No one can see the Kingdom of God unless...

[amadeus]

Whether you realize it or not, consequently, you're claiming infallibility.
If all your understandings of God's Word are derived from the Holy Spirit, then you are not to be contended with, or else, one is resisting God. Are you prepared to affirm that?

Consider Abraham who had no scriptures to read and follow...yet read about His walk with God. Read about his friendship with God. How are we better than Abraham or less than Abraham? Can we communicate with God like Abraham communicated with God? Can we have faith in God like Abraham had faith in God? Instead of worrying how someone else is doing... or not doing it, why not simply immerse ourselves in Him and leave the rest in His hands?

 

[DNB]

Consider Abraham who had no scriptures to read and follow...yet read about His walk with God. Read about his friendship with God. How we better than Abraham or less than Abraham? Can we communicate with God like Abraham communicated with God? Can we have faith in God like Abraham had faith in God? Instead of worrying how someone else is doing... or not doing it, why not simply immerse ourselves in Him and leave the rest in His hands?

Abraham is greater than us, in that his relationship with was first, based on God's love for him (as he stood out before the depraved world around him), but also the special purpose that he had in mind for him. So that Abraham's, dreams, visions and direct encounters with God, had that revelatory and novel aspect about them. They are even written down for us today, so that we understand God's will and purpose.

Can we attain to Abraham's faith, and if so, gain all the gifts that faith and love in God brings , yes.
Is there anyone on this forum with a similar faith and devotion as Abraham, or anywhere in the Church, ...I'll let you answer that.

 

[Enoch111]

The Jews have a saying about the Torah that it is written in the language of men.

At the same time the Jewish Kabbalists gave every Hebrew letter mystical and spiritual significance. And they still do. They also assumed that all the narratives in the Torah had mystical meanings.

 

[Enoch111]

Consider Abraham who had no scriptures to read and follow...yet read about His walk with God.

Then consider Job his contemporary. We do not really know how they knew what they knew. So God would have made direct revelations to them.

 

[Giuliano]

At the same time the Jewish Kabbalists gave every Hebrew letter mystical and spiritual significance. And they still do. They also assumed that all the narratives in the Torah had mystical meanings.

I wonder if John was referring to kabbalists when he wrote "him that hath understanding."

Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

 

[amadeus]

Abraham is greater than us, in that his relationship with was first, based on God's love for him (as he stood out before the depraved world around him), but also the special purpose that he had in mind for him. So that Abraham's, dreams, visions and direct encounters with God, had that revelatory and novel aspect about them. They are even written down for us today, so that we understand God's will and purpose.

Was he indeed greater than us?

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb 11:8-10

But what of this?

"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Matt 11:11

Are we in, or to be in, the kingdom of heaven? If we are then are we not greater than Abraham and if we are not then...?

Can we attain to Abraham's faith, and if so, gain all the gifts that faith and love in God brings , yes.
Is there anyone on this forum with a similar faith and devotion as Abraham, or anywhere in the Church, ...I'll let you answer that.

How would you measure a person's faith to determine if it compares with that of Abraham? You are looking for something that, I believe, you should not:

"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." II Cor 10:12

And then again is not our yardstick higher even than Abraham could possibly attain to before Jesus paid the price and the Holy Ghost was poured out?

If there is, or is to be, a yardstick for us, is it not seen in the One we are striving to be like according to the promise given:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." John 14:12

Why would you presume that those greater works must be in miracles similar to the physical healings Jesus performed during his 3½ year ministry? Are there not greater things that God has done and is doing in you and in me and in others?

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

Have you by the scriptures... or by any other means identified exactly how this power is to be manifested?

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." I Cor 2:9

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." I John 3:2

Go back to the lowest room and go on from there. Deciding have done, are doing, or should be doing is whose job? Yours?

 

[DNB]

Was he indeed greater than us?

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb 11:8-10

But what of this?

"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Matt 11:11

Are we in, or to be in, the kingdom of heaven? If we are then are we not greater than Abraham and if we are not then...?

How would you measure a person's faith to determine if it compares with that of Abraham? You are looking for something that, I believe, you should not:

"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." II Cor 10:12

And then again is not our yardstick higher even than Abraham could possibly attain to before Jesus paid the price and the Holy Ghost was poured out?

If there is, or is to be, a yardstick for us, is it not seen in the One we are striving to be like according to the promise given:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." John 14:12

Why would you presume that those greater works must be in miracles similar to the physical healings Jesus performed during his 3½ year ministry? Are there not greater things that God has done and is doing in you and in me and in others?

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

Have you by the scriptures... or by any other means identified exactly how this power is to be manifested?

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." I Cor 2:9

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." I John 3:2

Go back to the lowest room and go on from there. Deciding have done, are doing, or should be doing is whose job? Yours?

Amadues, i agree with everything you say, or have ever said, on this topic, as far as the availability goes.
I just wish that people would be a bit more reserved about their visions and dreams, and their inspiration from the Holy Ghost.
For, I'd rather them come and say, 'Hey guys, I had a dream last night, this is what happened..., what do you think?' Or, 'A notion just crossed my mind, hey guys, do you think that it was inspired from God?'
Instead of always asserting that they're inspired. Let others decide, and they should stop tooting their own horn, or feeling that they're so blessed. Or whatever the case may be, they should be conservative about claiming that God is behind every thought that passes through their head.

 

[amadeus]

Amadues, i agree with everything you say, or have ever said, on this topic, as far as the availability goes.
I just wish that people would be a bit more reserved about their visions and dreams, and their inspiration from the Holy Ghost.
For, I'd rather them come and say, 'Hey guys, I had a dream last night, this is what happened..., what do you think?' Or, 'A notion just crossed my mind, hey guys, do you think that it was inspired from God?'
Instead of always asserting that they're inspired. Let others decide, and they should stop tooting their own horn, or feeling that they're so blessed. Or whatever the case may be, they should be conservative about claiming that God is behind every thought that passes through their head.

People can say too much or too little. When they do speak, even if they speak the truth as they understand it sometimes it would have better if they had remained silent. This is people. They are fallible as speakers and they are fallible as listeners.

I have friend who is always getting onto ministers [in particular as per Eph. 4:11] in general for not always being perfect ministers of God. This is the nature of the beast that man is. Some handle things better than others on both sides: the speakers and the listeners. There is of course a solution, as there has been since Jesus paid the price and the Holy Spirit was poured out. Even those who understand and acknowledge these things continue to be fallible men, at least, until and if they have overcome the world as Jesus did.

We can work with God on fixing ourselves but to fix others assuming they actually need the fixing we perceive as being needed is altogether another thing. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much but it does not fix people. It just helps them to see possibilities with God. It is then up to them to make proper use of what they have seen.

As to your wish, just remember the old nursery rhyme: "If wishes were horses beggars would ride" and then the scripture which says that only God gives the increase [I Cor 3:6-7]...