The Word: Conviction

The word "conviction"is a Holy Spirit lead of situations and living that we learn from the Word of God, through others that God uses and any other sources that God will use that causes life experiences and hard thinking or meditation. For Dietrich Bonhoeffer, his convictions were expressed as a 'yes' to what God had in store for him, knowing full well that it could (and did) lead him to death at the hands of the Nazis. My answer is this, Holy Spirit directs our steps without "telling" us. Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Proverbs 20:24 How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps. In Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. I will stick with God's word since 2 Timothy 3:16 says "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." I will trust GOD for directing me where he wanted me to go. I just follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

"God Told me" issue

The Bible listed people who were able to hear God. Moses did but others didn't as Hebrews 1:1 said "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways." The Apostles did but many others didn't, in Revelation was the last known biblical "God told me" from John. Only one time God really opened up to everyone is when Jesus was baptized. Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Speaking directly from God is an interesting concept. The Bible listed very little on what to do if we ever heard God. How did anyone handled when the cults such as the Mormons who told others "God told me"? This "God told me" is walking on thin ice and playing with fire. This is where I am having problems with some Christians who are so big on "GOD SPOKE TO ME" which are trying replace the authority of God's word. I rather follow God's Word than man saying "God spoke to me".

Submission to Authority within reason

with common sense. If you don't like the laws, get involved and change it without total rebellious. Just simply say "I disagree" MLK and Rosa Parks did. Corrie Ten Boom disagreed with Hitler and hid the jews. Dietrich Bonhoeffer disagreed and got hanged. Daniel of the Old Testament disagreed and got thrown into the furnace (Daniel 3:6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."). Later Daniel earned respects from others in Daniel 6:4 "At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent." We just have to be careful how we disrupt God's ordained government as First Peter 2:13 says "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men." Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders. People who accept and respect a person's refusal to submit must have strong influences to make things change without negative affect.

1 Corinthians 12:10 "to another distinguishing between spirits."

There are times when my mother called to talk, I had trouble recongizing HER voice. God is spirit and faith is required to know Christ and then, the Holy Spirit will reveal who God really is. Without the Holy Spirit, human pride often create the confusions and hearing contradictions that are plainly outside the field of human understanding. We are to rely on the Holy Spirit which will give us divine revelation that will assures us that certain things are true which our human imagination cannot grasp. With the help from the Holy Spirit, we believe but we cannot see in the human mind's ears. Christian faith is inward, not outward. It is of the spirit and not of the flesh. The kingdom of God is within you, Christ dwells in your heart, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. So Christianity, the true Christian faith, is inward in nature--we are to be inwardly Christians. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.-Matthew 23:12 The Bible is the voice of God calling us to wake up and He is saying this is the road map for the Church. Where God using His words to warn, command, rebuke, promise, encourage us. History demonstrated that every generation needs it own dramatic encounter with God, its great awakening by the Holy Spirit. Every generations need this awakening and the Holy Spirit is really working on us. God's Word (the Bible) sometimes wounds us deeply and it is imperative because through the Bible, God speaks loudly. Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Faith is simply the bringing of our minds into accord with the truth. Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - 1 Corinthians 12:8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit. 1 John 4:6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1 John 5:6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. God's word and God's spirit are all I needed. God speaks to me through the Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual truth Is spiritually discerned. False teachings can sneak into the believer's life in things such as the use of certain imaginations, words, phrases, positions in prayer or similar that can mislead a follower that such teachings that thrives on teachings of half-truths and error. We are reminded that in Ephesians 6:12"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). If people wants to believe that God speak to them directly, by all means keep that between you and God. 1 Corinthians 12:10 "to another distinguishing between spirits." Romans 14:22 "So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves." When I hear someone says, "God told me", that do not apply to me but between the person and God because I cannot distinguish your word and God's word unless it is supported by the Bible. Paul even made sure that he pointed out how he write in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 "I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write."