us.

Okay.

I am not rendering my opinion on a verse. I am simply putting the verse up there so that people reading can see it for themselves.

What is that verse for if it is not related to your idea/opinion that you’re trying to point out in your topic, like this one where you said,

“We should also test the inspired expressions,”

because not every spirit is from God, and there are many false prophets out there (1 John 4:1).

Because a) what John said there is the same thing that my Lord taught me; and b) some people may need to see that for themselves.

Are you saying people don't have faith before they come to Him?

The golden rule from heaven, in coming to and calling on God, is you should not have anything in your heart, but the plain knowledge that ‘there is really God.’ This is so in order that you may not be confused when you hear God talks to you things about Himself.

I am not going to make a claim as to what is or is not a 'golden rule from heaven', but this is close (though not exact) to what my Lord teaches: that we should tear everything down (all the stuff we may think we know, that we have learned from religion or men, or ourselves, etc), tear it all down to Christ - the Rock and Cornerstone - and then build back up on Him (or rather, let Him build our 'house' back up on Him).



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