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In 1991, when I had just moved to Aurora, Colorado, I was listening to a Christian AM radio
station one afternoon. Two "theologians?" were debating pre-millennial v. post millennial
doctrine. I had no background in eschatology, other than the "apostles creed" we were taught
in school. "He will come again to judge the quick and the dead". What intrigued me was that both sides had their own pet scriptures to support their position. They were both very courteous for the most part, but never challenged one other's interpretation of the scriptures they quoted, just stuck to their own preferences. I was stunned that this could even exist in Christianity, that there would be such divisions. I prayed awhile about what I had witnessed and heard from the Lord very clearly that night. He said "this is not the spirit of truth, but the spirit of wanting to be right". I knew what He meant immediately, but also grew in understanding. I purposed in my heart that I would not even bother with this or other divisive issues that are inessential to our serving the Lord and each other.
Soon after, the Lord gave me this scripture: Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, to that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. I had even avoided reading Revelation for years, and when I did, the first thing I noted was that the blessing was to listen and keep the message in our heart Revelation 1:3. Reminded me of Mary, and how the scriptures said that she did not fully comprehend what she was being told, but would ponder them in their heart. What is more alarming is that at the end of the testimony, we are told that a curse would be upon anything added or removed from that Word. Oh, the danger of interpreting the book of Revelation! Not much later, I was at the Buckingham Mall in Aurora where they had a nice Christian bookstore, and I bought my wife an NIV study Bible, since she did not like the King James, which I preferred. I was sitting at a bus stop to go home and flipping through while a waited, and in the middle of the book of Revelation there was a lengthy and complicated (for me, at least) table, which broke down portions of the testimony, while providing the pre, post, and amil interpretations. At that moment I heard the Lord's voice as clear as the day: "seems they have added a few things to that book!" I knew it was the Lord because I was alone on the bench, and a strange terror came over me. At that instant I understood "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." I decided that my wife was never going to read Revelation (which she did not) and gave it to her anyway. So when I came on this forum about 18 months ago, I started noting the many ways that the body of Christ was divided. Calvinism, which I had no previous knowledge, Universalism was also totally unfamiliar to me. I have mostly avoided these forums and topics, and lately I only post in Spiritual Growth>Deeper Fellowship, Discipleship: Following Jesus, and Spiritual Formation and Disciplines. Proponents of both sides of these arguments show a gross lack of knowledge of the Hebrew prophets, particularly Isaiah, and speak from their experiences within a school of thought, modern books, etc.. in other words, doctrines of men. I like the expression "theological framework", of which I had none when I came back to the Lord in my 30's. I grew up Catholic, and I was so concerned about what I could rely upon from catechism, that I threw everything out and started from scratch with the Gospel of John. I had always studied the synoptic gospels and pastoral letters, but was completely unfamiliar with the apostle Paul, Acts, and John. In the 80's it had become common to hear people witnessing on the streets and making reference to being born again. This was my first order of business, to get to the
bottom of that idea. Of course, when I got to the nearly complete red letter chapters 13-17, my eyes were then wide open to the person of the Holy Spirit, and came to know His voice, which has guided my devotions for 30 years now. Praise God I was simple of enough to read and ask. And I have kept on asking, while in the past 18 months I have posted over 1000 threads, which mostly came out of my morning devotions, while others started in a response to another members thread. Since I had retired 3 years ago, my devotion time expanded to at least 2 hours, sometimes up to 4, and I have been astounded by how much more I was able to see coming out of the scriptures that I had read dozens of times in the past. With the Holy Spirit as an ever present help, I cultivated an anointing under the Gospel of Matthew 13:52, and have remained faithful to that so far. For with the devotions to the Bible,
"NO WORD IS WITHOUT POWER!
Blessings of the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, as you continue to grow in Grace.
station one afternoon. Two "theologians?" were debating pre-millennial v. post millennial
doctrine. I had no background in eschatology, other than the "apostles creed" we were taught
in school. "He will come again to judge the quick and the dead". What intrigued me was that both sides had their own pet scriptures to support their position. They were both very courteous for the most part, but never challenged one other's interpretation of the scriptures they quoted, just stuck to their own preferences. I was stunned that this could even exist in Christianity, that there would be such divisions. I prayed awhile about what I had witnessed and heard from the Lord very clearly that night. He said "this is not the spirit of truth, but the spirit of wanting to be right". I knew what He meant immediately, but also grew in understanding. I purposed in my heart that I would not even bother with this or other divisive issues that are inessential to our serving the Lord and each other.
Soon after, the Lord gave me this scripture: Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, to that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. I had even avoided reading Revelation for years, and when I did, the first thing I noted was that the blessing was to listen and keep the message in our heart Revelation 1:3. Reminded me of Mary, and how the scriptures said that she did not fully comprehend what she was being told, but would ponder them in their heart. What is more alarming is that at the end of the testimony, we are told that a curse would be upon anything added or removed from that Word. Oh, the danger of interpreting the book of Revelation! Not much later, I was at the Buckingham Mall in Aurora where they had a nice Christian bookstore, and I bought my wife an NIV study Bible, since she did not like the King James, which I preferred. I was sitting at a bus stop to go home and flipping through while a waited, and in the middle of the book of Revelation there was a lengthy and complicated (for me, at least) table, which broke down portions of the testimony, while providing the pre, post, and amil interpretations. At that moment I heard the Lord's voice as clear as the day: "seems they have added a few things to that book!" I knew it was the Lord because I was alone on the bench, and a strange terror came over me. At that instant I understood "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." I decided that my wife was never going to read Revelation (which she did not) and gave it to her anyway. So when I came on this forum about 18 months ago, I started noting the many ways that the body of Christ was divided. Calvinism, which I had no previous knowledge, Universalism was also totally unfamiliar to me. I have mostly avoided these forums and topics, and lately I only post in Spiritual Growth>Deeper Fellowship, Discipleship: Following Jesus, and Spiritual Formation and Disciplines. Proponents of both sides of these arguments show a gross lack of knowledge of the Hebrew prophets, particularly Isaiah, and speak from their experiences within a school of thought, modern books, etc.. in other words, doctrines of men. I like the expression "theological framework", of which I had none when I came back to the Lord in my 30's. I grew up Catholic, and I was so concerned about what I could rely upon from catechism, that I threw everything out and started from scratch with the Gospel of John. I had always studied the synoptic gospels and pastoral letters, but was completely unfamiliar with the apostle Paul, Acts, and John. In the 80's it had become common to hear people witnessing on the streets and making reference to being born again. This was my first order of business, to get to the
bottom of that idea. Of course, when I got to the nearly complete red letter chapters 13-17, my eyes were then wide open to the person of the Holy Spirit, and came to know His voice, which has guided my devotions for 30 years now. Praise God I was simple of enough to read and ask. And I have kept on asking, while in the past 18 months I have posted over 1000 threads, which mostly came out of my morning devotions, while others started in a response to another members thread. Since I had retired 3 years ago, my devotion time expanded to at least 2 hours, sometimes up to 4, and I have been astounded by how much more I was able to see coming out of the scriptures that I had read dozens of times in the past. With the Holy Spirit as an ever present help, I cultivated an anointing under the Gospel of Matthew 13:52, and have remained faithful to that so far. For with the devotions to the Bible,
"NO WORD IS WITHOUT POWER!
Blessings of the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, as you continue to grow in Grace.
