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It's simple ...what is your interpretation of what Jesus said in John 10-13,14 or so...
but mainly that phrase in the op. Thanks.
This isn't a thread about then mocking what people believe it means or
going into Revelations.
You are free to start a thread of your own on those things or another thread on
John 10:10, btw.
Simple, if we follow his words and the directions for Christians found in the NT and conform our life to them (Put on the new personality), we will have the best life possible now.
Not a perfect life, not one with no problems, no health issues, etc; but the best life we can have now and an even better one to come.
This shouldn't surprise me. You are doing the very same thing by clinging to the words written in a book instead of the Word Himself.
You would not know the Word without the Bible and can't keep knowing him without it. Leaving it behind, leaves him behind. To claim otherwise is based on ego.
You would not know the Word without the Bible and can't keep knowing him without it. Leaving it behind, leaves him behind. To claim otherwise is based on ego.
Abundant life comes from following the true Word of God which is written in our hearts. So your saying that for the past 2000 years, people who have had no exposure to the bible are damned? We can't know God without the bible? Hmmm...maybe hell really will run out of space someday.
You would not know the Word without the Bible and can't keep knowing him without it. Leaving it behind, leaves him behind. To claim otherwise is based on ego.
It is the word of God within that draws us to Jesus Christ(at that time of drawing we are unaware of it, just like we are unaware of what is happening with any seed planted in the ground . We initally know who Jesus Christ is by the scriptures, then we understand that by them that he is within, always has been as our life source and guide.
It is the word of God within that draws us to Jesus Christ(at that time of drawing we are unaware of it, just like we are unaware of what is happening with any seed planted in the ground . We initally know who Jesus Christ is by the scriptures, then we understand that by them that he is within, always has been as our life source and guide.
Precisely. The problem comes when the vehicle that contains information that can lead to a relationship in the kind of love that Jesus taught becomes the FOCUS of devotion rather than the information and EVERYTHING in that book is held to be accurate information regardless of how it relates to the information about that special relationship.
It is the word of God within that draws us to Jesus Christ
(at that time of drawing we are unaware of it,
just like we are unaware of what is happening with any seed planted in the ground .
We initially know who Jesus Christ is by the scriptures,
then we understand that by them that he is within,
always has been as our life source and guide.
You would not know the Word without the Bible and can't keep knowing him without it. Leaving it behind, leaves him behind. To claim otherwise is based on ego.
Maybe you would not...people are given different experiences for them...as yours is for you. I can't expect anyone else to have my experiences the same way.
I happened to know the Word before I ever opened a Bible,
45 years later...I felt it permeating
my being and
everything around me even miles away. The Word that is within everything and always has been,
always will be.
Same with the Holy Spirit, that I just called, 'God, my Father', was visiting me again..and again....and again. (I Am aware this doesn't happen to everyone now.)
I watched a TV Christian station and said, 'OH! Ok....they are calling this experience the Holy Spirit and I can see it in their eyes...they are the same as me!"....Ok God's Spirit, yes....I can relate better to people if I say the Holy Spirit rather than, saying 'God said to me last night....' and they think I'm crazy.
I never say to them well, maybe they are the ones crazy because they don't hear God....or He doesn't visit them.
Well, I might have said it once to someone...a closed minded, intimidating,
judgmental, narrow thinking, follower of concepts person...
that needed to get a different perspective from someone as strong as she was; a very powerful wealthy
old friend that owns 5 upscale restaurants in my city....and some in Chicago.
Now, will some here say that I am mistaken...sure...would I care? Of course not.
Yoy don't receive the Divine Gift of feeling the very Thing that created everything and maintains everything
and not know what you're experiencing!
Is any of this ego-based...oh my you don't get these experiences with ego present!!!!
And that made more sense to me than many other things said here...worshipping the map instead of the destination...
eating the menu and not the meal....I could go on with examples...LOL
Looking at the picture and falling in love, instead of with the puppy in person...
Is the 'spirit' a little in the photo of the puppy...sure!
Is the 'essence' owner of the restaurant a little in the menu?....Sure!
Is the map a great thing to get to a place? ....SURE!
But they are not the 'thing ' itself...and that is simply all many of us have realized and are speaking of.
And we are joyous about it...we aren't looking
at the finger that is pointing to the Moon anymore!!! YAY!
And that made more sense to me than many other things said here...worshipping the map instead of the destination...
eating the menu and not the meal....I could go on with examples...LOL
Looking at the picture and falling in love, instead of with the puppy in person...
Is the 'spirit' a little in the photo of the puppy...sure!
Is the 'essence' owner of the restaurant a little in the menu?....Sure!
Is the map a great thing to get to a place? ....SURE!
But they are not the 'thing ' itself...and that is simply all many of us have realized and are speaking of.
And we are joyous about it...we aren't looking
at the finger that is pointing to the Moon anymore!!! YAY!
Couldn't of said it any better. It does sound silly, to those without ears, that is, the religious.
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This shouldn't surprise me. You are doing the very same thing by clinging to the words written in a book instead of the Word Himself.
