August 30, 2024 DRAFT 2b

Spirituality Changes

Many people start life with no sense that God is real. Although occasional testimonies can be found proclaiming something different. Let’s look at a few ways many people have changed perspectives on what an experience of God is like.

Non-Christian, No knowledge About God

Person: There is no triune God.

• Interpretation: No revelation, inspiration, or teaching leading to understanding.

Non-Christian Raised in the Church

Person: My faith journey has led me to believe in a God Who exists in three persons. One Father, one Son, one Holy Ghost, together are one God. I choose to accept what I have been taught as true.

• Interpretation: Teaching received, leading to knowledge, but no revelation.

Non-Christian Enlightened by the Holy Spirit

Person: There is a God, and I’ve come to feel guilt for my sins. This guilt has led me to a profound realization-I need a savior. I know the Holy Spirit exists because I know the guilt is from Him.

Person: There is a God; He loves me, He wants to be a part of my life, and I know the right thing to do is to accept His offer of salvation.

• Interpretation: Teaching, Christian texts, and friends may all lead the person to an understanding with the mind, inspired emotion of guilt from the Holy Spirit. So, understanding and revelation.

New Christian

Person: I feel free. I am at peace. It is as if everything is new, the world and people; I am different.

• Interpretation: I know the Holy Spirit exists because I feel peace, like a new person, and I have peace with God.

Testimony to an Experience of God

• Comment As the Christian matures the evidence that they have had or are having an experience of God changes. As the Christian becomes equipped to take on assignments from God, He offers them. We may always say no[1]. different parts of the Christian life our evidence of an experience of God Each time a person realizes they have had or are having an experience of God, it may seem to be identified as an inspired emotion. But there are more works of the Holy Ghost. Aside: we ask ourselves, which works of the Holy Spirit have I been the recipient of?

TIME OUT Each interpretation above depends upon a particular framework of understanding. Others will convey the same spiritual event differently.

Growing Christian

Person: My understanding of the Bible has grown significantly. It’s no longer just words; it carries a deeper, personal meaning. I can grasp the preacher’s message beyond the surface, and experiencing the Holy Spirit is a blend of emotion (often peace) and comprehension.

Ministering Christian

Person: There are moments when I find myself loving someone who is not naturally lovable. This is not a common occurrence. I believe the Holy Spirit within me enables me to love the unlovely.

• Comment As we mature, we experience faith differently. Our understanding changes as well.

The Knowledge of God

Deeper Things of God

(1Co 2:10 NASB) For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Depths of God? Revealed to the writer and his associates? What are the depths of God?

(1Co 3:2 NASB)  I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able,

So, how do we know whether or not we are mature Christians? From v. 3 (below), we learn little behavioral difference between the intended recipients of 1 Corinthians and non-believers.

(1Co 3:3 NASB) for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people?

The Corinthians were not ready for God’s more profound things, evidenced by another characteristic. They were segregated by each person’s understanding of the Gospel. Each person showed a different preference for how the faith is described. Perhaps for some believers, the difference was a personality preference or conflict; one teacher preferred to another. Each mainstream perspective where the advocates bear spiritual fruit has a reason to exist. Continuing, people are imperfect. For practical reasons, segregation exists today. We call these church denominations.

(1Co 3:4 NASB) For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people?

Question: could the solid food, the more difficult beliefs to understand and accept intuitively be teachings, doctrines that logically conflict?

At the time of this writing, I am starting to believe that the pinnacle sacred doctrine is that of a triune God. This single concept, one God in three persons, is beginning to appear to undergird all else. But does that make sense, three persons as one? There are countless testimonies to the experience of God that fall into one of three " “. The word we typically insert where the empty quotes are is “persons.” Sometimes, the Bible indicates independent entities within God. Each is in perfect harmony and union with the others. Perhaps in Heaven, we will have a better way to say that there is One God, and He is in three ways. Below is one supporting verse declaring Jesus is one with God.

(Joh 10:30 NASB)  “I and the Father are one.”

Do you think you are a mature Christian because you have worked to intuit (feeling that you understand) that two logically incompatible beliefs are both simultaneously true? Review 1 Corinthians 2:10 (above). We don’t “work” for it.

Taboo

There are some topics we Christians do not talk about. Could we talk about one now?

No single, quotable source seems to capture a particular set of spiritual elements in St. Teresa of Calcutta’s experience. The article referenced below is one part. As with all people, nothing is that simple. This is why we often hear a generic solution to life’s troubles’ such as trusting God. Trusting God is required, but putting that into practice nearly always requires more action. Perhaps praying, not just speaking to God, but setting aside prayer time to be quiet before Him as an act of worship. We can’t obey if we don’t hear. At this point, the topic of prayer and hearing branches into many streams outside this article’s scope. Stated another way: we learn to pray, we learn to hear, and we learn to obey. If we are not stopped by a belief leading to disobedience, then the Holy Ghost deals with any remaining impediments to the flow of God’s power through the believer. HIS empowering often is like an ebb and flow.

Not all born-again Christians experience a continuous sense of walking by the Spirit. It’s important to keep doing what you should be doing and continue regularly meeting with the saints. But one more critical element is keeping your eyes open and looking around for God working. If you see God working somewhere, try joining Him. This could be your first ministry or an additional ministry. Stay vigilant. Keep looking. You cannot imagine what will be in your future spiritual pilgrimage during this life - - so don’t try, don’t assume, and stay the course. We serve a wealthy, good God of abundance, and He likes[2] us. HIS abundance exists in many ways. Like any good mom or dad, He treats us accordingly.

See the following article for a deeper exploration of the topics we often keep private in Christian communities.

https://www.deseret.com/2003/10/18/19790715/mother-teresa-often-felt-alone-abandoned-by-god/

One of the Ministries of St. Theresa of Calcutta

Many people have been exposed to St. Teresa once. Some have testified to a peculiar experience from her. Once again, finding a quotable source for the following is challenging. Here is one account I received verbally from a man she talked to. The man was standing in a group she walked past. St. Theresa had never met him. She stopped, turned around, and walked purposefully to him. She gave him specific spiritual advice. He was so surprised that he could not respond. She turned around and continued walking.

Ministering Christian Plus Growth

Here, the possibilities are endless. To some Christians, an experience of God is a thought imprinted with His personality. To others, a tune, or lyrics, or sermon content. Teachings.

What a Christian’s Ministry Could Look Like

We read the Bible, study beliefs about God, and discuss Christianity with others. From research, we develop ideas. For some, the ideas go into our conversations with other Christians. Other ministries include teaching content, sermons, and more. God calls some to attend formal Bible classes.

(Act 17:11 NIV) Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Research produces knowledge, and knowledge enables reasoning. This all sounds good. Now, our attention turns to divine help regarding the quest for knowledge about our faith.

(1Co 12:8 NIV) To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,

In verse 8 above, there is no mention of study, meditation, or other human actions that we also use to learn about Christianity. These are mentioned in the Bible, so we can be sure they often serve a purpose in the believer’s life. There are many dimensions to Christianity, so let’s keep researching.

(1Co 13:8 NIV) Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

We invest time to study the Bible and how we describe Christianity. These are essential tools in the well-equipped Christian arsenal. But without love, nothing else matters.

Listen, Hear, Do

(2Pe 1:21 NRSV) because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

We presume the following:

We know what to plan for our daily schedules from elsewhere in the Bible, such as Bible reading, praise and worship, and prayer. When we don’t have a clear conscience, we apologize where and as needed. It is much nicer to go before God and listen with a clear conscience. We are set free when our wrong, perceived or actual, is made right, not by our working to suppress the guilt.

Continuing the discussion of verse 21 above, a prophecy is made out of words in a language the speaker or his/her translator understands. Many could testify to artists putting the words into an art, such as song lyrics. Regardless, prophecy consists of words that came from God. There is no mention of preaching, teaching, or research. The prophecy came from God to an imperfect believer. But it does not stop there. The purpose is to go through the believer to others, directing their attention to the source, God. All believers have a particular worldview; do not think of this as a flaw but as part of being human during the present life. This is why loving God and each other is so important.

(1Co 13:12 GNB) What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God’s knowledge of me.

Did you notice that verse 21 (above) includes both men and women? The inclusion of women is version-sensitive for English translations. For you who can use language tools: is there a specific ancient word for women, a counterpart for men, and finally, what word is used in this verse? Using only English tools, we conclude that both genders can be given prophecy directly from God.

This makes perfect sense. In fact, from the beginning, it always was men and women. What always was? A type of communion between people and God through which His Spirit conveys information to us. Communion is an aspect of receiving prophecy, a message directly from God somehow translated into words by the person receiving it.

(Gen 1:27 NIV)  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.]

We all have responsibility. We all have authority. We hear, then we go and do.

Conclusion

Do you believe in God? Have you accepted Christ as your savior? Have you submitted to God praying, not my will, but Your will? Are you doing what you should be doing? Continue all of this.

Remember, the path of your spirituality is not a straight line. For you who put your trust in God, you do not know how your spirituality will unfold during this life, and that’s okay. Trust Him. HE loves you.

Footnotes

• [1] Saying “no” to God has its limitations. We can say no. But many Christians grow into a life described by Jesus’ prayer, “Not my will, but your will.” Fully submitted to God, offering ourselves to the Holy Spirit for His control, His use daily - - at which time continued refusal of an assignment can become unbearable. The Christian continuing to refuse enters a sideline path, still on their way to heaven but with no sense of the mystical. We need to pray for one another. There are other reasons for God being silent, seemingly distant.
• [2] “Like” seems to fill a void in natural language, which “love” leaves open to interpretation. The use of “like” on this website may change, which is yet to be determined.

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Notes / Additional Information

The Imperfect Believer or Not

We all have preferences, such as music style, this more more compose our world view. For now, think of this as being a condition, or context. There is a relationship between health and the gifts of the Holy Ghost. For this article our point is that regardless of health from any perspective, know that God can use you. We say and believe that God knows what your next step should be. As an expression of the heart, God needs for you to fill a role in the body of Christ.

(Dan 1:4 NRSV) young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

If we are not as healthy as we once were, it is easy to delay furthering the Kingdom of God until we feel better. Try something creative. As an experiment, in a way that is beyond words try to one of the following as an act of worship. Find a place to settle, perhaps with pencil and paper or a voice recorder. Quiet down but do so specifically for the purpose of being with God, which we know from the Bible and church teaching is nearby, He is very close. Humbled before God, in a state of compliance (submissiveness), wait. Then try drawing a picture, or writing. Sometimes a voice recorder is a good option.

(2Co 12:7 NRSV) even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.

You may be in between “messenger(s) of Satan.” As you are able, serve the Lord.

(Dan 2:30 NIV) As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

When we consider Jesus life, birth, growing in knowledge and maturity to adulthood, and the following verse, it would seem that Jesus serves as our example.

(Heb 4:15 NASB) For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.

St. Teresa of Calcutta

Regarding the parts about St. Teresa, you might be wondering what was left out.

St. Teresa kept doing what she was suppose to be doing during the times God seemed to not be nearby. From other articles we learn that when she went out onto the streets she would see her savior’s face when she looked at the needy. She saw God at work and found a way to join Him in that work. Do you remember the first worship service you attended at your current church? Perhaps you could see God at work in the faces of the people.

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