Quote:
Originally Posted by Nell
Paul,
When I stopped meeting with the Local Church of Witness Lee, I also stopped reading the Bible. I told the Lord when I left, "please don't let go of me" and "please don't make me go back there." I was afraid that if I read the Bible, He would make me go back. For 4 years I didn't touch the Bible. Then years later, a former member suggested that I "read it like it was a book." So I did. I wasn't looking for answers. I wasn't testing anything that I was aware of. I was just reading the Bible. It was amazing. It was a like a new experience altogether.
I don't know for sure what was happening, but looking back, I can say, the Lord did exactly what I asked of Him: He "didn't let go of me", and He "didn't make me go back". Maybe the verse "cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you" applies.
This was my personal experience with the Lord, and remains so until this day. I talk to him. If something is bothering me or if I need something, I just tell him. I don't get an immediate thunderbolt answer, usually, but I do get an answer...after which, I thank Him. I think my experience was then and is now, to "know him", in the sense that Paul prayed "that I may know him".
To me, knowing Him was/is more important than figuring out the Bible. I believe this is what helps me to listen and understand and pay attention to warnings and red flags. It also helps when I have a question.
So your original question "But the bigger question is, what and how does anyone test things? And what is the ultimate and final confirmation of everything? Is there one?"...when you know the one in charge of all things, He will often throw a flag when something is not right as he did with Matt ("you are deceived"), and with me ("he didn't mean that like it sounded").
No one is suggesting a total reliance on the Holy Spirit. We are told to rely on the Spirit and the Word.
So, to go back to something Matt said or implied, our desire for knowledge may need to be adjusted from knowing "about" Him to knowing HIM. Personally. When you need to test...something...ask Him and wait.
Nell
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Nell,
Good enough, I think I made my point at least somewhat clear. I’m not insisting on this or trying to prove to anyone that they should proceed into some other direction. I know you keep referring to this “knowledge”, idea as some kind of evil, or that I need to go back and read original post, which I did. I will just repeat what I already said: it’s not about knowledge, it’s not about studying Bible for the sake of studying, it’s not about trying to go and know things beyond from what is written. But it’s about not falling into the same hole that I just got out from by the mercy of God, where “God told me so”, therefore ya”ll better conform, was a thing. I don’t care if and angel from heaven transfigures himself in my living room and tells me things that I should do so and so, or that I have been duped or “deceived”, I will have some hard questions for him before I even consider anything he has to say. Sorry.