WOW, what an amazing testimony!!! Praise the living God!
Awesome!
The program was a real blessing today.I never grow tired of hearing about someones personal experience with God.
I have felt Gods presence many times.The overwhelming since of love,joy,peace etc..When that happens there is no mistaking of where it’s coming from. I have a friend that was driving to work one morning.The night before he had gotten saved at a revival.On his way to work the spirit of the Lord came upon him, so overwhelming that he had to pull over.When he did make it to work he was overtaken with the spirit again and could’nt walk in. I’m sure all christians have had simular experiences.God speaks to us in a lot of different ways.
I hope and pray that God can give me a deeper desire to love what He loves and to hate what He hates as we learn to obey Him. I think that we need to seek to know His love for us and that we love others with that same kind of love. It seems to me that it is by abiding in God’s love and through God giving us an understanding through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s like a self-testimony of God in our hearts and moving us to love others and to love Him which should come first. Although God loved us first and it’s our move now. We have to take the next step, and it’s good to know that He will be with us on the path to eternal life. God is good.
Jhn 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen./ I thank God He is big enough for the job discription! great program brother your {SPIRIT} balanced approach communicates the Lord’s complexities in a way that allows so many to see Him more clearly ~ love
I have a greater relationship with the brick wall outside my house. Even when I talk to the brick wall, it echoes back, and i can hear something. But only the living God prefers to speak via 3000 year old scriptures and Jewish prophets and dead man walking and it means absolutely nothing to me and billions of others. absolutely nothing.
Or God is like the wind? Sometimes I hear something in the wind and I wonder whether i heard something? Or was that just me?
Either way, the brick wall wins. no wonder the atheists insult us.
Umm what???
Ben,
It appears you know about the God of the Scriptures from a distance, but you don’t know the God of the Scriptures personally — in a living, intimate, real way. Have you surrendered your life to Him? Have you truly been born from above? If so, you will enjoy the communion of the Spirit; if not, you’ll be talking to a brick wall.
Hi Dr. Brown I really enjoy the site and show. I really believe the power/glory of the holy spirit. I have a little testimony of my own, I’m also a jewish believer i go to a messianic synagogue on saturdays and church on sundays (can’t get enough of Jesus/Yeshua)any how I’ve always thought of the Holy Spirit as a force as opposed to a personification of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. Well I praised/worshiped for 2 wks and watched the Sid Roth show and he interviewed a man of God. He prophesied and prayed for the viewers, and took his prayer to mean for me. Well I felt the Holy Spirit and burning in my mouth I got up to go to the restroom something told me to look in the mirror and behold my fillings were gold….thats right gold. I’m in the military have been for 12yrs and in the medical field (respiratory therapist by trade); I went to the dental clinic to check out my record and could not find anything in regards to my fillings being of gold or silver for that matter. I spoke with the dental technicians there and they said, ” we don’t put in gold or silver fillings for service members. It is not cost effective. What was used on my teeth were composite and black amalgam. I remember when these fillings were placed back in Jan 2010 ( i had to go to the dental clinic for a check up due to myself getting ready to deploy to the hospital in Khandahar) after the procedure I remember spitting out a black like substance like charcoal–the amalgam. I’ve been feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit much more now. I’ve had patients in the clinic who have said that they see a glow on me and I tell them read Acts and praise worship God and tell Jesus to show himself to you and the spirit of the Lord will move.
Ben, [ Either way, the brick wall wins. no wonder the atheists insult us.]// Ben , Brother God is speaking to you .. you identified yoursef as a us . ( that’s His speaking) I am asking God to help you recognize who else or what else is speaking into your life , thank you for your honesty…
I like what the comedienne Lily Tomlin once said in one of her routines: “When you talk to God, that’s called praying. When God talks to you, that’s called “schizophrenia.”” — of course, she’s referring to the idea that we can talk to God, but in secular society (and not just, the general belief is that God doesn’t talk to us. It’s sad when people who believe the Bible still don’t think God speaks.
Jehovah’s Witness believe that God no longer speaks to us. This is a quote from an article printed in a March 2000 Watchtower magazine: “Some religions encourage the sick to pray to be healed now, pointing to the miraculous cures that Jesus and his apostles performed. But such miracles were done for a special purpose. They served to prove that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah…. Back then, miraculous gifts were needed to strengthen the faith of the newly established Christian congregation. When the infant congregation got on its feet, as it were, and became mature, the miraculous gifts were ‘done away with.’ —1 Corinthians 13:8,11.”
Not only is that scripture cited taken out of context and misrepresented, they ignores these verses regarding the end-times:
Joel 2:28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Acts 2:17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
One would also have to ignore Jesus and Paul on God speaking:
Hebrews 12:25 (New King James Version)
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven…
Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
I have had supernatural confirmation of God’s presence in various ways for many years. Some of them are frankly of such a nature that I’ve only been able to share them with very few people. But here is one which demonstrates God’s concrete concern for us.
During my University days, I remember being broke (had less than a dollar) and I was facing some time before I’d have more income. I was just hungry and I remembered Jesus words, “Ask and you shall receive.” And also when He asked which of us, if our son asked for bread, would we give him a serpent? And if we, being evil, knew how to give good gifts to our children, how much more would our Father in Heaven give to us…I was thinking of these verses. I had never asked for money before, having been taught that that was somehow crass. But I WAS hungry and I had already figured that $50.00 would be just enough to tide me over. So, bearing those verses in mind, I asked the Lord, in faith, for fifty bucks, in sincere prayer, and I believe I also apologized at that time for asking for that, but reminded Him of what He had said. The answer came to my mind, not in an external voice, but clearly in my mind, not from me: “Look deep inside your back pack.” Well, I got my backpack at once, and began emptying all the books and papers, looking where I was directed. I went through every hidden compartment, taking everything out, until at last I reached a zippered pouch deep within another. What I found: a fifty-dollar bill. I was grateful, thankful, and overjoyed.
I do think that the fifty had been there from the last time I had some money and I’d put it there. It was folded in a manner that was typical of how I folded money, with a strong crease. But the point is that I completely and totally forgot it was there — for all intents and purposes, it was NOT there, because I did not know it was.
I’m utterly convinced God is demonstrating His supernatural power on earth today, and will even do so even in seemingly minor ways. By doing that, He shows us that even in the smallest detail, He is concerned for our welfare.
Have you ever witnessed to someone and the power of the Spirit took a hold of your thoughts and even the words that came out of your mouth? I was sure that God took a hold of me and I felt (yes, I felt something) moved to speak with amazing confidence and sense. It was so amazing and I wonder if it would be like that with God in the Kingdom forever. It felt like power that enhanced my own spirit. It had to be the Holy Spirit.
Yes, Robert, I know what you mean. At such times, one can only “let go and let God” —
I’m discovering Paul Wilbur, from a recommendation Dr. Brown made of him as an “anointed” worshiper in an earlier show. I can sense in Paul’s delivery, the power of the Holy Spirit there, also. I think that when people speak in the manner you described, the words have a power which can penetrate to the listener — more than just the right words, they are imbued by the Spirit with power.
Ruth-Robert-God is good to us!Robert,Ive had similar experiences.I wish more people would write in and tell of their experiences with God.
I realize that I have shared a particular vision I had with only very few people because I was afraid I would be thought insane. But here it is:
I was in the Spirit one evening, all alone in my house, and I heard a voice (whether inside me or outside, I can’t remember now) to “Take your jacket and go outside.” I remember it was Winter and it was around 2 a.m. I took my jacket and went outside. The air was very cold. I got outside, and then I said, “Okay, I’m outside. What now?” The voice said, “Look up.” I looked up. What I saw absolutely astounded me. It was a sword, curved, like a medieval scimitar, and it was PERFECTLY DRAWN. Now, I am an artist, a realist painter, and I have never seen a perfect drawing before. I have seen exceptionally realistic portrayals, but I have never seen perfection in drawing. It appeared to be made entirely out of starlight. The light that it seemed to be composed of was bright white, just like starlight. My first feeling was that of grimness — it was an ominous portent. It was also huge. I tried to estimate its height — maybe thirty feet in length? I kept thinking, if only I had a camera right now — because no one will EVER believe me that I’m seeing this. I got a message: “There will be a war: (this was before 9/11 by about one year). “Warn your son. He is thinking of joining the Army. Tell him there will be a war.” I kept staring at this sword, taking in every detail of it. The area surrounding my house was foggy — I doubt anyone was out and about at that hour — but where the sword was hanging, point down, the sky was a deep dark blue and very clear. I remember hearing, “Go Inside now.” Even though I wanted to stay and stare at it until it disappeared, I simply obeyed. I was overwhelmed by the power of this vision. I simply fell on my face and worshipped God.
I kept this to myself for quite some time because it was just so amazing and I thought ‘no one will believe me.’ In fact, some few I have told it to have shaken their heads — one man hinted that I could be in need of psychiatry. One person I’ve told it to believed me because she has had unusual experiences herself. Anyway, in turned out that my son WAS thinking of joining the Army because he was discouraged about finding a job, but I did not know that from him. He surprised me one night by coming over to my house to tell me he had already spoken to a recruiter and the next day he would be signing the papers, so he wanted to tell me good-bye personally. When he said that, I begged him not to. I could not seem to persuade him. Finally, I actually got down on my knees and tears were streaming down my face when I said, Please, please don’t do this. There will be war. He said, I don’t think so — and mentioned other indications that he thought he would be safe. I told him I have a very bad feeling about this, please, I’m begging you, don’t do it. He said, I’ve already set it up. Finally, because I would not be consoled, he said, “Okay, Mom, if you feel that strongly about it, I won’t do it.” He didn’t join the infantry but he wanted to serve his country, so he did join the Coast Guard. He got married right after boot camp, was in for eight years, and is now out. He’s glad he made that decision. He has two wonderful children, and his firstborn, a son, Noah, whom I really feel the Lord is pulling towards him. In fact, when I suggested to Noah’s mom that we all go to a church which I felt the Spirit directing me to take them, and Noah came out of the children’s section afterward, he said to his mother, “Mom, I like this church. I want to go here.” In the car, he said, “Mom, I really need a Bible.” His mother doesn’t quite know, as a nonbeliever, what to make of her son’s HUNGER for God. It’s so obvious this boy is just starving for the Lord. I believe God knew all along all the reasons for why He spared my son — I don’t know them all, but I am grateful, deeply grateful for that vision. And I don’t mean to imply that anyone who has lost a child (is there a greater pain than this?) to war is somehow less thought of by God in some way. No, NO! Only God knows all the reasons for everything. He works in so many ways, through so many circumstances! He just had a purpose in showing me this — He had a reason and we’re still figuring that out…Thanks for ‘listening.’ I feel better sharing this, I’ve always wanted to share it, but was holding it back for fear of being laughed at or being thought insane. It really happened just that way…God is truly amazing…
I wonder if the disciples laughed at the women that shared the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the women that saw the empty tomb and were told by the angel that Jesus has risen. John 20:11-17 “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
Ben, Michael Brown’s question to you is important, and too tracing out your own personal history of knowing another intimately as a friend, or not. Emerson stated that a friend was someone before whom I can think aloud. This would mean affirmation, along with confirmation and authentic challenge, when needed.
Years ago, in the early 1970’s I received faith and experienced the finger of God, like J.Wesley recorded, as a “warm heart experience.” But some patterns of emotional isolation were well entrenched in the way my home isolated individuals growning up, in the critical values statements of parents, and in existential questions about life itself.
The Spirit was with me, however, I too was with me. What instilled was a long journey for identity, positive self regard, trust when signals of distrust over what really builds community were what I was raised on, and letting go of entrenched fears leading to acceptance of God’s election, my and my family’s history, etc. It may be helpful to consider meditation, through Centering Prayer. Look up Fa. Keating of SnowMass, CO. and read some of his material. Centering prayer involves employing methods to make the Word very near you, not simply another academic read. Cetnering prayer involves memorizing positive passages and slowly repeating these within during periods of silent devoltion.
It can actually awaken the heart, combat the spriit of heaviness with its own inner praise and cultivation of the Word, and help aid creative thinking stimulus as a wonderous side effect. Also Inter Varsity spiritual guidance material is very useful in awakening guarded souls, and helping their own passage away from dark interior castle rooms to the heavenlies Paul wrote about, and, from which Jesus currently resides in light and placement.
It may be too simplistic to request a report on whether or not you have been born from above, as many professing Christians have stated as their own normative beginning experience of relationship with the Father, and the sent Holy Spirit, as to dwelling in one. A read too of what John, Paul, and James wrote of the wisdom and way of the Holy Spirit can have you on your knees–inquiring and requesting that the experience of Him be so personally.
We have Romans 6-8, Paul’s love chapter of Corinthians, and statements about the “only thing that counts is fatih expressing itself in love,” Johh 13:36 through the early 16 as carrots for what should become our own internal experience, over time, when spending time with the Father in contemplative devotion. James too contrasted the Wisdom that comes from above, with carnal wisdom and its fruit of strife.
The Word can be Very Near You, when we spend time cultivating a realtionship with it as a living reality, changing our soul’s state of understanding and being, as well as bearing testimony of Jesus/Yeshua, and His ongoing interaction with us. To go on a journey with Him is offered to all believers, as to God having a Plan for each and every one who takes the time to become what one can behold (with time spent, including time listening without speaking). I wish you the best, I wish you Jesus.
Jabez, I love the way that you explained it when you said “The Spirit was with me, however, I too was with me.” I’m guessing that this is why it is so important to deny the pleasures and lusts of the flesh, so that God can work effectively in us.
Oh and thanks Jabez for the encouragement to center our lives in Prayer, memorizing scriptures, and spending time cultivating a realtionship with the Word as a living reality.
Ruth,I don’nt think you’re insane and I do believe you had a vision from God.I’m glad you shared it.It shows one of the ways God works.
Ben,
You are foolishly treading on the ground of disrespect. I can see how you and billions like you are frustrated with your lack of Divine enlightenment, nevertheless, I can discern, from your very sarcastic comment, how God is presently communicating with you for He would not have placed a desire within your heart which you were not meant to have.
Can a marriage with Christ truly be meaningful if it only contained the intellect without the heart or directives without meaningful dialogue?
As you are a member of God’s remnant church, please allow me to enlighten you of what is rightfully your to utilizes.
First of all, you are in possession of the Spirit of Prophecy.
What is the Spirit of Prophecy?
It is the testimony of Jesus Christ as laid out in the New Covenant.(Revelation 19:10)
What gives you the right to know for yourself the mind of Jesus Christ as directed in the New Covenant? (Hebrew 12:24)
Because the nation of Israel still exist!(Jeremiah 31:31-36)
Now, please allow me to delve into the nitty-gritty of exactly how to access and utilize this awesome real-time two-way communication with God Almighty.
This is what was prophesied about us long ago.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
And this prophecy reached its fulfillment in the ascension of Christ.(John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7)
The New Covenant ~ Embedded in our heart and mind along with God’s laws is an ancient method used by the High Priest of Israel to obtain direct answers from God Himself called the Urim and the Thummim.(Do Bible word search)
This ancient form of Divine dialogue involved submitting to the High Priest, who bear the Breastplate of Judgment, a question to the Lord that required a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ response.(Exodus 28:30)
That prayerful system of Divine dialogue, my dear Ben, has been implanted within your mind and heart. Your question is the intellect of your mind, and the feelings of your heart is God’s Divine answer to your question.
All of us have had the experience of ~ “I had a feeling about _____, and I regret not following that feeling!” at one time or another.
Remember these 3 things…
1. Before you ask your question, it is necessary for you to address respectfully and properly who God is.
2. These questions are asked in the name of Jesus.
3. There are actually 3 responses that you may receive back: a ‘yes’or a ‘no’ or a non-response. Don’t be dismayed about non-responses for you can still gleam information from them.
In times past, you were unknowingly goaded and mocked by Satan in order to divert you from this powerful Divine communication before you were even made aware of it by those who divorced feelings of the heart from religion, and by those who committed atrocities then claimed that God told them to do it.
As you discover the mind or the testimony of Jesus Christ through you questioning of Him, you will be thrust into the arena of exercising Faith, Belief and Obedience…
…because, believe me, the things that you will find out will Amaze You!
Pamela, now that’s prophecy! Praise God!
I understand this verse a lot better now. Thank you Pamela. “Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” We were made priests? but Jesus is the high priest?
Dr. Brown;
Nice show. I would like to have gotton your take on the dangers of the subjective experience as well as the rewards. I have seen people do some crazy things believing that it was the Lord directing them. It seems very easy to confuse the voice that stems from our own egos with the voice of the Lord. This is such a potential danger, I know of one pastor that has slammed the door shut on the subjective altogether.
I would also have liked to hear a definitive answer to the Mormon claim that Doctrinal revelation is over. One of my Morman friends makes the case that individual books were not to be added to, but not the Bible as a whole. The book of Revelations was not made the book end of the Bible until much later. Therefore, the argument goes that the warning about adding or subtracting applies only to that work and not the Bible as a whole.
S. Johnson, I know that Dr. Michael Brown will try to answer you, but I just want to add that the bible is the inspired words of God, and I think that we shouldn’t add any doctrines or tradiditions that go against its teachings.
2 Corinthians 11:14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
S. Johnson, I am a quadriplegic because of my sinsn or maybe it’s God’s will, and my brother was a Christian who converted to be a Mormon. We need to remember that God is jealous for His people and is calling us to return to His loving arms.
2 Corinthians 11:3 “…the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
Robert,
My comments were about seeking and finding God as a friend, as we would any close friend, while cultivating the living word to mark the difference between a relationship with Him and another.
I am uncertain that Ben was sarcastic, as someone wrote. Without more communication and feedback, on both Dr. Brown’s questions, and my own probing by examples made, we are essentially uninformed about Ben. I trust we can all pray for him, since we have little information at this point to form dialogue, relationship, or communion. I read his remarks as sincerely his experience, and offered possible avenues of change and transformation from a purely academic reading of scripture.
All of us are challenged to do the will of God, and to confess our sins, and our ongoing thoughts to Jesus’ and our Father to be known by Him and by ourselves. Art Katz has an interview in the Kingdom of God section of the online magazine posted on another portal of this site. It is but one possibility of unauthentic religion and resulting poor experience in Christ for those of “full gospel” persuasion. Yet what they call their gospel is not what Paul and others called their own (of Jesus’life, death, and Resurrection as a beginning assumption for transformational faith).
Promises for this and that experience can be traced back to what Isaiah records prophetically as possible as a result of accepting the One sent. More vitally, are the relational aspects of repentance leading to faith, foundations, and fulfillment. Since Ben has not followed up here, can we not pray for him, as well as for our ignorance of how to minister to those whose confession may resemble his?
I’ll say Amen to that Jabez!
God speaking today, or in personal experience is normative for many of faith in Jesus. I have certain expectation in a childlike way of this as an ongoing reality.
This is what is promised in the section on the Holy Spirit, and abiding in Him in John.
What comes up short are the Bible thumping messengers who talk a lot about power, getting from God in the arena of prosperity, and trading this potential by their equations advocated with God (give to this minister and get back big is the promise of those fleecing the crowding masses in some big meeting environments. It becomes a formula given in certain so-called media ministries). It does not mean what is implied or stated, for such messages are really out to capture human hearts in need with magic formulas for getting.
Romans 12 tells us to offer ourselves in sacrifice to God’s business, and up through chapter 15 we find out how to do so. It is a further explanation of the Sermon on the Mount’s principles, as related by Paul there. This section of scripture aligns more with “The Purpose Filled Life” outlook, than a “Prosperity Gospel” formula, either being presented as ways within Church gatherings to be walking in Christ–but only one appealing to the flesh, as well as some notions of personal non-repentant power usage to get rather than give, in motivation.
My point? Where we are easily manipulated by our own desires, as James wrote, we are easily led to strife, division, and self centered religion, instead of the practices of a heart’s order for faith which comes from above. I do not find in James, John, or Peter any inkling of the kind of big meeting manipulation as to such performance hoops as giving to a particular so-called ministry to get right with God. Power vs. Service seems to be in contrast in scripture to actually hear from God, not some misrepresentation of His Way and nature.
Psalms 8
“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
Thanks, Bob T. I do appreciate your comment.
I accidentally left out one important part though, in my telling of this. I was also specifically told, “He will be killed if he goes into battle.”
Ruth, Thanks for completing your special revelation given in warning to a Mother of a grown son about to go into the US Army at a certain juncture in US and Middle Eastern history. This would also associate with a guardian angel outlook. It is fairly certain that Christ appears as an Angel at given points and times in various prophetic scriptures. Now, this one was a special reveleation given to you personally, in honor of your connection to the Head of our confession.
After a great loss many years ago, I stayed awake praying every night for six months (yes, still going about my daily business). I was diswrought in my soul, and was crying out to God for resolution of this loss. God spoke, and I heard him in my body from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes, resounding: “No one has taken away your freedom to love.” His voice, vision, or variety for connection seems always on time for the season and moment of need, whether directly solicited or not. He met us both in His unique ways of getting through.
Jabez-Amen-What we need when we need it.
Thank you, Jabez for sharing your intense experience…He knows just how to be there for each one of us uniquely, in his own inimitable way.
I do think that the vision that I had is meant for me than me, personally, though. In the days following this vision, I tried (without the internet) to find a picture in history of that very sword. The only sword which matches it in basic style is the medieval scimitar.
I believe this sword is also a symbol for who we are at war with. This type of sword originated in the Middle East by Muslims in the 8th century.
As I become more aware of the history of this region, I see it as being clarifying that the present threat needs to be taken very seriously by all.
I just wrote:
“I do think that the vision that I had is meant for me than me, personally, though.”
Whoops, typosity — I meant to write,
“I do think that the vision that I had is meant for MORE than me personally, though.”
Thanks…
Ruth, Thanks again for sharing your always insightful and awe inspiring expressions of faith. Islam is best known by the symbol you describe, as arising past its 7th Century local Arab clan and Jewish community conquests into the 8th Centruy ever increasing international conquests–especailly of areas of past nonArab empires–through that literal terror symbol appearing to you, as was imposed on others from rallied Arabs as their legacy for the name of Allah.
Outside of Arab lands it became more symbolic of the area where your son would indeed have gone: Shia and Sunni nonArab lands. Such means of a forceful insistance coming into the arena of Iraq and Iran–as to forming this area’s own difficult political/spiritual and strife ridden history–was so even up to and including the point of being under Great Britain after WW1 (as was also Palesine after WW1).
Islam is primarily founded as a religion of the sword in its bloodletting context of establishment, force, political succession intrigue, and insistence on mass adherence.
Contrasted with Christianity in general, it was by battles and infiltrating once great nation power vacuums that came to be so by thses exhausting their resources and peoples over centuries of power handling. So, then and now, by such means this symbol ruled lands, hearts, and minds as a symbol of oppression.
The supposed angel from God appeared to Muhammed (listed as Gabriel, who by established protocols appeared to Mary and some Biblical Prophets and actually revealed Gabreil’s true nature as radically different in approach to these characters than is reported so to Muhammed); he did so by confrontation alone while reportedly shoving him into a cave wall while stating “RECITE” what the supposed godly messenger held in his hands.
So confronted with reading material he could not read, this experience led Muhammed to later require the phrase of primary Islamic confession insistantly over and over of others, stemming from the method of this encounter, while that spirit pushed all the wind out of him; it continues as so establishing an alike conformity to submission in this spirit as representing a notion of God, or the absolute, today.
The Sword vs. the Healing Intimacy and Guidance of our Father by the Holy Spirit given internally to all who call upon Jesus Name represents a great contrast in understanding how God rules includes a reciprocity of Lord of Love heart care. What were the Byzantine and Persian Empires were easily subdued by carefully chosen battles addressing the lands where your son would have died. And, for what would he have died?
We all know that the intelligence reports of justification for the Iraq war were actually unestablished, yet too that Sadaam was evil. We have to trust that the same God who warned your son through you also knows the ultimate outcome of conflicts going on in the region he would be sent to. Set up by Muhammed’s own religion continuum vision,the ongoing question of who will be his generational successor-deputy was carried even in the self view world vision of Sadaam, as it is with many current other dictators in the region. It is the heart of the way of insistence that occupies and contends by force descriptively among Muhammed’s followers which the “Recite” message was initiated of and by Muhammed.
Desert lands, oppressing questions and assumptions, and the restlessness of conquest and empire became the stuff of “Allah’s Messenger.” Your son would have been offered before the resulting way of the message in one desert location. Contrast this with what you shared of his family and career won staying under the reach of your prayers. Every one of Muhammed’s supposed successors has danced the sword dance with visions of self absorbed dynasty. Usually in the areas of Asia or the Near East where we once read of conversions in the mission journies of Acts. How prevailing are the winds of insistence and dominance in such lands.
The fear of force, beginning in Arab areas as the fear of the sword for uniting clans, taken up and lived and died by, became the vital enforcement of the area’s ongoing model of feudal governments, over time, and enticements of their kind of power which would have taken your son. The core of the Islamic mind stems and continues from the early to middle 7th century Arab clan conquests, and its written commandments and traditions blueprints for continued contention and strife being the way of religious establishment(as is bound in the Hadith and the Qur’an).
Notice how many religious sites have been bombed back and forth in the area since the US invasion, and how a forceful violence grasps the culture of death by insistence. A governor with a powerful army is the only understanding of leadership passed on through Muhammed, which sets up area bullies as those who would occupy his succession in the name of Allah.
After 750 CE military conquest slowed, and those entrenched with power determined to solidify its claims, and their understanding of themselves as its claimants. Power for submission and Terror for a forceful dis/array through a forceful dynamic for obedience are the stuff of the summon to submission. Whatever happens then can be the “will of Allah,” including a love son’s death–as an inconseqnetial infidel in a foreign land. In later Zechariah finally the armies so related are confronted by overwhelming force–of Jesus in the Sky, after landing on the Mt. of Olvies and after establishing his reconnection there–and must yield to truth. Only then in the absolute sense of undoing what Muhammed birthed.
Behind all of this power mongering submission are found the Festivals of Islam, some of the devotions of noble intention, etc. But the heart of the devotion involved waxes so readily to resentment, brutality, and unrelenting hatred of nonMuslems. Contrast this with an innocent God of love shedding his own blood on a Roman cross with a handful of followers who rocked the order of the once ancient World.
That God warned Ruth out of concern for her son and her own devotion to His New and Living Way.
WOW, what an amazing testimony!!! Praise the living God!
Awesome!
The program was a real blessing today.I never grow tired of hearing about someones personal experience with God.
I have felt Gods presence many times.The overwhelming since of love,joy,peace etc..When that happens there is no mistaking of where it’s coming from.
I have a friend that was driving to work one morning.The night before he had gotten saved at a revival.On his way to work the spirit of the Lord came upon him, so overwhelming that he had to pull over.When he did make it to work he was overtaken with the spirit again and could’nt walk in.
I’m sure all christians have had simular experiences.God speaks to us in a lot of different ways.
I hope and pray that God can give me a deeper desire to love what He loves and to hate what He hates as we learn to obey Him. I think that we need to seek to know His love for us and that we love others with that same kind of love. It seems to me that it is by abiding in God’s love and through God giving us an understanding through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s like a self-testimony of God in our hearts and moving us to love others and to love Him which should come first. Although God loved us first and it’s our move now. We have to take the next step, and it’s good to know that He will be with us on the path to eternal life. God is good.
Jhn 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen./ I thank God He is big enough for the job discription! great program brother your {SPIRIT} balanced approach communicates the Lord’s complexities in a way that allows so many to see Him more clearly ~ love
I have a greater relationship with the brick wall outside my house. Even when I talk to the brick wall, it echoes back, and i can hear something. But only the living God prefers to speak via 3000 year old scriptures and Jewish prophets and dead man walking and it means absolutely nothing to me and billions of others. absolutely nothing.
Or God is like the wind? Sometimes I hear something in the wind and I wonder whether i heard something? Or was that just me?
Either way, the brick wall wins. no wonder the atheists insult us.
Umm what???
Ben,
It appears you know about the God of the Scriptures from a distance, but you don’t know the God of the Scriptures personally — in a living, intimate, real way. Have you surrendered your life to Him? Have you truly been born from above? If so, you will enjoy the communion of the Spirit; if not, you’ll be talking to a brick wall.
Hi Dr. Brown I really enjoy the site and show. I really believe the power/glory of the holy spirit. I have a little testimony of my own, I’m also a jewish believer i go to a messianic synagogue on saturdays and church on sundays (can’t get enough of Jesus/Yeshua)any how I’ve always thought of the Holy Spirit as a force as opposed to a personification of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. Well I praised/worshiped for 2 wks and watched the Sid Roth show and he interviewed a man of God. He prophesied and prayed for the viewers, and took his prayer to mean for me. Well I felt the Holy Spirit and burning in my mouth I got up to go to the restroom something told me to look in the mirror and behold my fillings were gold….thats right gold. I’m in the military have been for 12yrs and in the medical field (respiratory therapist by trade); I went to the dental clinic to check out my record and could not find anything in regards to my fillings being of gold or silver for that matter. I spoke with the dental technicians there and they said, ” we don’t put in gold or silver fillings for service members. It is not cost effective. What was used on my teeth were composite and black amalgam. I remember when these fillings were placed back in Jan 2010 ( i had to go to the dental clinic for a check up due to myself getting ready to deploy to the hospital in Khandahar) after the procedure I remember spitting out a black like substance like charcoal–the amalgam. I’ve been feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit much more now. I’ve had patients in the clinic who have said that they see a glow on me and I tell them read Acts and praise worship God and tell Jesus to show himself to you and the spirit of the Lord will move.
Ben, [ Either way, the brick wall wins. no wonder the atheists insult us.]// Ben , Brother God is speaking to you .. you identified yoursef as a us . ( that’s His speaking) I am asking God to help you recognize who else or what else is speaking into your life , thank you for your honesty…
I like what the comedienne Lily Tomlin once said in one of her routines: “When you talk to God, that’s called praying. When God talks to you, that’s called “schizophrenia.”” — of course, she’s referring to the idea that we can talk to God, but in secular society (and not just, the general belief is that God doesn’t talk to us. It’s sad when people who believe the Bible still don’t think God speaks.
Jehovah’s Witness believe that God no longer speaks to us. This is a quote from an article printed in a March 2000 Watchtower magazine: “Some religions encourage the sick to pray to be healed now, pointing to the miraculous cures that Jesus and his apostles performed. But such miracles were done for a special purpose. They served to prove that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah…. Back then, miraculous gifts were needed to strengthen the faith of the newly established Christian congregation. When the infant congregation got on its feet, as it were, and became mature, the miraculous gifts were ‘done away with.’ —1 Corinthians 13:8,11.”
Not only is that scripture cited taken out of context and misrepresented, they ignores these verses regarding the end-times:
Joel 2:28
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Acts 2:17
“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
One would also have to ignore Jesus and Paul on God speaking:
Hebrews 12:25 (New King James Version)
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven…
Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
I have had supernatural confirmation of God’s presence in various ways for many years. Some of them are frankly of such a nature that I’ve only been able to share them with very few people. But here is one which demonstrates God’s concrete concern for us.
During my University days, I remember being broke (had less than a dollar) and I was facing some time before I’d have more income. I was just hungry and I remembered Jesus words, “Ask and you shall receive.” And also when He asked which of us, if our son asked for bread, would we give him a serpent? And if we, being evil, knew how to give good gifts to our children, how much more would our Father in Heaven give to us…I was thinking of these verses. I had never asked for money before, having been taught that that was somehow crass. But I WAS hungry and I had already figured that $50.00 would be just enough to tide me over. So, bearing those verses in mind, I asked the Lord, in faith, for fifty bucks, in sincere prayer, and I believe I also apologized at that time for asking for that, but reminded Him of what He had said. The answer came to my mind, not in an external voice, but clearly in my mind, not from me: “Look deep inside your back pack.” Well, I got my backpack at once, and began emptying all the books and papers, looking where I was directed. I went through every hidden compartment, taking everything out, until at last I reached a zippered pouch deep within another. What I found: a fifty-dollar bill. I was grateful, thankful, and overjoyed.
I do think that the fifty had been there from the last time I had some money and I’d put it there. It was folded in a manner that was typical of how I folded money, with a strong crease. But the point is that I completely and totally forgot it was there — for all intents and purposes, it was NOT there, because I did not know it was.
I’m utterly convinced God is demonstrating His supernatural power on earth today, and will even do so even in seemingly minor ways. By doing that, He shows us that even in the smallest detail, He is concerned for our welfare.
Have you ever witnessed to someone and the power of the Spirit took a hold of your thoughts and even the words that came out of your mouth? I was sure that God took a hold of me and I felt (yes, I felt something) moved to speak with amazing confidence and sense. It was so amazing and I wonder if it would be like that with God in the Kingdom forever. It felt like power that enhanced my own spirit. It had to be the Holy Spirit.
Yes, Robert, I know what you mean. At such times, one can only “let go and let God” —
I’m discovering Paul Wilbur, from a recommendation Dr. Brown made of him as an “anointed” worshiper in an earlier show. I can sense in Paul’s delivery, the power of the Holy Spirit there, also. I think that when people speak in the manner you described, the words have a power which can penetrate to the listener — more than just the right words, they are imbued by the Spirit with power.
Ruth-Robert-God is good to us!Robert,Ive had similar experiences.I wish more people would write in and tell of their experiences with God.
I realize that I have shared a particular vision I had with only very few people because I was afraid I would be thought insane. But here it is:
I was in the Spirit one evening, all alone in my house, and I heard a voice (whether inside me or outside, I can’t remember now) to “Take your jacket and go outside.” I remember it was Winter and it was around 2 a.m. I took my jacket and went outside. The air was very cold. I got outside, and then I said, “Okay, I’m outside. What now?” The voice said, “Look up.” I looked up. What I saw absolutely astounded me. It was a sword, curved, like a medieval scimitar, and it was PERFECTLY DRAWN. Now, I am an artist, a realist painter, and I have never seen a perfect drawing before. I have seen exceptionally realistic portrayals, but I have never seen perfection in drawing. It appeared to be made entirely out of starlight. The light that it seemed to be composed of was bright white, just like starlight. My first feeling was that of grimness — it was an ominous portent. It was also huge. I tried to estimate its height — maybe thirty feet in length? I kept thinking, if only I had a camera right now — because no one will EVER believe me that I’m seeing this. I got a message: “There will be a war: (this was before 9/11 by about one year). “Warn your son. He is thinking of joining the Army. Tell him there will be a war.” I kept staring at this sword, taking in every detail of it. The area surrounding my house was foggy — I doubt anyone was out and about at that hour — but where the sword was hanging, point down, the sky was a deep dark blue and very clear. I remember hearing, “Go Inside now.” Even though I wanted to stay and stare at it until it disappeared, I simply obeyed. I was overwhelmed by the power of this vision. I simply fell on my face and worshipped God.
I kept this to myself for quite some time because it was just so amazing and I thought ‘no one will believe me.’ In fact, some few I have told it to have shaken their heads — one man hinted that I could be in need of psychiatry. One person I’ve told it to believed me because she has had unusual experiences herself. Anyway, in turned out that my son WAS thinking of joining the Army because he was discouraged about finding a job, but I did not know that from him. He surprised me one night by coming over to my house to tell me he had already spoken to a recruiter and the next day he would be signing the papers, so he wanted to tell me good-bye personally. When he said that, I begged him not to. I could not seem to persuade him. Finally, I actually got down on my knees and tears were streaming down my face when I said, Please, please don’t do this. There will be war. He said, I don’t think so — and mentioned other indications that he thought he would be safe. I told him I have a very bad feeling about this, please, I’m begging you, don’t do it. He said, I’ve already set it up. Finally, because I would not be consoled, he said, “Okay, Mom, if you feel that strongly about it, I won’t do it.” He didn’t join the infantry but he wanted to serve his country, so he did join the Coast Guard. He got married right after boot camp, was in for eight years, and is now out. He’s glad he made that decision. He has two wonderful children, and his firstborn, a son, Noah, whom I really feel the Lord is pulling towards him. In fact, when I suggested to Noah’s mom that we all go to a church which I felt the Spirit directing me to take them, and Noah came out of the children’s section afterward, he said to his mother, “Mom, I like this church. I want to go here.” In the car, he said, “Mom, I really need a Bible.” His mother doesn’t quite know, as a nonbeliever, what to make of her son’s HUNGER for God. It’s so obvious this boy is just starving for the Lord. I believe God knew all along all the reasons for why He spared my son — I don’t know them all, but I am grateful, deeply grateful for that vision. And I don’t mean to imply that anyone who has lost a child (is there a greater pain than this?) to war is somehow less thought of by God in some way. No, NO! Only God knows all the reasons for everything. He works in so many ways, through so many circumstances! He just had a purpose in showing me this — He had a reason and we’re still figuring that out…Thanks for ‘listening.’ I feel better sharing this, I’ve always wanted to share it, but was holding it back for fear of being laughed at or being thought insane. It really happened just that way…God is truly amazing…
I wonder if the disciples laughed at the women that shared the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the women that saw the empty tomb and were told by the angel that Jesus has risen. John 20:11-17 “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
Ben, Michael Brown’s question to you is important, and too tracing out your own personal history of knowing another intimately as a friend, or not. Emerson stated that a friend was someone before whom I can think aloud. This would mean affirmation, along with confirmation and authentic challenge, when needed.
Years ago, in the early 1970’s I received faith and experienced the finger of God, like J.Wesley recorded, as a “warm heart experience.” But some patterns of emotional isolation were well entrenched in the way my home isolated individuals growning up, in the critical values statements of parents, and in existential questions about life itself.
The Spirit was with me, however, I too was with me. What instilled was a long journey for identity, positive self regard, trust when signals of distrust over what really builds community were what I was raised on, and letting go of entrenched fears leading to acceptance of God’s election, my and my family’s history, etc. It may be helpful to consider meditation, through Centering Prayer. Look up Fa. Keating of SnowMass, CO. and read some of his material. Centering prayer involves employing methods to make the Word very near you, not simply another academic read. Cetnering prayer involves memorizing positive passages and slowly repeating these within during periods of silent devoltion.
It can actually awaken the heart, combat the spriit of heaviness with its own inner praise and cultivation of the Word, and help aid creative thinking stimulus as a wonderous side effect. Also Inter Varsity spiritual guidance material is very useful in awakening guarded souls, and helping their own passage away from dark interior castle rooms to the heavenlies Paul wrote about, and, from which Jesus currently resides in light and placement.
It may be too simplistic to request a report on whether or not you have been born from above, as many professing Christians have stated as their own normative beginning experience of relationship with the Father, and the sent Holy Spirit, as to dwelling in one. A read too of what John, Paul, and James wrote of the wisdom and way of the Holy Spirit can have you on your knees–inquiring and requesting that the experience of Him be so personally.
We have Romans 6-8, Paul’s love chapter of Corinthians, and statements about the “only thing that counts is fatih expressing itself in love,” Johh 13:36 through the early 16 as carrots for what should become our own internal experience, over time, when spending time with the Father in contemplative devotion. James too contrasted the Wisdom that comes from above, with carnal wisdom and its fruit of strife.
The Word can be Very Near You, when we spend time cultivating a realtionship with it as a living reality, changing our soul’s state of understanding and being, as well as bearing testimony of Jesus/Yeshua, and His ongoing interaction with us. To go on a journey with Him is offered to all believers, as to God having a Plan for each and every one who takes the time to become what one can behold (with time spent, including time listening without speaking). I wish you the best, I wish you Jesus.
Jabez, I love the way that you explained it when you said “The Spirit was with me, however, I too was with me.” I’m guessing that this is why it is so important to deny the pleasures and lusts of the flesh, so that God can work effectively in us.
Oh and thanks Jabez for the encouragement to center our lives in Prayer, memorizing scriptures, and spending time cultivating a realtionship with the Word as a living reality.
Ruth,I don’nt think you’re insane and I do believe you had a vision from God.I’m glad you shared it.It shows one of the ways God works.
Ben,
You are foolishly treading on the ground of disrespect. I can see how you and billions like you are frustrated with your lack of Divine enlightenment, nevertheless, I can discern, from your very sarcastic comment, how God is presently communicating with you for He would not have placed a desire within your heart which you were not meant to have.
Can a marriage with Christ truly be meaningful if it only contained the intellect without the heart or directives without meaningful dialogue?
As you are a member of God’s remnant church, please allow me to enlighten you of what is rightfully your to utilizes.
First of all, you are in possession of the Spirit of Prophecy.
What is the Spirit of Prophecy?
It is the testimony of Jesus Christ as laid out in the New Covenant.(Revelation 19:10)
What gives you the right to know for yourself the mind of Jesus Christ as directed in the New Covenant? (Hebrew 12:24)
Because the nation of Israel still exist!(Jeremiah 31:31-36)
Now, please allow me to delve into the nitty-gritty of exactly how to access and utilize this awesome real-time two-way communication with God Almighty.
This is what was prophesied about us long ago.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
And this prophecy reached its fulfillment in the ascension of Christ.(John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7)
The New Covenant ~ Embedded in our heart and mind along with God’s laws is an ancient method used by the High Priest of Israel to obtain direct answers from God Himself called the Urim and the Thummim.(Do Bible word search)
This ancient form of Divine dialogue involved submitting to the High Priest, who bear the Breastplate of Judgment, a question to the Lord that required a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ response.(Exodus 28:30)
That prayerful system of Divine dialogue, my dear Ben, has been implanted within your mind and heart. Your question is the intellect of your mind, and the feelings of your heart is God’s Divine answer to your question.
All of us have had the experience of ~ “I had a feeling about _____, and I regret not following that feeling!” at one time or another.
Remember these 3 things…
1. Before you ask your question, it is necessary for you to address respectfully and properly who God is.
2. These questions are asked in the name of Jesus.
3. There are actually 3 responses that you may receive back: a ‘yes’or a ‘no’ or a non-response. Don’t be dismayed about non-responses for you can still gleam information from them.
In times past, you were unknowingly goaded and mocked by Satan in order to divert you from this powerful Divine communication before you were even made aware of it by those who divorced feelings of the heart from religion, and by those who committed atrocities then claimed that God told them to do it.
As you discover the mind or the testimony of Jesus Christ through you questioning of Him, you will be thrust into the arena of exercising Faith, Belief and Obedience…
…because, believe me, the things that you will find out will Amaze You!
Pamela, now that’s prophecy! Praise God!
I understand this verse a lot better now. Thank you Pamela.
“Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:”
We were made priests? but Jesus is the high priest?
Dr. Brown;
Nice show. I would like to have gotton your take on the dangers of the subjective experience as well as the rewards. I have seen people do some crazy things believing that it was the Lord directing them. It seems very easy to confuse the voice that stems from our own egos with the voice of the Lord. This is such a potential danger, I know of one pastor that has slammed the door shut on the subjective altogether.
I would also have liked to hear a definitive answer to the Mormon claim that Doctrinal revelation is over. One of my Morman friends makes the case that individual books were not to be added to, but not the Bible as a whole. The book of Revelations was not made the book end of the Bible until much later. Therefore, the argument goes that the warning about adding or subtracting applies only to that work and not the Bible as a whole.
S. Johnson, I know that Dr. Michael Brown will try to answer you, but I just want to add that the bible is the inspired words of God, and I think that we shouldn’t add any doctrines or tradiditions that go against its teachings.
2 Corinthians 11:14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
S. Johnson, I am a quadriplegic because of my sinsn or maybe it’s God’s will, and my brother was a Christian who converted to be a Mormon. We need to remember that God is jealous for His people and is calling us to return to His loving arms.
2 Corinthians 11:3 “…the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
Robert,
My comments were about seeking and finding God as a friend, as we would any close friend, while cultivating the living word to mark the difference between a relationship with Him and another.
I am uncertain that Ben was sarcastic, as someone wrote. Without more communication and feedback, on both Dr. Brown’s questions, and my own probing by examples made, we are essentially uninformed about Ben. I trust we can all pray for him, since we have little information at this point to form dialogue, relationship, or communion. I read his remarks as sincerely his experience, and offered possible avenues of change and transformation from a purely academic reading of scripture.
All of us are challenged to do the will of God, and to confess our sins, and our ongoing thoughts to Jesus’ and our Father to be known by Him and by ourselves. Art Katz has an interview in the Kingdom of God section of the online magazine posted on another portal of this site. It is but one possibility of unauthentic religion and resulting poor experience in Christ for those of “full gospel” persuasion. Yet what they call their gospel is not what Paul and others called their own (of Jesus’life, death, and Resurrection as a beginning assumption for transformational faith).
Promises for this and that experience can be traced back to what Isaiah records prophetically as possible as a result of accepting the One sent. More vitally, are the relational aspects of repentance leading to faith, foundations, and fulfillment. Since Ben has not followed up here, can we not pray for him, as well as for our ignorance of how to minister to those whose confession may resemble his?
I’ll say Amen to that Jabez!
God speaking today, or in personal experience is normative for many of faith in Jesus. I have certain expectation in a childlike way of this as an ongoing reality.
This is what is promised in the section on the Holy Spirit, and abiding in Him in John.
What comes up short are the Bible thumping messengers who talk a lot about power, getting from God in the arena of prosperity, and trading this potential by their equations advocated with God (give to this minister and get back big is the promise of those fleecing the crowding masses in some big meeting environments. It becomes a formula given in certain so-called media ministries). It does not mean what is implied or stated, for such messages are really out to capture human hearts in need with magic formulas for getting.
Romans 12 tells us to offer ourselves in sacrifice to God’s business, and up through chapter 15 we find out how to do so. It is a further explanation of the Sermon on the Mount’s principles, as related by Paul there. This section of scripture aligns more with “The Purpose Filled Life” outlook, than a “Prosperity Gospel” formula, either being presented as ways within Church gatherings to be walking in Christ–but only one appealing to the flesh, as well as some notions of personal non-repentant power usage to get rather than give, in motivation.
My point? Where we are easily manipulated by our own desires, as James wrote, we are easily led to strife, division, and self centered religion, instead of the practices of a heart’s order for faith which comes from above. I do not find in James, John, or Peter any inkling of the kind of big meeting manipulation as to such performance hoops as giving to a particular so-called ministry to get right with God. Power vs. Service seems to be in contrast in scripture to actually hear from God, not some misrepresentation of His Way and nature.
Psalms 8
“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
Thanks, Bob T. I do appreciate your comment.
I accidentally left out one important part though, in my telling of this. I was also specifically told, “He will be killed if he goes into battle.”
Ruth, Thanks for completing your special revelation given in warning to a Mother of a grown son about to go into the US Army at a certain juncture in US and Middle Eastern history. This would also associate with a guardian angel outlook. It is fairly certain that Christ appears as an Angel at given points and times in various prophetic scriptures. Now, this one was a special reveleation given to you personally, in honor of your connection to the Head of our confession.
After a great loss many years ago, I stayed awake praying every night for six months (yes, still going about my daily business). I was diswrought in my soul, and was crying out to God for resolution of this loss. God spoke, and I heard him in my body from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes, resounding: “No one has taken away your freedom to love.” His voice, vision, or variety for connection seems always on time for the season and moment of need, whether directly solicited or not. He met us both in His unique ways of getting through.
Jabez-Amen-What we need when we need it.
Thank you, Jabez for sharing your intense experience…He knows just how to be there for each one of us uniquely, in his own inimitable way.
I do think that the vision that I had is meant for me than me, personally, though. In the days following this vision, I tried (without the internet) to find a picture in history of that very sword. The only sword which matches it in basic style is the medieval scimitar.
I believe this sword is also a symbol for who we are at war with. This type of sword originated in the Middle East by Muslims in the 8th century.
As I become more aware of the history of this region, I see it as being clarifying that the present threat needs to be taken very seriously by all.
I just wrote:
“I do think that the vision that I had is meant for me than me, personally, though.”
Whoops, typosity — I meant to write,
“I do think that the vision that I had is meant for MORE than me personally, though.”
Thanks…
Ruth, Thanks again for sharing your always insightful and awe inspiring expressions of faith. Islam is best known by the symbol you describe, as arising past its 7th Century local Arab clan and Jewish community conquests into the 8th Centruy ever increasing international conquests–especailly of areas of past nonArab empires–through that literal terror symbol appearing to you, as was imposed on others from rallied Arabs as their legacy for the name of Allah.
Outside of Arab lands it became more symbolic of the area where your son would indeed have gone: Shia and Sunni nonArab lands. Such means of a forceful insistance coming into the arena of Iraq and Iran–as to forming this area’s own difficult political/spiritual and strife ridden history–was so even up to and including the point of being under Great Britain after WW1 (as was also Palesine after WW1).
Islam is primarily founded as a religion of the sword in its bloodletting context of establishment, force, political succession intrigue, and insistence on mass adherence.
Contrasted with Christianity in general, it was by battles and infiltrating once great nation power vacuums that came to be so by thses exhausting their resources and peoples over centuries of power handling. So, then and now, by such means this symbol ruled lands, hearts, and minds as a symbol of oppression.
The supposed angel from God appeared to Muhammed (listed as Gabriel, who by established protocols appeared to Mary and some Biblical Prophets and actually revealed Gabreil’s true nature as radically different in approach to these characters than is reported so to Muhammed); he did so by confrontation alone while reportedly shoving him into a cave wall while stating “RECITE” what the supposed godly messenger held in his hands.
So confronted with reading material he could not read, this experience led Muhammed to later require the phrase of primary Islamic confession insistantly over and over of others, stemming from the method of this encounter, while that spirit pushed all the wind out of him; it continues as so establishing an alike conformity to submission in this spirit as representing a notion of God, or the absolute, today.
The Sword vs. the Healing Intimacy and Guidance of our Father by the Holy Spirit given internally to all who call upon Jesus Name represents a great contrast in understanding how God rules includes a reciprocity of Lord of Love heart care. What were the Byzantine and Persian Empires were easily subdued by carefully chosen battles addressing the lands where your son would have died. And, for what would he have died?
We all know that the intelligence reports of justification for the Iraq war were actually unestablished, yet too that Sadaam was evil. We have to trust that the same God who warned your son through you also knows the ultimate outcome of conflicts going on in the region he would be sent to. Set up by Muhammed’s own religion continuum vision,the ongoing question of who will be his generational successor-deputy was carried even in the self view world vision of Sadaam, as it is with many current other dictators in the region. It is the heart of the way of insistence that occupies and contends by force descriptively among Muhammed’s followers which the “Recite” message was initiated of and by Muhammed.
Desert lands, oppressing questions and assumptions, and the restlessness of conquest and empire became the stuff of “Allah’s Messenger.” Your son would have been offered before the resulting way of the message in one desert location. Contrast this with what you shared of his family and career won staying under the reach of your prayers. Every one of Muhammed’s supposed successors has danced the sword dance with visions of self absorbed dynasty. Usually in the areas of Asia or the Near East where we once read of conversions in the mission journies of Acts. How prevailing are the winds of insistence and dominance in such lands.
The fear of force, beginning in Arab areas as the fear of the sword for uniting clans, taken up and lived and died by, became the vital enforcement of the area’s ongoing model of feudal governments, over time, and enticements of their kind of power which would have taken your son. The core of the Islamic mind stems and continues from the early to middle 7th century Arab clan conquests, and its written commandments and traditions blueprints for continued contention and strife being the way of religious establishment(as is bound in the Hadith and the Qur’an).
Notice how many religious sites have been bombed back and forth in the area since the US invasion, and how a forceful violence grasps the culture of death by insistence. A governor with a powerful army is the only understanding of leadership passed on through Muhammed, which sets up area bullies as those who would occupy his succession in the name of Allah.
After 750 CE military conquest slowed, and those entrenched with power determined to solidify its claims, and their understanding of themselves as its claimants. Power for submission and Terror for a forceful dis/array through a forceful dynamic for obedience are the stuff of the summon to submission. Whatever happens then can be the “will of Allah,” including a love son’s death–as an inconseqnetial infidel in a foreign land. In later Zechariah finally the armies so related are confronted by overwhelming force–of Jesus in the Sky, after landing on the Mt. of Olvies and after establishing his reconnection there–and must yield to truth. Only then in the absolute sense of undoing what Muhammed birthed.
Behind all of this power mongering submission are found the Festivals of Islam, some of the devotions of noble intention, etc. But the heart of the devotion involved waxes so readily to resentment, brutality, and unrelenting hatred of nonMuslems. Contrast this with an innocent God of love shedding his own blood on a Roman cross with a handful of followers who rocked the order of the once ancient World.
That God warned Ruth out of concern for her son and her own devotion to His New and Living Way.