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Thank you for your encouragements!

No doubt we will see much “kicking against the goad”.

I expect it - mostly because it brings a person face-to-face with the question: "Who do you believe?"

Those who believe Joseph Smith need to understand what that means. Ditto for those who believe Mohammed. Ditto, L. Ron Hubbard. Ditto, David Koresh. Ditto, Jim Jones. Ditto, Applewhite. And so on.

And ditto for those who believe the dogma and doctrine and liturgy and sacraments of the physical Catholic/Orthodox Church - or LDS or whatever - as it has been handed down over the years.

But that is not the Way God has chosen for me.

I believe God. I love Him and trust Him. And He authenticates His own words to me, personally.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. - John 6:63

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. - Isaiah 55:10-11

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: - John 10:27

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. - John 16:13

To me, believing anyone or anything else is a broken cistern:

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. – Jeremiah 2:13

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) – John 7:38-39

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. – I Corinthians 12:13

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

There is no substitute:

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. – Romans 8:1-9 To God be the glory, not man, never man.

***I believe God. I love Him and trust Him. And He authenticates His own words to me, personally.***

How?

***And ditto for those who believe the dogma and doctrine and liturgy and sacraments of the physical Catholic/Orthodox Church***

Do you believe in the Scripture that the Catholic Church has given to you? If so, why?

***I believe God. I love Him and trust Him***

As do all true Christians.

***Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: ***

Guide is the key word here. The Spirit leads and whomsoever will, will follow. How do you know, outside of the Church, that the voices are of God?

***To God be the glory, not man, never man. ***

There are many, and they are legion in the tv ministry ranks, who say words to this effect but who really mean that they exult in their false piety, and they are inordinately proud of their false humility.

The phrase is good and true; many that use it are not.

I expect it - mostly because it brings a person face-to-face with the question: “Who do you believe?”
Those who believe Joseph Smith need to understand what that means. Ditto for those who believe Mohammed. Ditto, L. Ron Hubbard. Ditto, David Koresh. Ditto, Jim Jones. Ditto, Applewhite. And so on.

And ditto for those who believe the dogma and doctrine and liturgy and sacraments of the physical Catholic/Orthodox Church - or LDS or whatever - as it has been handed down over the years.

But that is not the Way God has chosen for me.

I believe God. I love Him and trust Him. And He authenticates His own words to me, personally.

= = =

INDEED.

THX