(06-13-2023, 02:06 PM)NightskyeB4Dawn Wrote: I think for most people it is a bit disconcerting to hear someone say with honesty that God spoke to them.
If you have never had the experience, it takes your mind to a whole bunch of different levels. Usual first stop is, religious fanatic. Or they must have had a brain injury, they were drunk, on drugs, hallucinating, or just plain lying.
I spent a lot of my time as a youth in and around the church. A bunch of them. I was not a devout anything. I was a kid. University opened my mind. I was always the curious little munchkin,"why" was the first word I spoke after "mommy" and "daddy". But being one of the first in my family to graduate from University, made me believe what everyone had always said, "I was smart!" I was smart alright. I was so smart I was stupid.
Life taught me a lot. One important lesson was that there is a huge difference between life smart and book smart, and in the real world of the streets, life smart is the winner all hands down.
So I graduated University and hit the ground running. God was placed on the back burner. I believed in him in a spiritual way only. My quest for understanding God and religion took me a lot of places. I had friends from all over the world, I still do. My book knowledge soured me on religion and separated me from God. So I thought. But like I said before, I was done with God, but he was not done with me.
When I laid face down on the ground, in the storm, knowing that I was going to lose everything, and I had nowhere to go, I am ashamed to say this now, but the last place I was looking, was toward God. When I heard his voice as clear as a bell. I was not afraid, I was angry. My talk with God was not what they talk about or make movies about. But he calmed my mind, my heart, my soul, and my mouth. He told me, "Be still and know that I am God". He met my anger with stillness, warmth, calm, and love.
What happened after that, was as close to a miracle as it comes. Since that first encounter, I have had several others. Once I was placed in a situation where I had to take a leap of faith, it was the most difficult thing I had to do at the time, because I still was not a true believer. Taking a leap of faith now is as easy as breathing.
Again, I don't expect anyone that has not had a similar experience to understand, or believe. I don't know why some people have these experiences, and it seems more don't. I know in my case it was not because I was pure. It was not because I was religious. It was not because I was obedient to God.
Maybe it was because my Mother was on her knees three times a day praying for her children. I am not going to lie. I was not deserving, and I just don't know why.
Just a side note, In my Bible study I have 2 couples from India, a couple from Poland, a couple from China, and a Spanish couple. Will get back to this at another time.
I knew I had a feeling about you, NSB4D... It wasn't the fact that you are smart. I know lots of smart people. But there was something about your wisdom I was picking up on. It wasn't exactly in what you were saying (all this time), it was in what you didn't say, but I could tell you glossed over something from time to time.
I always say, "Holy Spirit recognizes Holy Spirit." Meaning, I have learned to recognize Him in others. And sure enough, it's not in what you said here, it is the in between the lines that you speak so loudly and clearly.
And like you, I did not receive any of this because I am a righteous or perfect or a squeaky clean person. Truth is, I have no idea why I 'know' what I know, or have experienced what I have with the Lord and the Way He moves. All I know is, things have happened, and continue to.
I believe you, NightSkyB4Dawn. God works in mysterious ways...
Ps. I'm just a lil ol foot washer, and that's all I've ever wanted to be. I enjoy my humble life, and I am finding it easier to love others as I go along. The only thing I strive to be "perfect" at is, in fact, loving others.