How does a person tell between their thoughts and if God is communicating?

by The Dragon 47 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Qcmbr

  If we step back we could look at this another way (as I do):

  The following statements are simply me putting out the picnic table - I'm not being preachy here so don't worry!

  1/ We are primarily spiritual (not physical).

  2/ Our ability to communicate is far more based upon intuition and feeling that we normally realise - actual voices (either through the air or the imagination - like when reading this post) are the least effective form of communication we have.

  3/ We can receive information much better through vision, smell, touch and sound than we can through language.

  4/ Most of our relationships and communication is what I could term 'spiritual' - we can feel what someone wants the closer we are to them and the longer we have known them. My relationship with my wife is better now than it was at the beginning and we don't need to speak so often tog convey our feelings.

  5/ Thus we come full circle - when we pray we receive a feeling, we are unable to hide or mangle our communication with language - when we pray often enough we feel how our lives should be, we become better people, we have new ideas - less selfish ideas - , we have inspiration, we begin to feel love / peace / a desire for purity and the good of our fellowman.

  6/ Answers to prayer have rarely been verbal in my experience but have been absolutely life changing.

  6/ Those who do not feel they have had answers to their prayers maybe were looking for the imperfection of voice and trusting less in the power of their thoughts and feelings.
• 

  Clam

  OOOh the real faithful and discrete slave came to the forum but now he's gone to bed.
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  sass_my_frass

  It shouldn't be too hard to tell... if God is talking to you, you've lost it. Go to a doctor!
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  lisavegas420

  I'm not sure how to answer your question, but if God spoke to me though a burning bush like he did for Moses, or if God used a little donkey like he did to Balaam...I might listen.

  Other than that, I believe my thoughts are my own.

  lisa
• 

  Scatteredsheep

  Dragon,
  
  I can only tell you how my family and I have been doing it for the past several years. If we have a thought that we think is from God, we "test the inspired expression" as He says in the Bible to do. Our usual way of "testing" is to ask Him to show us a scripture. (I usually ask to see a scripture that is a direct quote from Him or Jesus and that has something to do with the subject at hand.) Then, we close our eyes, open our Bible at random and put our finger on the open page.
  
  (Yes, I know people make jokes about this sort of thing. If they'd received some of the answers we have, they'd stop joking and get goosebumps!)
  
  My son was skeptical about this at first, so he prayed, "Please, Jehovah, if you really are talking to me, let me open the Bible and put my finger right on your name." At first he thought his skepticism was justified because when he opened his eyes, he didn't see the name. Then he remembered that he'd asked to put his finger RIGHT ON it. So he looked under his finger and, THERE IT WAS!!
  
  I could relate numerous similar experiences we've had, but probably the only thing that will convince you is to try it yourself, Dragon.
  
  Please remember, though, that humility is absolutely necessary to receive this sort of intimate communication from God. "The proud he knows only from afar." (Can't recall offhand just where in the Bible that's found but I can look it up for you later if it matters.)
  
  I do so hope that you're one of Father's lost sheep and that He'll be willing to communicate with you regularly as he does with us!
  
  Please let me know! Either through a PM or public post.
  
  Scattered Sheep
• 

  diamondblue1974

  Sirona - who has communicated with gods (not least, Diamondblue1974 lol )

  Only just seen this....

  My normal approach would be to come out with something sarcastic and witty but I am stumped for words.

  Thanks honey.

  G x
• 

  poppers

  One of my favorite quotes goes something like this: The language of God is silence, everything else is a poor translation.
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  Frannie Banannie

  I'm guessing that the best way to confirm anything one thinks is coming from another source is to seek signs that one can see, instead of just relying on what a person thinks they've heard. The signs would be "backup."
• 

  Warlock

  IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR INTERPETATION.

  Warlock
• 

  Terry

  1/ We are primarily spiritual (not physical).

  This is an unsupported assertion.

  The universe is physical. Matter and energy are two forms of the same physicality.

  There is no evidence or data nor even a definition of what "spiritual" is.

  2/ Our ability to communicate is far more based upon intuition

  By "communicate" I assume you mean transfer accurate information from one person to another. There is no evidence of this either. Even statements made clearly in writing (as in contracts) are often taken the wrong way. What you may think "intuition" is might be a personal fantasy. We are born ignorant and it is only through a focus of attention on actual data that we learn to the point we have a base of information. Then we make choices. The learning process can be internalized and we might not articulate how we dredge up that information. But, just because we don't keep track of our data base; it doesn't mean we haven't put it there by observation and study.

  3/ We can receive information much better through vision, smell, touch and sound than we can through language.

  Much better?? What in the world are you talking about? Language is learned through seeing and hearing and touching. I think you are confused as to how we obtain language and what it is. You are not born with language.

  4/ Most of our relationships and communication is what I could term 'spiritual'

  You have not given us any definition of "Spiritual" at all. What are you talking about and how do you expect us to verify your assertion?

  Further, most marriage mates claim the lack of conversation is what destroys the marriage. Males typically expect their mate to understand them without going through the trouble to TALK to them about feelings, needs and expectations.

  Answers to prayer have rarely been verbal in my experience but have been absolutely life changing.

  Answers to prayers are strictly a matter of your internal mood. If you tell me you have a headache I have to take your word for it. If saying a magic word "cures" your headache I have to take your word for it. In other words, what an "answer to a prayer" consists of is believing in prayer and then interpreting your own feelings as a positive result. That is awfully subjective.

  The difference between a rational mind and a superstitious mind is chiefly this:

  A rational mind can present a cogently reasoned chain of proof that something is a fact. Others can be persuaded by examining the chain of reason and examining the proof.

  On the other hand, the irrational (or superstitious) mind relies on vague vocabulary terms like "spiritual", "intuition", and such. It comes down to peddling emotions and inner "feelings" over reality.

  Seeking to make some inner fantasy a substitute for an outward reality is what religion finally comes down to.

  What is our personal standard for being convinced that a thing is true or false? The lower our standard the more easily we are persuaded.