It is truly from the small, still voice that truth comes to us, however, with all of the noise in our lives today it is becoming increasingly difficult to hear that voice and to trust it. The internet has made that even more difficult as we now have voices screaming at us 24/7 if we allow them. It takes a great deal of patience, discipline, and love to stop ourselves long enough to hear what the voice of reason is trying to tell us all. That voice is one of balance for us not the extremes. In order to find this balance we must first be able to listen to those whose opinions differ from our own.

sometimes, if we quiet ourselves we can hear from a small, still voice that gives us all the answers we need.

Absolutely!!! 🙂 Thank you for that blessed reminder.

Jayhuck,

Yes, you and Michael are right – I just would never hold myself out as an expert on how to answer these very valid questions. From my perspective, it is a matter or choice and faith. I believe God made us but it is up to us to make choices throughout a lifetime about which faith or religion or beliefs we want to follow. I also know we don’t have to believe what we read or what we hear from others, no matter what the resource is – sometimes, if we quiet ourselves we can hear from a small, still voice that gives us all the answers we need.

I understand what you are saying, but I understand Michael as well. I also have my own beliefs on this, but the problem I see is this:

you said If you believe in Jesus and what He said and how He lived, then follow him and leave all the noise behind.

But EVERYTHING we know about Jesus comes to us through the writings of OTHER people – other fallible human beings. Did they tell us everything we need to know? Did they tell us the truth?

Like I said – I am a believer, but these are valid questions!

Michael,

The answers to your questions will be as varied as the individuals you ask. We do not have any control over what or how anyone interprets the Bible, only ourselves. If you believe in Jesus and what He said and how He lived, then follow him and leave all the noise behind.

I am also concerned, as you are, “regarding how it would affect another person who is on the cusp of believing and is discouraged by the “noise”. I think Jesus got upset by this very same “noise” — the legalists, the self-righteous, the moral superiorty, the lack of love, mercy and basic human compassion that he often encountered among the “relgious” elite of His day.

Not much has changed since then. Many of those “on the cusp” simply walk away — convinced that God hates them.

Michael,

From my perspective, the two most important words in the Bible come from Jesus – He said follow me. He did not say to follow Christianity or other aspects that people have made up about religion to suit their own needs. He said follow me. Whenever I hear someone talking about (or bragging about their Christianity), it is meaningless to me on so many different levels. When I hear or see someone talk and act in a Christ like way, I become gravitated to that individual and want to know more about them and aspire to be more like them. BTW – if all the arrogance and exclusion of individuals that come from organized religion affects me to the extent it does, I can only imagine how it would affect another person who is on the cusp of believing and is discouraged by the “noise” that just becomes muffled after awhile.

I hear very from few conservative Christians who are willing to acknowledge that they are FALLIBLE when it comes to interpreting Scripture — and that equally sincere and intelligent born-again believers might differ on what Bible passages may actually mean. Most self-righteously insist that they KNOW. Where’s the humility?