Is God talking to me through this site ?

[mrsnacks]

I was just pondering the other day. That about 5-6 months ago I was surfing on the net and ended up here at Bible truths. I was also ended up at sites such as tentmakers and many others. How I got there mystifies me.
This brings me to this comment. I would have never ( I don't think ) arrived at these truths if it wasn't for these sites and emails back and forth from many of you and others. Does God work in that way ? I didn't receive revelation in a vision or dream or God didn't reveal things to me in conversation personally. I got it through others .

I am a seeker of truth. I have picked up the phone and called people long distance to dialogue. Having been through many years of false teachings I am so careful in making sure I am on the right path. It was just a few years ago I thought Ray Comfort and his series on hell was on target.  But is God only speaking to me through these sites ? Am I just adopting doctrines taught by L Ray , Gary Arnmault , Preston Eby and many others ? It seems that I have found much truth here.  I hope you can understand my dilemna.

The other day in Adult Bible class I did speak out and it was a very lively discussion. God has gifted me in a way that I can disagree out loud with what is being taught in a class but it doesn't come of offensive. I don't get upset that they don't embrace what I am saying. I think people can sense your spirit. Whether you are angry or prideful and want to be right. I know that God will open their eyes when He opesn their eyes. I am just an instrument used by Him. I have been blinded as well and couldn't see. Some lady said during the conversations we must all study the scriptures. We must read etc. I said that is true in a sense. BUt we could read all day along and study till our brains drop out of our heads and still not arrive at truths. Only God can give us the understanding. We don't arrive at it on our own.

I communicate in a way that is in the form of questions. And that way it invites dialogue. So because of these new truths God has used me. I take pleasure in that. I have dialogued with several members  and they see that what is being taught from the pulpit and what they think is truth is error. In fact I am the only one in the group that there are members actually waiting to here my comments.  And my comments most always goes against the grain of what is being taught. So the good thing is that what I have learned I have shared. God blesses us with truth of Him and His Word not for us to keep to ourselves but for us to share. He wants others to hear through us. And at least in the church building I attend there are some curious people. They are hungry and what they are being fed there is like fast food. IT may taste good for the moment but it has no nutritional value.
It is called junk food. And a steady diet of that will kill you. Many know that yet they still end up eating it.
Go figure.

[Redbird]

A while back, Ray had mentioned he wished there was a way he could reach more people.  It seems that we are doing just that. Some who are still going to church are sharing their insights.  Others are sharing information with their neighbors, friends and families.  Even if these folks can not accept truth right at that moment, at least they are starting to wonder and maybe consider these wonderful things, for the first time.

Love to all ~
Lisa

[gmik]

Yes, me too.  I usually get my "revelation" from others.  I have read ITim 2:3-4 a million times and NEVER got Universal Salvation from it.  When The Lord allowed me to see, I couldn't believe I had never seen it- it now seems so obvious.

Lisa, that is a good point.  For me tho I just keep quiet.  The few I have tried to tell (2 good friends, and a family member)nearly split a gasket in their anger. Others who know I quit going to church, don't ask a thing.  Oh well.

[Kat]

Hi mrsnacks,

I've been thinking about your post.  You ask some questions.

I would have never ( I don't think ) arrived at these truths if it wasn't for these sites and emails back and forth from many of you and others. Does God work in that way ? I didn't receive revelation in a vision or dream or God didn't reveal things to me in conversation personally. I got it through others .

But is God only speaking to me through these sites ? Am I just adopting doctrines taught by L Ray , Gary Arnmault , Preston Eby and many others ? It seems that I have found much truth here.  I hope you can understand my dilemna.

Well those are questions I think a lot of us have ask ourselves.  It seems to me that God works out things in our life, so we come to the point where we are ready for His truth.  Then He leads us to find it.
At this time God has given Ray the ability to discern the truth in the scripture, and through the internet it is available to us. 
But it is by the spirit that we know the truth, whatever way we come to it.

1John 4:6  We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

You have said it yourself, that only God can give us understanding of the truth.  When you hear it and know it is truth, that is the Holy Spirit.

BUt we could read all day along and study till our brains drop out of our heads and still not arrive at truths. Only God can give us the understanding. We don't arrive at it on our own.

God will give you the assurance in your heart and you will have the peace of knowing this is the truth.

John 8:32  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[addisonrocket]

I totally know what you are talking about, last november I was going through a rough time dealing with the whole Hell thing and I stumbled upon a 45 minute video of Gary Amirault on google video explaining his views, that same night was when I met two friends in a myspace christian forum who told me about bibletruths.com

my name is Addison by the way, I'm new here

[Redbird]

Hi Gena,

Believe me, some people I know have responded with anger too.  Then, something happens in me, and I start preaching. Imagine that!  Most of the time, these are cases when I just can not tolerate their denial of the true God.  It usually turns into a debate, and I talk as gently as possible!  Now, the result is usually some skepticism, mixed with hope, because I try to convey that our God is a God of LOVE.  The most difficult conversations for me are the ones who are mad at God for all that goes on in the world.  I ask them, are they more compassionate than God?  And that's the end of that.

Lisa

[Redbird]

Addison,

Welcome.

Lisa

[CDJ]

Wow, it's very reassuring what you say, MrSnacks. I sometimes tend to get a little irritated with some people - it might border on pride. I was explaining a few things to a friend who's keen to learn, when 2 atheists joined the conversation - one was a Jewish atheist (hey, that's what he said). All of a sudden Dawkins-issues and science was in the conversation, and someone mentioned the Flying Spaghetti Monster. In the past I would've gone into the nitty-gritty of science and evolution, but I think I ticked them off when I said "If you don't believe in God, so be it, I do. God draws men, not me." Was I a little out of line there, guys? :-(   ...Well, the one atheist left the table, and the jewish-atheist stayed -so it was us three. Exactly like you say, mrsnacks, you ask questions. I asked the jewish-atheist about hell from a jewish perspective, and he answered questions, and lo and behold I just asked a simple question, and he went blank, and my friend who is learning these truths slowly, realized at that momet that there was something fishy about this "hell-thing" preached all over the world, and that I'm not gasping for air all the time.

I believe God is communicating to us in more ways than one - when we're alone or when we're on this forum. I wouldn't have known what I know now, all by myself.

The words from you guys are very comforting, because we all go through the same things. All of you might not know me that well yet, but reading what you guys have to say, is sent to comfort us and say "You're not alone"

Welcome Addison, Walk strong in Christ :-)

[mari_et_pere]

Rest assured...God is definitely talking through this site. (among others that I've found.) And the best way to find the truth that you seek, besides studying the tar out of the scriptures, is to talk to people. Some folks call it "fellowship" although I really really hate that term. (long story there) But heck yeah, talk all you can. I feel that we who know the truth, no matter how you stumbled upon it, have a responsibility to tell others what we know. WWJD? Keep it to Himself? Obviously not. Be warned however, that some people will literally fight you, yelling and screaming, not wanting to see the error in how they've been taught to believe. I try not to take it personally. It's in God's hands correct?

M@

[Kat]

Hi Addison,

I'm glad you have joined us here 
We have all wind up here in different ways, it matters not how God brought us to BT.  It is the truth that we are sparing, the encouragement we give one another, and the comfort we feel in having fellowship with like minded brothers and sisters, that makes this place important to us. 
I hope you will share what you are learning with us, and ask questions if need be.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[dogcombat]

mrsnacks,

I would say YES.  God has many ways to call out to us.  The situation you described in your adult bible class is merely sowing seeds.  The seeds you are sewing is actually Holy Spirit imparting God's truths to those whom God has caused to hunger for them.  Ask, Seek, knock, how else would we know unless God placed the questions on our hearts to do so? 

Despite good intentions, Ray Comfort's "Hell's Best Kept Secret" which he and Kirk Cameron use in their "Way Of The Master" show, is largely unscriptural.  They take the account of the Rich young ruler and put it in reverse.  However, once the Lord removes the veil to God's understanding (II Cor. 3),  only then can we dine on spiritual meat.

Ches

[Kent]

Be warned however, that some people will literally fight you, yelling and screaming, not wanting to see the error in how they've been taught to believe. I try not to take it personally. It's in God's hands correct?

M@

Is that the truth or what?

I dont understand why this is.

How is 99.99999% of the people being roasted for eternity "good news" Why dont they want to know
what the Gospel really is?

It's things like this that make me want to withdraw and not even mention it. Thats not the same as putting up a website
and have a visitor read whats there. They do that themselves. I am talking about initiating the disussion first.

[Kent]

I was led to this article. It explains it perfectly.


http://bible-truths.com/souls.htm

HOW TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH

I personally know a man who has his little wife working two jobs to support their family so that he can study the Scriptures and enter into doctrinal debates with other Christians at the local Caf頡s a perpetual hobby. Notice the admonition of the Apostle Peter:

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation [Gk: 'conduct'] honest [Gk: 'honorable'] among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may BY YOUR GOOD WORKS, [Not your clever Bible arguments], which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation" (I Pet. 2:11-12).

Your good works and righteous character will pay dividends to others eventually—if not in this life, then in the Judgment.

[gmik]

Good one Kent.

Welcome Addison!

[M_Oliver]

But it is by the spirit that we know the truth, whatever way we come to it.

1John 4:6  We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

An awesome Scripture Kat, thank you.

[iris]

Hi Addison,

Welcome to the forum!!!


Iris

[mrsnacks]

Great news :

I actually had about a 2 1/2 hour phone conversation with a friend and a long time member of the church I attend. She is and has been very open to truths I have been sowing in church. We talked about tithing over the phone. She wanted to know my thinking on the subject. I then responded by telling her it is irrelevant what I think -- we want God's position. But I broke the ice by saying that I am not going you what to do. If you want to tithe 10% or 80% it is up to you. But what I am going to share are scriptures and pray you will be open to what I am saying. Just lay aside everything sermon or lecture you have been taught on this and take a listen. Then I started to share.

This conversation led to her asking me questions on various subjects and then hell came up. About the unbelievers being punished forever and ever. Then I hesitated and asked her questions. Such as; is God a God of love ? Does God's love and mercy endure forever? If I were to lock my kids up in a cellar and have them tortured behind locked doors endlessly for no reason except that they were disobedient without no hope of getting out - would I be a good parent or would you report me if you found out ? Then I said why in Christendom when God does this - the so called church thinks He is being loving and merciful, but when I end up doing this torturing and throwing them into a cellar behind locked doors  as a parent I will face a prison term and my kids will be taken away from me. That doesn't make sense does it ? God does this to billions and I do it to my 2 kids and it is okay when He does it and I am looked upon as a horrible parent. I asked her. She was silent and then this led to more questions. I shared and was able to answer questions.

IS God's love and mercy enduring forever while billions of His creation are being tortured ? IS God the Savior of all mankind when most of all mankind is in this so called hell roasting in torment ? Jesus came to save sinners and in Christendom it looks like He failed big time- when billions will end up not saved . To me Satan wins. Does this make sense to you ? I was very gentle with her.

We then talked awhile and then about 2 hours in our conversation she wanted to stop. She said I was laying a lot of heavy stuff on her and she needed to collect her thoughts. I said fine. And she has been calling me and actually came over yesterday for dinner and just hung out in my home for 5 hours.

I share this to say that God has used me with my new found knowledge of Him and with success. I am just happy that He would use me. That brings me much pleasure. She was very open and others have been. I think it is that I am not jamming anything down their throats. The Lord has led me to do it asking questions so that they can discover the truths instead of me telling them and doing the thinking for them which they are so used to from the pulpit. I know that that the majority aren't ready . But I must be ready to share when led by the Holy Spirit. Only a few I know are ready and ripe in the church I attend.

By the way a few days later  she called me about a church her friend attends that the pastor there doesn't believe in tithing for today. He takes offerings and has a basket at the door of the sanctuary. And according to what her friend told her- the church is doing fine financially. People do give when they don't feel they have to.  She prayed that what I was saying would be confirmed by God's Spirit.
And it was. She liked it when I told her " don't just take my word for it. Test everything even what I have been saying."

[hebrewroots98]

Yes Mrsnacks, HE IS talking to you through this site.  As stated before, HE uses many diff ways to speak to HIS children and to teach us His truths.


Welcome Addison!  Glad that you found us.  Where are you from and have you read Rays' stuff yet? 

Kent, Yes,I agree withg what you said about how is going to hell good news to christians? People get extremely angry when you mess up their status quo; afterall, they have spent much time, energy money and infact their whole lives building up their comfort zone around them and they will be darned if YOU come in and tear that down... all that they have built up, b/c this is their reality and their truth (The Word means little compared to whatever else is more important to them.)  And they don't care how diabolical  hell really is, as long as they don't have to give up whatever the idols of their hearts are (ususally family traditions, money, public image, etc.)

The dilemma that I am facing is wether to go into a church building in order to participate in some kind of activity (not to worship, but to use the bldg in order to have a homeschool co op, a buisness meeting, a play, yard sales etc...) ever again or to never go into a church building b/c of these activities in "Gods' sanctuary"...any input on this would be of assistance to me.  My DH says to stay out of them altogether, especially from doing unworshipful things in the sanctuary.

[Craig]

Your husband sounds like a wise man to me

Craig

[hebrewroots98]

Craig,
Thank you for your wisdom as well.  (Yes my Dh is a wise man and I thank God for his spiritual covering of me.)   Just so I don;t confuse anyone, I know that WE are the TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD and that the church has no REAL Sanctuary.  Going into the church (BABYLON) does give me the creeps anymore.