Insomnia -- Let's Have a Discussion That's Exciting Enough to Keep Us Awake -- Or So Boring That It Puts Us to Sleep! :)

[Ballaurena]

Actually, if what you said was true, we would be obligated to take the word of anybody running around claiming he spoke for God. That could be dangerous.

Not to mention confusing. What do we do when two different alleged prophets have prophecies that contradict each other?

No, sir. First off, the Bible said it, not me, so obviously it means something that one can't simply throw out and still claim to follow God. Second, you presume too much about what I mean, and apparently the Bible too.

I once told God I was lonely and wanted someone to spend the day with. He sent me the Mormon missionaries. They proposed that I needed to review the Book of Mormon to know what was true. I didn't tell them, but this was actually a question I had been wondering for years - How can I in good conscience reject other religions if I haven't reviewed their writings? Funny thing is, being prophetic, the answer came to me because someone else asked the question I had probably never thought to ask God myself. I told them I didn't need to because the God that is, is able to direct me to that which is needed. In other words, I only need to review the things God leads me to. It is actually an initial test.

However, one can't rightly go around calling others false if one hasn't looked.

 

[Lynx]

The Bible hasn't said a doggone thing about we gotta accept anybody's word about being a prophet without some kind of verification. The Bible DOES say something directly contradictory to that.

So yeah, um... Welcome to the forum.

You have probably noticed this already, but there are a LOT of people on this forum who have read the Bible from cover to cover, multiple times. You start saying stuff that directly contradicts the Bible, they gonna be on you like water on a duck's butt.

 

[Cold]

It looks dry to me.

 

[Lynx]

That's what the rubber cement was for. He was trying to fix that problem.

 

[Cold]

I'm both impressed and disgusted with his dedication to stay dry.

 

[Ballaurena]

The Bible hasn't said a doggone thing about we gotta accept anybody's word about being a prophet without some kind of verification. The Bible DOES say something directly contradictory to that.

So yeah, um... Welcome to the forum.

You have probably noticed this already, but there are a LOT of people on this forum who have read the Bible from cover to cover, multiple times. You start saying stuff that directly contradicts the Bible, they gonna be on you like water on a duck's butt.

ADD: Where you speaking to me? I just realized it didn't link to my post, so maybe this reply was unneeded. I still post it because I'm not sure.

I think you got lost in the conversation, my friend, because I have said nothing to the effect of "we gotta accept anybody's word about being a prophet without some kind of verification." At the very least I have never intended such a message. Rather, I am a frequent quoter of 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22.

19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

I do not back down, though, from saying you can NEITHER accept nor reject the validity of a Prophet or prophetic word without testing and still be in line with scripture, as I have shown above. Rejecting without testing is just as much a failure to test as accepting without testing. By rejecting here, though, I mean to declare false. For there is a place for throwing out an issue entirely (walking away and leaving the question of validity unanswered) when you cannot sufficiently test to a sufficient conclusion.

And as for people here having read the Bible cover to cover, I'm so glad to hear it. Me too.

 

[Cold]

I am highly skeptical about prophecies due to my lack of understanding. Reading through the Bible is slow going for me sadly. I also don't remember much of what I have read so far. Smh

 

[Ballaurena]

I am highly skeptical about prophecies due to my lack of understanding. Reading through the Bible is slow going for me sadly. I also don't remember much of what I have read so far. Smh

That sounds frustrating. Don't forget to ask God for help, though. I can't say I have done it for biblical prophecy, but I have had occasions to be confused by a passage, only to suddenly have an understanding of what the writer was getting at after I ask God for assistance.

Right or wrong, I don't tend to ask God a lot about biblical prophecy because I figure He will reveal it when it is time.

 

[Cold]

That sounds frustrating. Don't forget to ask God for help, though. I can't say I have done it for biblical prophecy, but I have had occasions to be confused by a passage, only to suddenly have an understanding of what the writer was getting at after I ask God for assistance.

Right or wrong, I don't tend to ask God a lot about biblical prophecy because I figure He will reveal it when it is time.

I usually pray for understanding and to remember what I read right before I start reading. Though now that I think about it, I forgot to pray that prayer the last few times I started reading. Memory issues are very annoying. lol

 

[Lynx]

I usually pray for understanding and to remember what I read right before I start reading. Though now that I think about it, I forgot to pray that prayer the last few times I started reading. Memory issues are very annoying. lol

Oh that's the fun part!

I've heard lots of other people talking about it, so I know this isn't just me... And the Bible itself backs it up... When you need a verse you'll just automatically remember it!

Of course you have to read the Bible first, naturally. But verses will just pop in your head, right when you need them.

It's actually kind of fun.

 

[Burn1986]

So I both tried to tune into your health issue myself, and I took it to my roommate who often gets spiritual insight into such matters. I got nothing (but maybe a block), but my roommate got that for you it is an issue of belief.

My roommate, however, also suddenly made a connection on what belief doesn't mean but is pushed by some faith healers. It isn't a matter of 'just believe hard enough' with enough effort or something, but more light and easy like a child just knowing that mom is going to feed him today.

I can't say I had it perfect myself, but when I was in college, I was just walking up the hill to class when I suddenly realized I had never asked God to heal my lifelong tendency toward migraines. I believe this was Holy Spirit suddenly pricking me, maybe even a response to someone praying on the campus of my Christian school, because it was really out of nowhere. Anyway, I did believe that God could. My doubt was more a question of if God would be willing to do such a thing for me. I then thought of the story with Elisha where there was a woman who had prepared a place at her home for Elisha to stay whenever he needed, and the prophet wanted to give her a blessing in return (2 Kings 4). He therefore told the barren woman that she would have a baby, to which she said something suggesting she didn't want to be teased with getting her hopes up falsely. Therefore I told God that I was making my request known, but like the woman in the story I didn't want to be teased with false hope, so I would not be repeating my request. I went on my way and largely forgot about it.

Then about 4-5 years later, God had introduced me to a new fellowship and early on I was offered healing for not only my migraines but the social anxiety for which I was content with my Prozac as treatment. God apparently was not content, though, since psych meds interfere with one's ability to hear the spirit, and I was pronounced healed of both at the same time. One significance of this was that the anxiety issues immediately disappeared, but the migraines took a few more steps, but ultimately were healed too. The instant healing of my anxiety helped me to believe through the process for my migraines.

As I now have a lot more understanding of such things, I can now explain to you that faith is a needed resource for healing. If there was a surgery that could cure you but it cost $50,000 you might have a wealthy person sweep in and pay it for you, but chances are it wouldn't happen unless you provided the cash yourself. Healing is a little like that. Sure, occasionally someone else might be able and willing to pay the cost for you, but your best chance of being healed is to pay your own way. Even Jesus went around singling out those with the faith to be healed. Consider the lady who got healed just by touching the hem of his garment with the faith to make herself well. He didn't even know who had been healed till she spoke up to admit it was her.

I also now get that, yes, God can say 'no,' but at least to His faithful children He always gives the answer of what is best. If He says 'no' it isn't because you aren't important enough to consider but because there is a real reason not to, and if that reason changes, He is likely to then say 'YES!'

P.S. Sorry if this was a bit rambling. I had lots to share but not a lot of time to organize my thoughts more clearly.

That was really good,Praise God!