xjwsforChrist

There will be false men in every generation. We know that. False men in whatever era don't mean the church itself is false. By the church I mean the great mystical body of Christ throughout time and space, for by him were all things created. Those here include good Christians from different backgrounds and with different perspectives on this, yet all are loved by God Our Father in Heaven.

Some may differ in their views. What matters is following Christ, and trusting in him.

Yes!
He will lead and teach us, and guide us into all truth.

And when we are listening and hearing Him, He will say 'Come' and we can follow. He will say 'flee from this place/person' and we can flee.

We have just to keep our eyes and ears and hearts to Him, letting no one and nothing come between us and Him.

Peace and love to you,

tammy

Good morning and peace to you ALL! I must ask you to forgive my forthrightness... and if you're in a frame of mind of great sensitivity, perhaps you might skip over my comments here... because I most probably won't use too many flowery or "nice" words... but simply state the truth. Dear Kassad (mornin' and peace to you!)... this is not directed "at" you, per se, but at the perceptions you are expressing here, which I am sure are shared by many. Please know that I am NOT directing "blows" at you, personally or individually, but at what is EXPRESSED here. Thank you!



I don't quite understand the "sadness", other than it occurred. For ME, however, it was FULFILLMENT of what Christ SAID would occur. Should we not see it, then, as further PROOF of who he was, that he KNEW what was going to occur... AND CAUTIONED THOSE HE LOVED AS TO IT?

Some believe that it didn't occur until some time after the death of the last Apostle. As dear Char (mornin' and peace to you, as well!) stated:



Those of the BODY, yes! But there were others, MANY, who had infiltrated and were NOT one... or even his followers. The problems began LONG before the death of the last Apostle. Not only did Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude warn of it... but Christ HIMSELF literally addressed it! That was the PURPOSE of the letters to the seven SPIRITS of the congregations! C'mon, dear ones, if you can't HEAR Christ remind you, then it's right there in the NT for all to read. How, then, can we think it DIDN'T... and that it didn't for at least a thousand years??!!!

Those who were paying attention to Christ when he told them this would happen weren't surprised at ALL! Then... OR now.



No, dear one. We cannot blame this all on the Adversary! While we can blame SOME, if it were ALL him, then our dear Lord WOULD NOT HAVE SPOKEN TO THE SEVEN SPIRITS AS HE DID! He was holding the BODY responsible! For instance:

To the spirit of the congregation "in Ephesus"

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

To the spirit of the congregation "in Pergamum" -

"I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore!"

To the spirit of the congregation "in Thyratira" -

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds." Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’"

To the spirit of the congregation "in Sardis" -

"I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you."

To the spirit of the congregation "in Laodicea" -

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

In all of these, he ALSO acknowledged the apostasy that had ALREADY began to take place. For example:

To the spirit of the congregation "in Ephesus" -

"But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

To the spirit of the congregation "in Smyrna" -

"I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

To the spirit of the congregation "in Pergamum" -

"I know where you live—where Satan has his throne."

And so on and so on!

How can anyone read these letters and think the Body was staying close to Christ and his teachings??!! If they WERE, there would be no REASON for such admonitions and warnings! But they were NOT, even then... and we weren't even 100 years after his death, let alone a thousand years after his birth!

C'MON, dear ones... please! PLEASE! We have not been left destitute (in spirit) or entirely by Christ! Even if we can't hear the Spirit speak to us yet (although, the truth is that we don't THINK we can, but perhaps haven't yet recognized... or ACCEPTED... HOW he speaks)... we DO have SOME writings, yes??



But dear, dear Kassad... WHY are you reading such book?? If you want something FROM the Spirit... then you must go TO the Spirit, yes? And not to that which has no leading BY the Spirit! Why would you think you would find the Spirit IN such book(s)? They are SOLD, are they not? Sometimes even for a profit? People make their NAME writing these books! Yet, Christ said, "You RECEIVED free; GIVE free!" So what is received from the Spirit CANNOT BE SOLD! Do you remember the account of the man Simon, who tried to BUY holy spirit?! You can read about that... and what Peter said to that man... at Acts 8:18-24.



YES!!!



Yes! But that only means that you need to oppose those "toxic thoughts" - don't allow PLACE for them! You KNOW their origin: your desires... and the Adversary's attempts to exploit those. If you OPPOSE him... AND THOSE THOUGHTS... then what is left? The "openness and purity" that you mention! Even those of some eastern religions recognize that we have to control our thoughts. Some tout meditation as a means to accomplish this; others, prayer. What, though, about HOLY SPIRIT... and the "fruits" of that (love, joy, peace, faith, kindness, mildness, goodness, long-suffering, and self-control)? What about ASKING for one or more of these "fruits" to HELP you "conquer"... those "toxic" thoughts?

And what about giving... and the HAPPINESS... that comes with THAT? Rather than sharing your DISAPPOINTMENTS... in life and/or as to the Spirit... WHY NOT SHARE YOUR JOY? What you GIVE out is what comes BACK to you, yes? Pressed down and overflowing? But if your FOCUS is always or most often on what is "wrong" in (your) life... what you DON'T have... how can you make way to rejoice over what is RIGHT... and what you DO have? Dear one... "children in Rwanda are dying!" Babies are living under the umbrella of bombs. Dysentery. Malaria. HIV/AIDS. Whooping cough. Cholera. Molestation. Emotional/mental/psychological and SPIRITUAL abuse! And yet, THEY are HAPPY!



The IS ONE! CHRIST! He is our ONLY role model! And when did we hear of HIM complaining about his lot in life?? He came to GIVE his life... even for his ENEMIES! He took on the sins (and thus, diseases and illnesses) of others! Took them into HIS body! FOR us! We're not asked to do that! Then he was put to death - NOT for his errors... but for OURS! We're not asked to do that! How can we NOT be HAPPY... indeed REJOICE... ALL THE TIME... BECAUSE of that??? Wasn't HE happy ALL the TIME?? It is written he was:

“JaHVeH brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
Then I was constantly[e] at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind." Proverbs 8:22-31



Dear, dear Kassad... YOU are the church!! YOU!! YOU are the temple in which God dwells... IN SPIRIT! In YOU! The kingdom is IN YOU! It is your CHOICE, then, as to how you will MANIFEST that kingdom that is WITHIN YOU! Like Christ... ALWAYS REJOICING? Or... like Israel: always, always... murmuring, complaining, dissatisfied, not filled, wanting more... and more... not appreciating what they HAD and were given...?

Dear one, the choice is OURS: do we MANIFEST the kingdom within us... by means of the "fruits" that come OUT of us? OR... do we manifest the kingdom NOT being in us... by the "fruits" that come out of us? The fruits of the SPIRIT... are, again... LOVE... JOY... PEACE... KINDNESS... MILDNESS... GOODNESS... LONG-SUFFERING... and SELF-CONTROL. Will always manifest ALL of these ALL the time? No, dear one. Only One could do that. BUT... PRAISE JAH... HE can make up our DEFICIT... when we fall SHORT in any or all of these! That is why we NEED him! That is why we MUST be in UNION with him! Because APART from him... we can do NOTHING AT ALL! We CANNOT manifest these fruits alone... at least, not the pleasure of the MOST HOLY One of Israel, the Father, JAH of Armies! We CANNOT. And so... we have been given a savior, a Lamb... who TAKES AWAY our sins! By means of his BLOOD!

Please know: I am not yelling. Truly, I am not. However, the Spirit IN me... is trying SO hard... and is grieving! Because he SO wants you dear ones to get this! Who and what he IS... and why!!



It has ALWAYS been that, dear one! From Noah on! It was this way during Moses' day... during David's day... during the days of the Prophets... and certainly during Christ's day in the flesh! Yes? Did he and a few others not choose to walk away from the popular religion of their day and culture, Judaism??



Absolutely!! Who walked with Noah, besides his immediate family? Abraham? Lot? The Prophets? CHRIST?? If you need MEN... then you are doomed. I am sorry to say that, but such lack of SELF-SUFFICIENCY is the number one "tool" used by the Adversary! That is why our dear Lord went into the wilderness ALONE to be tempted by that one. Had he had his friends and family with him... how much of a "test" would it have been??



That's why there's only a few chosen, dear one... versus the many CALLED. Because not all can make ROOM for it. However, ALL who rely on Christ CAN! Those who rely on themselves... or other earthling men... cannot.



THEN CLOTH YOURSELF... NOW... SO THAT YOUR "NAKEDNESS" and shame IS COVERED!! Go to the One who sells EYESALVE... and BUY FROM HIM! So that you can SEE your nakedness... SEE where you need "clothing" and covering... and COVER it!



No, NO reason to be sorry, at ALL! I am GLAD you shared this because it provided an opportunity to ADDRESS these things. Because you are not alone in feeling them! Not at ALL! I am sorry if I am not able to address them in "nice", flowery words, truly I am. But MANY use such words... and yet, here you (and many others) are! I can only share the TRUTH with you, though, simply and forthrightly. Sure, you can follow after those who will tickle your ears with "nice" words. Even sit in their pews feeling "serene" within your surroundings, etc. But such will NOT get you into the kingdom of God. The ONLY way in... is through Christ. Truly, dear, dear Kassad, there is NO other way!

But one must go TO the Way... in order to go THROUGH the Way... yes? And THAT is why, along with his Bride, my Lord, the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)... who is the Son of the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies... says, to those wishing and thirsting:

"COME!!!!! TAKE LIFE'S WATER... FREE!!"

He also gives a very specific instruction to those so taking, though, yes? They say:

"Let those HEARING... SAY... COME!"

Can one TRULY partake of this "water"... and SAY they hear... yet not ALSO say "COME!" to OTHERS who might be wishing and thirsting?? Are not those who are faithful in what is least... also deemed faithful in MUCH?

It is one thing to partake of his mercy; it is another to ignore what HE says... to DO... once one has so partaken.

We can't just hear, dear Kassad. We must also DO. Sadly, many are more afraid of what other humans will think of them... than what God and Christ think of them. And THAT is the primary thing used by the Adversary to separate us from GOD: our desire to received glory from MEN... than give it TO... and receive it FROM... God and Christ. THAT is the number one "tool" of our enemy: our need to be "accepted" and spoken well of... by men.

When one is truly joined to Christ, however... what men think... is of absolutely NO consequence. Because such one has the mind of CHRIST... and so KNOWS that all of this is just temporary, of no true significance... and no use, at all. NOT in relation to the kingdom of God.

I hope this helps, truly, and, as always... the GREATEST of love and peace to you... and your dear household! May the UNdeserved kindness and mercy... of MY God and Father, the MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... who is the God and Father of my Lord, Master, Savior, and King, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)... and the love and peace of that Holy One be upon you... if you TRULY wish it! If so, may YOU then, be given ears to hear... when the Spirit and the Bride say to YOU:

"COME! Take life's water... FREE!"

And may YOU, then, if you choose to receive it and do receive it... go and invite others to come... as well! But you don't have to wait until then to do so.

Again, peace to you!

YOUR servant, as I am servant to ALL those of the Household of God, Israel, and those who go with, and a slave of Christ,

Shellamar

Praise JAH (and Christ!)... that you dear ones also have dear tec (peace to you all!). Because her words are always much kinder than mine, although I think our goal is the same: to share the truth. Thank you, dear, dear tec... and dear Kassad, I truly hope that if what I shared doesn't resonate with you, then perhaps what she did will. As members of the Body of Christ, we have different functions and may manifest those differently... but ALL are for the building UP of the Body. If, then, you are one who needs more... kindly words... then, please, ignore my response and focus on hers. Contrastly, if you are one who needs it more straight-forward, then perhaps what I shared will resound with you. Either way... you have been given the truth.

Divine Liturgy

Christ is TRULY not that complicated, dear one. Not even. Nor is the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies. Such is merely man's way of making what is truly plain and simple obscured so that folks have to come to THEM to "understand" or "grasp the meaning"... rather than simply listening to and DOING what CHRIST said:

"Take, eat... this means my body. Take, drink... this means my blood. KEEP DOING THIS in remembrance of me."

And...

"UNLESS you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have NO life within yourselves."

And...

"He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood REMAINS IN UNION WITH ME."

And...

"REMAIN IN UNION WITH ME... because APART from me... YOU CAN DO NOTHING AT ALL."

That's it, that's all. No long commentary about how the eastern orthodoz and western folks, etc., do whatever it is they do, for whatever reason, by whatever means, at whatever time...and whatever it "means." CHRIST told us. That's ALL we need... and the ONLY One we need to LISTEN to about it.

We make it SO hard. When it really is VERY simple. S'why Christ we must TURN AROUND... and become LIKE SMALL CHILDREN. All this "adult" stuff is what misleads SO many. It truly isn't necessary. ANYONE can learn... directly from Christ. THAT is yet another feature of the GOOD news of the kingdom: that we no long NEED men as priests... to supplicate for and explain God to us. WE HAVE A HIGH PRIEST: Christ. The HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit.

May any who is truly wishing to grasp this truth be given ears to do so, as well as to hear the Spirit when he speaks to them. In contrast, may they STOP allowing themselves to be MISLED by the "mysterious" and false teachings of organized religion, its leaders, fomenters, adherents, and followers. Instead, may they hear the CALL... to GET OUT OF HER... and do "just so." Those who do will not be left alone entirely. True, for a moment, it might SEEM like God has "forsaken" you.

He has NOT. Just stand still for a moment. Just a moment. And LISTEN. Do not panic, do not run... do not turn back! Just stand still...and He will send His Son... HIS Truth!... and THAT One WILL lead you. All you have to do is stand still and listen... until he arrives... and then follow him. WHEREVER he goes. Even if it's not where YOU wish to go.

Again, peace to you all!

A slave of Christ,

Shellamar

Aw, Tammy, this made me sniffle.

Kassad, I hear you. I was spiritually alone a long time, really shipwrecked. I got so down, I thought of going back to the kh. Only briefly though, because of my great need to have a spiritual conversation with a like-minded person. I still thought they had truth. But I just couldn't put myself through the lovelessness again and decided not to. It would have been easy for me just to go to a church - I lived next door to one, but I figure God did not lead me out of that just to return, and I knew I would find it spiritually dead, as I always have.

But He did not leave me alone, as I now know. Sometime after that episode, I found JWN and learned the truth about her. Sadly, though, I became agnostic. But then I found Aguest, Tec, Loz, etc. over there and started to have hope again. And now here we are, and you are here too. And if something happens to this, He will provide something else.


Yes, I hear you. It is one thing to think that we will just be dead for all eternity; it's another to think we might sleep a thousand years, then have to stand ashamed before everyone. Surely it is better to face Him now and at least have a chance of being saved. Although if He appeared in the room with me right now, I would faint and fall back in it. I know I will face Him all alone one day; it is good for us to be aware of that fact now. Even though, like many, I want to give up on myself lots of times; you are not alone in that.

the unutterable shame of standing face to face with the Father and the Son before the Throne

This "shame" exists ONLY because those who have placed themselves in the seat of Moses have not told you the TRUTH, dear Ataloa (mornin' and peace to you, luv!)... about the GOOD news of the kingdom: Christ. He came... to preach a RELEASE... for the "captives to sin and death," luv! Through HIM, ALL can be forgiven... and washed... with HIS blood! But... they don't tell you about that blood: what it is and what it does. Some won't even allow you to partake of it.

But here's where FAITH comes in, dear ones: if you TRULY believe that Christ is the Son of God... that he died, and yet LIVES... by means of the BLOOD that was and is IN him... HOLY SPIRIT... the blood/breath/semen of the MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... and that, NOW ALIVE... he GRANTS that SAME blood to any who WISH it... in the form of LIVING "WATER"... so that when you PARTAKE of it... it become in YOU "a fountain bubbling up to impart EVERLASTING life"... by CLEANSING you OF your sins... so that you CAN stand before that throne... WITHOUT SHAME... because you are STANDING... BECAUSE of HIM... and what he DID and GAVE... and so to CONTINUE "shamed"... is to OVERLOOK, IGNORE, and DISREGARD what he did and gave... FOR YOU...

THEN... you will have CLEAN conscience! Because your conscience will have BEEN cleansed... BY that blood! Your FAITH will tell you that it is TRUE, that you are LONGER "unclean"... but CLEANSED... so that when YOU hear "Go your way in PEACE; your sin is FORGIVEN"... you have FAITH that this is TRUE... because you KNOW that that blood CAN so cleanse you... and by HIS word... HAS.

Again, not yelling. Just typing REALLY fast (because I am also trying to make flight arrangements as well as work out the particulars of a secular assignment I JUST got and was supposed to start this week, but now may not be able to... so I am "multitasking" - please forgive my fervor and zeal... but it breaks my HEART that some of you are STILL loaded down as to your errors... when the very PURPOSE of being a member of the Body is to build UP the Body of Christ... not load it down or tear it down... and it makes my BLOOD boil that there are those who have done this and still do!).

Just my zeal, dear ones... that's it, that's all. Nothing more.

Peace!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellamar

YES, this describes my experience and thoughts as well. In fact, when I invited the mormons in and began a study with them, the spirit within me was saying "get out, get out", and our Lord asked me, "WHAT are you doing? Did you not learn?"






Praise Jah and Christ also, that Shelby gives it straight, speaking JUST SO, as she hears. Because there is no second guessing in that; no possible misunderstanding. Truth might not be soft or gentle but it is from love. Different members perform different functions, and I too, am so thankful for this, for all of you. And when I worried about softening the truth... my Lord assured me as I was writing that Shelby would give it straight ; )

My Lord also reminded me that many who follow Him and belong to Him will be alone (as in apart from people; not apart from Him) because the path is narrow and FEW find it.

Peace and love to you,
tammy

I was speaking of those who go off into judgment and what they have to face first.

But yes, you're right, I guess I still just don't get it. Oh, I can believe that my past sins are cleansed as far as the Christ is concerned; but I cannot seem to forgive myself. I have much to learn. I am sorry if I am grieving the Holy Spirit and you. I thought I felt some flames come off your post!

Ahh, dear Ataloa (peace, luv!)... not grieving, in the way some teach it (as if it's always a horrible thing!) - I meant grieving as in heart is breaking. But let me ask you, as to not being able to forgive yourself... and please just try to not take it negatively or be offended, if you possibly can, because I mean NO illwill, but only to perhaps HELP you see:

Your sins are not SO great... that even CHRIST can't forgive them yes? Because you say you believe HE has/will. If HE can forgive them, then, what stops YOU? If you can't forgive yourself, luv, how can I come to you and ask you to forgive MINE? Can you even do that? Of course, you can! We ALL can forgive the sins of others... indeed, release them! In fact, that is what Christ told us to DO, yes? "Go releasing"?

If you must love your neighbor AS you love yourself, dear, dear one... how CAN you forgive/release your NEIGHBOR... if you can't forgive/release YOURSELF? True, you can't just say, "Well, sure, I did such and so, but now I forgive myself, so I'm good!" LOLOL! No, of course not.

You CAN, however, ON THE BASIS OF CHRIST'S BLOOD... accept a release from HIM... yes?

If, though, you accept it from him... yet hold onto it for YOURSELF... have you TRULY accepted it from him?

I will share an event that helped me understand this, in the hopes that it will help you:

Some time ago I was involved in a matter that I KNEW was "against" Christ (well, against the Law). I was agonizing over it because I KNEW it was "wrong." But... I couldn't help it. I truly could not. So, I kept asking my Lord to "forgive me." Apparently, I asked one too many times because he came to me and said:

"What do you want from me, child?"

And I responded... no, I STARTED to respond: "I want you to take [this thing] away!"

I say I STARTED to respond that, but before I could even form the words, he said to me:

"Be careful, child! Do NOT try to lie and be false to holy spirit!"

Uh, oh... wha... what?! Of COURSE that's what I want, for this "desire" to be removed! But then I thought, wait... he asked me what I wanted. Is that what I TRULY wanted? For the desire to be removed? No, it wasn't what I TRULY wanted. And so I told him what I TRULY wanted: to ALLOW me my desire... and to FORGIVE me it. For it to be OKAY.

Of course, I thought, THAT could never be. So, imagine my SHOCK when he said:

"Your sin is forgiven; go your way in peace."

I thought, wait, no, it can't be THAT easy. So I asked, "What am I to do NOW?"

And he said, "Sin no more."

Now that wasn't with reference to what I was currently involved in, but to not do it AGAIN, this same sin. Okay, I got it! I am OKAY!! Only... due to the teachings I'd received from MEN... I really wasn't. So, EVERY day I would beg and plead, "ForGIVE me, LORD!" And each day, he would say, "I have forgiven you, child - go your way in peace!"

Until one day, I was again begging for forgiveness and he said something different, something that not only changed my understanding and outlook as to the forgiveness of sin... but my life! He said:

"So, did you NOT want me to forgive you, child?"

To which I responded, "Of COURSE, I did, Lord! Yes!"

To which he said:

"And did I not forgive you?"

To which I responded, "Yes, Lord, you DID!"

And he said, "But you did not BELIEVE me when I told you I had?"

To which I responded:

"Of COURSE, I believed you, Lord!"

And then he said:

"Then why do you keep asking me to forgive, when I have already forgiven you? Perhaps you do not truly BELIEVE I have forgiven you? Or do you not have FAITH... IN ME... that I WOULD forgive you... and that my word is TRUE... and I HAVE forgiven you?"

Gulp. Uhhhhhhh... what?? I mean, of course I believe you would forgive me, Lord. And of course I believed you when you said your forgave me. And... and... well, now, just why AM I still asking... if I believed that?

Oooh. Had to think about THAT for a minute! LOLOLOL!

And THEN he said:

"I have forgiven you, child. If you ask me again, though, I will have no choice but to assume you do NOT believe me, or have faith that my word is TRUE... and BECAUSE OF YOUR LACK OF FAITH... your sin will be as YOU wish it: remaining."

GULP. Wait, Lord! Wait! THAT's not what I want, not at ALL!

And so... I had to let go of the error, ACCEPT his forgiveness... and I did that by believing HIM... which allowed me to forgive MYSELF.

Else, MY holding onto it was a sign of MY... LACK OF FAITH... in HIM... and HIS forgiveness.

Do you see, dear Ataloa? We SAY we have faith in Christ... but do we EXERCISE that faith... by what we DO?

I hope this helps, truly, dear one.

Again, peace to you!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shellamar

Yes, and I am thankful for the different members as well.

Thank you ALL

Love to you Justmom

Kassad, there are some excellent points in the posts above.

I meant to say something else to you before, and I think it's there in what Shelby and others say above too, but maybe I can put it this way.

If you are in a room, maybe watching TV, or reading a good book, or busy on a task, sometimes someone might come in quietly, and because your attention is elsewhere, you might not notice. The other person might speak to you, and still you might not notice.

Does that mean the other person isn't there? No, of course not. In the scenario I drew, you would have thought you were alone, and your attention was on whatever was absorbing you. So, although they're there, perhaps talking to you, perhaps waiting for you to notice them, you haven't done so because the book you're reading or the music you're listening to is taking your attention.

Jesus doesn't shout. God's presence is there in a still small voice, as well as the rushing mighty wind.

As to which church or none...we are all different.

YES, dear Char (peace to you!)... YES! Which is why it is on US... and NOT JAH or Christ, if we don't hear! It's not because they're not SPEAKING... but because we are not listening... due to listening to the MANY distractions of our world. Distractions that can include our OWN (inner)... voice, including what our own EYES (and ears) might be telling us!

But as Christ is recorded to say (in some Bible versions):

"What is WHISPERED in your ear (from him)... shout from the rooftops."

And...

"My mouth in LOW tones utters truth itself."

If one is whispering to you, then, or speaking softly/lowly, you really have to FOCUS... even turn TOWARD them... so as to hear them. And that's the problem: our ears... and eyes... have been turned AWAY! Turned FROM the FACE... and so MOUTH... of Christ... by those who wish us to listen to and look at THEM. Which is why we are admonished to TURN AROUND and to go "THIS WAY, you people!". Which Way... is Christ. Versus the various "ways" we have BEEN going... including those made by religion... as well as our OWN way.



Again, I do NOT mean to contend, not at ALL. TRULY. But only to set matters accurate. And it this instance, it truly is not God or Christ's voice that is like a "rushing mighty wind." THAT "sound" is the sound made by holy spirit, when it manifests in the form of God or Christ's BREATH (John 3:8; 20:22; Acts 2:2-4).

God and Christ's voices, however, were described by some as sounding like "many waters." And this is true: their voices sound similar and multi-layered but all layers speaking at once and the exact same thing. No echo, but a kind of "watery-ness"... as if in a cave where there is a pool of water and the water acting as background acoustics! It sounds male AND female, as if it could be either or both. It is usually faint, yes, in comparison to what we hear with our physical ears when others speak, but can also be loud, depending on the circumstance ("Stop, child! Do NOT move!", etc.). But if one can quiet their OWN thoughts/(inner) voice... so as to really listen and hear it... they might say it does sound "watery".

But yes, as to all the rest of what you shared here.

Again, I do not mean to contend, but only to state the matter correctly... so that folks know what the sounds/voices they might hear ARE... and from whom/what. Because there have been so many lies about... and so much confusion around... these things. Some saying they don't speak at all; some saying we should fear when they speak... some saying they sound like this or that... none of which is TRUE. We, the BODY of Christ, however, OWE such ones the TRUTH about it. Love OBLIGATES us to give them the truth. And so it obligates me to share it with you.

Peace to you!

A slave of Christ,

Shellamar

thank you char zoe justmom tammy ataloa for the sane responses and sharing, i appreciate it... i wasn't really planning to post but i did and i guess it showed why i've been searching for a church for some time now ...i'm sorry if i brought anyone down... and shelby thanks for sharing as straight as you want it said, its a breath of fresh air, strangely it IS soothing

blessings to you all!

Thank YOU, Kassad, for posting; gives us all a chance to learn something.

Shelby, I was in the middle of a reply to you earlier, having a tearful aha moment, when my phone rang, and I lost it and didn't get it back. But I don't think it was for me to post on the open board anyway. Maybe later.

I'm sorry, dear ones, truly (peace to you!). I would LOVE to be able to give you more soothing words... but sometimes soothing words do just that: soothe you... right back to sleep. My understanding is that MY task is to try and WAKE FOLKS UP - LOLOL! So, please, pardon the "jolts"... but we have all been asleep long enough, is my understanding. It is time, now, for reasons I cannot say I know... to wake up and get ready. Indeed, pray that none are STILL asleep, should our dear Master arrive.

Dear Ataloa, peace to you... and no worries, luv. Post what you can, as you can... and as our dear Lord leads YOU.

Peace to you all!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shellamar