Where is my Indwelling Spirit?

[tonychanyt]

Etymology:

Paraclete comes from the Koine Greek word παράκλητος (paráklētos). A combination of para ('beside/alongside') and kalein ('to call') ... often used of one called to help in a lawcourt. In the Jewish tradition the word was transcribed with Hebrew letters and used for angels, prophets, and the just as advocates before God's court.​

When I was born of the Spirit, the Paraclete dwells in my human spirit which is in touch with my conscience. Romans 9:1

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:16

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

The Paraclete, as God's witness, testifies with our human spirit together that we are God's children.

The Paraclete strengthens your inner being. Ephesians 3:16

According to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith … 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Whenever I focus on the Paraclete, I always sense peace. John 14:26

But the Helper [Paraclete], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Can you sense the Paraclete in you?

 

[d taylor]

-​

...Does the born again believe after death lose their dead spirit and keep The Holy Spirit.

...I believe that is what happens, they no longer remain a sinner.

...The unbeliever will keep their dead sinful spirit for all of eternity and remain a sinner.

 

[tonychanyt]

-​

...Does the born again believe after death lose their dead spirit and keep The Holy Spirit.

...I believe that is what happens, they no longer remain a sinner.

...The unbeliever will keep their dead sinful spirit for all of eternity and remain a sinner.

Do you distinguish between your human soul and your human spirit?

 

[oikonomia]

Etymology:

Paraclete comes from the Koine Greek word παράκλητος (paráklētos). A combination of para ('beside/alongside') and kalein ('to call') ... often used of one called to help in a lawcourt. In the Jewish tradition the word was transcribed with Hebrew letters and used for angels, prophets, and the just as advocates before God's court.​

When I was born of the Spirit, the Paraclete dwells in my human spirit which is in touch with my conscience.
Romans 9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit

The Paraclete strengthens your inner being.
Ephesians 3:16 According to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith … 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Whenever I focus on the Paraclete, I always sense peace.
John 14:26 But the Helper [Paraclete], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Can you sense the Paraclete in you?

Yes. But often I sense He is with me when I depart from the way He wishes me to walk.
This is like our body feeling nothing in particular when nothing is wrong.
But if we become ill, suddenly we are AWARE of our body.

The Spirit being with our spirit is more often an unconscious matter.
It is a feeling of life and peace. But if we depart from the way the Spirit wants us to walk or act or think or speak, suddenly be become AWARE of the loss of this life and peace.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6)

In the early Christian life, I think the Holy Spirit is known mostly by Him saying "No,"
Just as the first words a young child learns is "No" so "No" is heard much from the Lord Spirit in early Christian life.

"No, do not speak that way" the Holy Spirit will say.
"No, do not look that way" The Spirit of Jesus will say much in early Christian life.
"No, do not do that this time" He speaks.

Formerly we did many things without thinking about them.
We had no sense at all of them not being proper.
We did many ungodly things with no sense of conviction.

Then we receive the Holy Spirit and He begins to shine deeper and deeper.
What we did before we now feel is not pleasing to Him.
We can grieve the Spirit if we refuse to go along with Him.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30)

Thus the life long process begins and continues (if we are normal).
Clearer and clearer His indications become.

Every act of cooperation, every act of obedience STRENGTHENS the will to go along with the Paraclete.
Obedience strengthens. Obedience makes brighter and clearer and more illuminating His inward presence.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, Which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. (Prov. 4:18)

 

[oikonomia]

Do you distinguish between your human soul and your human spirit?

The word of God helps me to discern my spirit from my soul.
The sharp two edged sword of the living and abiding word of God penetrates and discerns these deep things.

For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And there is no creature that is not manifest before Him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we are to give our account. (Hebrews 4:12,13)

I would like to contribute a Scripture song to the subject. Lovers of the Lord and the word may sing along with me.

 

[d taylor]

Do you distinguish between your human soul and your human spirit?

-
​

I do, we are body, soul and spirit. the soul may be our personality and the spirit is life. Or in people before being born again or people who are never born again, the spirit is death.

 

[oikonomia]

Do you distinguish between your human soul and your human spirit?

It is critcal that we learn this. There is no proper church life within men and women learning to live out from their spirit.
The church only exists in Spirit by living from the mingled spirit.

"He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17)

As you nicely pointed out, Paul's prayer was that God would strengthen the believers (actually INTO) that realm.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, (Eph. 3:14,16)

He petitioned to Father that all the Christians would be energized and strenthened INTO that realm deep within. That is that sphere in us where the Spirit is joined to our regenerated spirit. We cannot have the proper communal life of the church WITHOUT this strengthened bond.

Now going ON from the Apostle's prayer that we be strenthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man - the RESULT will be that Christ will more and more make His home in the chambers of our personality - our heart.

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man,
That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (vs. 16,17)

Then the local church ( the city wide church in the locality ) will be both ROOTED as a plant and BUILDED as a building.
That is a living building. That is a growing building. That is a growing living building. drawing up all the nutrients of Christ into
the members and constituents of this structure.

That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are
and to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.(vs. 17-19)

Being so ROOTED and so GROUNDED in Christ, with all the saints we may apprehend how VAST and extensive Christ is.
His riches are like the dimensions of the universe - infinite.

How broad is "the breadth" ? It is infinite.
How long is "the length" ? Again it is as the endless length of the universe - "the length" - without measure.
How high is "the height"? Infinite is the heighth of Christ.
How deep is "the depth" of Christ and His love? Like the infinite dimensions of the universe, there is no end.

I recommend if you have not read it, "The Vision of God's Building" by Witness Lee.
But freely read online and just as good are "The Glorious Church" by Watchman Nee

https://www.ministrybooks.org/books/reader.php?id=Oh6PF2L2YsCI

And "The All-inclusive Christ" by Witness Lee
https://www.ministrybooks.org/books/reader.php?id=pFpErgbjdLPM

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Etymology:

Paraclete comes from the Koine Greek word παράκλητος (paráklētos). A combination of para ('beside/alongside') and kalein ('to call') ... often used of one called to help in a lawcourt. In the Jewish tradition the word was transcribed with Hebrew letters and used for angels, prophets, and the just as advocates before God's court.​

When I was born of the Spirit, the Paraclete dwells in my human spirit which is in touch with my conscience.
Romans 9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit

The Paraclete strengthens your inner being.
Ephesians 3:16 According to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith … 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Whenever I focus on the Paraclete, I always sense peace.
John 14:26 But the Helper [Paraclete], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Can you sense the Paraclete in you?

Why can't you just say His Holy Spirit? He makes His Home in us so we know who He is. No need to use the word Paraclete, please, that may cause a stumbling block because not everyone knows what that means. Blessings

 

[tonychanyt]

What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Paraclete?

 

[friend of]

What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Paraclete?

They are same. But many people are going to think you're talking about a parrot or something. Same thing with people calling Jesus "Yeshua" or "Yeshuah" or "Yahuah"

Like, just call Him Jesus. You don't get extra credit for calling God fancy names. Haha

 

[tonychanyt]

They are same. But many people are going to think you're talking about a parrot or something. Same thing with people calling Jesus "Yeshua" or "Yeshuah" or "Yahuah"

Like, just call Him Jesus. You don't get extra credit for calling God fancy names. Haha

Click The Holy Spirit dwells in a person permanently only after Jesus' death on the cross and follow up there.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Can you sense the Paraclete in you?

As a Lutheran I try not to put stock into feelings, but rather trust in the external and objective word of God.

Some days I feel peace, some days I don't. Some days God feels near, other times I feel a trillion miles away from Him.

But regardless of how I feel, God's word to me is the Gospel, and that word says I belong to Jesus Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[tonychanyt]

Some days I feel peace, some days I don't. Some days God feels near, other times I feel a trillion miles away from Him.

I tell you about my own experience. I feel the peace of the Paraclete every day, any time

But regardless of how I feel, God's word to me is the Gospel, and that word says I belong to Jesus Christ.

Amen, brother

 

[oikonomia]

As a Lutheran I try not to put stock into feelings, but rather trust in the external and objective word of God.

Some days I feel peace, some days I don't. Some days God feels near, other times I feel a trillion miles away from Him.

But regardless of how I feel, God's word to me is the Gospel, and that word says I belong to Jesus Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

Paul taught plenty about the objective truth of the word.
He also taught believers to live and follow the sense within of life and peace.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6)

We ought not be reactionary to go to the extreme here.
We ought not let the subtle enemy push us to the extreme on either side.
We ought trust the word of God. And we ought to turn our hearts to the Lord and follow the sense within of life and peace.

 

[Above & Beyond]

It is critcal that we learn this. There is no proper church life within men and women learning to live out from their spirit.
The church only exists in Spirit by living from the mingled spirit.

"He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17)

As you nicely pointed out, Paul's prayer was that God would strengthen the believers (actually INTO) that realm.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, (Eph. 3:14,16)

He petitioned to Father that all the Christians would be energized and strenthened INTO that realm deep within. That is that sphere in us where the Spirit is joined to our regenerated spirit. We cannot have the proper communal life of the church WITHOUT this strengthened bond.

Now going ON from the Apostle's prayer that we be strenthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man - the RESULT will be that Christ will more and more make His home in the chambers of our personality - our heart.

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man,
That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (vs. 16,17)

Then the local church ( the city wide church in the locality ) will be both ROOTED as a plant and BUILDED as a building.
That is a living building. That is a growing building. That is a growing living building. drawing up all the nutrients of Christ into
the members and constituents of this structure.

That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are
and to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.(vs. 17-19)

Being so ROOTED and so GROUNDED in Christ, with all the saints we may apprehend how VAST and extensive Christ is.
His riches are like the dimensions of the universe - infinite.

How broad is "the breadth" ? It is infinite.
How long is "the length" ? Again it is as the endless length of the universe - "the length" - without measure.
How high is "the height"? Infinite is the heighth of Christ.
How deep is "the depth" of Christ and His love? Like the infinite dimensions of the universe, there is no end.

I recommend if you have not read it, "The Vision of God's Building" by Witness Lee.
But freely read online and just as good are "The Glorious Church" by Watchman Nee

https://www.ministrybooks.org/books/reader.php?id=Oh6PF2L2YsCI

And "The All-inclusive Christ" by Witness Lee
https://www.ministrybooks.org/books/reader.php?id=pFpErgbjdLPM

How about if you just trust that the Spirit in you will flow through you as you speak from your constituted being, and that this flowing Spirit that is the content of your speaking is what the Lord has given to you to exercise (speak to people in and out of)... Rather than try and point people to Witness Lee, and any other minister for that matter.

This actually is what I've found to be an inherent weakness in strong ministries... Those who hear and appreciate these strong ministries become dependent on them, rather than on the Lord in them, and to Whom the ministry should be pointing.

Is Witness Lee the minister in you... Or is Christ Jesus the minister in you?

Amen.

 

[Above & Beyond]

As a Lutheran I try not to put stock into feelings, but rather trust in the external and objective word of God.

Some days I feel peace, some days I don't. Some days God feels near, other times I feel a trillion miles away from Him.

But regardless of how I feel, God's word to me is the Gospel, and that word says I belong to Jesus Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

See... I'm going to say that same thing to you as I say to those who claim to be Roman Catholic... There is no such thing... Check your DNA... No "... Lutheran..." thread.

All you are... Is, like us all, a human being who may or may not be saved into Christ Jesus... Which means you've been transferred/translated out of a position of death and darkness into the glorious light of the righteousness of God... This glorious light of the righteousness of God being... Christ Jesus, Himself.
And in this, if you are saved, which requires being born of God... You are now simply a divinely human person... Which, BTW... Is a far, far, far... Even infinitely better person to be, than some non-existent "...Lutheran...".

And I have a feeling that you are even now agreeing with me.

Now you say that you try not "...to put stock into feelings, but rather trust in the external and objective word of God."

But I ask you... What is this "...trust..." if not a feeling?

See how easily a contradiction was exposed... That's the Lord Spirit.

And this "...Some days I feel peace, some days I don't. Some days God feels near, other times I feel a trillion miles away from Him..."... Is this not speaking to feelings as well... But regardless of how I feel, God's word to me is the Gospel, and that word says I belong to Jesus Christ."

God's word says the whole world — cosmos/universe/creation — belongs to Jesus Christ.

So I'm thinking that anyone in this world can claim to "...belong to Christ..."... Yet, riffing off of the ol' Calvinist predestination doctrine deal... Not everyone will benefit from belonging to Jesus Christ.

I guess what I'm saying is that you sound like you're out in the realm of vagueness regarding your connection with the Spirit in your regenerated — if you're born-again of God — spirit.

And as far as I've seen... biblical scripture isn't vague about our being one with the Lord Spirit in our spirit.

Shoot... Although we know from 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that... "All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, . . . That the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work."

We also know from scripture that it is not scripture that brings us into all truth... It is the Spirit.

So as much as it seems certainly wonderful to know and trust scripture... It's only really wonderful, and profitable if you do so in and out of the Spirit.

This is quite possibly why the Lord told us seven times in chapters two and three of Revelation... That we need to have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying... And not that we need to try and trust scripture.

And this being the case...

I'm thinking that the real need... Really, the only need... Of a Christian believer... Is to learn how to hear what the Spirit is saying... Which is not such an easy matter to accomplish.

In fact... It's actually, well, impossible... Apart from the Lord accomplishing it within us.

Funny how that works... It's like God planned absolutely everything to be in Christ Jesus, through Christ Jesus, and even unto Christ Jesus.

So... Look... I know that by saying you're a Lutheran you simply meant that it's the denominational doctrine that you hold to... I get it.

But check this out...

Where in "...deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me..." is there any space for you claiming to be "... Lutheran..."?
Come on... You know as well as I do that if we're honest before the Lord... There is no space for you claiming to be "... Lutheran...".

Lose your soul life, yes, includes your denominational natural human reasoned preferences... Personal preferences that always get in the way of our having ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.

The cross is a terminating tool... One doesn't come down from (through) the cross with even a little bit of our old man intact... Our old man dies... Utterly and completely... That's just how it is.

And before we come into resurrection life... The cross must do its work... Thoroughly and completely.

Which means... Buh bye to things like denominational love.

Really... Buh bye to everything... And hello only to Christ Jesus... Because He is the resurrection and the life.

Unfortunately... Though many are called... Few are chosen... Because few are given to taking this way.

Amen.

 

[biblelesson]

How about if you just trust that the Spirit in you will flow through you as you speak from your constituted being, and that this flowing Spirit that is the content of your speaking is what the Lord has given to you to exercise (speak to people in and out of)... Rather than try and point people to Witness Lee, and any other minister for that matter.

This actually is what I've found to be an inherent weakness in strong ministries... Those who hear and appreciate these strong ministries become dependent on them, rather than on the Lord in them, and to Whom the ministry should be pointing.

Is Witness Lee the minister in you... Or is Christ Jesus the minister in you?

Amen.

I want to comment on you post for several reasons. You are so right to say we should let the Spirit flow through us as we speak and to be lead.

But my experience was I had encountered bad teachings. I also was involved in religious abuse. So I didn’t know how to read the Bible without feeling condemned. It was so bad till I would just cry for weeks. But I never failed to pray for guidance. Then one day I was in a waiting area waiting on a friend, and saw a book case. One of the books on the shelf was The Spiritual Man, by Watchman Nee. As I read through the pages, the Spirit started to speak to me. I asked if I could buy the book, but I was told I could have it.

That started my understanding about what the gospel was really teaching us. I realized I had been taught wrong in church. I believe once the Holy Spirit got my attention through reading Watchman Nee’s work, where I learned about the real meaning of the grace of God, I was able to start reading the Bible with joy. No more condemning myself, but really seeing God’s love, and steadily increasing in knowledge.

The Holy Spirit is now showing me actually what you are saying. Do not become dependent on strong teachers, that is, Watchman Nee, but learn from them. I joy in the fact that the Holy Spirit leads me, and there are times the Holy Spirit will guide us to the help we need to increase our knowledge in Christ Jesus; to get rid of blocks from bad teachings.

God bless you!

 

[Above & Beyond]

Does scripture tell us that when we are born again of God, the Lord comes to dwell in us as the Spirit in our regenerated spirit... And that in this, we are made one with Him and Him one with us?

If so... Are we schizophrenic?

Perhaps although we don't admit it, we may just sometimes feel that we are... Even as the apostle Paul said of himself...

Romans 7:15... "For what I work out, I do not acknowledge; for what I will, this I do not practice; but what I hate, this I do."

All the way through to...

Romans 7:24... "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?"

Thing is... The apostle Paul already knew the answer...

Romans 8:1-2... "There is now then no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. . . . For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death."

This tells us that even though Paul struggled with his dead old man... He was clear that he was now a new creation in Christ Jesus... And that his goal must be to lay hold of and possess his new creation man in all his daily living and being.

2 Corinthians 5:17... "So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new."

This... "...he is a new creation...".

Not will be... But is.

And that's the ultimate paradigm shift that must take place in our soul... Our full realization of who we now are in Christ Jesus.

And this "...new creation..." that we now are... Is just Christ Jesus.

Can you believe that you are Christ Jesus... Not in His headship, but in the life and nature that flows out of His headship, and therefore contains and expresses His headship?

If you are born-again of God... One day... You will.

The Spirit in you is making sure of that.

Amen.

 

[oikonomia]

How about if you just trust that the Spirit in you will flow through you as you speak from your constituted being, and that this flowing Spirit that is the content of your speaking is what the Lord has given to you to exercise (speak to people in and out of)... Rather than try and point people to Witness Lee, and any other minister for that matter.

This actually is what I've found to be an inherent weakness in strong ministries... Those who hear and appreciate these strong ministries become dependent on them, rather than on the Lord in them, and to Whom the ministry should be pointing.

Is Witness Lee the minister in you... Or is Christ Jesus the minister in you?

Amen.

Why should I not point people to ministry which tells things which you cannot get anywhere else?
I referred to a book by Witness Lee not for his own sake but because such ministry in needed by God's people.

Peter referred people to the wisdom of Paul without malice and suspicion. And that even though Paul had
admonished Peter publically.

And count the long-suffering of our Lord to be salvation, even as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, As also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these things, in which some things are hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable twist, as also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. (2 Pet. 3:15,16)

I have written thousands of words on this Forum by now with no particular mention of a specific servant of the Lord.
If occasionally I mention one for the benefit of those who would like to read more I will do so.
If you're suspicious of that that is too bad.

 

[Above & Beyond]

I want to comment on you post for several reasons. You are so right to say we should let the Spirit flow through us as we speak and to be lead.

But my experience was I had encountered bad teachings. I also was involved in religious abuse. So I didn’t know how to read the Bible without feeling condemned. It was so bad till I would just cry for weeks. But I never failed to pray for guidance. Then one day I was in a waiting area waiting on a friend, and saw a book case. One of the books on the shelf was The Spiritual Man, by Watchman Nee. As I read through the pages, the Spirit started to speak to me. I asked if I could buy the book, but I was told I could have it.

That started my understanding about what the gospel was really teaching us. I realized I had been taught wrong in church. I believe once the Holy Spirit got my attention through reading Watchman Nee’s work, where I learned about the real meaning of the grace of God, I was able to start reading the Bible with joy. No more condemning myself, but really seeing God’s love, and steadily increasing in knowledge.

The Holy Spirit is now showing me actually what you are saying. Do not become dependent on strong teachers, that is, Watchman Nee, but learn from them. I joy in the fact that the Holy Spirit leads me, and there are times the Holy Spirit will guide us to the help we need to increase our knowledge in Christ Jesus; to get rid of blocks from bad teachings.

God bless you!

Amen... This I believe is the final aspect/element of God's salvation economy for man... Our living Christ as our own living and being.

This is what I came to realize one evening as I was pouring over Galatians 2:20... Reading and considering each word... Word by word.

"...it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ..."... This must become our reality... Not in word... But in actual being.

Some years ago, in a meeting of the saints... I got up to speak... And all that the Lord allowed me to speak was that I look forward to the day that I no longer need to read scripture or ministry... Because I will just be one with the Lord Spirit in me.

And I was able to speak this because, by the Lord's leading, I had stopped reading a ministry book that all the other saints were reading... Maybe for two months I hadn't bought or read the book... And yet... During those two months I was able to get up and speak about the matters that were being spoken about in the book the others were reading... And not vaguely, but in detail... Even adding to the revelation within the book.

It was then that I began to comprehend just what the reality of my relationship with the Lord was.

And it completely changed the way I saw His ministry and ministering.

But I'd like to say something to you about "...bad teachings..."...

Over decades I often asked the Lord why He allowed something as vile as the Roman Catholic religion to continue... And He gave me a very simple answer...

He said... For your own salvation's sake.

It took me many years to fully understand what He meant by this... But today I see a bit more clear... The Lord has used the RC religion to teach me patience, and how to love those who do not meet my human reasoned preferences.

Before the Lord... There is no "...bad ministry..."... Only those who do not deny our preferences and opinions, and therefore, see things according to how we choose to see them.

But always remember... The Lord is greater than "...bad ministry..."... And He can certainly bring good out of that which was meant for evil... If you just trust Him to do so.

Perhaps we can fellowship more about this matter of living Christ.

Amen.