To the Household of God, Israel... and those who go with... may you all have peace!
My great goodness, dear ones... what did CHRIST, our Lord, say? Dear ones, the Bible is NOT our saviour. It is NOT our redeemer. It did NOT give its life for any one of us. It did NOT purchase any one of us with its blood. It CANNOT plead with the person of God for any one of us. It CANNOT forgive any one of us our sins. It CANNOT give any one of us holy spirit. It CANNOT resurrect any one of us from the dead. And it certainly CANNOT give any one of us everlasting life.
It can only tell us about the ONE who did/can/will do all of these things... and what he may have said. And what does it say that that ONE said?
"Come to ME... all you who are toiling and loaded down."
"Come to ME... and drink."
And yet, so many still fail to hear what HE said... even when they see it in writing. Omigosh. Day after day after day after day after day... I come here and see folks trembling in fear because they are unsure if they are "pleasing" to God and perhaps will die. Why? Because... "the Bible" tells them they are "unworthy." Yet, "the Bible" also says that there is One who has ransomed you FROM death. Which should you believe? That which has sayings of everlasting death... or He that has sayings of everlasting life?!
I see folks throwing Bible verses back and forth, resurrecting the Law Covenant, and "read[ing] Moses." And I see more followers of Paul, than... well, one would think that he died for our sins, gave HIS blood for us. And, yet, "the Bible" says that even HE became frustrated when the people wanted to "follow" him, and he wrote "whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts, but when there is a turning to the Lord... the veil is taken away!"
This issue virtually drives me to tears almost every time I think of it: why do you wish to give your loyalty to an INANIMATE object, a talisman made of earthly materials, part of which is constructed into a "holy" thing to be worshipped... and the remainder to be thrown into the fire?!! Isn't it true? The book is made of paper and ink. The paper, from a tree. The ink from plants. But what of the pieces of the tree and plant that are not used? Can one part of something "holy" be holy... and the other parts not???
Have you not read what the Prophet Isaiah wrote about such a thing? No? Then, let me quote it for you, please:
"There is one who business is to cut down cedars; and he take a certain species of tree, even a massive tree and he lets it become strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He planted the laurel tree, and the pouring rain itself keep making it get big. And it has become something for man to keep a fire burning. So he takes part of it that he may warm himself. In fact, he builds a fire and actually bakes bread. He also makes a god to which he may bow down. He had made it into a carved image and he prostrates himself to it. Half of it he actually burns up in a fire. Upon half of it he roasts well the flesh that he eats, and he becomes satisfied. He also warms himself and says: 'Aha! I have warmed myself. I have seen the firelight." But the remainder of it he actually makes into a god itself, into his carved image. He prostrates himself to it and bows down and prays to it and says: "Deliver me, for you are my god." Isaiah 44:14-17
Yes, I know, there are some who would say, "This is speaking about crosses, and idols, and such, but not the Bible." Dear ones, ANYTHING that you reverere... that you worship... that you consider "holy" and/or "sacred"... so that you put in the place of the TRUE Word of God, Christ... is an idol... a god. Your god.
But why give such loyalty, such reverence, such worship... to anything else... when the TRUE Word of God... Christ, the HOLY SPIRIT himself... is ALIVE?? Does not the Bible say he is the Word of God? Does it not say that he is alive? Indeed, it does say so. And it says...to listen to him... to his voice. And nowhere is Christ recorded in the Bible to say, "Listen to others; others are your teachers; others are your leaders; others are your "elders." To the contrary, HE said "ONE is your teacher; ONE is your leader." He said, "The Holy Spirit... that one will teach you..." He said, "He that is to be greatest among you must be least among you." He said, "If I... being your Lord and Teacher... washed your feet, you ought to do the same way to one another." And the Bible records our His God and Father, our God and Father, to say: "This is my Son, the beloved... listen to him."
Do you not know, dear ones, that by lauding the Bible and putting your faith in IT, you are doing the exact same thing as when Israel constructed a golden calf... and began to worship IT as the Most Holy One of Israel... even calling it "JaHVeh"... instead of waiting for the return of their mediator, Moses? Do you not understand that this worship, this reverence for an inanimate object... while you're waiting for YOUR Mediator, Christ, to return, is tantamount to Israel's same display of disloyalty and lack of faith? Do you not understand that Christ, who replaced the temple at Jerusalem, was the last "visible representation" of God... on earth... and so putting your faith in ANYTHING that constitutes a "visible representation" of God... or Christ... on earth... is IDOL worship? God... and Christ... are SPIRITS... and thus, are INVISIBLE... to the eyes of flesh. There is no visible representation of God on earth; there is only a "spiritual" representation, embodied in those who make up the Body of Christ. And who these are... has not yet been revealed.
Some will say, "Well, we can SEE what is written in the Bible, but we can't SEE God or Christ." But whose fault is that? Theirs? Certainly not!! The fault... is OURS. We have been told how to see... and we have been told how to hear. Where? In the Bible... the thing in which so many put their faith! If we reject the instructions, ridicule the "key(s)"... can we blame anyone other than ourselves? It is NOT hard; indeed, it is quite easy... IF you do it the way the Doorkeeper instructs! But, no, we want to do it our own way. We want to stand before the Door, then choose our own method of gaining entry: a book. A book of books. A book of books, much of which is condemned by the One about whom it is written: "WOE, to you... scribes... and Pharisees!! Dear ones... who where the SCRIBES? What did they DO? Why did he prophesy woe for them? And who are they today? Who where the Pharisees? What did they do? Why did he prophesy woe for them? And who are they today?
Dear ones, do you not understand that it is the need to see and hear... with eyes and ears of flesh... rather than eyes and ears of FAITH... is what allows "religion" to mislead you?? Must we be SO... [truly] blind... that all we can see is what "glitters"... and SO [truly] deaf... that all we can hear is what "tickles" the ears [of flesh]? We do not.
Well, okay, then: if the Bible IS the be all, end all... why do you not listen to... and do... what it records our Lord to have said? Why do you listen... to everyone's words in it... but HIS?
Abraham cannot save you. Moses cannot save you. David cannot save you. The Prophets cannot save you. The Apostles cannot save you. The saints/holy ones cannot save you. Paul cannot save you. You... cannot save you. There is ONLY One who can save you. And it is him, and him alone, that we must listen to... and follow.
And so, you would ask, "Okay, Shelby, why do YOU refer to the Bible?" and I would respond, "Because your lack of faith forces me to. Because you will not allow yourself to entertain anything beyond what you can see and hear... with your eyes and ears of flesh. But, IF you would condescend to listen and look with eyes and ears of FAITH there would be no need for me to refer you back to any "written code." IF you would just entertain the possibility that our Lord IS alive... as the Bible says he is... and speaks... which the Bible says he does... there would be no need for me to refer you back to any written code. There would be no need for ANYONE to do so. Beause you would see... and hear... for yourselves. By means of him. And no other man... no other writing. No other "word."
I will continue to pray for this for you, because I know how blown away you're going to be when it occurs, when you have grown enough so that you no longer need the "pedagogue" that is the Bible, because you are no longer a "babe"... but are able to walk as a "full grown man"... in Christ... with Christ, the Holy Spirit. I know how much you are going to rejoice when you allow yourselves to see... and hear... that which cannot be felt, which cannot be realized by the flesh. I know how much you are going to marvel when you make acquiantance with the "man" you are... on the inside... and use him to "see" and "hear" that which is of the spirit. I know how much you are going to rejoice when you are finally led... into ALL truth. You truly cannot imagine.
I bid you peace... and ask your forgiveness for my fervor. But... you are worth it.
Your servant, as I am servant to all those of the Household of God, Israel, and those who go with... and a slave of Christ... to time indefinite,
SA
...OUTLAW
...OUTLAW