How could the Pharisees have studied the Scriptures to the degree they did, and still rejected their Messaiah when he arrived? Answer: The Scriptures are only understood as the Holy Spirit reveals them. That means we must lay aside every pre-conceived notion and ask the Holy Spirit, the Author, to reveal His Word to us.

How could people think they've heard from God when the "word" they received violates Scripture? "God told me to set off a bomb at the abortion clinic." They didn't check their revelation against Scripture, and fell victim to a deceiving spirit.

God reveals His mind via two methods: The Word and the Holy Spirit. The Word of course is the Bible. It's all there in black and white. Hopefully you're deep into it every day.

The Spirit can speak to us in many ways. It may be through a message in tongues with interpretation, a prophesy, a word of wisdom or knowlege, a vision, or a trance.

Or we might hear His voice in the routines of life. We may read a book, and suddenly we'll hear God's voice in one of the paragraphs. Children can be used by the Holy Spirit to communicate Truth to us in their daily conversation. The Lord simply routes their words so their question or comment speaks volumes to you.

Unfortunately some of us are Word people, while others are Spirit people. We read the Word and trust our intellect to help us understand. Or we open ourselves to all manner of voices we think are God, but we never verify them against Scripture.

Ask yourself, am I a Word Christian or a Spirit Christian? Hopefully you'll say, "In my life the two are securely joined."

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2004

Answers

I use reason, faith, tradition, and scripture when reading and living the Word through the Spirit. Be Blessed.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2004

Ah, the mind of God.

RP you said that God reveals His mind via two methods the Word and the Holy Spirit. I find it interesting the level of finiteness that you place on the infinite mind of God. I listen to an internationally renown minister on TV and he will say occasionally that such and such a thing is God's point of view or this is how God see's this or that.

Although, I agree with most of what this minister says, I just can't understand how a human being can possibly have the view or a view of anything from the supernatural view that our almighty God has. At best our vision can be 20/20 but wow what kind of view does God have!!! Can our finite minds grasp the same view that God has who is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent? Is God just confined to just two methods of communicating with us?

Jazzman

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2004

There is no way we can fully understand God; but the Word tells us in John 15: 15

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Jesus has provided us a way that all things pertaining to life can be revealed.

Paul says in 2Peter 1: 2-3 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

When we are connected to the source God can reveal. This does not mean we can ever understand all of Him, but we are in a better position for God to reveal what we need to know.

RP never limited God to two ways, in fact he said " The Spirit can speak to us in many ways. It may be through a message in tongues with interpretation, a prophesy, a word of wisdom or knowlege, a vision, or a trance.

Or we might hear His voice in the routines of life. We may read a book, and suddenly we'll hear God's voice in one of the paragraphs. Children can be used by the Holy Spirit to communicate Truth to us in their daily conversation"

Jesus said It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)

By these scriptures, I would have to agree that the two are securely joined.

It is possible not to understand what the Spirit is saying by the Word, if we are carnal minded. But when we walk according to the Spirit, the Word of God can be revealed to us, along with an understanding.

One other thing I would like to add. God is in control. And He's a God of appointment. So there can be appointed times, for His Word to be revealed.

Have you ever read something from the Word of God, but didn't get an understanding until later? It's a amazing feeling when that happens.

Carmen

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2004

RP opines--

"How could the Pharisees have studied the Scriptures to the degree they did, and still rejected their Messaiah when he arrived? Answer: The Scriptures are only understood as the Holy Spirit reveals them. That means we must lay aside every pre-conceived notion and ask the Holy Spirit, the Author, to reveal His Word to us."

I don't think there is much difference in the Pharisees and today's Christians. They made a judgment call based in a great part in their understanding of the scripture. Since they did not have the Holy Spirit as Christians have, they relied on every jot and tittle of the scriptures.

They questioned Jesus about some of his activities and they were amazed that the Messiah would be in violation of the scriptures as they understood them. For example, the whole discussion about the Sabbath would have been enough for some to reject him for he was in their view in violation of their understanding of Sabbath.

This continues to this day, there are many learned, and very spiritual people who disagree strongly on basic Christian doctrine. So in my opinion I would not call myself a "Word" Christian because I do believe the scriptures reflect both the influence of God and the influence of man. I would not call myself a "Spirit" Christian because the much of the spirit is heart centered and the heart can be deceitful. I am a faithful Christian who accepts with reason the overwhelming themes of scripture in connection with a spiritual understanding that acknowledges my own prejudices and desires and how they may affect my ability to spiritually discern a certain issue.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2004

Matt 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

John 8:51 “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Word people or Spirit people? Hasn't the Lord made the wisdom of this world foolishness? Make no mistake, it is by His Word that you are saved.

1 John 1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1:2) The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2004