Posted on 11/04/2017 12:24:50 PM PDT by Salvation
Question: Are the saints in heaven active in the affairs of Earth? — Robert Bonsignore, Brooklyn, New York
Answer: Yes, we have a lot of evidence for that. But exactly how and to what extent they are aware and active is not fully known to us.
It seems unlikely that the saints can merely look down and watch us as though they were watching a movie, or that they can know our inmost thoughts. Such things are probably beyond their capacity and might even be considered intrusive of our privacy.
It seems safer to assume that the saints are aware of our needs and condition to the degree that God reveals this to them. Thus, if I am asking St. Anthony to pray for me, his capacity to hear my request is facilitated by the Lord and due to the membership both St. Anthony and I have in the Body of Christ. By analogy, the two members of my body that I call my hands can interact by the fact they are coordinated through my head. Jesus is the Head of the Body, the Church and everything in his Body is under his authority and coordinated by him, including the awareness and communion of various members of the body with each other.
“What is the biblical justification for hijacking threads?
I direct you to ask the “highly-educated”, Jesuit Doctor, who hijacked the thread topic to focus it on himself.
Based on what was posted here, I suspect you will receive only more assertions...
“So, you don’t believe anything that was believed or written after 100Ad, but you believe in a church that was founded 1500 years after that? Makes perfect sense!”
To prove something was part of unrecorded Apostles teaching, you can’t begin hundreds of years after they died. If it was believed, taught or practiced before 100 ad, it very likely came from the Apostles or they would have corrected it.
I do not believe in a church that started in the 1500s. I specifically state my church on my home page.
Best
If it were only just about behavior...then most folks based on behavior might get a pass. Even Satan can appear as a model angel of light and he may even be most sincere regarding his rebellion against GOD and may have personal behaviors that are better than any Godly Sunday school teacher....which is probably why we are warned against pronouncing a Judgment against Satan(If Michael the ark angel wouldn’t...then why should I presume to-besides the Bible states he is already judged!)
The Bible speaks of one who, in the parable of the wedding feast and garments, was found without wedding garments, and when confronted was then cast out into outer darkness. I hope that your cherished Rumi and Hafiz, having strong spiritual insights, aren’t found at God’s wedding feast without their wedding jackets...simply being at the party isn’t enough!
“Is there ANY Scriptural evidence that points to anyone other than GOD and His Angels in Heaven interacting with humans on Earth?”
Yes, many. The problem arises when our ego plays God and thinks that it is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches through epiphanies. There are many scriptures reflecting communication with the Holy Spirit.
There are good reasons that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are the opposite of many of the attributes reflected on this thread.
Handled well by ealgeone as I peacefully slept...
Post #178
like a “refiner’s fire”
like a refiner's fire...
Often its them little words that define the issue for understanding...Words such as like, and as...It is not the thing, but it's like the thing or as the thing...
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Water baptism doesn't save us...It could be tomato soup or Grape Jelly...Liquid has no saving attributes...It's stepping into the liquid that saves us due to a good conscience toward God...That is the real baptism; not getting wet but a good conscience toward God...Stepping into the water is our statement that we have that good conscience...
Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
Is God a bar of soap??? No...He is like a bar of soap, and like a refiner's fire...
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
So God is sitting there in front of a blast furnace ready to drop the sons of Levi in there and purge them??? He drops them into a cauldron of 2800 degree fire and to refine them??? Naw, there wouldn't even be any ashes left to to offer anything in righteousness...
You do realize once a mind is closed around an idea, even though false, it is difficult for that person to objectively analyze another idea? 🤔
Yeah, I’m certain you do.
😊
Thank you for your excellent comments.
In being Christ like in our own behavior, it is not our position to judge. Even Jesus stated that He is here to save, not to judge.
While discernment appears to be judgement, it is factual evaluation without judgement.
Determination if a shirt is red or blue is gathering facts based upon perceptions. It is not judging the shirt as good or bad.
“I direct you to ask the “highly-educated”, Jesuit Doctor, who hijacked the thread topic to focus it on himself.”
Being a scientist myself, I respect academic studies and the continued search for understanding. I am not in any way critical of the good Dr.
The Dr. Did not hijack the thread any more than those who took the bait of arguing the credibility of those credentials.
I put no human on a pedestal, nor no one under one. Let the words speak for themselves.
There is a very important lesson in this thread for everyone.
Way more than two, but primarily one accusing everyone else of what he was doing. I suggest you start at the beginning and read through the thread, if you are interested.
You'll have to ask the highly-educated one who hijacked the thread by making it about himself. I would guess he must know...
“MOST?
You have sampled them ALL???
Perhaps you meant ‘a few’.”
I had the good fortune to care for a man who was a devout Muslim who read and studied the Koran daily. I cared for him in his final year of life through his death of cancer. I have his Koran on my bookshelf, a gift he gave me as he was dying.
He was an excellent MD, a surgeon who was never married and had no family and no relatives in the USA.
He saved many lives and treated his patients with a Love similar to a mother’s love for her children. If I were to list the characteristics Jesus taught us to exemplify as Christians, he exhibited all of them, including the most important, Love in his heart for God.
I am a Christian and accept Jesus whom I Love, as my Savior.
Remember what Peter said in 4:1, if you say that you Love God but do not Love your neighbor, you are a liar. Most proclaiming Christians are liars, including myself some days. My dear Muslim friend truly Loved everyone and reflected it in his actions.
Not just a few, but most.
I was fortunate in that this hospice work with him was prior to 911 as I observed the good side of the Muslim religion.
>>I was fortunate in that this hospice work with him was prior to 911 as I observed the good side of the Muslim religion.
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This doesn’t make sense to me. The Koran says muslims must kill the infidel. To kill the infidel is to be a “good” muslim, following the Koran.
I can only conclude the man must have been a very “bad” muslim.
Just as sin causes illness and death, healing is done by the Holy Spirit removing sin.
How often did Jesus heal by forgiving? He also stated that the acts are His Father working through Him.
A prayerful blessing is to an evil person as though hot coals are placed upon their head. (Per the Bible )
I perceive the Holy Spirit as physical, thus my words are based upon my own experiences which I then searched scripture to understand.
If you were to define being Christian by the actions described in the OT, you would be far from the truth. But yet the OT is a Christian scripture.
Even Jesus grew spiritually during His life. Originally reserving His ministry to the Jews. Later He expanded it.
Thus causing disputes between Peter and Paul.
You do not need to be a Christian to be a decent person.
The reason to become a Christian is to enter a relationship with God and have eternal life.
Having entrusted yourself to Christ, His life should be reflected in the fruit of your life.
This would explain some of what you posted.
One of my favorite movies if all time is Sargent York and the inner turmoil he experienced. I wrestle with this daily in rebuking darkness.
In the movie York killed a few, but captured without harming many German soldiers.
Remember His words. “MANY SAY THEY KNOW ME AND USE My name, but I do not know them.
I don’t care by what name you call Jesus, as long as you truly Love His Soul with all your heart.
No kidding? Thx for the update! I’ll have to check it out.
Recently I sat crying in prayerful meditation, pleading and begging for God to allow me to experience the bliss of His full Love again. I often wish to die as God’s Love is truly beyond words of description. I’ve been to Heaven and want to return ASAP.
God’s immediate reply was, “Love Me in all the people around you.” But it is not the same I argued. “Look deeper as I am there,” He responded.
Easier said than done!!!
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