ideas

[Guest jckduboise]

There is this strange idea going on around here that God stopped speaking. Where exactly does that come from? His 400 year silence ended with the angel visiting John the Baptists parents and Mary and Joseph..He sent Jesus, who in turn sent the Holy Spirit. We have been told that in the end times there will be dreams, visions and prophesy..what these gifts only have to to with yesterday?

What is it that gives people the idea that God doesn't have more to say. When Jesus walked this earth there was certainly less technology and there were less people. Times have changed and in that change people have taken the set of abominations God detests and made them even more detestable. From how we treat our planet to how we tollerate issues such as abortions.

No one wants to hear that tho..they want to sit in their little box and believe it doesn't apply to them because they are saved. This is lazy and will bring a judgement on those who take on this attitute.

In Revelation, letters to the angels of the churches were written for a reason..as a warning. And as a promise that to abide that which He hates will cause their lamp stand to be removed..

I am all for the testing of the spirit of anything that is introduced and could possibly be false teaching, and if it is false I am the first to say something. This is to be done. I have been given the Authority to do so by God Himself. This is not anything new and is writtin within the Good Book..

We are there folks. It is plain and simple. All the signs of the times point exactly in the direction of tribulation and armegedon. God spoke to me, He said Prepare yourself. There was nothing other than the meaning that it is time to prepare for the Battle to end all and that is what I have been doing since 2001..I am no perfect and there are times I have been mistaken but in this I am not. With all my being, this I know that God has shown me I am not mistaken.

My teachings come from God. And God alone. It comes from the Word and it is in Truth that I tell you these things.

Frustration is difficult to deal with while I listen to the "doubting Thomas's" spout their disbelief. And I feel compelled to rebuke.

Blessed are those that believe because they see, yet even more so for those who believe and do not see..

In Him

In Him

[RGR]

Jackie,

For starters, the 66 books of the Bible are the closed Canon of Scripture; God is not adding new ideas to it. He may bring forth a warning to someone or we could perhaps see something prophecied, but it is going to line up with Holy Writ. There seems to be an abundance of people these days saying "thus saith the Lord" and, even as you admit, we are to test the spirits. I do not know you nor do you know me and if God has given you a message, that's great, but I tend to be a little cautious when someone tells me they've heard from the Lord on things.

[Marnie]

Jackie,

Nobody is saying that the Lord has stopped speaking. In fact, one could argue that even during the intertestamental period, the so-called 400 silent years, He was still speaking, just not through His servants, the prophets. It is the testimony of Scripture that what G-d has to say, He has said in His Word; that there are no new revelations today. I direct you Hebrews 1:1, where it says,

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

In the past G-d used various ways to communicate, but today, He has done it through his Son. People today are fascinated with dreams, visions, and the like. These are taken as signs. It was our Lord Himself who said,

A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.

Further, we are told the following in 2 Timothy 3:16, 17:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If the Bible wasn't enough, it wouldn't equip "thoroughly," would it? So, dreams and visions then, of necessity, are not essential for the believer, since what he needs he gets from the Word.

The portion of Scripture many people love to quote when defending the necessity of dreams and visions is Joel 2:28. This section of Joel's prophecy has to be studied in conjunction with what came before it, even though Peter took it and applied to the Day of Pentecost in Acts. Eschatologically speaking, use of the phrase, "Day of the Lord," which throughout the OT always refers to the day of the Lord's future judgment (as opposed to today, which we could call the Day of Man, since G-d is allowing man free reign on the earth for a time), places the bulk of this prophecy during the 70th Week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27)--also known as the Tribulation period. If you read Mattew 24, which deals with the same time period, you will see how close Joel and Jesus' words are.

The outprouing of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, during the last days (which we have been in since Christ) is a prelude to the other events of Joel's prophecy. During the Tribulation--especially during the judgments which you wrote of in another thread--there will be many signs and wonders in the heavens, darkness, etc. We don't see those things happening today, do we? No, because we are not in the Day of the Lord yet; the judgment is yet to come.

The Lord can and does speak to us through His Word, through other believers and through the preaching of the Word (see Ephesians 4). But in no instance does the word of any preacher come before the Lord. And when the Lord moves in such a way, it must always be done in order, according to the Word:

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. (1 Cor. 14)

Notice Paul says that believers are to "weigh carefully" what the people have said. John said to "try the spirits." Why? Because Christians are gullible and easily led astray by "every wind of doctrine" because for most of us, our knowledge of the Bible is sadly lacking.

Which is why I have said dreams and visions, while being very flashy and exciting to hear about, are a most unreliable vehicle through which the Lord can speak. I mean, look at the wrath I have faced for questioning a vision? You wouldn't know that I have committed an umpardonable sin by questioning! Yet, we are told to do that. As I have written previously, the burden of proof is on the side of one who speaks for G-d.

[Kabowd]

To Marnie and Ronald.

If anyone is saying that God stopped speaking, I'd really like to see those quotes. It sounds like you're mis-reading what someone has been trying to convey, honestly.

[Abigailwc]

God talks to His children, all the times. Let the world say what it wants to say. It does not matter.

[Guest jckduboise]

Hello jckduboise,

I agree with you that God still uses visions and dreams in these last days to speak to his church. Peter re-affirmed that in Acts 2. What I am not sure about in reading your post is, do you believe that God is still giving us additions to the Bible or are you simply saying God still shows his servants things? I believe that the Bible is our standard and any message someone receives today must be in line with the Bible, cannot contradict it in any way. From what you said, you feel like God is telling you to prepare for the end. That is not really saying anything that goes against scripture. We are already warned to be watching and waiting on the Lord's return, though it is obvious most are not. I have no reason to doubt the warnings you believe God has given you, and know there are others that feel the same way you do. I believe we are in the last generation before the Lord returns, but in my case it is not based on a dream or vision, just my conclusions by looking at current events in light of scripture. He could come today. It may be 20 or more years from now, but I believe he is coming soon.

Luke 21:34-36

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkeness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

No Butero I do not believe that God is adding to the bible. I believe He is expounding on what has already been spoken.

[Trinity]

Has God closed the door on Prophets? Hrmm... No. are there a lot of people getting dreams now in days? Yes. But i do not believe all people who get dreams are from God, even if they are good Christians, they to can be deceived into thinking they have dreams from God.

Because, there are a lot of people claiming dreams, and A godly man from the east coast gets a dream that contradicts the godly man from the west coat, who would be right? The both are believed and disbelieved, both passed the false prophet test according to the bible, but they both cannot be correct. This scenario happens almost every day across the planet.

Does God speak to some? Yes! Yes! and Yes! I will never doubt that, but how many i will doubt.

P.S.

God isn't adding to his word neither subtracting, God basically covered every aspect of the human life.

I like what Ovedya said in another thread. ill repost it because i believe it is excellent

One thing to remember: Prophetic speaking in the age of grace (Which s the age of the church, now, prior to the millenial age) is speaking for Christ and speaking forth Christ, for the building up of the church. According to 1 Cor. 14 prophesying is not just the foretelling of future events. It is a speking that all members of the Body can do for the building up of the church. As such, this speaking must first and foremost be done in love, and with a heart for building up the members of Christ's Body.

I know that there is a small portion of believers who imagine themselves as an Elijah or a Jeremiah, or even a John the Baptist. But in the church today prophesying has a bit of a different role than in the age of law.

[Guest jckduboise]

Jackie,

For starters, the 66 books of the Bible are the closed Canon of Scripture; God is not adding new ideas to it. He may bring forth a warning to someone or we could perhaps see something prophecied, but it is going to line up with Holy Writ. There seems to be an abundance of people these days saying "thus saith the Lord" and, even as you admit, we are to test the spirits. I do not know you nor do you know me and if God has given you a message, that's great, but I tend to be a little cautious when someone tells me they've heard from the Lord on things.

And if you did not practice caution you would be foolish..

and you have also proven exactly what I just said. I didn't go into some big long prophetic vision with what I said. I simply said that God told me quite clearly "Prepare yourself"..

What about that is so difficult to fathom..that He spoke? or simply that He spoke to me?

Does He not speak to you?

This is what I mean..we can ALL see and we have all read the bible. All of us know exactly what makes God angry and jealous but when it is brought into discussion everyone runs and hides behind God isn't going to talk about that. After all He already said it in the bible..yeah well he has been saying the same things for hundreds of years and few listened then. What should be different today?

I don't get it...

[Guest jckduboise]

And before I get tarred and feathered for what I just said, I do not believe that everyone is deaf and not everyone is blind. So please don't take what I have said as a personal attack on anyone.

Thank you

[tah]

If the Lord speaks a word to me and I feel to share it then I share it and leave it to those who hear ...

I have done my part...I have been obedient...

As far as I am concerned it is done...

The Holy Spirit in those who hear is now responsible to show them the truth of the matter...

not me...