gfs@icd.ab.com (05/18/91)
Dear netters, In response to the April post of the message through Medjegorje, I got an email letter warning that the apparition was from a demon from Satan. This warning on spiritual experiences has also been posted, so I thought I would post my follow up as well. Here goes... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wanted to drop you a quick note to acknowledge your email letter. I will not try to sugar-coat or be to 'glowing' or 'warm and fuzzy' about my own position or opinion concerning these apparitions and messages. I fully understand and appreciate your concern regarding the danger of false spirits misleading many. However, I cannot deny my faith that I have found enough truth as a Bible-believing and Jesus-Loving Christian in the messages, to dare to at least tell others about them and suggest they consider them as well. There are so many people in the world who do not believe in God at all, who never go to church, or even if they do it is just going through the motions. People in general in the world don't believe in miracles anymore, that God is really real, and God can and does change and do things. The reason given why these apparitions and messages are happening now is because most people need to experience a miracle in order to begin believing again. Your faith is strong, very strong, it is easy to tell from your letter and the devotion you expressed to the Bible and God. I really, honestly think what God is doing in the world is calling to those who do not have faith at all. To those who have faith, it is a challenge to what we have our faith in, God Himself, or a bunch of particular details about the Bible we happen to think are 'The Truth'? Are we so unwilling to admit that maybe some of the details of what we believe maybe are not exactly the whole story, given that God's ways are higher than ours? This is my position. I see God working in the world, calling millions and millions back to faith. Is the way He is doing it the best way I could have thought of? Maybe not. What would be your idea as to the best way God could use to call out to the world again, to reach millions and billions of people across large cultural and society differences? Could you not admit that maybe any idea you or I have is perhaps not the same method God chooses to use? So it is with some humility that I see these things going on, I observe many, many good results, thousands of genuine renewals of faith all over the world, a world-wide renewal of faith beginning. How dare I choose to say it is not God doing it? I can only keep looking at the whole picture and each day decide whether there is more evidence for it or against it. I invite you to keep your faith strong as ever and consider that God may be working in the world in a way you or I don't fully understand. I ask you this, do you believe in the action of the Holy Spirit today? Modern day gifts of healing, prophecy? Do you believe in the REAL resurrection of Jesus, in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each true Christian? God living IN YOU? I have given my life over totally to Jesus. For some reason I happen to think you do too, from the zeal you show for God. I believe and live in this faith. Well, consider this is a REAL MIRACLE, and nothing changes that, nothing can get in the way of your relationship with God indwelling in you. Your faith does not have to feel threatened or challenged because God is reaching out to those in spiritual need all over the world, in a way perhaps different from than you or I are used to. Or are we like the Pharisees, who were so sure they were right that they did not even recognize who Jesus was, when he was literally walking, preaching and teaching among them? So take my words kindly, Darren. Yes I am aware of the danger of deception. To quote your letter: | If this spirit can say "I serve Jesus, |who is God, who was born of a virgin, died and on the third rose again," |without any struggle, I stand corrected. Test this spirit! There are many books containing the accounts of what has been going on in Medjegorje, and one posting cannot possibly fill in all the details. I testify to you that according to your criterion for acceptance of this spirit, it is true. When the apparitions started back in June of 1981, everyone was concerned as you are about a deception from Satan. Very early the spirit was commanded in the name of Jesus to depart if it was not from Jesus in truth. Mary quietly accepted this and other tests for the sake of people to gain confidence in her. She has declared many times, in no uncertain terms, that she is here serving Jesus, THE Jesus, and the will of Almighty God. I invite you to test yourself, not only Mary, but all who claim to love Jesus. I for one, will forever answer you, Blessed and Loved be Jesus. Anyway, forgive my letter from getting long. I do intend on continuing to post the messages as long as they are given, and I hope this does not offend you. I sincerely believe there are those individuals out there on the net that need to see them, indeed, they are given to be spread over the whole world by every means possible. God is real, God is alive, God's Word is in the Bible, and God's Holy Spirit is working in the world today, as we speak! God's Kingdom is coming, and near! This is the time for John the Baptist's cry: "Make straight the path for the coming of the Lord!". Sincerely, In Christ Greg Shay